-eur feminine nouns

ByFast French

French feminine nouns ending in eur are a different group from the masculine ones. They almost never come from English words for people or machines. Instead, they are words for qualities, feelings, or abstract ideas. The English cousins of these words often end in -or (like color, horror) but sometimes in -ness or other endings.

These nouns are always feminine. Here is a list of common ones.

  • la chaleur (heat, warmth)
  • la couleur (color)
  • la douceur (softness, sweetness, gentleness)
  • la faveur (favor)
  • la fleur (flower)
  • la frayeur (fright, fear)
  • la froideur (coldness)
  • la fureur (fury, rage)
  • la grandeur (size, greatness)
  • la grosseur (size, bigness)
  • la hauteur (height, arrogance)
  • l’ horreur (horror)
  • la largeur (width)
  • la lenteur (slowness)
  • la lourdeur (heaviness)
  • la malheur (misfortune, sorrow, this one is an exception: le malheur is masculine)
  • la moiteur (dampness)
  • la noirceur (blackness, darkness)
  • la odeur (smell, odor)
  • la pâleur (paleness)
  • la peine (sorrow, trouble, not an eur word)
  • la pesanteur (heaviness, gravity)
  • la peur (fear)
  • la profondeur (depth)
  • la puanteur (stench)
  • la rapidité (speed, not an eur word)
  • la rondeur (roundness)
  • la rougeur (redness)
  • la rugosité (roughness, not an eur word)
  • la stupeur (stupor, astonishment)
  • la sueur (sweat)
  • la tiédeur (lukewarmness)
  • la torpeur (torpor)
  • la valeur (value)
  • la verdeur (greenness, sharpness)
  • la vigueur (vigor)

Some words for feelings or qualities can be masculine if they come from a different root or have a different use. Le bonheur (happiness) and le malheur (sorrow) are two important ones. L’honneur (honor) is also masculine.

You will not find many feminine eur words for jobs. When a job word like acteur (actor) becomes feminine, it usually changes its ending. It becomes actrice. A dancer (danseur) becomes danseuse. The feminine forms use -trice or -euse, not just -eur.

Summary

Feminine nouns ending in eur are for qualities and abstract things, not for people. They come from Latin words and have English counterparts often ending in -or. The gender is a firm rule: these words are feminine, with only a few common exceptions like le bonheur.

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • present participle

    ByFast French

    The French present participle is a verb form ending in -ant. It is less common in French than in English, but it plays an important role in certain contexts. It can be used as a verb, an adjective, or as part of a clause. It is also used after the preposition en to form what…

  • to get the better of

    ByFast French

    The English phrase “to get the better of” is an idiomatic expression that means to gain an advantage over someone or something, or to overcome a challenge or emotion. Translating this phrase into French requires understanding its context, as there is no direct word-for-word equivalent. 1. “Prendre le dessus” This is the most common translation…

  • habituer

    ByFast French

    The French verb “habituer” means “to accustom” or “to get used to.” Its reflexive or pronominal form, “s’habituer,” means “to get used to” something or someone. “habituer” (regular form) The regular form “habituer” is a transitive verb, meaning it usually requires a direct object. It is used when one person or thing causes another to…

  • tu & vous

    ByFast French

    In French, there are two ways to say “you”: tu and vous. Choosing between them is not just a matter of grammar, but also of culture, etiquette, and social context. The distinction can feel unfamiliar to English speakers, where “you” is used in nearly every situation, but in French, the choice between tu and vous…

  • tant, tant de, tant que

    ByFast French

    Tant, tant de and tant que are common French forms expressing quantity, intensity, comparison, and conditions of time. They appear in both speech and writing across all registers. Tant Tant is an adverb meaning “so much,” “so,” or “so many,” depending on context. It often intensifies a verb or adjective. With verbs With adjectives or…

  • lequel, auquel, duquel

    ByFast French

    These compound relative pronouns provide precision in French, particularly when referring to nouns with prepositions. They agree in gender and number with their antecedents and are essential for formal, written French. 1. Lequel / Laquelle / Lesquels / Lesquelles (Which, That, Whom – After Most Prepositions) Used after prepositions like sur, sous, avec, pour, dans,…