Definition

Proper noun: * An honorary group of French writers and thinkers supported by the French government: The French Academy is a prestigious learned body in France, composed of a limited number of members known as "the Immortals." It is officially tasked with acting as the official authority on the French language.

Usage

• The French Academy is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.
• Membership in the French Academy is considered one of the highest honors for a French intellectual.
• The primary mission of the French Academy is to safeguard and regulate the French language.

Examples

• The French Academy publishes an official dictionary of the French language.
• Many famous authors, such as Victor Hugo, have been members of the French Academy.
• A key role of the French Academy is to recommend new French terms for modern concepts.

Advanced Usage

• "To be elected to the French Academy": To be chosen as a member, often seen as the pinnacle of a literary or intellectual career in France.
  • After a long career, the philosopher was finally elected to the French Academy.
• "A decision by the French Academy": Refers to an official ruling or recommendation on language usage.
  • The proposed spelling was rejected by a decision of the French Academy.

Variants and Related Words

• Academician (noun): A member of the French Academy or a similar learned society.
  • The academician gave a speech at the induction ceremony.
• Academic française (proper noun): The French name for the institution.

Synonyms

• The Immortals (noun, informal): A colloquial name for the members of the French Academy, derived from the academy's motto.
• Learned society (noun): A general term for an organization dedicated to the promotion of a specific academic field.

Related Concepts

• Language purism: The policy of opposing foreign influences on a language, a stance historically associated with the French Academy.
• Official language authority: An institution recognized as the regulator for a language's grammar, vocabulary, and usage.

Noun

1. an honorary group of French writers and thinkers supported by the French government
   • the French Academy sets standards for the use of the French language