Académie Française

The Académie Française (), also known as the French Academy, is the principal French council for matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution, it was restored as a division of the in 1803 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is the oldest of the five of the institute. The body has the duty of acting as an official authority on the language; it is tasked with publishing an official dictionary of the language.

The Académie comprises forty members, known as ("the immortals"). New members are elected by the members of the Académie itself. Academicians normally hold office for life, but they may resign or be dismissed for misconduct. Philippe Pétain, named Marshal of France after the Battle of Verdun of World War I, was elected to the Académie in 1931 and, after his governorship of Vichy France in World War II, was forced to resign his seat in 1945. Provided by Wikipedia