autant

French

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *al tantu, earlier *aliud tantum (compare with aliud), corresponding to Classical Latin alterum tantum. Compare with Old French altretant, probably evolved from this form, along with Italian altrettanto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /o.tɑ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adverb

autant

1. so much

   Pourquoi travaillez-vous autant ?

   Why do you work so much?

2. just as well, might as well/may as well

   Il faut le faire, alors autant le faire tout de suite.

   It needs to be done, so we might as well do it right now.

3. the same, as much

   Lors que Danièle prend ses études au sérieux, Adeline n’a pas le moindre intérêt à en faire autant.

   Though Danièle takes her studies seriously, Adeline doesn't have the slightest interest in doing the same.

   J’ai autant de puissance que lui.

   I have as much power as he [does].

   Elle mange autant que lui.

   She eats as much as him.

Derived terms

• autant pour moi
• autant que faire se peut
• d’autant moins que
• d’autant plus
• d’autant plus que
• d’autant que
• pour autant
• pour autant que

 

Related terms

• tant

Further reading

• “autant”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.