French Conversation · Level 147
30 words
French word
dépouiller
Pronunciation
IPA/depuje/
Meaning
- verbrob
Example
Le voleur a dépouillé la victime de son portefeuille.
The thief robbed the victim of their wallet.
More examples
La tempête a dépouillé le jardin de ses fleurs.
The storm stripped the garden of its flowers.
Core concept
A hand strips away what belongs to someone, leaving an empty space where the possession was.
Common phrases
dépouiller quelqu'un de son portefeuille
rob someone of their wallet
dépouiller quelqu'un de ses affaires
rob someone of their belongings
dépouiller quelqu'un de ses bijoux
rob someone of their jewelry
Similar words
voler: Take another person's property illegally.
dérober: Steal something quietly and without being noticed.
dévaliser: Rob a shop or home of many belongings.
arracher: Tear something away by gripping and pulling hard.
Definition in French
Prendre ou retirer à quelqu'un ce qui lui appartient, en particulier par fraude ou violence.
Word origin
Dépouiller developed from Old French despoillier, borrowed from Latin despoliare and linked to the removal of a person's spoils.
Usage tips
- In voting contexts, dépouiller les bulletins means to examine and count the ballots, not to rob anyone.