Middle French edit

Etymology edit

From Old French despoillier, from Latin despoliare.

Pronunciation edit

Verb edit

despouiller

  1. to skin (an animal)
  2. (figuratively) to strip away, to remove
    • elle se mesla parmi ses compaignes : lesquelles ayant außi despouillé la prarie de sa dignite (L'Arcadie-Trad-Massin, published 1544, Paris)
      She went amongst her friends, who had also stripped the prairie of its dignity.
  3. to undress (someone)
    • 1488, Jean Dupré, Lancelot du Lac, page 39:
      Lois le fist despoullier tout nu
      Louis made him strip completely naked
  4. (reflexive, se despouiller) to undress oneself; to get undressed

Conjugation edit

  • Middle French conjugation varies from one text to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.

Descendants edit

  • French: dépouiller