Retournés

Retournés is a French term that functions as both an adjective and a noun in plural form. In migration studies and sociolinguistics, the word designates people who have returned to their country of origin after a period living abroad. The concept is used to discuss reintegration, identity renegotiation, and social or economic adaptation after repatriation. It can encompass individuals with diverse migration histories, including long-term residents who choose to return.

Etymology and usage of the term derive from the verb retourner, meaning to turn back or to return. The form retourné means “turned back” or “returned,” with retournés referring to those who have undergone the action.

In culinary contexts, retournés refers to dishes or preparations that involve turning or flipping during cooking. The best-known example is pommes de terre retournées, a classic French preparation in which small potatoes are parboiled, browned in fat, and then turned to cook the other side, yielding a crisp exterior and tender interior. The term can also appear in descriptions of other foods or techniques that rely on turning or presenting a component on the opposite side.

Beyond migration and cooking, retourné or retournés may appear in literature or art as metaphorical descriptions of reversal, reversal of fortune, or turning inward. The usage is typically tied to the notion of turning back, reversing direction, or presenting something from another side.

See also: retourner, retournement, migration.