French word

œuvrer

Pronunciation

IPA/œvʁe/

Meaning

  • verbwork

Example

Nous œuvrons pour améliorer les écoles.

We work to improve the schools.

Illustration for œuvrer (work)

More examples

Le comité œuvre en faveur de l'accès aux soins.

The committee is working in support of access to health care.

Core concept

A sustained contribution that turns commitment to a cause into concrete progress.

Common phrases

  • œuvrer pour

    work toward

  • œuvrer en faveur de

    work in support of

Similar words

travailler: To do work or perform labor.
agir: To take concrete action to achieve a goal.
participer: To take part in a group, event, or activity.
s'engager: To commit oneself to an activity or purpose.

Definition in French

Mettre son activité et ses efforts au service d'une cause ou d'un projet pour en faire avancer la réalisation.

Word origin

The source noun œuvre, meaning work or achievement, gave rise to œuvrer through the productive French verb ending -er; œuvre ultimately comes from Latin opera.

Usage tips

  • In œuvrer, the initial œ has the vowel sound heard in sœur, and the final -er has the sound of French é.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word