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sommation

formal demand, summons

noun soh-mah-SYOHN Rare

Origin: From Latin summatio, from summare, 'to sum up'

Also means

summation (mathematics)

Usage Note

Sommation in legal and military contexts means a formal warning or order to comply — police officers issue a sommation before using force. In mathematics it refers to the operation of adding a series of terms (a summation). The two senses are distinct enough that context makes the meaning clear.

Examples

"La police a lancé une sommation avant d'intervenir."

Natural Translation

The police issued a formal warning before intervening.

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