Raccourcissez

Raccourcissez is the second-person plural present imperative of the French verb raccourcir, meaning to shorten. It is used to address several people or to speak formally to one person, ordering them to shorten something.

In the imperative mood, the corresponding forms are: tu raccourcis (informal singular), nous raccourcissons (let’s shorten), vous raccourcissez (you plural or formal). Raccourcissez is therefore employed when giving a direct instruction to a group or to a person in a formal setting.

Raccourcissez is common in editing, transcription, design, and procedural guidance—contexts in which it is necessary to reduce length, duration, or size. Examples include: Raccourcissez ce paragraphe; Raccourcissez les dimensions de l’image; Raccourcissez le texte pour gagner en clarté.

Etymology: the verb raccourcir derives from Old French raccourcier, formed from a root related to court meaning short, using a derivational prefix to indicate making something shorter. The modern form retains the imperative spelling raccourcissez for vous.

Related terms include abrégé, réduire, and raccourcissement (the noun form for the act of shortening). The concept is widely used across writing, publishing, and technical instructions to indicate conciseness or compression.