French Conversation · Level 175
15 words
French word
maudire
Pronunciation
IPA/modiʁ/
Meaning
- verbcurse
Example
Je maudis ce jour-là.
I curse that day.
More examples
Il maudit sa chance.
He curses his luck.
Core concept
A speaker marks someone or something as deserving condemnation, with words that can carry either a curse or a fierce insult.
Common phrases
maudire sa chance
curse one's luck
se maudire
curse oneself
maudire quelqu'un
curse someone
Similar words
insulter: To put someone down with abusive or insulting words.
dire du mal de: To speak badly about someone.
souhaiter du mal à: To wish harm or misfortune on someone.
Definition in French
Consiste à proférer des paroles pour maudire ou insulter quelqu'un ou quelque chose.
Word origin
The verb developed from Old French maldire, itself derived from Latin maledicere, whose elements mean 'badly' and 'to speak'.
Usage tips
- Maudire is strong and often literary or expressive; everyday speech more often uses insulter for a direct insult or dire du mal de for speaking ill of someone.