flamande

Flamande is the feminine form of the French noun and adjective Flamand. It designates a female from Flanders or, more generally, something of Flemish origin or style. In contemporary French usage, Flamande can be a noun (une Flamande) or an adjective used to describe Flemish heritage, culture, or cuisine (cuisine flamande).

Flanders is a historic region in the Low Countries. In modern terms, it largely corresponds to the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community of Belgium, with Brussels being a separate, bilingual entity. The area is predominantly Dutch-speaking, with regional variations that influence identity and cultural expression. In French-language contexts, the term flamand(e) is used to reference Flemish people or things, including cultural references.

Historically, the County of Flanders was a medieval and early modern polity that later became part of Burgundian and Habsburg rule, contributing to a distinctive Flemish culture in art, trade, and urban life. The word Flamande appears in French historical and literary texts to describe women from the region or to characterize Flemish culture more broadly.

Usage notes: in modern French, Flamande is primarily a demonym for a female from Flanders; Flamand for a male. As an adjective, it denotes Flemish origin. When referring to language, French typically uses néerlandais rather than flamand to denote the Dutch language, although historical or regional contexts may retain Flamand(e) in description.

See also: Flemish people, Flanders, Flemish language.