Learning French: when and why do we say avoir le melon?

What does avoir le melon mean?

It literally translates as: to have the melon.

French-speakers use it to describe someone who behaves as though they are superior to others and has a big ego. 

It can either be used seriously as a criticism, or sarcastically as a joke. 

You may also hear prendre le melon (literally: to take the melon), which is used to mean that someone is becoming arrogant. 

Another synonymous expression is: avoir la grosse tête (literally: to have a big head) and avoir les chevilles qui enflent (to have swollen ankles).

What are the origins of avoir le melon?

Melons are sometimes used in French to refer to a person's head, likely due to their similarly round shapes. 

Some theories suggest the metaphor links to farming fairs where melons have traditionally been considered a prized fruit, with competitions seeing who could grow the largest. The larger the fruits, the more impressive they were. 

When do you say avoir le melon?

Say this to imply that someone has an inflated ego:

• Depuis que mon frère a été augmenté au travail, il prend le melon et se croit supérieur à tout le monde. - Since my brother got a promotion at work he has a big head and thinks he is better than everyone else.

It can also be used to tease or warn someone from getting too big for their boots:

• Ce n'est pas parce que tu viens d'acheter un château dans la campagne française que tu peux prendre le melon. - You are not going to get a big ego now that you have bought a castle in the French countryside, are you?

To whom do you say avoir le melon?

It is informal language and can be used with friends and family.

It would be best to avoid using this in overly formal or professional situations, and it could cause offense to people you are not familiar with. 

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