French Conversation · Level 133
30 words
French word
déposséder
Pronunciation
IPA/deposede/
Meaning
- verbdeprive
Example
La guerre a dépossédé beaucoup de familles de leurs maisons.
The war deprived many families of their homes.
More examples
Après le divorce, il s'est fait déposséder de son logement.
After the divorce, he was dispossessed of his home.
Core concept
An owner sees a house, land, or other possession taken out of their control by force or authority.
Common phrases
déposséder quelqu'un de son logement
dispossess someone of their home
se faire déposséder de son logement
be dispossessed of one's home
Similar words
voler: To secretly take someone else's property without permission.
priver: To leave someone without something needed or an important opportunity.
confisquer: To officially take illegal or problematic property into government custody.
saisir: To legally seize property or money and restrict its disposal.
Definition in French
Priver quelqu'un de la possession d'un bien, souvent de façon forcée ou par décision légale.
Word origin
The verb déposséder joins the removal prefix dé- to posséder, from Latin possidēre, "to possess", giving the sense of taking possession away.
Usage tips
- The usual construction is déposséder quelqu'un de quelque chose, with the deprived person before de and the possession after it.