verb

priver

deprive

Empêcher quelqu'un d'avoir ou de profiter de quelque chose.

Word: priver

Language: French


Meaning:

The verb "priver" in French means "to deprive" or "to take away something from someone".


Explanation:

  • Priver is a transitive verb, often used with the preposition "de", which indicates what is being taken away.
  • The structure usually looks like:
    priver quelqu'un de quelque chose
    (to deprive someone of something)

Breakdown:

  • prefix "pri-": The root does not clearly decompose into prefix and root in an obvious way for modern French; "priver" comes from Latin privare, meaning "to separate, deprive".
  • verb ending "-er": This indicates it is a first-group regular -er verb.

Synonyms:

  • dépouiller (to strip)
  • enlever (to remove)
  • ôter (to take away)
  • exclure (to exclude, in certain contexts)
  • retirer (to withdraw)

Antonyms:

  • donner (to give)
  • offrir (to offer)
  • fournir (to provide, supply)
  • accorder (to grant)

Example sentences:

  • Cette loi prive les citoyens de leurs droits.
    (This law deprives citizens of their rights.)

  • Il a été privé de dessert pour avoir mal posé sa question.
    (He was deprived of dessert for asking his question badly.)


Additional contexts:

Although primarily it means "to deprive," in a legal or formal context, it can be used metaphorically to indicate removing rights, privileges, or possessions.


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Examples

Ne me prive pas de dessert.verb

Don't deprive me of dessert.

Pendant la guerre, plusieurs familles ont été privées de lumière et de chaleur.verb

During the war, several families were deprived of light and heat.

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