fils

Everyday

1. (French) «Fils» is the French word for son; it sounds like «feess» to an English ear and is not an English word. tree →
2. In English, «fils» is sometimes put after a French name to mean «the son» or «junior», as in «Dumas fils», to tell a son apart from his father with the same name. tree →
3. (money) A fils is a small coin, a fraction of the dinar or dirham, in some Arab countries like Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE. tree →

In the lessons

In French lessons, «fils» comes up in family words: «mon fils» (my son), «père et fils» (father and son). Some shops are named «... et Fils» (and Son). In maths problems about world money, 1000 fils = 1 Kuwaiti dinar, or 100 fils = 1 UAE dirham. Phrases: «père et fils», «Dumas fils».

Examples

• In French class we learned that «fils» means son. tree →
• The bakery sign said «Martin et Fils». tree →
• Alexandre Dumas fils wrote different books from his father. tree →
• The drink cost 500 fils in Kuwait. tree →
• «Mon fils» means «my son» in French. tree →
• The old coin was worth only a few fils. tree →

Note

French: the «l» and «s» spelling is tricky; it is said «feess». Plural in French is also «fils». As money, the plural is «fils». Not an English word for son.