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ravisseur

kidnapper, abductor

noun rah-vee-SUR Rare

Usage Note

Ravisseur comes from ravir (to seize, to abduct). The feminine form is ravisseuse. Note that ravissant (ravishing, delightful) shares the same root but has a completely opposite connotation — a common false-friend confusion for learners encountering both words.

Examples

"La police a arrêté le ravisseur en moins de 24 heures."

Natural Translation

The police arrested the kidnapper in less than 24 hours.

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