foncé

Foncé is a French adjective meaning dark or deep in color. It describes hues that are not light and can refer to materials, clothing, surfaces, or images that appear dim or saturated toward the dark end of the spectrum. The term comes from the verb foncer, to darken or deepen.

The standard forms are: masculine singular foncé, feminine singular foncée, masculine plural foncés, feminine plural foncées. In usage, foncé is typically paired with nouns that specify color or material, as in une couleur foncée (a dark color), un bois foncé (dark wood), or des vêtements foncés (dark clothes). In color theory and design, foncé denotes a low lightness value within a palette, often contrasted with clair (light).

Foncé is broader than noir. While noir refers to pure black, foncé encompasses a range of dark tones, including deep browns, greens, blues, and grays. It can also describe tonal or atmospheric qualities, such as a « ton foncé » in photography, cinema, or literature, indicating somberness or seriousness.

In social and cultural contexts, foncé is widely used in fashion, interior design, and branding to convey formality, elegance, or restraint. When describing people or skin color, care is advised, as terms related to color can carry sensitive connotations depending on context and audience.

See also: couleur sombre, palette de couleurs foncées, clair et foncé, noir.