French word

bénir

Pronunciation

IPA/beniʁ/

Meaning

  • verbbless

Example

Il bénit son enfant avant le départ.

He blesses his child before leaving.

Illustration for bénir (bless)

More examples

Le prêtre a béni le repas.

The priest blessed the meal.

Core concept

A person raises a hand over someone or an object, directing a spoken wish for good or divine favor toward it.

Common phrases

  • bénir quelqu'un

    bless someone

  • bénir le repas

    bless the meal

Similar words

remercier: To express gratitude in words for something someone has done.
souhaiter: To wish someone happiness or success, in words or in thought.

Definition in French

Dire ou accomplir un geste pour souhaiter du bien à quelqu'un ou manifester la faveur divine, et parfois consacrer une personne ou une chose.

Word origin

French bénir comes from Latin benedicere, from bene 'well' and dicere 'to say', whose religious use developed into blessing and consecration.

Usage tips

  • In the present tense, il bénit is pronounced like béni, while the written final t distinguishes the third-person form from the past participle.

Other meanings

  • consecrateverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word