intacte

Intacte is the feminine singular form of the French adjective intact, meaning undamaged, unaltered, or whole. It is used to describe feminine nouns and to indicate that something has not suffered damage or change. The masculine form is intact, the masculine plural is intacts, and the feminine plural is intactes.

In practical terms, intacte is commonly found in everyday and formal French to describe objects, states, or conditions that remain in their original, undamaged condition. For example, on the label of a package one might read une enveloppe intacte (an intact envelope), and in a report one may refer to des documents intactes? No—des documents intacts (masculine plural) or, when the noun is feminine, des preuves intactes (feminine plural).

Etymology and related forms: intacte derives from Latin intactus, formed with in- (not) and tactus (touched). The word entered French via Old French and Middle French, maintaining the sense of “not touched” or “unharmed.” It shares the same semantic core with English intact.

Usage notes: intacte is strictly an adjective and agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies. It is used across domains—from everyday description to legal or technical language—where the condition of being undamaged or complete is relevant. While closely related to synonyms like entier or indemne in certain contexts, intact conveys a specific sense of preserved integrity.