Languages › French À poil French Expressions Analyzed and Explained Print French Vocabulary Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Team Updated on February 19, 2019 Expression: à poil Read More What Does "Avoir Un Poil Dans La Main" Mean in French? By ThoughtCo Team Pronunciation: [a pwal]Meaning: stark naked, in the buffLiteral translation: in hairRegister: familiar Notes: The French expression à poil refers to body hair - when you are à poil, you're wearing nothing but your own hair. It's equivalent to the English expression "in one's birthday suit." ExampleN'ouvre pas la porte - je suis à poil !Don't open the door - I'm completely naked!À poil can be used as an adjective or as a command in numerous expressions:être à poil - to be stark nakedse baigner à poil - to go skinny-dippingse mettre à poil - to strip down to one's birthday suitun mec / une fille à poil - a naked guy / girlÀ poil ! - Take 'em off!Synonyms:nu - naked, nudedéshabillé - undresseden costume d'Adam/d'Ève (old-fashioned) - in one's birthday suiten tenue d'Adam/d'Ève - in one's birthday suitAttention: the French expression au poil is an informal way to say "great!" or "perfect!" Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Team, ThoughtCo. "À poil." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/a-poil-1371088. Team, ThoughtCo. (2023, April 5). À poil. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/a-poil-1371088 Team, ThoughtCo. "À poil." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/a-poil-1371088 (accessed April 20, 2024). copy citation