French Conversation · Level 104
60 words
French word
refoulement
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁəfuləmɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine noundeportation
Example
Les migrants craignent le refoulement à la frontière.
The migrants fear deportation at the border.
More examples
Des voisins ont discuté du refoulement d'une famille.
Neighbors discussed the forced deportation of a family.
Core concept
One force pushes a person back across a boundary, while another pushes unwanted thoughts away from consciousness.
Similar words
expulsion: The official expulsion of a foreigner under legal or administrative procedures.
renvoi: The act of returning a person or object to its place of origin.
rejet: The rejection of entry or refusal to accept an application.
Definition in French
Mot désignant l'acte de repousser et renvoyer quelqu'un à la frontière et, au sens figuré en psychologie, l'action d'éloigner des pensées ou émotions de la conscience.
Word origin
The noun refoulement comes from refouler, built with re- and fouler, historically related to pressing or treading, plus the noun-forming suffix -ment.
Usage tips
- Refoulement is masculine, so the usual article is le, as in le refoulement.