Word
oft
US/ˈɔft/
UK/ˈɒft/
Adverb of frequency
Definition
adv. an old-fashioned word for 'often'.
adv. a literary or archaic synonym for 'often', indicating high frequency.
Examples
“The poet wrote of the oft-repeated tales of old.”
“In the quiet village, the elders would gather to share oft-told stories of the great flood.”
“Though the phrase is oft-quoted in academic circles, its original meaning has been somewhat obscured by centuries of shifting linguistic norms.”
Examples
simple
“The poet wrote of the oft-repeated tales of old.”
contextual
“In the quiet village, the elders would gather to share oft-told stories of the great flood.”
complex
“Though the phrase is oft-quoted in academic circles, its original meaning has been somewhat obscured by centuries of shifting linguistic norms.”
Usage
In modern English, this is almost exclusively used as a prefix in hyphenated compound adjectives like 'oft-repeated' or 'oft-cited'.
Etymology
From Middle English oft (also ofte, often > Modern English often), from Old English oft (“often”), from Proto-West Germanic oftu, oftō, from Proto-Germanic *uftō (“often”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian oafte (“oft, often”), West Frisian oft, ofte (“oft, often”), Dutch oft (“oft, often”), German oft (“oft, often”). More at often.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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- Literary, Archaic
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