French word

enlever

Pronunciation

IPA/ɑ̃ləve/

Meaning

  • verbremove

Example

Il faut enlever la poussière de la table.

The dust must be removed from the table.

Illustration for enlever (remove)

More examples

Avant d'entrer, il faut enlever ses chaussures.

Before entering, you have to take off your shoes.

Core concept

A hand pulls a cloth or object free, and the spot it occupied becomes visible.

Common phrases

  • enlever la poussière

    remove the dust

  • enlever les chaussures

    take off one's shoes

Similar words

ôter: Take off or remove an object or piece of clothing.
retirer: Detach something by pulling or drawing it out.
débarrasser: Clear away unwanted items to make room.
sortir: Take something from inside a place and bring it outside.

Definition in French

Faire sortir ou ôter un objet d'un emplacement en le déplaçant ; verbe transitif.

Word origin

Enlever comes from Old French, combining en- with lever, which descends from Latin levare, meaning 'to raise'.

Usage tips

  • With clothing, enlever means 'take off', while with a person it can mean 'kidnap', so the object determines the sense.

Other meanings

  • take offverb
  • kidnapverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word