devant

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /də.vɑ̃/

• audio

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Etymology 1

From de +‎ avant.

Preposition

devant

1. confronted with, faced with
2. in front of, before

   Antonym: derrière

3. outside

Derived terms

• au-devant de
• devancer
• devant l’Éternel
• sens devant derrière

Adverb

devant

1. in front, at the front

   Il marchait devant.

   He was walking in front.

   Mets-toi devant !

   Stand in front!

Noun

devant m (plural devants)

1. front

Derived terms

• prendre les devants
• sur le devant de la scène

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Participle

devant

1. present participle of devoir

Further reading

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

Middle French

Alternative forms

• devãt (some manuscripts)

Preposition

devant

1. in front of; before
2. before (with respect to time)
   • 1488, Jean Dupré, Lancelot du Lac, page 23:

     devant que tu partes perdras le poing en lieu de mon escu

     before you leave you will lose your hand for my shield [which you lost]

Old French

Preposition

devant

1. in front of
   • c. 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:

     Et devant aus un nain boçu

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)