[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":687},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-en-petanque-terminology-glossary":3,"related-en-\u002Fguides\u002Fen\u002Fpetanque-terminology-glossary":659},{"id":4,"title":5,"affiliate":6,"author":7,"body":8,"date":627,"description":628,"extension":629,"faq":630,"image":646,"lastUpdated":647,"meta":648,"navigation":6,"path":649,"seo":650,"stem":651,"tags":652,"__hash__":658},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fen\u002Fpetanque-terminology-glossary.md","The Complete Pétanque Terminology Glossary: French & English",true,"Petanqueverse",{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":593},"minimark",[11,16,20,23,26,31,139,141,145,150,158,162,169,173,196,200,203,207,210,212,216,220,223,227,230,234,237,241,244,246,250,252,257,260,264,267,271,274,278,281,284,288,291,295,305,308,314,318,325,329,332,336,339,342,346,349,353,356,360,367,371,374,377,381,384,388,391,395,405,408,412,415,419,422,425,428,433,437,440,443,447,450,454,457,459,463,466,470,476,480,483,487,490,493,497,504,508,511,514,518,521,525,528,531,535,538,542,545,547,551,559,561,565],[12,13,15],"h1",{"id":14},"the-complete-pétanque-terminology-glossary","The Complete Pétanque Terminology Glossary",[17,18,19],"p",{},"Whether you are playing in a sunny park in Provence or a local tournament in London, you will hear a rich and colorful language used on the court. Much of this terminology remains in its original French, which can be intimidating for newcomers.",[17,21,22],{},"This comprehensive glossary covers everything from basic equipment to advanced technical shots and traditional slang.",[24,25],"hr",{},[27,28,30],"h2",{"id":29},"quick-navigation","Quick Navigation",[17,32,33,38,39,38,43,38,47,38,51,38,55,38,59,38,63,38,67,38,71,38,75,38,79,38,83,38,87,38,91,38,95,38,99,38,103,38,107,38,111,38,115,38,119,38,123,38,127,38,131,38,135],{},[34,35,37],"a",{"href":36},"#a","A"," | ",[34,40,42],{"href":41},"#b","B",[34,44,46],{"href":45},"#c","C",[34,48,50],{"href":49},"#d","D",[34,52,54],{"href":53},"#e","E",[34,56,58],{"href":57},"#f","F",[34,60,62],{"href":61},"#g","G",[34,64,66],{"href":65},"#h","H",[34,68,70],{"href":69},"#i","I",[34,72,74],{"href":73},"#j","J",[34,76,78],{"href":77},"#k","K",[34,80,82],{"href":81},"#l","L",[34,84,86],{"href":85},"#m","M",[34,88,90],{"href":89},"#n","N",[34,92,94],{"href":93},"#o","O",[34,96,98],{"href":97},"#p","P",[34,100,102],{"href":101},"#q","Q",[34,104,106],{"href":105},"#r","R",[34,108,110],{"href":109},"#s","S",[34,112,114],{"href":113},"#t","T",[34,116,118],{"href":117},"#u","U",[34,120,122],{"href":121},"#v","V",[34,124,126],{"href":125},"#w","W",[34,128,130],{"href":129},"#x","X",[34,132,134],{"href":133},"#y","Y",[34,136,138],{"href":137},"#z","Z",[24,140],{},[27,142,144],{"id":143},"the-basics","The Basics",[146,147,149],"h3",{"id":148},"pétanque","Pétanque",[17,151,152,153,157],{},"The name of the sport, derived from the Provençal expression ",[154,155,156],"em",{},"pès tancats",", meaning \"feet fixed\" or \"feet anchored\" to the ground.",[146,159,161],{"id":160},"mène-end-round","Mène (End \u002F Round)",[17,163,164,165,168],{},"The part of a game played from the moment the circle is placed until all players have thrown all their boules. A standard game consists of several ",[154,166,167],{},"mènes"," until one team reaches 13 points.",[146,170,172],{"id":171},"but-cochonnet-jack-target","But \u002F Cochonnet (Jack \u002F Target)",[17,174,175,176,179,180,183,184,187,188,191,192,195],{},"The small wooden target ball. While officially called the ",[154,177,178],{},"but"," (goal), it is most commonly known as the ",[154,181,182],{},"cochonnet"," (little pig). Other colloquial names include ",[154,185,186],{},"le petit",", ",[154,189,190],{},"bouchon"," (cork), or ",[154,193,194],{},"gari",".",[146,197,199],{"id":198},"terrain-court-pitch","Terrain (Court \u002F Pitch)",[17,201,202],{},"The area where the game is played. In pétanque, this is typically a natural surface like gravel, hard-packed dirt, or crushed stone.",[146,204,206],{"id":205},"rond-the-circle","Rond (The Circle)",[17,208,209],{},"The throwing circle, which can be drawn in the dirt or be a prefabricated plastic ring. It must have a diameter between 35cm and 50cm.",[24,211],{},[27,213,215],{"id":214},"players-and-positions","Players and Positions",[146,217,219],{"id":218},"pointeur-pointer","Pointeur (Pointer)",[17,221,222],{},"The player who specializes in placing their boules as close to the jack as possible.",[146,224,226],{"id":225},"tireur-shooter","Tireur (Shooter)",[17,228,229],{},"The player who specializes in knocking the opponent's boules away from the jack.",[146,231,233],{"id":232},"milieu-all-rounder-middle","Milieu (All-rounder \u002F Middle)",[17,235,236],{},"In a triplette (team of three), the middle player who can both point and shoot effectively depending on the situation.",[146,238,240],{"id":239},"bouliste","Bouliste",[17,242,243],{},"A general term for a pétanque player.",[24,245],{},[27,247,249],{"id":248},"a-z-glossary","A-Z Glossary",[146,251,37],{"id":34},[253,254,256],"h4",{"id":255},"allez","Allez!",[17,258,259],{},"The universal shout of encouragement (\"Go!\" or \"Come on!\") heard on pétanque courts worldwide.",[253,261,263],{"id":262},"arbitre-umpire","Arbitre (Umpire)",[17,265,266],{},"The official responsible for ensuring the rules are followed and settling disputes on measurements.",[253,268,270],{"id":269},"arriver-à-bataille","Arriver à bataille",[17,272,273],{},"An expression used when both teams reach a high score (usually 10-10 or 11-11), indicating the final, high-pressure phase of the game.",[253,275,277],{"id":276},"avoir-le-point-to-hold-the-point","Avoir le point (To hold the point)",[17,279,280],{},"When your team's boule is currently closer to the jack than the opponent's closest boule.",[146,282,42],{"id":283},"b",[253,285,287],{"id":286},"bec-kiss","Bec (Kiss)",[17,289,290],{},"To strike one of your own boules already in play to move it into a better scoring position or to change your own boule's trajectory toward the jack.",[253,292,294],{"id":293},"biberon-babys-bottle","Biberon (Baby's Bottle)",[17,296,297,298,301,302,195],{},"When a boule finishes in physical contact with the jack. Also known as a ",[154,299,300],{},"têtard"," (tadpole) or ",[154,303,304],{},"embouchonner",[253,306,307],{"id":190},"Bouchon",[17,309,310,311,313],{},"Another name for the jack (",[154,312,182],{},"), literally meaning \"cork.\"",[253,315,317],{"id":316},"boule-devant","Boule devant",[17,319,320,321,324],{},"A famous pétanque maxim: ",[154,322,323],{},"\"Boule devant, boule d'argent\""," (A boule in front is a boule of silver). It refers to the strategy of placing boules in front of the jack to act as obstacles for opponents.",[253,326,328],{"id":327},"braquer","Braquer",[17,330,331],{},"To stare intensely at an opponent while they are preparing to throw, in an attempt to distract them or break their concentration.",[253,333,335],{"id":334},"buffet","Buffet",[17,337,338],{},"A shot that hits the target boule with such force that it makes a loud, distinctive \"clack\" sound.",[146,340,46],{"id":341},"c",[253,343,345],{"id":344},"carreau","Carreau",[17,347,348],{},"The \"perfect shot.\" A shooting boule hits the target boule, knocks it away, and stays exactly (or very near) where the target boule was.",[253,350,352],{"id":351},"casquette-cap","Casquette (Cap)",[17,354,355],{},"An unfortunate shot where the shooting boule hits the very top of the target boule without moving it, simply \"capping\" it and continuing its flight.",[253,357,359],{"id":358},"cercle","Cercle",[17,361,362,363,366],{},"The throwing circle (see ",[154,364,365],{},"Rond",").",[253,368,370],{"id":369},"consolation-consolante","Consolation (Consolante)",[17,372,373],{},"A secondary tournament for teams that were eliminated early in the main competition.",[146,375,50],{"id":376},"d",[253,378,380],{"id":379},"demi-portée-half-lob","Demi-portée (Half-lob)",[17,382,383],{},"A pointing technique where the boule is thrown in a medium arc, landing roughly halfway between the circle and the jack before rolling the rest of the way.",[253,385,387],{"id":386},"devant-de-boule","Devant de boule",[17,389,390],{},"When a boule is placed directly in front of and touching an opponent's boule, making it extremely difficult for them to shoot without hitting their own ball.",[253,392,394],{"id":393},"donnée-landing-spot","Donnée (Landing Spot)",[17,396,397,398,401,402,195],{},"The exact spot on the terrain where a pointer intends for their boule to land. Choosing the right ",[154,399,400],{},"donnée"," is crucial for avoiding obstacles or ",[154,403,404],{},"grattons",[146,406,58],{"id":407},"f",[253,409,411],{"id":410},"fanny-mettre-fanny-être-fanny","Fanny (Mettre Fanny \u002F Être Fanny)",[17,413,414],{},"To win or lose a game 13-0. Traditionally, the losing team would have to kiss the buttocks of a character named Fanny. Today, it usually means the losers buy the winners a round of drinks.",[253,416,418],{"id":417},"faire-un-trou-to-make-a-hole","Faire un trou (To make a hole)",[17,420,421],{},"To miss a shot completely, hitting only the ground.",[146,423,62],{"id":424},"g",[253,426,427],{"id":194},"Gari",[17,429,430,431,366],{},"A colloquial Provençal name for the jack (",[154,432,182],{},[253,434,436],{"id":435},"gratton","Gratton",[17,438,439],{},"A small stone, pebble, or uneven bump on the court that causes a boule to change direction unexpectedly.",[146,441,86],{"id":442},"m",[253,444,446],{"id":445},"manger-le-point-to-eat-the-point","Manger le point (To eat the point)",[17,448,449],{},"To successfully take the point from the opponent, especially when their boule was already very close to the jack.",[253,451,453],{"id":452},"mettre-la-table-to-set-the-table","Mettre la table (To set the table)",[17,455,456],{},"When a pointer has placed their boules so perfectly that the path for a shooter is clear and the strategic situation is ideal.",[146,458,98],{"id":17},[253,460,462],{"id":461},"palet","Palet",[17,464,465],{},"A successful shot where the shooting boule stays within a short distance (usually less than 50cm) of the spot where it hit the target boule.",[253,467,469],{"id":468},"plombée-high-lob-plop","Plombée (High Lob \u002F Plop)",[17,471,472,473,195],{},"An advanced pointing technique where the boule is thrown very high so that it falls almost vertically near the jack, minimizing its roll. Also called a ",[154,474,475],{},"portée haute",[253,477,479],{"id":478},"portée-lob","Portée (Lob)",[17,481,482],{},"The general term for pointing by throwing the boule through the air in an arc.",[253,484,486],{"id":485},"poussette-push","Poussette (Push)",[17,488,489],{},"When a thrown boule pushes another boule (usually one of your own) into a better position.",[146,491,106],{"id":492},"r",[253,494,496],{"id":495},"rafle-raspaille","Rafle (Raspaille)",[17,498,499,500,503],{},"A shooting technique where the boule is thrown low to the ground and rolls toward the target, rather than hitting it directly ",[154,501,502],{},"au fer"," (in the air).",[253,505,507],{"id":506},"retro-backspin","Retro (Backspin)",[17,509,510],{},"The \"effet\" or spin put on a boule by flicking the wrist upward during release, causing the boule to stop more quickly upon landing.",[146,512,110],{"id":513},"s",[253,515,517],{"id":516},"serrer-le-jeu-to-squeeze-the-game","Serrer le jeu (To squeeze the game)",[17,519,520],{},"A defensive strategy where a team, knowing they are in a bad position, tries to place their remaining boules as close as possible to the jack to prevent the opponent from scoring multiple points.",[253,522,524],{"id":523},"stries-striations","Stries (Striations)",[17,526,527],{},"The grooves or patterns engraved on the surface of a boule to help players identify their balls and to provide better grip or spin.",[146,529,114],{"id":530},"t",[253,532,534],{"id":533},"tête-à-tête-singles","Tête-à-tête (Singles)",[17,536,537],{},"A game played one-on-one, with each player using three boules.",[253,539,541],{"id":540},"tir-au-fer-shooting-at-the-iron","Tir au fer (Shooting at the iron)",[17,543,544],{},"The most prestigious shooting technique, where the thrown boule hits the target boule directly in the air without touching the ground first.",[24,546],{},[146,548,550],{"id":549},"need-new-equipment","Need New Equipment?",[17,552,553,554,558],{},"If you're looking to improve your game, having the right set of boules is essential. Check out our ",[34,555,557],{"href":556},"\u002Fequipment\u002Fbest-competition-boules-2026","Best Competition Boules 2026"," for expert reviews and recommendations.",[24,560],{},[146,562,564],{"id":563},"related-guides","Related Guides",[566,567,568,575,581,587],"ul",{},[569,570,571],"li",{},[34,572,574],{"href":573},"\u002Fguides\u002Fbeginners-guide-to-petanque","Beginner's Guide to Pétanque",[569,576,577],{},[34,578,580],{"href":579},"\u002Frules","Official Pétanque Rules",[569,582,583],{},[34,584,586],{"href":585},"\u002Ftechniques\u002Fpointing-techniques","Mastering Pointing Techniques",[569,588,589],{},[34,590,592],{"href":591},"\u002Ftechniques\u002Fshooting-techniques","Advanced Shooting Tactics",{"title":594,"searchDepth":595,"depth":595,"links":596},"",2,[597,598,606,612],{"id":29,"depth":595,"text":30},{"id":143,"depth":595,"text":144,"children":599},[600,602,603,604,605],{"id":148,"depth":601,"text":149},3,{"id":160,"depth":601,"text":161},{"id":171,"depth":601,"text":172},{"id":198,"depth":601,"text":199},{"id":205,"depth":601,"text":206},{"id":214,"depth":595,"text":215,"children":607},[608,609,610,611],{"id":218,"depth":601,"text":219},{"id":225,"depth":601,"text":226},{"id":232,"depth":601,"text":233},{"id":239,"depth":601,"text":240},{"id":248,"depth":595,"text":249,"children":613},[614,615,616,617,618,619,620,621,622,623,624,625,626],{"id":34,"depth":601,"text":37},{"id":283,"depth":601,"text":42},{"id":341,"depth":601,"text":46},{"id":376,"depth":601,"text":50},{"id":407,"depth":601,"text":58},{"id":424,"depth":601,"text":62},{"id":442,"depth":601,"text":86},{"id":17,"depth":601,"text":98},{"id":492,"depth":601,"text":106},{"id":513,"depth":601,"text":110},{"id":530,"depth":601,"text":114},{"id":549,"depth":601,"text":550},{"id":563,"depth":601,"text":564},"2026-07-02","Master the language of pétanque with our comprehensive A-Z glossary. Learn every French and English term from 'Cochonnet' to 'Carreau' with detailed definitions.","md",[631,634,637,640,643],{"question":632,"answer":633},"What's the difference between pétanque, boules, and bocce?","\"Boules\" is the umbrella term for the whole family of games played by throwing or rolling balls toward a target, so pétanque and bocce are both types of boules rather than rivals to it. Pétanque is the French throwing game played with 73mm hollow metal balls from a fixed circle, with players keeping both feet on the ground. Bocce is the Italian rolling game, played with larger 107mm resin balls that are bowled along a long packed-dirt court rather than thrown through the air. See our full [pétanque vs bocce comparison](\u002Fguides\u002Fpetanque-vs-bocce-ball) for the complete rundown.",{"question":635,"answer":636},"What does it mean to \"fanny\" someone in pétanque, and where does the tradition come from?","To \"faire Fanny\" (or \"embrasser Fanny\") is to lose a game 13-0, the most humiliating result possible. Tradition holds that the losing player or team must then kiss the bare buttocks of a picture, statuette, or carving of a woman named Fanny, often kept hidden in a cabinet at the club and only unveiled for this purpose. The name is traced to two rival French origin stories: a café waitress in Grand-Lemps (Isère) who consoled losers with a kiss before turning to this gesture on a mayor who lost, and, separately, a young spectator named Fanny Dubriand who watched games in Lyon's Croix-Rousse district from the 1870s onward. Most clubs today have relaxed the literal ritual into buying the winners a round of drinks instead.",{"question":638,"answer":639},"What's the difference between tir au fer and rafle?","Both are shooting techniques used to knock an opponent's boule away, but they differ in trajectory. Tir au fer (\"shooting at the iron\") sends the boule through the air in a high arc so it strikes the target boule directly, without touching the ground first - the most prestigious and precise shooting style, and the only one that works reliably on rough, gravelly, or wet terrain. Rafle (also called raspaille or ramasse) is thrown low and rolls along the ground for part of its path before hitting the target, which is easier to learn but less reliable on uneven surfaces since a stray pebble can knock it off course.",{"question":641,"answer":642},"What's the difference between a carreau and a palet?","Both describe a shooting boule that connects with its target, but a carreau is the perfect version: the shooter's boule strikes the target dead-on and, thanks to backspin, stops and stays almost exactly where the target boule had been sitting - simultaneously removing the opponent's boule and replacing it with your own. A palet is a slightly less precise version of the same shot, where the shooter's boule still hits the target and knocks it away, but comes to rest a short distance away (typically under 50cm) rather than staying dead on the spot.",{"question":644,"answer":645},"Why is so much pétanque terminology still in French, even in English-speaking countries?","Pétanque in its modern form was invented in 1907 in La Ciotat, near Marseille, and the first tournament under its rules was organized there in 1910 - decades before the game spread internationally - so the vocabulary that describes its shots, positions, and traditions was already fixed in French (and Provençal) before English-speaking clubs adopted the sport. Rather than translate precise, well-established terms like carreau or tir au fer, most English-speaking players simply learned and kept the original French words, the same way tennis kept \"deuce\" and ballet kept its French vocabulary.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fpetanque-glossary.png","2026-07-21",{},"\u002Fguides\u002Fen\u002Fpetanque-terminology-glossary",{"title":5,"description":628},"guides\u002Fen\u002Fpetanque-terminology-glossary",[653,654,655,656,657],"terminology","glossary","french","rules","beginner","ufkrF1ZlRIxID-OgvhD3iKzf5Q9heAP0PArfzvhxUSo",[660,670,679],{"path":661,"title":662,"description":663,"image":664,"tags":665,"collection":669,"overlap":595},"\u002Fguides\u002Fen\u002Fbeginners-guide-to-petanque","Beginner's Guide to Pétanque: Everything You Need to Know","New to pétanque? Learn the basics - how to play, what you need, scoring, and etiquette in this comprehensive beginner's guide.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fbeginners-guide.png",[657,656,666,667,668],"getting-started","what is petanque","how to play petanque","guides",{"path":671,"title":672,"description":673,"image":674,"tags":675,"collection":669,"overlap":678},"\u002Fguides\u002Fen\u002Fhow-to-choose-first-boules","How to Choose Your First Pétanque Boules","A complete beginner's guide to selecting your first set of competition pétanque boules - size, weight, hardness, and material explained.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fchoose-first-boules.png",[657,676,677],"equipment","buying-guide",1,{"path":680,"title":681,"description":682,"image":683,"tags":684,"collection":669,"overlap":678},"\u002Fguides\u002Fen\u002Fpetanque-vs-bocce-ball","Pétanque vs. Bocce Ball: The Ultimate Comparison Guide","Confused between pétanque and bocce? Discover the key differences in rules, equipment, court dimensions, and throwing techniques in this definitive guide.","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fpetanque-vs-bocce.png",[685,656,686,148],"comparison","bocce",1786097152612]