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Definition of french fries

french fries

Plural:french fries
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french fries Lexical Profile

• noun

1

American Long, thin strips of potato that have been deep-fried, typically served hot and salted as a side dish or snack.

Example

"We ordered a cheeseburger and a large side of french fries to share."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for french fries

Word Nuance & Usage

In North America, 'french fries' refers to deep-fried potato strips. In British English, this dish is called 'chips', which can cause confusion as 'chips' in North America refers to thin, cold potato snacks (known as 'crisps' in the UK).

• Nearby Words

freight
freighter
fremontodendron
french fries
french lilac
french marigold
french toast

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from 'French fried potatoes,' first recorded in the late 19th century in the United States. The term 'French' likely refers to the culinary technique of 'frenching' (cutting into longitudinal strips) or to the item's popularization by Francophone culture.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of French fries. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/french fries
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