roumain

Roumain is a French term used as both a noun and an adjective to designate Romania and its people, language, and culture. As a noun, un Roumain (masculine) or une Roumaine (feminine) denotes a person from Romania. As an adjective, roumain describes something related to Romania or its inhabitants, for example la langue roumaine, la culture roumaine, or le cinéma roumain.

Geography and demonyms: The country is Roumanie in French. The common demonyms are les Roumains (masculine) and les Roumaines (feminine). The language is referred to as la langue roumaine. In Romanian itself, the people call themselves Români and the country România, reflecting a different self-designation from the French usage.

Etymology and usage: The term roumain derives from the French name for the country, Roumanie, which was established in modern French usage in the 19th century. It is related to the broader historical and linguistic naming associated with the region, and it should not be confused with the English word Romanian, which corresponds to a different linguistic tradition. In French-language contexts, roumain functions as a standard demonym and adjective without implying any specific political stance.

See also: Roumanie; Roumaines; Roumains; Români. The related terms highlight the contrast between the French exonym Roumanie and the Romanian ethnonym Români, as well as the differing national names across languages.