verb

asseoir

sit · sit down

Mettre quelqu’un ou quelque chose dans une position où il repose sur ses fesses ou sur une surface plate.

Definition & meaning

Asseoir is a verb meaning to seat someone or to make someone sit down:

Asseoir un enfant sur une chaise means “to seat a child on a chair.”
In its pronominal form, s’asseoir, it means to sit down or to be seated: Elle s’assoit means “She sits down” or “She is sitting.”

It also has figurative uses:

To establish or strengthen something, such as authority, a reputation, or an argument: asseoir son autorité means “to establish one’s authority.”
In the expression s’asseoir sur quelque chose, it can mean to disregard or trample on something, especially a rule or right.

Grammar & Word origin

Asseoir is an irregular verb, usually used transitively (“to seat someone”) or in the pronominal form s’asseoir (“to sit down”). Its conjugation has more than one stem: for example, j’assieds and j’assois are both used for “I seat” or, with the pronominal form, “I sit down.” The past participle is assis.

Historically, the verb is related to seoir, “to sit,” and comes from Latin assidere, “to sit beside.” The spelling assoir is also accepted, though asseoir is the more common form.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms depend on the sense:

Faire asseoir means “to have or make someone sit,” and is close in meaning to the literal, transitive sense of asseoir.
Installer means “to settle” or “to place” someone, often emphasizing comfort or arrangement rather than the act of seating.
Placer means “to put” or “position” someone or something; it is broader and does not necessarily mean sitting.
Prendre place means “to take a seat” or “to take one’s place,” and is a natural alternative to s’asseoir.

Possible antonyms include:

Se lever means “to get up,” the direct opposite of s’asseoir in many situations.
Relever can mean “to raise” or “to help someone get up”; unlike asseoir, it describes an upward movement.

Common phrases & collocations

Asseoir son autorité — to establish one’s authority.
Asseoir sa réputation — to build or establish one’s reputation.
S’asseoir sur une chaise — to sit on a chair.
S’asseoir sur ses droits — literally “to sit on one’s rights,” meaning to disregard or violate them.