coque
shell, hull
noun KOK Rare
Origin: From Old French 'coque', related to Latin 'concha' (shell).
Also means
phone case
Usage Note
coque covers both a natural shell (eggshell, mussel shell) and a protective hull (boat hull, aircraft fuselage). Un œuf à la coque is a soft-boiled egg — the most common collocation learners encounter. In modern usage, une coque de téléphone is a phone case.
Examples
"Elle mange un œuf à la coque chaque matin."
Natural Translation
She eats a soft-boiled egg every morning.
Literal Translation
She eats an egg in the shell every morning.
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