jump scare
/dʒœm(p) skɛʁ/
The English phrase "jump scare" is expressed in French as jump scare.
The English term 'jump scare' is commonly used as an anglicism in French film and gaming circles to describe the technique of suddenly scaring an audience.
Meaning: a technique to suddenly scare the audience (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term jump scare is considered informal. For a more formal way to express this concept, you can use Effet de sursaut, which is similar to the English term "jump scare effect".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, the borrowed English term jump-scare is commonly used, particularly among younger people.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term is treated as a masculine noun, such as in the phrase un jump scare.
How do you pronounce it?
/dʒœm(p) skɛʁ/
Did you know?
- The word 'scare' in the English term shares an ancient root with the Latin scarus, which is also the name of a genus of parrotfish.
- While jump scare is common in cinema, French speakers often use the verb sursauter to describe the involuntary physical jerk of the body. This verb specifically captures the 'jump' part of the experience without needing to mention 'scare'.
- In French, the word sursaut inside the formal term effet de sursaut is built from the verb sauter, meaning 'to jump'. This creates a rare instance where the formal French translation and the informal English loanword describe the exact same physical action.
Examples in context
- Ce film est rempli de jump scares.This movie is full of jump scares.
- Je déteste chaque jump scare dans les films d'horreur.I hate every jump scare in horror movies.
- Le jump scare m'a vraiment fait sursauter.The jump scare really made me jump.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are watching a horror movie on the couch.
- HugoTu as eu peur du dernier jump scare ?Were you scared by the last jump scare?
- EmmaOui, c'était vraiment effrayant !Yes, it was really scary!
- HugoMoi aussi, mon cœur bat très vite.Me too, my heart is beating very fast.
- EmmaOn devrait peut-être éteindre la lumière.Maybe we should turn off the light.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jump scare” translations and entries jump scare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries jump scare, scare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
