French

edit

Etymology

edit

Univerbation of pour (for) +‎ tant (so much).

Pronunciation

edit
  • IPA(key): /puʁ.tɑ̃/
  • Audio:(file)

Adverb

edit

pourtant

  1. however, yet
    • 1837, Louis Viardot, L’Ingénieux Hidalgo Don Quichotte de la Manchefr.Wikisource, translation of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Chapter II:
      Pourtant, ce qui l’inquiétait le plus, c’était de ne pas se voir armé chevalier ; car il lui semblait qu’il ne pouvait légitimement s’engager dans aucune aventure sans avoir reçu l’ordre de chevalerie.
      However, what worried him the most was not having been dubbed a knight; for it seemed to him that he could not legitimately engage in any adventure without having received the order of knighthood.

Usage notes

edit

Not to be confused with pour autant.

Descendants

edit
  • Dutch: pertang (regional, Belgium and southern Netherlands)
  • Limburgish: pertang
  • West Flemish: pertang, pertank, pertanks
  • Zealandic: pertan, pertant

Further reading

edit

Anagrams

edit