affranchir

Affranchir has two major senses: to free or liberate — historically freeing an enslaved person (affranchir un esclave) — and, in everyday modern use, to stamp/frank a letter for postage (affranchir une lettre). The reflexive s'affranchir de means to free oneself from constraints or rules.

• N'oublie pas d'affranchir l'enveloppe avant de la poster. — Don't forget to stamp the envelope before mailing it.
• Le décret de 1848 affranchit les esclaves des colonies françaises. — The 1848 decree freed the enslaved people of the French colonies.
• Elle s'est affranchie des attentes de sa famille. — She freed herself from her family's expectations.

Learners only learn the postage sense (a very common beginner context) and miss the historically weightier meaning of freeing someone from slavery or servitude — both are equally standard uses of the same verb.

Often confused with libérer.

• politics Décret d'abolition de l'esclavage du 27 avril 1848 — The French decree abolishing slavery, promulgated under Victor Schœlcher, repeatedly uses affranchir/affranchi — including the principle that French soil freed (affranchissait) any enslaved person who set foot on it.