canon
/ka.nɔ̃/
To say that someone is hot in French, meaning very attractive, the common word is canon.
canon is informal slang for a very good looking person. Its basic meaning is a cannon.
How does it change in a sentence?
Used as an adjective it usually stays the same for a man or a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA /ka.nɔ̃/ shows two syllables ending in a nasal vowel, with no n sound at the end.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the French word for warm about a person to mean attractive. It suggests the person is eager or aroused rather than good looking.
Did you know?
- The word canon shares a linguistic root with the English word 'canon' as in a collection of laws or sacred texts, both stemming from the Greek word for a 'measuring rod'.
- In French, the term canon is an example of a noun used as an adjective that remains invariant, meaning it does not add an 'e' when describing a woman.
- The term canon actually originated from the Greek word for a 'measuring rod' or 'standard'. It was used to describe an ideal 'standard of beauty' before it was shortened to describe the person themselves.
Examples in context
- Il est vraiment canon.He is really hot.
- Ta nouvelle voisine est canon.Your new neighbor is hot.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a celebrity on a magazine cover.
- GabrielRegarde ce mannequin, il est canon !Look at this model, he is hot!
- LéaC'est vrai, il est très beau.It's true, he is very handsome.
- GabrielTu ne trouves pas qu'il est canon ?Don't you think he is hot?
- LéaOui, je suis d'accord avec toi.Yes, I agree with you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry canon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
