Miroir is the most common and direct way to say “mirror” in French. But the language of Molière is full of nuance, and reflective surfaces come in all shapes and sizes!

From the one you use to check your hair in the morning to the one on your car that helps you see what's behind you, French has specific words for different types of mirrors.

Let’s reflect on 9 different ways to say “mirror” in French, so you'll always have the perfect word at your disposal!

1. The standard 'mirror' – un miroir

The most common and standard French word for 'mirror' is un miroir. It is a masculine noun, which is crucial to remember for using the correct articles like un (a) and le (the).

Pronounced roughly as meer-wahr, this word is fundamental for everyday conversation. It comes from the verb mirer (to look at oneself), which itself derives from the Latin mirari, meaning 'to wonder at'.

To make it plural, you simply add an 's'. The plural of un miroir is des miroirs (mirrors), and the definite plural is les miroirs (the mirrors).

Un miroir is used in all situations, formal and informal, to refer to any reflective surface. You can specify the type of mirror to be more precise:

• un miroir de poche: a pocket mirror
• un miroir mural: a wall mirror
• le rétroviseur: the rearview mirror (in a car)

A famous use of the word comes from the fairy tale Snow White (Blanche-Neige), where the Evil Queen says the famous line: "Miroir, mon beau miroir, dis-moi qui est la plus belle." (Mirror, my beautiful mirror, tell me who is the fairest.)

💡 * Je me regarde dans le miroir tous les matins.

• Elle a acheté un grand miroir pour son salon.
• Attention, ne casse pas le miroir !
• Les murs de la salle de danse sont couverts de miroirs.

The 'full-length mirror' – un miroir en pied

When you need to describe a mirror that shows your entire reflection from head to toe, the specific French term is un miroir en pied.

Let's break down this phrase. Miroir simply means 'mirror.' The key part is en pied, which literally translates to 'on foot' or 'standing.' In an artistic or descriptive context, en pied means a full-length portrait of a standing person. This logic extends to the mirror: it's a mirror that can reflect a person's full, standing figure.

This is the precise term you would use when shopping for furniture, describing the layout of a bedroom (chambre), or talking about a fitting room (cabine d'essayage). It specifically refers to the mirror's function of providing a full-body view.

While you could use a more general term like un grand miroir (a big mirror), it's not as descriptive. Un miroir en pied is the correct and more sophisticated term that clearly communicates its purpose, leaving no room for ambiguity.

In a typical French apartment, un miroir en pied is often found in the entryway (l'entrée) for a last look before leaving, or in the bedroom as a practical part of a dressing area.

💡 * J'ai acheté un miroir en pied pour ma chambre.

• Il n'y a pas de miroir en pied dans cette cabine d'essayage.
• Regarde-toi dans le miroir en pied pour voir ta nouvelle tenue.
• Le miroir en pied dans le couloir rend la pièce plus lumineuse.

The 'hand mirror' – un miroir à main

To talk about a small, portable mirror that you hold, the French use the term un miroir à main. This literally translates to 'a mirror for the hand' and is the standard way to refer to this specific object.

This is a compound noun made of two parts: un miroir (a mirror) and the prepositional phrase à main (by hand/for the hand). This structure specifies the function or type of the mirror.

The noun miroir is masculine, so the entire phrase un miroir à main is also masculine. The plural form is des miroirs à main—note that main does not become plural in this case.

You would use this term when you need to be specific about the type of mirror. For example, if you are shopping or asking to borrow one. It distinguishes a small, handheld mirror from a large wall mirror (un miroir mural) or a full-length mirror (un miroir en pied).

💡 * Elle a sorti un miroir à main de son sac.

• J'ai besoin d'un miroir à main pour vérifier ma coiffure.
• Ce joli miroir à main était un cadeau de ma mère.
• Pourrais-tu me prêter ton miroir à main une seconde ?

The 'pocket mirror' – un miroir de poche

The French term for a 'pocket mirror' is un miroir de poche, which literally translates to 'a mirror of pocket'.

The phrase is composed of un miroir (a mirror) and the modifier de poche (of pocket). This de poche construction is commonly used in French to describe portable or pocket-sized versions of items, such as un livre de poche (a paperback book).

Just like its English counterpart, un miroir de poche refers to a small, compact mirror designed to be carried in a purse, bag, or pocket. It is used for quick checks of one's appearance, makeup, or hair while on the go.

An important grammatical point is that the noun miroir is masculine in French. Consequently, you must always use the masculine article un or le, as in un miroir de poche, regardless of the gender of the person using it.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter un nouveau miroir de poche.

• Elle a sorti son miroir de poche de son sac à main.
• Peux-tu me prêter ton miroir de poche, s'il te plaît ?
• Mon miroir de poche est tombé et s'est cassé.

The 'rear-view mirror' – un rétroviseur

The French word for a 'rear-view mirror' is un rétroviseur. As a masculine noun, it is always used with masculine articles like un or le.

The term is a combination of two parts: rétro, which means 'back' or 'behind,' and viseur, which is related to the verb voir (to see). So, a rétroviseur is literally a 'back-viewer,' which makes it easy to remember.

To be more specific, you can distinguish between the different mirrors on a car. The inside mirror is called le rétroviseur intérieur, and the side mirrors are known as les rétroviseurs extérieurs (or latéraux).

When driving, you'll often use verbs like regarder dans le rétroviseur (to look in the rear-view mirror) or régler le rétroviseur (to adjust the rear-view mirror). These are essential phrases for any driver.

💡 * N'oublie pas de vérifier tes rétroviseurs avant de tourner. (Don't forget to check your mirrors before turning.)

• Mon rétroviseur gauche est cassé, je dois le remplacer. (My left mirror is broken, I have to replace it.)
• Peux-tu ajuster le rétroviseur intérieur pour moi ? (Can you adjust the interior rear-view mirror for me?)
• Il regarde nerveusement dans son rétroviseur pour voir si la police le suit. (He looks nervously in his rear-view mirror to see if the police are following him.)

The large, often wall-mounted 'mirror' or 'looking glass' – une glace

While the most common word for 'mirror' in French is un miroir, the term une glace is used to describe a specific type of mirror. It's the equivalent of a 'looking glass' in English, typically referring to a large, often full-length mirror that is fixed to a wall or a piece of furniture.

The primary difference between une glace and un miroir is size and permanence. A small, portable, or handheld mirror is always un miroir. A large mirror that functions as a decorative or architectural element—like one over a fireplace or on a wardrobe door—is best described as une glace.

One of the first things French learners discover is that une glace also means 'ice cream' (and 'ice'). This can be confusing, but context is your best friend. It's highly unlikely you'll be checking your reflection in a dessert. If you're talking about furniture, decor, or your reflection, une glace means mirror; if you're at a café or talking about food, it means ice cream.

To put it simply: all glaces (in this context) are miroirs, but not all miroirs are glaces. Use un miroir as the general, all-purpose word for any mirror. Use une glace when you want to specifically refer to a large, fixed looking glass, adding a touch of precision to your vocabulary.

💡 * Il a installé une immense glace dans le couloir pour agrandir l'espace.

• Elle se coiffe tous les matins devant la glace de sa salle de bain.
• Attention, la glace du salon est très fragile.
• J'ai juste un petit miroir dans mon sac, pas une glace.

The 'magnifying mirror' – un miroir grossissant

The French term for a 'magnifying mirror' is un miroir grossissant. This is a direct and literal translation used in everyday language.

The phrase breaks down into two parts: miroir, meaning 'mirror', and grossissant, which is the present participle of the verb grossir (to enlarge, to make bigger). It literally means an 'enlarging mirror'.

The word miroir is a masculine noun in French. Therefore, the term is always masculine: un miroir grossissant.

💡 * J'utilise un miroir grossissant pour me raser de près. (I use a magnifying mirror to get a close shave.)

• Elle a du mal à lire les petites lettres sans son miroir grossissant. (She has trouble reading the small letters without her magnifying mirror.)
• Ce miroir grossissant est parfait pour se maquiller avec précision. (This magnifying mirror is perfect for applying makeup with precision.)

The 'shaving mirror' – un miroir de rasage

The 'shaving mirror' – un miroir de rasage

The French term un miroir de rasage is a direct and literal translation, meaning 'a mirror of shaving.' This is the most common and straightforward way to refer to this specific item, used in both everyday conversation and in stores.

This term refers to a mirror specifically intended for shaving. These mirrors are often smaller, adjustable, and frequently magnified (grossissant) to allow for a more precise shave. You will find this term used when shopping for bathroom fixtures or describing the amenities in a bathroom.

While miroir de rasage is the most precise term, you might also hear un miroir grossissant (a magnifying mirror). Many shaving mirrors are magnifying, but miroir grossissant describes the feature, whereas miroir de rasage describes the purpose.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter un nouveau miroir de rasage pour la salle de bain. (I need to buy a new shaving mirror for the bathroom.)

• Ce miroir de rasage est grossissant, c'est très pratique. (This shaving mirror is magnifying, it's very practical.)
• Il a installé le miroir de rasage à côté de la douche. (He installed the shaving mirror next to the shower.)

1. The 'two-way mirror' – un miroir sans tain

In French, the term for a 'two-way mirror' or 'one-way mirror' is un miroir sans tain. This is the standard and most common phrase used to describe the specialized glass found in places like interrogation rooms or for scientific observation.

The literal translation of this phrase is quite revealing. Miroir means 'mirror,' sans means 'without,' and tain refers to the thin metallic or silver coating on the back of a mirror that makes it reflective. Therefore, un miroir sans tain literally means 'a mirror without backing' or 'a mirror without silvering.'

The name highlights the core feature of the object. While a normal mirror has an opaque backing that reflects all light, a miroir sans tain has a micro-thin, semi-transparent layer of metal. This allows it to act as a mirror from the brightly lit side and a tinted window from the darker side, hence the idea that it is 'without' a solid backing.

Remember that miroir is a masculine noun. Consequently, you will always use the masculine article, as in un miroir sans tain (a two-way mirror) or le miroir sans tain (the two-way mirror). The phrase is used as a complete noun and doesn't change for pluralization other than the article (des miroirs sans tain).

💡 * La police observe le suspect à travers un miroir sans tain.

• La salle d'interrogatoire était équipée d'un grand miroir sans tain.
• De ce côté de la vitre, c'est un miroir sans tain, mais de l'autre, on peut tout voir.
• Les psychologues utilisent parfois des miroirs sans tain pour observer les enfants sans les déranger.

Are there other ways to say 'mirror' in French?

Are there other ways to say “mirror” in French?

Our guide has covered the most common and essential words for “mirror” in French, focusing on miroir and glace. But like any rich language, French has more specific and nuanced terms, from technical vocabulary for optics to poetic words found in literature.

To discover more, you can search for specific types of mirrors. For instance, try an online search for 'miroir de rétroviseur' (rear-view mirror) or 'miroir grossissant' (magnifying mirror) to see how adjectives and context expand the vocabulary.

When you encounter a new word for mirror, always check its context. Is it used for a car, for makeup, or in a fairy tale? This will help you understand its precise meaning and use it correctly.

Pay attention as you read French novels, watch films, or even browse furniture websites. You might come across terms like psyché for a full-length tilting mirror, revealing a deeper layer of the language.

For a comprehensive list of related terms, idiomatic expressions, and compound nouns, the WordReference entry for miroir is an excellent and reliable resource for any learner.

I hope this article has helped you reflect on the different ways to talk about mirrors. To finish, here is a fitting quote from the French writer Stendhal: 'La beauté n'est que la promesse du bonheur.' (Beauty is but the promise of happiness.)