posiluje

Posiluje is a present-tense verb form used in several West and Central Slavic languages, most commonly in Czech and Slovak. It is the third-person singular form of the verb posilovat (Czech/Slovak) or its cognate variants, meaning to strengthen, fortify, or reinforce. The form can also appear in discussions of related verbs with similar meanings in these languages.

Etymology and meaning

Posiluje derives from a root related to síla or síla/solid authority in Slavic languages, meaning strength or power. The prefix po- often indicates a sense of completion or intensification, contributing to the core meaning of increasing strength, resilience, or capacity. The term is used both literally (physically strengthening muscles or immune defenses) and figuratively (strengthening an argument, a position, or an institution).

Usage and examples

In Czech, posiluje appears in sentences such as “Tento doplněk posiluje imunitu” (This supplement strengthens the immunity). In Slovak, a typical usage would be “Tieto cviky posilujú svaly” (These exercises strengthen the muscles), with the singular form “posiluje” used when the subject is singular, as in “Tento liek posiluje imunitu” (This medicine strengthens the immune system).

Related forms and notes

Posiluje is part of a broader verbal family in Czech and Slovak centered on strengthening or reinforcement, including imperfective verbs like posilovat and their variants. In Polish and other Slavic languages, cognate forms exist but may differ in orthography (for example, diacritics like ť or í in some forms). The general semantic field remains consistent across languages: to increase strength, endurance, or fortitude, whether for the body, defenses, or abstract constructs.