religieux
/ʁə.li.ʒjø/
The English word religious is translated into French as religieux.
The adjective religieux is used to describe things concerning religion.
Meaning: concerning religion (adj)
Which one should you use?
When used as a noun, religieux (masculine) or religieuse (feminine) refers to a member of a religious order (a monk or a nun).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective has several forms: the masculine singular is religieux, the masculine plural remains religieux, the feminine singular is religieuse and the feminine plural is religieuses.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ʁə.li.ʒjø/.
Did you know?
- In a French bakery or café, une religieuse is not a person but a cream-filled pastry shaped like a nun's habit.
- The term religieux is inherited from the Latin religiōsus, which originally carried a sense of anxiety or scrupulousness.
- The word religieux is used in the phrase un silence religieux to describe a state of absolute, respectful silence, even in non-sacred settings.
Examples in context
- Il n'est pas religieux.He is not religious.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is not religious using religieux.Tatoeba #461804 by Bruno, translation #1265295 by yifen238
- Dieu est-il religieux ?Is God religious?This sentence is useful for asking if God is religious using religieux.Tatoeba #13805648 by Rovo, translation #13758372 by rul
- Il était très religieux.He was quite religious.This sentence is useful for describing someone who was quite religious using religieux.Tatoeba #12495157 by always, translation #8789064 by Amastan
- Je suis une personne religieuse.I am a religious person.
- Il est un fervent croyant.He is a devout believer.
- Elle est adepte du culte bouddhiste.She is a follower of the Buddhist faith.
- Tu es vraiment croyant, toi!You are really religious, aren't you!
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are discussing their cultural background.
- ChloéTes parents sont-ils religieux ?Are your parents religious?
- NathanNon, ils ne sont pas religieux du tout.No, they are not religious at all.
- ChloéC'est une famille très laïque, alors.It is a very secular family, then.
- NathanOui, ils préfèrent la vie sans traditions religieuses.Yes, they prefer life without religious traditions.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “religious” translations and entries religieux, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries religieux, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
