French Conversation · Level 153
30 words
French word
emplir
Pronunciation
IPA/ɑ̃pliʁ/
Meaning
- verbfill
Example
Il emplissait la bouteille d'eau.
He was filling the bottle with water.
More examples
Le sac s'emplit rapidement.
The bag fills up quickly.
Core concept
A vessel, place, or feeling reaches fullness as contents spread through it.
Common phrases
s'emplir de joie
be filled with joy
emplir la valise
fill the suitcase
Similar words
remplir: To fill a container or place with something until it is full.
combler: To make up for a gap or deficiency, restoring completeness.
bourrer: To cram something inside by forcing it in, in an informal way.
Definition in French
Veut dire « rendre plein » ou « combler », souvent employé à l'écrit pour un effet plus soutenu.
Word origin
French emplir is an inherited verb from Latin implēre, with the prefix in- joined to plēre, 'to fill,' and passed into French through historical sound changes.
Usage tips
- Emplir is more literary or formal than remplir, which is generally the more natural choice in everyday speech.