Délibère

Délibère is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb délibérer, meaning to deliberate, to weigh options, or to discuss before making a decision. It is used for both general reflection and formal deliberations in groups, committees, or juries.

In legal contexts, délibérer refers specifically to the process by which juries or judges consider the evidence and arguments before reaching a verdict or ruling. In other contexts, it can describe careful consideration of a question or course of action. The noun délibération, related in meaning, denotes the act or result of such deliberation and is commonly used in legal, governmental, and organizational language.

Etymology: délibérer derives from Latin deliberare, meaning to weigh or weigh carefully, a root shared with other terms related to careful consideration and decision making.

Conjugation: as a regular -er verb, the present indicative forms are: je délibère, tu délibères, il délibère, nous délibérons, vous délibérez, ils délibèrent. The imperative forms are: Délibère! (tu), Délibérons! (nous), Délibérez! (vous). The form délibère also exists as the third-person singular present and is distinguished from the subjunctive or other tenses by context.

Usage note: délibérer is primarily a formal, literary, or institutional term in French. In everyday speech, speakers may use synonyms like réfléchir or mediter, depending on nuance. The related noun délibération is more common in legal and organizational writing.

In English-language discussions, délibérer is typically translated as to deliberate, with délibération translated as deliberation.