What does une gamelle mean in French? 

At school, the idea of not finishing one’s meal was very much frowned upon or even discouraged. At home too, many Connexion readers probably experienced the ‘you’re not leaving the table until you’ve finished’ scenario play out, as unwanted Brussels sprouts (choux de Bruxelles) were shuffled around the plate (assiette). 

Nowadays, however, even restaurants are prepared to offer a doggy bag to those who cannot finish their meal. Pizzerias propose a takeaway box for that last piece of jambon-mozza (ham and mozzarella) while even brasseries sometimes offer to put ‘les restes’ (leftovers) into a plastic container for finishing later.

Home cooks too participate in this thrifty practice, with any remaining boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin put into ‘un tupperware’ (the French seem to use this word for any plastic storage vessel, regardless of its brand) to put into the fridge (frigo) or freezer (congélateur).

The word most commonly used for a vessel containing leftovers is une gamelle, which originally referred to a metal dish, mess tin or bowl used for eating, particularly in military, camping or industrial contexts.

Gamelle is borrowed from the Spanish gamella (a container used for various purposes, including a trough, says the Académie française), which has origins in the late 13th Century and itself stems from the Latin gamella, meaning drinking cup.

A rather nice French phrase that contains gamelle is ‘se prendre une gamelle’ referring to someone either tripping or falling over, or failing in some way.

It refers to the sound of the soldier’s metal mess tin hitting the floor.