l’attaché
attached
Definition & meaning
Attaché is the masculine singular past participle of “to attach,” and it is also used as an adjective and a noun.
- Attached, fastened, or connected: Le document est attaché au courriel means “The document is attached to the email.”
- Emotionally attached or devoted: Il est très attaché à sa famille means “He is very attached to his family.”
- Affiliated or assigned to an institution or person: un conseiller attaché au ministère means “an adviser assigned to the ministry.”
- As a noun, a diplomatic official: un attaché culturel is a cultural attaché, a specialist working at an embassy or diplomatic mission. The word also appears in job titles such as attaché de presse (press officer).
Grammar & Word origin
Attaché is pronounced approximately “ah-tah-shay.” It is the masculine singular form; the feminine is attachée (), and the plural forms are attachés (, masculine or mixed) and attachées (, feminine).
It comes from attacher (, “to attach” or “to fasten”) and is formed with the past-participle ending -é. As an adjective, it agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms depend on the sense:
- fixé () means “fixed” or “fastened,” emphasizing that something is held in place.
- lié () means “linked” or “bound”; it can suggest a connection or obligation, not just physical attachment.
- dévoué () means “devoted,” and emphasizes loyalty or commitment.
- affecté () means “assigned” or “posted,” especially for someone appointed to a role or location. It is not interchangeable with the emotional sense of attaché.
- For the diplomatic noun, diplomate () is a broader term for a diplomatic official.
Possible antonyms include:
- détaché (): “detached” or “disconnected”; it can also mean emotionally aloof.
- séparé (): “separated,” generally describing things or people no longer joined.
- indifférent (): “indifferent,” an opposite of attaché in its sense of feeling affection or concern.
Common phrases & collocations
- attaché à quelque chose () — attached to something; emotionally or practically connected to it.
- être attaché à quelqu’un () — to be fond of or emotionally attached to someone.
- attaché de presse () — press officer or public-relations officer.
- attaché culturel () — cultural attaché.
- attaché militaire () — military attaché.
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Examples
Il reste très attaché à sa famille.adjective
He remains very attached to his family.
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