"force majeure" meaning in English

See force majeure in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/ [Received-Pronunciation], /-mə-/ [Received-Pronunciation], /ˌfoɹs mɑˈʒɜɹ/ [General-American] Audio: En-uk-force majeure.opus [Received-Pronunciation] Forms: forces majeures [plural]
Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ) Etymology: PIE word *méǵh₂s Borrowed from French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”), from force (“force”) (ultimately from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”) and Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high”) or *dʰerǵʰ- (“robust, strong”)) + majeure (the feminine singular of majeur (“of great importance, major”), ultimately from Latin māior (“greater; large”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big; great”)). Etymology templates: {{l|ine-pro|*méǵh₂s}} *méǵh₂s, {{PIE word|en|méǵh₂s}} PIE word *méǵh₂s, {{root|en|ine-pro|*bʰerǵʰ-|*dʰerǵʰ-}}, {{bor|en|fr|force majeure|t=exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation}} French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”), {{m|fr|force|t=force}} force (“force”), {{der|en|la|fortis|t=powerful, strong}} Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”), {{der|en|ine-pro|*bʰerǵʰ-|t=to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high}} Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high”), {{m|ine-pro|*dʰerǵʰ-|t=robust, strong}} *dʰerǵʰ- (“robust, strong”), {{m|fr|majeure}} majeure, {{glossary|feminine}} feminine, {{glossary|singular}} singular, {{m|fr|majeur|t=of great importance, major}} majeur (“of great importance, major”), {{der|en|la|māior|t=greater; large}} Latin māior (“greater; large”), {{der|en|ine-pro|*méǵh₂s|t=big; great}} Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big; great”) Head templates: {{en-noun|-|forces majeures|nolinkhead=1}} force majeure (usually uncountable, plural forces majeures)
  1. An overwhelming force. Tags: uncountable, usually Related terms: act of God, vis major Translations (overwhelming force): 不可抗力 (bùkěkànglì) (Chinese Mandarin), oppermacht [feminine] (Dutch), overmacht [feminine] (Dutch), päätekijä (Finnish), force majeure [feminine] (French), keadaan kahar (Indonesian), siła wyższa [feminine] (Polish), força maior [feminine] (Portuguese), непреодоли́мая си́ла (nepreodolímaja síla) [feminine] (Russian), višja sila [feminine] (Slovene), gorfodaeth [feminine] (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-force_majeure-en-noun-9azKIZrU Disambiguation of 'overwhelming force': 98 2
  2. (law) An unavoidable circumstance, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal (usually contractual) obligation. Tags: uncountable, usually Categories (topical): Law Translations ((law) unavoidable circumstance): قوة قاهرة (Arabic), անհաղթահարելի ուժ (anhaġtʿahareli už) (Armenian), ezinbesteko kasu (Basque), força major [feminine] (Catalan), causa major [feminine] (Catalan), هێزى هەرەزاڵ (Central Kurdish), 不可抗力 (bùkěkànglì) (Chinese Mandarin), vyšší moc [feminine] (Czech), force majeure (Danish), overmacht [feminine] (Dutch), toeval [neuter] (Dutch), vääramatu jõud (Estonian), force majeure (Finnish), ylivoimainen este (Finnish), force majeure [feminine] (French), cas fortuit [masculine] (French), ფორს-მაჟორი (pors-mažori) (Georgian), höhere Gewalt [feminine] (German), ανωτέρα βία (anotéra vía) [feminine] (Greek), כוח עליון (Hebrew), force majeure (Indonesian), keadaan kahar (Indonesian), keadaan memaksa (Indonesian), forza maggiore [feminine] (Italian), caso fortuito [masculine] (Italian), 不可抗力 (fukakōryoku) (alt: ふかこうりょく) (Japanese), namienienié (Kashubian), форс-мажор (fors-major) (Kazakh), 불가항력 (bulgahangnyeok) (alt: 不可抗力) (Korean), форс-мажор (fors-major) (Kyrgyz), аргасыз жагдай (argasız jagday) (Kyrgyz), vīs major [feminine] (Latin), force majeure (Limburgish), övermach (Limburgish), nenugalima jėga [feminine] (Lithuanian), force majeure [masculine] (Norwegian Bokmål), فرس ماژور (fors-mâžor) (Persian), siła wyższa [feminine] (Polish), força maior [feminine] (Portuguese), форс-мажо́р (fors-mažór) [masculine] (Russian), اوچتي صورتحال (Sindhi), fuerza mayor [feminine] (Spanish), caso fortuito [masculine] (Spanish), force majeure (Swedish), force majeure (Tagalog), форс-мажор (fors-major) (Tatar), fors majör (Turkish), mücbir sebep (Turkish), форс-мажо́р (fors-mažór) (Ukrainian), bất khả kháng (Vietnamese), force majeure [masculine] (Welsh), gorfodaeth [feminine] (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-force_majeure-en-noun-peos3V~h Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 45 55 Topics: law Disambiguation of '(law) unavoidable circumstance': 4 96

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for force majeure meaning in English (15.5kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro",
        "2": "*méǵh₂s"
      },
      "expansion": "*méǵh₂s",
      "name": "l"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "méǵh₂s"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE word\n *méǵh₂s",
      "name": "PIE word"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*bʰerǵʰ-",
        "4": "*dʰerǵʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "force majeure",
        "t": "exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation"
      },
      "expansion": "French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”)",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "force",
        "t": "force"
      },
      "expansion": "force (“force”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "fortis",
        "t": "powerful, strong"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*bʰerǵʰ-",
        "t": "to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro",
        "2": "*dʰerǵʰ-",
        "t": "robust, strong"
      },
      "expansion": "*dʰerǵʰ- (“robust, strong”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "majeure"
      },
      "expansion": "majeure",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "feminine"
      },
      "expansion": "feminine",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "singular"
      },
      "expansion": "singular",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "majeur",
        "t": "of great importance, major"
      },
      "expansion": "majeur (“of great importance, major”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "māior",
        "t": "greater; large"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin māior (“greater; large”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*méǵh₂s",
        "t": "big; great"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big; great”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "PIE word\n *méǵh₂s\nBorrowed from French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”), from force (“force”) (ultimately from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”) and Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high”) or *dʰerǵʰ- (“robust, strong”)) + majeure (the feminine singular of majeur (“of great importance, major”), ultimately from Latin māior (“greater; large”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big; great”)).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "forces majeures",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "forces majeures",
        "nolinkhead": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "force majeure (usually uncountable, plural forces majeures)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "force"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1930, Walter de la Mare, Poems for Children, London: Constable & Co., →OCLC, page xxix; republished in “[The Children’s Bookshop] Children and Childhood”, in Henry Seidel Canby, editor, The Saturday Review of Literature, volume VII, number 9, New York, N.Y.: Saturday Review Associates, 1930 September 20, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 151, column 2",
          "text": "They [children] realize their oughts no less sharply than their crosses; and this even though they are midgets in a land of giants who have forgotten much of their language and whose right is often founded solely on force majeure.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 31, “A&E 2013 Surveys: Weber Thompson”, in Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, Or.: Daily Journal of Commerce, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-11-23",
          "text": "Gen Y is a \"force majeure\" that will determine the future of the housing market. They are looking for housing solutions that cater to their mobile- and technology-focused lifestyles.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An overwhelming force."
      ],
      "id": "en-force_majeure-en-noun-9azKIZrU",
      "links": [
        [
          "overwhelming",
          "overwhelming#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "force",
          "force#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "word": "act of God"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "word": "vis major"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bùkěkànglì",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "word": "不可抗力"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "oppermacht"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "overmacht"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "word": "päätekijä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "word": "keadaan kahar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "siła wyższa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "força maior"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "nepreodolímaja síla",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "непреодоли́мая си́ла"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovene",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "višja sila"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "overwhelming force",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "gorfodaeth"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "en:Law",
          "parents": [
            "Justice",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "45 55",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 22, “Brazil’s Copersucar Declares Force Majeure to 3rd Party Sugar Shippers”, in Reuters, archived from the original on 2023-11-17",
          "text": "Brazil's largest trader of sugar and ethanol declared force majeure to some third party exporters of sugar with contracts to ship through its Santos Port terminal that burned down on Friday, sources in the sugar trade said.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 November 3, “Observer Magazine Competition: Win a Moncrief bag and Ipad case! [terms and conditions]”, in The Observer, London, archived from the original on 2021-11-23",
          "text": "18. GNM [Guardian News & Media Limited] shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations where the failure is caused by something outside its reasonable control. Such circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions, fire, flood, hurricane, strike, industrial dispute, war, hostilities, political unrest, riots, civil commotion, inevitable accidents, supervening legislation or any other circumstances amounting to force majeure.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An unavoidable circumstance, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal (usually contractual) obligation."
      ],
      "id": "en-force_majeure-en-noun-peos3V~h",
      "links": [
        [
          "law",
          "law#English"
        ],
        [
          "unavoidable",
          "unavoidable#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "circumstance",
          "circumstance#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "prevent",
          "prevent"
        ],
        [
          "fulfil",
          "fulfil"
        ],
        [
          "legal",
          "legal#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "contractual",
          "contractual#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "obligation",
          "obligation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(law) An unavoidable circumstance, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal (usually contractual) obligation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "law"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "قوة قاهرة"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "anhaġtʿahareli už",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "անհաղթահարելի ուժ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "eu",
          "lang": "Basque",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "ezinbesteko kasu"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "força major"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "causa major"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "bùkěkànglì",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "不可抗力"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "vyšší moc"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "overmacht"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "toeval"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "vääramatu jõud"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "ylivoimainen este"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "cas fortuit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "pors-mažori",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "ფორს-მაჟორი"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "höhere Gewalt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "anotéra vía",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ανωτέρα βία"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "כוח עליון"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "keadaan kahar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "keadaan memaksa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "forza maggiore"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "caso fortuito"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "alt": "ふかこうりょく",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "fukakōryoku",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "不可抗力"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "csb",
          "lang": "Kashubian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "namienienié"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "kk",
          "lang": "Kazakh",
          "roman": "fors-major",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "форс-мажор"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "alt": "不可抗力",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "bulgahangnyeok",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "불가항력"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ckb",
          "lang": "Central Kurdish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "هێزى هەرەزاڵ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ky",
          "lang": "Kyrgyz",
          "roman": "fors-major",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "форс-мажор"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ky",
          "lang": "Kyrgyz",
          "roman": "argasız jagday",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "аргасыз жагдай"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "vīs major"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "li",
          "lang": "Limburgish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "li",
          "lang": "Limburgish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "övermach"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "lt",
          "lang": "Lithuanian",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "nenugalima jėga"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "fors-mâžor",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "فرس ماژور"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "siła wyższa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "força maior"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "fors-mažór",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "форс-мажо́р"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "sd",
          "lang": "Sindhi",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "اوچتي صورتحال"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "fuerza mayor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "caso fortuito"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "tl",
          "lang": "Tagalog",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "tt",
          "lang": "Tatar",
          "roman": "fors-major",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "форс-мажор"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "fors majör"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "mücbir sebep"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "fors-mažór",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "форс-мажо́р"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "word": "bất khả kháng"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "force majeure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "gorfodaeth"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-mə-/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌfoɹs mɑˈʒɜɹ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-force majeure.opus",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d0/En-uk-force_majeure.opus/En-uk-force_majeure.opus.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d0/En-uk-force_majeure.opus/En-uk-force_majeure.opus.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (RP)"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Trésor de la langue française informatisé"
  ],
  "word": "force majeure"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms borrowed from French",
    "English terms derived from French",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bʰerǵʰ-",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰerǵʰ-",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *méǵh₂s",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Requests for gender in Arabic entries",
    "Requests for gender in Danish entries",
    "Requests for gender in Hebrew entries",
    "Requests for gender in Swedish entries",
    "Requests for gender in Ukrainian entries",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)",
    "Rhymes:English/ɜː(ɹ)/3 syllables"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro",
        "2": "*méǵh₂s"
      },
      "expansion": "*méǵh₂s",
      "name": "l"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "méǵh₂s"
      },
      "expansion": "PIE word\n *méǵh₂s",
      "name": "PIE word"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*bʰerǵʰ-",
        "4": "*dʰerǵʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "force majeure",
        "t": "exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation"
      },
      "expansion": "French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”)",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "force",
        "t": "force"
      },
      "expansion": "force (“force”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "fortis",
        "t": "powerful, strong"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*bʰerǵʰ-",
        "t": "to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "ine-pro",
        "2": "*dʰerǵʰ-",
        "t": "robust, strong"
      },
      "expansion": "*dʰerǵʰ- (“robust, strong”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "majeure"
      },
      "expansion": "majeure",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "feminine"
      },
      "expansion": "feminine",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "singular"
      },
      "expansion": "singular",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "majeur",
        "t": "of great importance, major"
      },
      "expansion": "majeur (“of great importance, major”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "māior",
        "t": "greater; large"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin māior (“greater; large”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*méǵh₂s",
        "t": "big; great"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big; great”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "PIE word\n *méǵh₂s\nBorrowed from French force majeure (“exceptionally strong or superior force; (law) unavoidable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal obligation”), from force (“force”) (ultimately from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”) and Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated, up high”) or *dʰerǵʰ- (“robust, strong”)) + majeure (the feminine singular of majeur (“of great importance, major”), ultimately from Latin māior (“greater; large”), from Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s (“big; great”)).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "forces majeures",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-",
        "2": "forces majeures",
        "nolinkhead": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "force majeure (usually uncountable, plural forces majeures)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "force"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "act of God"
    },
    {
      "word": "vis major"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1930, Walter de la Mare, Poems for Children, London: Constable & Co., →OCLC, page xxix; republished in “[The Children’s Bookshop] Children and Childhood”, in Henry Seidel Canby, editor, The Saturday Review of Literature, volume VII, number 9, New York, N.Y.: Saturday Review Associates, 1930 September 20, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 151, column 2",
          "text": "They [children] realize their oughts no less sharply than their crosses; and this even though they are midgets in a land of giants who have forgotten much of their language and whose right is often founded solely on force majeure.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 31, “A&E 2013 Surveys: Weber Thompson”, in Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, Or.: Daily Journal of Commerce, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2021-11-23",
          "text": "Gen Y is a \"force majeure\" that will determine the future of the housing market. They are looking for housing solutions that cater to their mobile- and technology-focused lifestyles.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An overwhelming force."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "overwhelming",
          "overwhelming#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "force",
          "force#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "en:Law"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 22, “Brazil’s Copersucar Declares Force Majeure to 3rd Party Sugar Shippers”, in Reuters, archived from the original on 2023-11-17",
          "text": "Brazil's largest trader of sugar and ethanol declared force majeure to some third party exporters of sugar with contracts to ship through its Santos Port terminal that burned down on Friday, sources in the sugar trade said.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 November 3, “Observer Magazine Competition: Win a Moncrief bag and Ipad case! [terms and conditions]”, in The Observer, London, archived from the original on 2021-11-23",
          "text": "18. GNM [Guardian News & Media Limited] shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations where the failure is caused by something outside its reasonable control. Such circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions, fire, flood, hurricane, strike, industrial dispute, war, hostilities, political unrest, riots, civil commotion, inevitable accidents, supervening legislation or any other circumstances amounting to force majeure.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An unavoidable circumstance, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal (usually contractual) obligation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "law",
          "law#English"
        ],
        [
          "unavoidable",
          "unavoidable#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "circumstance",
          "circumstance#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "prevent",
          "prevent"
        ],
        [
          "fulfil",
          "fulfil"
        ],
        [
          "legal",
          "legal#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "contractual",
          "contractual#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "obligation",
          "obligation"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(law) An unavoidable circumstance, especially one that prevents someone from fulfilling a legal (usually contractual) obligation."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "law"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌfɔːs mæˈʒɜː/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/-mə-/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌfoɹs mɑˈʒɜɹ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɜː(ɹ)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-force majeure.opus",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d0/En-uk-force_majeure.opus/En-uk-force_majeure.opus.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d0/En-uk-force_majeure.opus/En-uk-force_majeure.opus.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (RP)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bùkěkànglì",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "word": "不可抗力"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "oppermacht"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "overmacht"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "word": "päätekijä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "word": "keadaan kahar"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "siła wyższa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "força maior"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "nepreodolímaja síla",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "непреодоли́мая си́ла"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovene",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "višja sila"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "overwhelming force",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "gorfodaeth"
    },
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "قوة قاهرة"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "anhaġtʿahareli už",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "անհաղթահարելի ուժ"
    },
    {
      "code": "eu",
      "lang": "Basque",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "ezinbesteko kasu"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "força major"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "causa major"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "bùkěkànglì",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "不可抗力"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "vyšší moc"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "overmacht"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "toeval"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "vääramatu jõud"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "ylivoimainen este"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "cas fortuit"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "pors-mažori",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "ფორს-მაჟორი"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "höhere Gewalt"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "anotéra vía",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ανωτέρα βία"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "כוח עליון"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "keadaan kahar"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "keadaan memaksa"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "forza maggiore"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "caso fortuito"
    },
    {
      "alt": "ふかこうりょく",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "fukakōryoku",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "不可抗力"
    },
    {
      "code": "csb",
      "lang": "Kashubian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "namienienié"
    },
    {
      "code": "kk",
      "lang": "Kazakh",
      "roman": "fors-major",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "форс-мажор"
    },
    {
      "alt": "不可抗力",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "bulgahangnyeok",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "불가항력"
    },
    {
      "code": "ckb",
      "lang": "Central Kurdish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "هێزى هەرەزاڵ"
    },
    {
      "code": "ky",
      "lang": "Kyrgyz",
      "roman": "fors-major",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "форс-мажор"
    },
    {
      "code": "ky",
      "lang": "Kyrgyz",
      "roman": "argasız jagday",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "аргасыз жагдай"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "vīs major"
    },
    {
      "code": "li",
      "lang": "Limburgish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "li",
      "lang": "Limburgish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "övermach"
    },
    {
      "code": "lt",
      "lang": "Lithuanian",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "nenugalima jėga"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "fors-mâžor",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "فرس ماژور"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "siła wyższa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "força maior"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "fors-mažór",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "форс-мажо́р"
    },
    {
      "code": "sd",
      "lang": "Sindhi",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "اوچتي صورتحال"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "fuerza mayor"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "caso fortuito"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "tl",
      "lang": "Tagalog",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "tt",
      "lang": "Tatar",
      "roman": "fors-major",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "форс-мажор"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "fors majör"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "mücbir sebep"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "fors-mažór",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "форс-мажо́р"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "word": "bất khả kháng"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "force majeure"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "(law) unavoidable circumstance",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "gorfodaeth"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Trésor de la langue française informatisé"
  ],
  "word": "force majeure"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.