often

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English often, alteration (with final -n added due to analogy with Middle English selden (“seldom”)) of Middle English ofte, oft, from Old English oft (“often”), from Proto-Germanic *ufta, *uftō (“often”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɒfən/, /ˈɒftən/, (East Anglia, Traditional RP) /ˈɔːfən/, /ˈɔːftən/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɔfən/, /ˈɔftən/ (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /ˈɑfən/, /ˈɑftən/ (Canada) IPA(key): /ˈɒfən/, /ˈɒftən/ Historically, the /t/ was pronounced but the current pronunciation was standardized after it stopped being pronounced (as in, e.g., listen, soften, glisten). Therefore, the modern forms where the /t/ is pronounced (compare oft) are spelling-influenced pronunciations. The traditional /t/-less form is considered by many to be more correct for that reason. Homophone: orphan (non-rhotic, lot–cloth split) Rhymes: -ɒfən, -ɒftən Hyphenation: oft‧en === Adverb === often (comparative more often or oftener, superlative most often or oftenest) Frequently; many times on different occasions. Synonyms: a lot, (archaic except US) oftentimes, typically; see also Thesaurus:often Antonyms: infrequently, occasionally, rarely, seldom, (literary except India) unoften; see also Thesaurus:rarely ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== oft ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === often (comparative more often, superlative most often) (archaic) Frequent. 1618, Anthony Munday (translator), The Third Booke of Amadis de Gaule by Nicolas de Herberay des Essarts (1542), London, Chapter 2, p. 18,[4] Then came the Ladies to visite him, and the Queene gaue him most gracious welcome, desiring him to be of good cheere: For heere is my Daughter (quoth she) right skilfull in the Art of Chirurgerie, that meanes to bee your often visitant. === See also === Thesaurus:frequency == Middle English == === Alternative forms === offen, ouften === Etymology === From ofte. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɔf.tən/ Rhymes: -ɔftən Hyphenation: of‧ten === Adverb === often repeatedly, again and again, many times, frequently Under many circumstances, in many instances ==== Descendants ==== English: often Scots: aften, af'en, affen, oaffen, oaften ==== References ==== “often, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.