verb

exprimer

express

Faire connaître ce que l’on pense ou ressent, souvent avec des mots ou des gestes.

Definition & meaning

The verb exprimer primarily means to convey a thought, a feeling, or an idea through language, gestures, or art. It is the act of making something known or visible that was previously internal or hidden.

There are three main ways this word is used:

To articulate or state: This is the most common usage, referring to the act of putting thoughts into words. For example, "exprimer ses sentiments" means to express one's feelings.
To extract by pressure: In a literal and more technical sense, it means to squeeze or press out a liquid from something. For example, "exprimer le jus d'un fruit" means to squeeze the juice out of a fruit.
To express oneself (Reflexive): When used as s'exprimer, it refers to the way a person communicates or presents their ideas to others.

Grammar & Word origin

exprimer is a regular verb of the first group (ending in -er). It follows the standard conjugation patterns for verbs like parler.

The word originates from the Latin verb exprimere, which is composed of the prefix ex- (out) and the verb premere (to press). Historically, the word meant "to press out" or "to squeeze out." Over time, the meaning evolved from the physical act of pressing something out to the figurative act of "pressing out" an idea or an image into a communicable form.