cuisiner
/kɥi.zi.ne/
Definition
To prepare food by cooking it. Used for everyday cooking at home or professionally.
Example
Elle aime cuisiner des plats simples pour sa famille.
Show translation
She loves to cook simple meals for her family.
Etymology
From *cuisine* ("kitchen, cooking"), which derives from Old French *cuysine*, itself from Latin *coquina* ("kitchen"), rooted in *coquere* ("to cook"). The same Latin root gives English "cook," "culinary," and "kitchen" (via Germanic).
Cultural note
France has a long-standing culture of home cooking (*la cuisine maison*), and *cuisiner* carries a sense of care and craft beyond mere food preparation. The term also has a colloquial secondary meaning: to "grill" someone with questions (e.g., police interrogation), so *cuisiner un suspect* means to interrogate a suspect — a fun false-friend trap for advanced learners.