French Conversation · Level 101
60 words
French word
enjoindre
Pronunciation
IPA/ɑ̃ʒwɛ̃dʁ/
Meaning
- verborder
Example
Je t'enjoins de fermer la porte.
I order you to close the door.
More examples
Le professeur m'enjoint de rendre le devoir demain.
The teacher ordered me to turn in the assignment tomorrow.
Core concept
A formal authority places a required action on a named person through an official order.
Similar words
ordonner: Formally command someone to take an action, orally or in writing.
commander: Directly command someone to carry out an action.
obliger: Force someone into a situation where avoiding the action is not possible.
demander: Ask someone to do something as a request or appeal.
Definition in French
Prescrire à quelqu'un, par une décision ou un écrit officiel, de faire quelque chose.
Word origin
French enjoindre comes from Latin injungere, formed from in- and jungere, 'to join', with the sense of imposing something as a binding obligation.
Usage tips
- Enjoindre is strongly formal and usually belongs to legal or administrative writing, while ordonner is more common in general speech.