comté

county; earldom

noun kom-TEH Less Common

Origin: Latin 'comitatus' (territory of a count)

Usage Note

Comté refers to a historical territory ruled by a comte (count/earl), and survives in French regional names such as the Franche-Comté. In English-speaking contexts it is used to translate 'county'. It is also the name of a celebrated hard cheese from the Jura region — le comté — which takes its name from the same region.

Examples

"Le comté de Kent est dans le sud de l'Angleterre."

Natural Translation

The county of Kent is in the south of England.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Filler Words: Euh, Bah, Du Coup, Quoi

French filler words like euh, bah, du coup, and quoi make you sound fluent, not lazy. Learn what each one does, where it goes, and how to use them naturally.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

Sorry in French: Désolé vs Pardon vs Excusez-moi

Use désolé for genuine regret, pardon to bump or squeeze past, and excusez-moi to get attention. A situation-by-situation guide to saying sorry in French.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Adjective Placement: Before or After the Noun?

French adjectives usually follow the noun, but a small common set goes before it — and a few change meaning depending on which side they sit. Here's the rule.

June 4, 2026 5 min read