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où. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
où, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
où in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
où you have here. The definition of the word
où will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
où, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
French
Etymology
Inherited from Middle French où, from Old French ou, from Latin ubi (“where?”). The grave accent was added in Middle French to differentiate from ou (“or”).
Pronunciation
Adverb
où
- where (interrogative)
- Synonym: (Louisiana) éyoù
Où est la gare?- Where is the station?
Où tu vas, là ?- Hey, where are you going?
Comment savez-vous où j’habite ?- How do you know where I live?
- where (relative pronoun)
- Jean-Claude Bologne, Histoire du célibat et des célibataires, 2007
Dans un monde où l’homme propose et la femme dispose, le célibataire a fait un choix conscient, dont il est pleinement responsable.- In a world where the man proposes and the woman disposes, the single person has made a conscious choice for which he is fully responsible.
- at that time; when
1853, Guillaume Pauthier, Chine moderne, ou description historique, géographique et littéraire de ce vaste empire, page 335:Ce n’est qu’à l’époque où l’on a commencé à avoir un fonds de signes suffisants pour écrire des livres, que l’on trouve l’usage des groupes phonétiques.- It's only at the time where one starts to see a foundation of sufficient signs to write books, that one finds the use of phonetic groups.
Je ne l’ai pas vu aussi heureux depuis le jour où il est devenu père.- I haven't seen him so happy since the day he became a father.
- (poetic) whither, to where
Un ciel plus pur et des dieux meilleurs, je t’offre à Rome où je me rends.- A purer heaven and better gods I offer you in Rome, whither I go.
Usage notes
- où is the only word in the French language that contains the letter u with a grave accent (`).
Derived terms
Further reading
Middle French
Etymology
From Old French ou, from Latin ubi. The grave accent was added in Middle French to differentiate from ou (“or”).
Adverb
où
- where
Descendants