reinforce

Etymology

It is formed from English re- + enforce, in the older spelling inforce,^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} after the earlier verb renforce (about 1473–1668), with which it overlaps in meaning.^[2] That verb is from Middle French renforcer, recorded in Old French as renforcier in 1155, formed from re- and enforcier (“to strengthen”).^[2][8][9] Hoad and the Shorter Oxford describe reinforce as an alteration of renforce, remodelled as re- plus inforce,^[10][8] and the Oxford dictionaries take it from the French verb, influenced by inforce;^[11][12] the military sense is probably from Italian rinforzare.^[10][8][11] Hoad derives the Old French verb from Vulgar Latin *infortiō, from in- and fortis (“strong”).^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

To make stronger, especially something immaterial; to give more support to: about 1485, in Gilbert Hay's Buke of Knychthede (written 1456).^[2] Merriam-Webster also dates the verb to the 15th century,^[7] while Barnhart (1600) and Etymonline (about 1600) begin with the military sense.^[4][3]

Semantic evolution

The word first meant to strengthen something abstract, and then from before 1578 to strengthen an object with an extra support or a thicker layer of material.^[2] The military sense, to strengthen a force or a position with more troops, is recorded from 1589,^[2] and Etymonline considers it the original one.^[3] From 1610 it was used of adding force to an argument, and then from 1660 of intensifying a feeling or effect.^[2] In psychology, from 1901, it means to strengthen a learnt response by a reward or other stimulus, a use that followed the noun reinforcement.^[2] That noun is first recorded in 1607 in Shakespeare's Coriolanus for a renewal of force, and for the act of reinforcing in 1617.^[4] The noun reinforce was used for a reinforcement of troops (1648), for the strengthened part of a gun next to the breech (1757) and for any part added to strengthen an object (1869).^[2][8]

Timeline

• c. 1473 – renforce, to strengthen (obsolete by 1668).^[2]
• c. 1485 – to make stronger, to support.^[2]
• before 1578 – to strengthen an object with added material.^[2]
• 1589 – to strengthen a military force with more troops.^[2]
• 1607 – reinforcement, in Shakespeare.^[4]
• 1610 – to add force to an argument.^[2]
• 1648 – noun, a reinforcement of troops.^[2]
• 1660 – to intensify.^[2]
• 1757 – noun, the strengthened part of a gun near the breech.^[2]
• 1901 – in psychology, to strengthen a learnt response.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make stronger by adding material or support: She reinforced the knees of the jeans with patches.^[13][7][2]
2. To give more force or weight to an idea, feeling or effect; to emphasize or strengthen: The new figures reinforced their doubts.^[13][7][2]
3. To strengthen a military force or position with additional troops or supplies.^[13][7][2]
4. (psychology) To encourage a response or behaviour by rewarding it.^[13][2]

Noun

1. A thicker part of a gun barrel near the breech, made to resist the force of the charge.^[7][2][8]
2. Any part added to an object to strengthen it.^[2][8]

Word family

• reinforceable
• reinforcer
• reinforcement
• self-reinforcing

Related words

• enforce
• force
• re-enforce
• fortify
• rinforzando

Usage notes

Fowler noted that reinforce has drifted so far from the simple verb that it hardly ever means "to enforce again", as of a lapsed rule that is revived; for that sense he recommended re-enforce.^[3] Merriam-Webster lists reenforce as a less common spelling of reinforce.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
5. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
6. ^ Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
7. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
8. ^ a b c d e f Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
9. ^ Weekley, Ernest (1921), An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, London: John Murray
10. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
11. ^ a b Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
12. ^ Soanes, Catherine; Stevenson, Angus, eds. (2004), Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
13. ^ a b c d Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins