ministre fantôme
masculine
The English phrase 'shadow minister' is translated into French as ministre fantôme.
A ministre fantôme is a member of an opposition party, with responsibility for a particular portfolio.
Meaning: member of an opposition party, with responsibility for a particular portfolio (noun)
Did you know?
- In French politics, the 'portfolio' assigned to a ministre fantôme is called a portefeuille, which is the same word used for a physical wallet.
- The word ministre was borrowed from the Latin word 'minister', which originally meant 'servant' or 'assistant'.
- The word fantôme is related to the English word 'fantasy' through their shared root in the Greek word phántasma, meaning an appearance.
Example sentences for French are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing politics in the office.
- LéaAs-tu vu l'intervention du ministre fantôme ?Did you see the shadow minister's speech?
- LucasOui, Lucas a trouvé ses arguments convaincants.Yes, Lucas found his arguments convincing.
- LéaLe ministre fantôme est très actif cette année.The shadow minister is very active this year.
- LucasC'est vrai, il challenge souvent le gouvernement.That's true, he often challenges the government.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shadow minister” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fantôme, ministre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
