excuse
Il a donné une excuse pour son retard.
He gave an excuse for his lateness.
a reason or explanation offered to justify or defend something, often when it is not entirely truthful
Elle a inventé une excuse pour ne pas venir à la réunion.
She made up an excuse not to come to the meeting.
Often used when the reason is questionable or insincere.
a polite way of asking someone to leave or stop doing something
Je vous excuse de cette interruption.
I excuse you for this interruption.
Used in formal or polite contexts to avoid direct confrontation.
Collocations
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal Use
In formal contexts, 'excuse' is often used to politely ask someone to stop or leave, while in informal contexts, it can imply a questionable reason.
Gold Rule
Politeness
In French, 'excuse' is often used to soften a request or criticism, maintaining politeness.
Word Origin
From Latin 'excusa', feminine past participle of 'excusare' (to excuse), from 'ex-' (out) + 'cusare' (to absolve).
Usage Notes
In French, 'excuse' can be used both as a noun and a verb. As a verb, it means 'to excuse' (e.g., 'Je vous excuse' = 'I excuse you').