French word

gré

Pronunciation

IPA/gʁe/

Meaning

  • masculine nounwill

Example

Il a été licencié contre son gré.

He was dismissed against his will.

Illustration for gré (will)

More examples

Elle a accepté le poste de son plein gré.

She accepted the position of her own free will.

Core concept

An inner inclination that accepts or resists an act or decision.

Common phrases

  • contre son gré

    against one's will

  • de son plein gré

    of one's own free will

  • à son gré

    to one's liking

Similar words

volonté: A strong determination to make a choice and put it into action.
souhait: A hope or desire for something to happen.
envie: A temporary desire to do something immediately.
accord: Mutual agreement to accept an opinion or request.

Definition in French

Intention ou souhait d'une personne quant à l'acceptation ou au refus d'une chose, notion souvent exprimée dans des locutions figées.

Word origin

Gré developed through Old French from Latin gratum, the neuter form of gratus, meaning pleasing or agreeable, and came to denote goodwill and consent.

Usage tips

  • Gré is masculine, so standard expressions use son, as in contre son gré, à son gré, and de son plein gré.

Other meanings

  • wishnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word