fougue

Fougue is a French noun meaning intense energy, ardor, zeal, or impetuous vitality. It denotes vigorous, spirited force applied in action or speech and can carry a connotation of impulsiveness or dynamic drive. In English, fougue is occasionally used as a loanword in literary or academic contexts to convey a distinctly French nuance of passionate dynamism.

Etymology: The term derives from Old French fougue, designating ardor or impetuosity, and is the feminine noun la fougue. It is related to fougueux, meaning ardent or impetuous.

Usage: Fougue is commonly used to describe the vigor of a person’s performance, rhetoric, or the momentum behind a movement or idea. It implies both enthusiasm and a degree of force or speed, sometimes bordering on recklessness. In criticism, fougue may be praised as inspiration or faulted if it overrides deliberation.

English usage: In modern English, fougue appears mainly in translations from French or in stylistic prose; more common equivalents include fervor, ardor, zeal, vigor, or impetuous energy. Writers may pair fougue with adjectives such as intense, fiery, or undaunted.

See also: fervor; ardor; zeal; vigor; impetuosity; enthusiasm.