why are french fries called french fries

French fries are called "French fries" mainly because of how the potatoes are cut and due to historical and linguistic reasons. The term "French" in this context comes from the culinary term "to french," which means to cut food into long, thin strips, the same way fries are cut. Additionally, during World War I, American soldiers stationed in Belgium encountered fried potato strips and called them "French fries" because the Belgian region where they were found primarily spoke French. Though the origin of French fries is debated—with some attributing the dish to France and others to Belgium—the name "French fries" stuck in the United States due to the French-speaking Belgian connection. Potatoes themselves originated in South America and were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers, so neither France nor Belgium is the original source of the potato or the fried potato dish itself. Despite the name, the fries may trace cultural roots to Belgium and France, but the name reflects both the cutting style and linguistic association from wartime rather than a strict national origin.