vaincre

Meaning

to defeat, vanquish
to win

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/vɛ̃kʁ/

Etymology

Inherited from Old French veintre, later veincre, vencre, inherited from Latin vincere, from Proto-Italic *winkō, from Proto-Indo-European *wi-n-k-, nasal infix from *weyk- (“to overcome”). The current pronunciation is influenced by the first-person singular indicative present form vincō. Compare also Spanish vencer.