Dictionary

French letter en · NOUN

Etymology

From French + letter. Compare earlier French pox, French-sick (“syphilis”), or later French safe, French tickler (“condom”), or French kiss. Attested from the 19th century.

Meanings

1. (Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, dated, euphemistic) A condom.
   • “I suppose it’s too much to hope that you have a question about gonorrhea. Those questions are so much easier to answer.”[…] “I was going to ask about what you said earlier. That you’d... that you’d... not used a French letter in eighteen months.” 2012, Courtney Milan, A Kiss for Midwinter, page 80:
   • ‘So you’re fifteen – and you know the function of a “French letter”? You are familiar with its use?’ ‘I know what it’s for, sir, yes.’ 1984, Leslie Thomas, In my Wildest Dreams, page 289:

Forms

Deriveds

Frenchie

Synonyms

cum catcher · rubber · condom