French word

licencier

Pronunciation

IPA/lisɑ̃sje/

Meaning

  • verbfire

Example

Le patron va licencier plusieurs employés.

The boss is going to fire several employees.

Illustration for licencier (fire)

More examples

Nous avons dû licencier un collègue à cause d'une réorganisation.

We had to fire a colleague because of a reorganization.

Core concept

An employer cuts the legal tie that keeps a worker on the payroll.

Common phrases

  • licencier un employé

    fire an employee

  • licencier pour motif économique

    lay off for economic reasons

  • se faire licencier

    get fired

Similar words

virer: To fire an employee in a blunt, colloquial way and make them leave the workplace.
renvoyer: To end an employee's employment and have them leave their position or workplace.
congédier: To officially end an employee's employment through a formal dismissal process.
mettre à la porte: To force someone out of the workplace and leave them without a job.

Definition in French

Faire cesser le contrat de travail d'un salarié à l'initiative de l'employeur.

Word origin

Built on licence, meaning permission or freedom, licencier acquired the sense of releasing a person from an employment contract.

Usage tips

  • In licencier, c before i has the /s/ sound, and the final -ier is pronounced /je/, not like the English ending '-eer'.

Other meanings

  • lay offverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word