FRA9 FILE · Writers, poets & books
Académie française: dictionary, members and role
Free dictionary, 36 members on 5 September 2026, elections, FranceTerme and visiting the Quai de Conti.
See the essentials at a glance
Updated
FRA9Editorial standardsReport a correction
Reading time estimates the main text; tables, tools, references and questions take additional time.
key points: 1635 · 53,000 words · 36 members · 9th edition
What the Académie française actually does
Founded in 1635 under Richelieu’s patronage, the Académie française is a public-law body with a special status and one of the five academies within the Institut de France. Its central task is work on the French language, especially its Dictionary; it also awards prizes and administers foundations. It does not pass laws, issue language diplomas or punish the way people speak. Its opinions describe and guide careful usage, while living usage, education, media, public bodies and legislation change French through separate processes.
The ninth edition: 53,000 words, free online
The ninth edition of the Dictionary was prepared from 1986 to 2024 and completed in November 2024 with the fourth volume. It contains 53,000 words, around 21,000 more than the 1935 edition. The official portal provides free access to the complete edition, all eight earlier editions from 1694 onward, etymologies, examples and normative notes, and lets readers compare a word across time. Search the exact term first; if spelling is uncertain, use “Mots proches” for approximate matches or the advanced search.
Dictionary, language questions and Dire, Ne pas dire
The three tools answer different questions. The Dictionary records spelling, meanings, constructions and usage. “Questions de langue” covers recurring problems in grammar, punctuation, numbers, proper names and feminised forms. “Dire, Ne pas dire” comments monthly on expressions, anglicisms, shifts in meaning and neologisms. Absence from the Dictionary does not automatically ban a word: check the edition date, specialist field, contemporary evidence and the reference required by your school, employer, publisher or public authority.
The Forty on 5 September 2026
The Académie has forty seats, but it does not always have forty sitting members. Its official list showed 36 members on 5 September 2026 and four vacant seats, formerly held by Florence Delay, Mario Vargas Llosa, Angelo Rinaldi and Pierre Nora. Members are elected for life. “Immortals” comes from the motto “À l’immortalité” on the institution’s seal, not from a noble title. Amin Maalouf has served as permanent secretary since his election on 28 September 2023. Check the dated official list before quoting a total or office-holder.
From a vacant seat to a reception under the Dome
After a member dies, the seat is declared vacant following a waiting period that may last several months. The statutes require neither a particular qualification nor nationality. Applications close before a direct secret ballot requiring an absolute majority and a quorum; a ballot can end without an election. The successful candidate then needs the approval of the French president, the Académie’s protector, before installation and a public reception. The new member praises their predecessor; the green uniform, sword and ceremony are traditions rather than the lexicographic task itself.
Académie, FranceTerme and the law are different sources
For official scientific and technical vocabulary, the Commission for the Enrichment of the French Language works under the prime minister through an interministerial network in which the Académie participates. It published 243 terms and definitions in the Journal officiel during 2025, and FranceTerme now holds nearly 10,000. Those terms are compulsory within French state departments and institutions but recommended to the wider public. For a contract, form, standard, regulated profession or court matter, start with the legal text or competent authority: the Dictionary does not replace it.
Choose the right reference in under a minute
Use the Dictionary for spelling, ordinary meaning or verb construction. Use Questions de langue for a recurring language difficulty and Dire, Ne pas dire for a current expression. Search FranceTerme for technical terms published in the Journal officiel. Follow the named house style for school, publishing or professional work. Keep the link, edition and access date: a cropped screenshot or search-engine answer can hide context, an accepted variant or a later update.
Visiting the institution in Paris
The Académie meets at the Institut de France, 23 quai de Conti in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, opposite the Pont des Arts. Its ordinary Thursday meetings are private; receptions under the Dome and certain formal sessions have separate invitation rules. The Institut offers palace visits, notably on Saturdays, and a virtual tour; a visit can cover rooms used by all five academies and the Bibliothèque Mazarine. Opening times, prices, accessibility and booking can change, so check the official ticket page before travelling.
Frequently asked questions
How many members does the Académie française have?
It has forty seats, but the official list showed 36 members on 5 September 2026. The total changes with deaths, vacancy declarations and elections.
Is the Académie dictionary free to use?
Yes. Its official portal provides free access to the complete ninth edition and all eight earlier editions from 1694 onward.
Is a word forbidden if it is absent from the Dictionary?
No. Absence can reflect the date, specialist field or scope. Check contemporary usage and the reference required in the relevant context.
Does the Académie alone decide compulsory government terminology?
No. An interministerial commission publishes terms in the Journal officiel through a process in which the Académie participates; FranceTerme collects them.
Can visitors tour the Académie française?
Ordinary meetings are private, but the Institut de France offers palace visits and a virtual tour. Check booking and conditions on the official site.
Read next
