parquet

parquet floor, wooden flooring

noun par-KEH Rare

Origin: Old French 'parc' (enclosed space); the flooring sense came from parquet compartments in courts

Also means

public prosecutor's office

Usage Note

Parquet has two main senses: the flooring type (poser un parquet) and, in law, the body of public prosecutors attached to a French court (le parquet a ouvert une enquête — 'the prosecutor's office opened an investigation'). The legal sense is unique to French legal terminology and can surprise learners reading news articles.

Examples

"Le parquet en chêne du salon craque légèrement."

Natural Translation

The oak parquet floor in the living room creaks slightly.

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