French word

accroître

Pronunciation

IPA/akʁwatʁ/

Meaning

  • verbincrease

Example

Nous devons accroître nos efforts.

We must increase our efforts.

Illustration for accroître (increase)

More examples

Elle cherche des moyens pour accroître sa confiance.

She is looking for ways to increase her confidence.

Core concept

An existing amount, force, or scope pushes outward to a greater level.

Common phrases

  • accroître son vocabulaire

    expand one's vocabulary

  • accroître sa confiance

    increase one's confidence

Similar words

augmenter: To increase an amount or degree.
développer: To expand abilities or business scope and promote growth.
renforcer: To make a force or effect stronger.
élever: To raise a status or standard.

Definition in French

Augmenter la quantité, l'intensité ou l'étendue d'une chose ou d'une activité.

Word origin

Accroître comes from Old French acreistre, from Latin accrescere, based on ad- meaning 'toward' and crescere meaning 'grow'.

Usage tips

  • Accroître is transitive and relatively formal, while everyday French often uses augmenter or faire augmenter.

Other meanings

  • expandverb

Opposites

Related words

  • accroissementincreasenoun
  • accruincreasedadjective
  • accroissantincreasingadjective

Word lists with this word