demi-portion

half-portion

noun duh-mee-por-SYOHN Rare

Also means

small person (informal)

Usage Note

Demi-portion literally means a half-serving of food, but in informal French it doubles as a slightly dismissive term for a short or slight person. The prefix demi- (half) appears in many compound nouns like demi-heure (half-hour) and demi-frère (half-brother).

Examples

"Il a commandé une demi-portion de frites."

Natural Translation

He ordered a half-portion of fries.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

En, Au, Aux: French Prepositions for Countries

Use en for feminine countries, au for masculine, aux for plural, and à for cities. Full French preposition rule for countries, with a lookup table and traps.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Café Culture: How to Order Like a Local

In a French café, un café means espresso, one drink rents the table for an hour, and you must ask for the bill. Order coffee like a local with these phrases.

June 4, 2026 7 min read

FrenchNow

How to Pronounce the French R (Step by Step)

The French R is a back-of-the-throat sound, not a rolled R. Learn the exact tongue position and a step-by-step drill to build it from sounds you already make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

The Bonjour Rule: French Etiquette for Visitors

Always say bonjour before you ask, order, or pay in France — the unspoken rule that opens every door. A respectful visitor's guide to French etiquette.

June 4, 2026 6 min read