forain

Inherited from Old French forain, from Vulgar Latin *forānus (“outsider”), from Latin forīs (“outside”). Assimilated to foire (“fair”) (which is from Latin fēria) through folk etymology. Once meant "foreign", but replaced by étranger in this sense.

• IPA^(key): /fɔ.ʁɛ̃/

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forain m (plural forains)

1. showman (fairground entertainer)
2. stallholder

forain (feminine foraine, masculine plural forains, feminine plural foraines)

1. (relational) fair, fairground

• fête foraine

• “forain”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.