frequent

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See also: fréquent and freqüent

English

Etymology 1

From Old French frequent, from Latin frequens (crowded, crammed, frequent, repeated, etc.), from Proto-Indo-European *bhrek- (to cram together).[1]

Pronunciation

Adjective

frequent (comparative more frequent or frequenter, superlative most frequent or frequentest)

  1. Done or occurring often; common.
    I take frequent breaks so I don't get too tired.
    There are frequent trains to the beach available.
    I am a frequent visitor to that city.
    • 1999, Nicholas Walker, “The Reorientation of Critical Theory: Habermas”, in Simon Glemdinning, editor, The Edinburgh Encyclopedia of Continental Philosophy, Routledge, →ISBN, page 489:
      During the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, this commitment brought him into frequent critical confrontation with entrenched forms of conservative thinking [...]
  2. Occurring at short intervals.
  3. Addicted to any course of conduct; inclined to indulge in any practice; habitual; persistent.
    • 1709, [Jonathan Swift], A Project for the Advancement of Religion, and the Reformation of Manners. , London: Benj Tooke, , →OCLC, page 59:
      [E]very Man thinks he has laid in a ſufficient Stock of Merit, and my pretend to any Employment, provided he has been loud and frequent in declaring himſelf hearty for the Government.
  4. (obsolete) Full; crowded; thronged.
  5. (obsolete) Often or commonly reported.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Old French frequenter, from Latin frequentare (to fill, crowd, visit often, do or use often, etc.), from frequens (frequent, crowded).

Pronunciation

Verb

frequent (third-person singular simple present frequents, present participle frequenting, simple past and past participle frequented)

  1. (transitive) To visit often.
    I used to frequent that restaurant.
Derived terms
Translations

References

  1. ^ Schwartzman, The Words of Mathematics: An Etymological Dictionary of Mathematical Terms Used in English

Further reading

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French frequent.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /frɛˈkʋɛnt/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: fre‧quent
  • Rhymes: -ɛnt

Adjective

frequent (comparative frequenter, superlative frequentst)

  1. frequent
    Synonyms: veelvuldig, vaak

Declension

Declension of frequent
uninflected frequent
inflected frequente
comparative frequenter
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial frequent frequenter het frequentst
het frequentste
indefinite m./f. sing. frequente frequentere frequentste
n. sing. frequent frequenter frequentste
plural frequente frequentere frequentste
definite frequente frequentere frequentste
partitive frequents frequenters

Derived terms

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin frequens.

Pronunciation

Adjective

frequent (strong nominative masculine singular frequenter, comparative frequenter, superlative am frequentesten)

  1. (dated or medicine) frequent

Declension

Further reading

  • frequent” in Duden online
  • frequent” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Old French

Adjective

frequent m (oblique and nominative feminine singular frequent or frequente)

  1. frequent; often

Declension

Descendants

  • English: frequent
  • French: fréquent