What does fougasse mean?
Fougasse is a distinctive bread associated with southern France, especially Provence. Its most recognizable form is triangular and resembles a thin, crisp-edged flatbread made with olive oil and salt. Cooks may also add herbs, olives, cheese, garlic, or other toppings, while sweet versions can contain sugar, fruit, or almonds. The word functions as the established name of a particular regional product rather than as a general synonym for bread. In British and American English, it is especially useful when a recipe or menu item calls specifically for the Provençal-style loaf and its characteristic shape, crisp exterior, and olive-oil base. Although it resembles Italian focaccia, fougasse is not merely another name for that bread: the triangular form and southern French culinary tradition distinguish it. Fougasse is therefore worth knowing for both practical cooking purposes and as a vivid example of how regional foods enter wider English vocabulary.
nounA triangular loaf of bread associated with southern France, traditionally made with olive oil and salt and sometimes flavored with herbs or other ingredients. It may also be made as a sweet bread.
- A triangular southern French bread made with olive oil, available in both savory and sweet versions.
"We ate warm fougasse with olive oil and fresh rosemary at the market café."
"The bakery sells small fougasses topped with salt, rosemary, and thinly sliced olives."
"For dessert, she served warm fougasse with sugar and crushed almonds."
The standard plural adds -es and retains the final s sound.
"The bakery produces several varieties of fougasses."
Its triangular Provençal form is famous, but its name reaches farther back—to the Latin hearth.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does fougasse come from?
The English word was borrowed from French fougasse, which in turn came from Occitan fougassa. This continued a Latin form associated with focacius, bread baked in or near the hearth. The underlying Latin root focus, meaning “hearth” or “fire,” also lies behind Italian focaccia and English focus and focal.
Related word forms
How fougasse is actually used
This is a specialist culinary term used for a specific regional bread, rather than a general word for bread. It is established in British and American English but remains less familiar than bread, flatbread, or focaccia.
Easily confused with fougasse
Fougasse is a southern French bread commonly shaped into a triangle, whereas focaccia is an Italian flatbread that is usually rectangular or round.