Frenchie

Frenchie (noun / UK slang)

(Also heard as: Frenchy, Giving a Frenchie, Frenchies)

Definition: A proper snog with tongues.

Pronunciation: /ˈfrɛn.tʃi/

Where It Comes From: Old-school British schoolyard slang. Troops returning from France after the First World War spread the idea that the French were far more passionate kissers, which gave us the phrase “French kiss.” British schoolkids naturally chopped it down to “Frenchie” and turned it into the ultimate playground badge of honour.

How People Actually Use It: It’s pure teenage nostalgia. You hear it when people laugh about awkward first snogs behind the bike sheds, spin-the-bottle games in someone’s back garden, or getting caught shifting someone at the back of the school bus.

Examples in the Wild:

• “I gave her a Frenchie behind the cinema.”

  Translation: “I gave her a proper snog.”

• “They got caught giving each other Frenchies at the back of the bus.”

  Translation: “The driver caught them heavily making out on the top deck.”

• “Remember at the youth club when he bragged about getting his first Frenchie?”

  Translation: “Do you recall when he wouldn’t stop boasting about having his first real kiss?”

Similar Slang: Snog, Shift, Pull, Lock lips, Make out, Cop off