Effacer

Effacer is a French verb meaning to erase, wipe out, or delete. It is used for removing marks from a surface, erasing text or drawings, or eliminating information or data. The term also appears in figurative uses, such as erasing memories or traces, or causing something to fade away.

Etymology and forms: Effacer derives from Old French with a prefix é- added to a root related to faire or facer, in the historical sense of making away or smoothing. The modern verb is regular in its endings and appears in both transitive and pronominal forms.

Conjugation and grammar: Effacer is a regular -er verb. Present indicative forms are: j'efface, tu effaces, il/elle efface, nous effaçons, vous effacez, ils effacent. In compound tenses, it uses avoir: j'ai effacé. The imperfect is effaçais, the future effacerai, and the conditional effacerais. The imperative forms are: efface, effaçons, effacez. Pronominal use exists as s'effacer, meaning to withdraw or fade away, as in s'effacer devant quelqu'un.

Usage notes: In everyday language, effacer describes removing writing or drawings from a surface (effacer le tableau), deleting digital data (effacer un fichier, effacer des données), or clearing content. In literature or conversation, it can denote erasing traces or memories (effacer des souvenirs) or figuratively fading into the background (s'effacer). The related noun effacement refers to the act or result of erasing, and effacé is the past participle meaning erased or pale. Synonyms include supprimer, radier, and enlever, with nuances depending on context.

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