coupe
/kup/feminine
The English phrase "haircut" is translated into French as coupe.
In the context of hair, coupe refers to the style or the act of the haircut. You can use the full phrase coupe de cheveux to be more specific. When describing your hair at a salon, you might use la frange for bangs, les côtés for the sides or ask to have hair shortened with Je voudrais les longueurs raccourcies. If you want a fade, you would say Je veux les côtés dégradés and if you want them shaved, say Je veux les côtés rasés.
Meaning: act of cutting of hair (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The full phrase coupe de cheveux literally means "cut of hair".
Which one should you use?
While coupe focuses on the cut or style, coiffure is a common alternative used to refer more broadly to a hairstyle or hairdo. In casual conversation, you may also encounter the colloquial term Coupe de tifs.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word coupe is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/kup/
Did you know?
- The word coupe is a homonym in French, as it is also used to describe a trophy or a 'cup' in sports, which was originally borrowed from English.
- In France, the term coupe au bol refers to a 'bowl cut', a style historically associated with children and certain monastic traditions.
- French speakers use the verb se faire couper les cheveux rather than saying they are 'getting a haircut', literally translating to 'making oneself have the hair cut'.
Examples in context
- Aimes-tu ma nouvelle coupe ?Do you like my new haircut?This sentence is useful for asking if someone likes your new haircut using coupe.Tatoeba #1858223 by sacredceltic, translation #1855262 by Spamster
- Va te faire couper les cheveux !Get a haircut.This sentence uses coupe in a common idiom to tell someone to get a haircut.Tatoeba #4625936 by sacredceltic, translation #949996 by CK
- Ta coupe de cheveux est horrible.Your haircut is ghastly.This sentence uses coupe to describe a terrible haircut.Tatoeba #10298735 by lbdx, translation #6467818 by Eccles17
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are talking in a cafe.
- LéaJ'adore ta nouvelle coupe, Nathan !I love your new haircut, Nathan!
- NathanMerci, c'est une coupe simple.Thanks, it is a simple haircut.
- LéaElle te rend très élégant.It makes you look very elegant.
- NathanC'est gentil, Léa.That is kind, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “haircut” translations and entries coupe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coupe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
