apprivoiser

tame, domesticate

verb ah-pree-vwah-ZEH Rare

Also means

win over, break down (defences)

Usage Note

Apprivoiser is made famous by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Le Petit Prince, where the fox asks to be 'tamed' — creating a bond of trust. The reflexive s'apprivoiser means 'to become tame' or 'to warm up to someone'. It implies gradual trust-building, not just physical control.

Examples

"Il a réussi à apprivoiser le renard."

Natural Translation

He managed to tame the fox.

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