Kilo Lingo

le

masculine

/mɛk/

Line drawing of mec
Coloured illustration of mec
#208 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

guy, bloke, boyfriend (informal)

Word origin

Of uncertain origin, attested in nineteenth-century slang. It is usually traced to an older argot mec or mac ('pimp, master'), perhaps a clipping of maquereau.

Origin
Old French
Root
mec

Grammar

Gendermasculine

Examples

, .

This guy is really nice, you should get to know him.

.

Her boyfriend has been working at a big bank for several years.

pot collègue.

The guys from the office organised a leaving do for their colleague.

, l'.

This guy is really nice, you will love him.

' l' .

A bloke asked me the time in the street.

Mec est un terme très familier désignant un homme (guy, bloke) ou un compagnon romantique masculin (boyfriend). Il est omniprésent dans la langue orale française informelle, surtout chez les jeunes. Dans un contexte formel ou professionnel, on utilisera homme, monsieur ou collègue selon le cas.

Mon mec (my boyfriend) est l'équivalent familier de mon petit ami ou mon compagnon. Les mecs (the guys, the boys) s'adresse à un groupe masculin dans un registre très décontracté. Un vieux mec (an old guy) et un jeune mec (a young guy) qualifient l'âge. Mec provient de l'argot du XIXe siècle - son étymologie exacte est discutée.

Used in

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