rouage

cog

noun roo-AZH Rare

Origin: from roue, wheel

Also means

component

Usage Note

Rouage literally means a toothed wheel or gear in a mechanism; les rouages d'une horloge are the cogwheels of a clock. Figuratively, les rouages de l'État (the cogs of the State) refers to the workings of an institution. The plural rouages is more common than the singular.

Examples

"Les rouages de l'horloge fonctionnent parfaitement."

Natural Translation

The cogwheels of the clock work perfectly.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

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

Avoir or Être? Picking the Right Past-Tense Helper

Use avoir for the passé composé unless the verb is reflexive or one of ~16 DR MRS VANDERTRAMP motion verbs, which take être and force agreement.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Ordering Food in French: Restaurant Phrases That Work

Order food in French with confidence: greet first, say je voudrais not je veux, ask for a carafe d'eau, answer quelle cuisson, and request the bill yourself.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French False Friends: 25 Faux Amis to Avoid

French false friends look like English words but mean something else: actuellement is not actually, sensible means sensitive. Here are 25 faux amis to avoid.

June 3, 2026 5 min read