calmar
/kal.maʁ/masculine
The English word 'squid' is translated into French as calmar or encornet.
Meaning: sea animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| calmar | /kal.maʁ/ | masculine |
| encornet | masculine |
Both terms refer to the sea animal known as a squid.
How does it change in a sentence?
To talk about more than one squid, use the plural forms calmars for calmar or encornets for encornet.
How do you pronounce it?
calmar is pronounced /kal.maʁ/ and has two syllables.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'squid' for most species, French often distinguishes between the calmar and the encornet based on the animal's internal shell structure.
- The word encornet shares its root with the musical instrument 'cornet', reflecting the animal's conical shape.
- While calmar is the standard biological term, you will often see encornet used specifically on French restaurant menus to denote squid prepared for eating.
Examples in context
- Un bon calmar peut nager dans n'importe quelle mer.A good squid can swim in any sea.This sentence shows how the word calmar is used when discussing the movement of the animal in the sea.Tatoeba #10779525 by Rovo, translation #12912470 by rul
- Des prises importantes de calmars sont un signe avant-coureur de séisme.Large catches of squid are a sign of a coming earthquake.This sentence uses calmar to describe the animal in the context of fishing and natural warnings.Tatoeba #876702 by sacredceltic, translation #876700 by Scott
- Les premières images d'un calmar géant ont été prises en 2012 au large des côtes japonaises.The first footage of a giant squid was captured in 2012 off the coast of Japan.This sentence features calmar when discussing the footage of a giant specimen.Tatoeba #9012876 by lbdx, translation #5992785 by Hybrid
- Le calmar est un céphalopode marin appartenant à la famille des Loliginidae.The squid is a marine cephalopod belonging to the family of Loliginidae.
- Nous avons dégusté de savoureux supions frits lors de notre voyage en bord de mer.We tasted delicious fried squid during our trip to the seaside.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are at a seafood restaurant.
- EmmaEst-ce que ce calmar est bon ?Is this squid good?
- GabrielOui, le calmar est délicieux !Yes, the squid is delicious!
- EmmaJe vais commander le même plat.I am going to order the same dish.
- GabrielC'est une excellente idée, Emma.That is an excellent idea, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “squid” translations and entries calmar, encornet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calmar, encornet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
