Beaucoup

/boʊˈku/ adverb

Definition

A large amount or many; lots of (borrowed from French, used in English to emphasize quantity).

Etymology

From French 'beaucoup,' from Old French 'beau' (fine, beautiful) + 'coup' (blow, strike). Originally meant 'a fine blow,' evolved to mean 'a lot' or 'much.' English borrowed this as a casual intensifier.

Kelly Says

English speakers use 'beaucoup' as slang because French sounds fancy, even though the original French phrase just means 'many.' It's pure style over substance—the French speaker sounds more sophisticated!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.