confiture

Everyday

1. (French) Confiture is the French word for jam or fruit preserve: «confiture de fraises» means strawberry jam; to an English ear it sounds like «kon-fee-TOOR». tree →
2. In English it is a rare, fancy word used on jars and menus for a jam or sweet preserve. tree →

In the lessons

In French lessons, «la confiture» comes up in breakfast vocabulary: bread, butter and jam (du pain, du beurre et de la confiture). In shops, posh jars may say «confiture». It is not a usual English word; in English people say «jam» (UK) or «jelly» or «preserves» (US). Phrases: «confiture d'abricots» (apricot jam).

Examples

• In French, jam is «la confiture». tree →
• «Je voudrais de la confiture» means «I'd like some jam». tree →
• The jar said «Confiture de fraises». tree →
• We spread confiture on our croissants in Paris. tree →
• Confiture is made by boiling fruit with sugar. tree →
• The menu offered toast with butter and confiture. tree →

Note

Mostly a French word, not ordinary English. In French it is feminine: «la confiture». False friend trap: it is not «confectionery» (sweets) and not «comfit» exactly, though they come from the same old root.