la toux

The French word "toux" means "cough" in English. It refers to the sudden, forceful expulsion of air from the lungs through the throat, often as a reflex to clear the airway from irritation or mucus.

Usage:

• It is a feminine noun: la toux.
• You can say avoir la toux (to have a cough) or tousser (the verb "to cough").

Synonyms and related terms:

• Tosse: This is an archaic or less common term and is rarely used in modern French to mean cough.
• Quinte de toux: This means a fit of coughing, referring to repeated strong coughs.
• Toux sèche vs. Toux grasse:
  • Toux sèche = dry cough (without mucus)
  • Toux grasse = productive or wet cough (with mucus)

"Toux" generally refers specifically and only to the symptom or act of coughing itself. It is the standard term used in medical and everyday language.