calvaire
What does “calvaire” mean in English?
This is a French exclamation used in Quebec to express frustration, similar to saying 'for Christ's sake' in English. Literally, it refers to Calvary, the site of Christ's crucifixion.
Literally “Calvary”
It's used as an exclamation, often in moments of annoyance or disbelief, and carries a moderate level of intensity. While it can have a neutral meaning elsewhere, in Quebec, it's more about venting frustration.
Take it with you
Wear it. Stick it. Drink from it.
Put calvaire on a mug, a T-shirt or a sticker as Swear Atlas stamp artwork. You'll finish your order with Zazzle, our print partner — they handle payment, printing and delivery.
Adult/mature product · 18+. Purchases, delivery, returns and support are provided by Zazzle, not Swear Atlas. Availability is subject to Zazzle's policies.
Related French words
nom de Dieu
3/5 · VulgarThis is a religious exclamation used to express anger or surprise, akin to saying 'Goddamn' in English. It literally translates to 'name of God.'
sacrament
3/5 · VulgarThis is a religious exclamation commonly used in Quebec, expressing surprise or frustration. It literally refers to a sacrament in Christianity, but here it serves as a strong interjection.
ciboire
3/5 · VulgarThis is a Quebecois swear that serves as an intensifier, often used to express frustration or anger. It literally refers to a sacred object, the ciborium, which adds an ironic twist to its usage.
câlisse
4/5 · StrongIt's a Quebecois exclamation similar to saying 'fuck' or 'damn'. The word literally means 'chalice', but that's not how it's used in this context.
About this data
Swear Atlas is a source-attested, AI-curated reference — not a native-speaker-certified dictionary. Meanings and the 1–5 Burn Rating are approximate editorial assessments that vary with context, region, tone and speaker. Inclusion of a word does not constitute endorsement of its use.
The literal gloss is a short editorial translation to show word-for-word sense, not an etymological claim.
“Sounds like” is an English-friendly approximation of how the word sounds, not an authoritative pronunciation. Where shown, the romanisation is a conventional Latin-script transliteration of the original spelling.
Term attested via Viddexa SafeText (MIT). Editorial content © Swear Atlas.