républicaine

Républicaine is the feminine form of the French adjective républicain. It can function as an adjective or as a noun and designates something related to a republic or to republican principles, or a person who supports them.

The masculine form is républicain; the feminine is républicaine; the standard plural forms are républicains (mixed or male) and républicaines (female). The term derives from Latin res publica “the public thing,” via Old French république, and the suffix -ain/-aine.

As an adjective, républicaine modifies nouns to express alignment with republican values, as in valeurs républicaines or éducation républicaine. As a noun, it can denote a person who upholds republican politics, especially a woman who identifies with such views.

In French political history, républicaine was used to contrast republicans with monarchists or legitimists and to describe supporters of the Republic during the Third Republic and later. In contemporary usage, it remains common in discussions of state form, civic education, and party rhetoric.

See also: République française; républicanisme; Les Républicains; republicanism.