Kilo Lingo

/dusəmɑ̃/

Line drawing of doucement
Coloured illustration of doucement
#804 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

gently, softly, slowly

Word origin

From the adjective doux ('soft, sweet') plus the adverbial suffix -ment. Doux is from Latin dulcis ('sweet'); -ment is from Latin mente, the ablative of mens ('mind').

Origin
Latin
Root
dulcis + mente
English cognates
dulcet, mental

Examples

, 'endormir.

Speak gently, the baby has just fallen asleep.

, .

Drive slowly in this street, there are children playing.

! couloir.

Steady on! You will fall if you run like that in the corridor.

, 'endormir.

Speak quietly, the baby has just fallen asleep.

, .

Drive slowly, the road is dangerous tonight.

Doucement est l'adverbe derive de doux / douce (gentle, soft). Il peut modifier un verbe pour indiquer une maniere douce, lente ou calme. Doucement ! seul est un avertissement ou une mise en garde tres courante : take it easy!, calm down!, steady!

Allez-y doucement (go easy, take it slowly) est une instruction de prudence. Tout doucement (very gently, very slowly) renforce la douceur. Comme ca va doucement peut indiquer une progression lente. En douceur (smoothly, gently) est une locution synonyme plus formelle.

Used in

Stories

(8)

Add to review queue

Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.

Go to my review queue

This word is part of lesson 17.