French word

renchérir

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɑ̃ʃeʁiʁ/

Meaning

  • verbget more expensive

Example

Le pain renchérit.

Bread is getting more expensive.

Illustration for renchérir (get more expensive)

More examples

Cette taxe risque de faire renchérir les produits alimentaires.

This tax may make food products more expensive.

Core concept

A price tag slowly climbing as bread, services, or household costs become more expensive.

Common phrases

  • le prix du carburant va renchérir

    The price of fuel will rise

  • ça risque de renchérir

    It may become more expensive

  • les aliments vont renchérir

    Food will become more expensive

Similar words

augmenter: To increase in price.
flamber: To rise dramatically in a short time.
exploser: To shoot up sharply in price.

Definition in French

Devenir plus cher, surtout pour parler de l'augmentation des prix, des coûts ou des dépenses.

Word origin

Renchérir is formed with re- and Old French enchérir, which developed from cher, ultimately from Latin carus, meaning 'dear' or 'costly'.

Usage tips

  • Renchérir is normally intransitive, so prices or costs renchérissent; augmenter is the usual choice when a person or company raises them.

Other meanings

  • make more expensiveverb

Opposites

Related words

  • renchérissementprice increasenoun

Word lists with this word