tête

Tête is the feminine French noun meaning the head of a person or an animal. It can also refer to the upper, front, or leading part of something, and is used in a variety of idiomatic expressions. The plural form is têtes.

In everyday language, tête designates the anatomical head, including the skull, face, brain, and sensory organs. It also appears in figurative uses, such as referring to the mind or to leadership, for example when speaking of someone as the head of a group. The word participates in many common phrases and set expressions.

Common French phrases and uses include tête-à-tête, meaning a private conversation between two people; tête de linotte, meaning a scatterbrain; and avoir la tête sur les épaules, meaning to be sensible or level-headed. Other notable expressions include faire la tête, meaning to sulk, and avoir la grosse tête, meaning to be conceited. Because of these idioms, tête frequently appears in both formal and colloquial speech.

In cuisine, tête refers to the head of an animal used as an ingredient or in a dish. Tête de veau is a traditional dish involving calf’s head, often braised. Pâté de tête, or head cheese, is a meat product made from the head meat and other scraps, commonly served cold.

In cultural and artistic contexts, tête is used to denote a head or bust in sculpture and iconography, and appears in various titles and expressions borrowed from French.