What does cap in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word cap in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use cap in French.

The word cap in French means cape, headland, course, stage, NVQ, Cape Town, hurdle to be overcome, obstacle to be overcome, Cape of Good Hope, vocational qualification as a pastry chef/pâtissier, Cap Ferret, Cape Horn, Are you up for it or not? Are you game or not?, vocational qualification in childcare, here we come!, it's full steam ahead for, Cape Verde, Cape Verdean, Cape Verdean, change of direction, change course, change course, from head to toe, from head to toe, from top to toe, from head to foot, round the cape, round a cape, turn + [age], overcome obstacles, stay on course, hold your course, Cape Verde islands, Cape Verdean islands, Dare you!, head for, get over , get past, turn + [age], pass a milestone, sail around a cape. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word cap

cape, headland

nom masculin (géographie : pointe de terre)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
On croise des dauphins au cap Saint-Vincent.
You can see dolphins off Cape St. Vincent.

course

nom masculin (direction)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le bateau a mis le cap sur les Antilles.
The ship set course for the Antilles.

stage

nom masculin (figuré (étape)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il a grandi cet été, il a passé le cap de l'adolescence.
He's grown up this summer; he's past the adolescent stage.

NVQ

nom masculin (diplôme professionnel) (UK, equivalent, abbreviation)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Elle a obtenu son CAP Petite Enfance.
She got her City & Guilds in Childcare.

Cape Town

nom propre masculin (ville d'Afrique du sud)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il est en vacances au Cap.
He's on holiday in Cape Town.

hurdle to be overcome, obstacle to be overcome

nom masculin (période difficile)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

Cape of Good Hope

nom propre masculin (pointe de l'Afrique du Sud) (South Africa)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les Européens attribuent à Vasco de Gama et Bartholomeu Dias la découverte du Cap de Bonne-Espérance en 1488.

vocational qualification as a pastry chef/pâtissier

nom masculin (diplôme de cuisine) (Education)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
He has a vocational qualification as a patissier.

Cap Ferret

nom propre masculin (cap du bassin d'Arcachon) (Southwest France)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le Cap Ferret sépare l'océan Atlantique et le bassin d'Arcachon.

Cape Horn

nom propre masculin (pointe sud américaine) (South America)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le cap Horn est une falaise de 425 m de haut située à l’extrémité sud de l’archipel chilien de la Terre de Feu.

Are you up for it or not? Are you game or not?

interjection (Capable ou non ?)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

vocational qualification in childcare

nom masculin (diplôme de puériculture) (Education)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

here we come!

interjection (en route vers [qch])

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")
Et maintenant, matelots, cap sur l'Italie ! En montant dans la voiture, Papa s'exclama : "cap sur la Suisse !"
As he got into the car, Dad exclaimed "Next stop, Switzerland!"

it's full steam ahead for

interjection (figuré (se diriger vers [qch])

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Cap sur les nanotechnologies.

Cape Verde

nom propre masculin (pays insulaire d'Afrique de l'Ouest) (country)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le Cap-Vert était une colonie portugaise.

Cape Verdean

adjectif (relatif au Cap-Vert)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Cesaria Evora était une grande chanteuse capverdienne.

Cape Verdean

(habitant du Cap-Vert) (person)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les Capverdiens parlent portugais.

change of direction

nom masculin (figuré (modification de stratégie)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

change course

(navire : changer de direction)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

change course

(figuré (adopter une autre position) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

from head to toe

locution adverbiale (de la tête au pied)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Justine était habillée en vert de pied en cap hier.

from head to toe, from top to toe, from head to foot

locution adverbiale (figuré (intégralement)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Ce dispositif de sécurité scanne les gens de pied en cap.

round the cape

locution verbale (navigation : dépasser un cap) (nautical)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il compte deux jours pour doubler le cap Horn.

round a cape

locution verbale (maritime : franchir un cap) (Sailing)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

turn + [age]

locution verbale (vieillir sans problème existentiel)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
On franchit parfois difficilement le cap de la quarantaine.

overcome obstacles

locution verbale (surmonter une épreuve)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Il faut franchir un cap pour passer l'adolescence.

stay on course, hold your course

locution verbale (ne pas dévier)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Cape Verde islands, Cape Verdean islands

nom propre féminin pluriel (îles de l'océan Atlantique) (archipelago)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Les îles du Cap-Vert restèrent inhabitées jusqu'à l'arrivée des explorateurs portugais en 1456.

Dare you!

interjection (interjection de défi) (informal)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")

head for

locution verbale (se diriger vers)

(phrasal verb, transitive, inseparable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, not divisible--for example,"go with" [=combine nicely]: "Those red shoes don't go with my dress." NOT [S]"Those red shoes don't go my dress with."[/S])
Enfin, les vacances sont là et nous mettons le cap vers le Sud !

get over , get past

locution verbale (être plus fort que [qch]) (emotionally)

(phrasal verb, transitive, inseparable: Verb with adverb(s) or preposition(s), having special meaning, not divisible--for example,"go with" [=combine nicely]: "Those red shoes don't go with my dress." NOT [S]"Those red shoes don't go my dress with."[/S])
Je sais que ton divorce a été difficile, mais il faut que tu passes le cap.

turn + [age]

locution verbale (avoir... ans)

(transitive verb: Verb taking a direct object--for example, "Say something." "She found the cat.")
Mon père a eu du mal à passer le cap de la cinquantaine.

pass a milestone

locution verbale (figuré (progresser)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

sail around a cape

locution verbale (Navigation : franchir un cap)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of cap in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.

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