autrement

Pronunciation

• IPA: /o.tʁə.mɑ̃/^[1]

Forms

autrement (invariable)^[1]

Etymology

It is from French autre + -ment; the Old French form was altrement.^[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary traces it through Middle French aultrement to the phrase Medieval Latin alterā mente (“in another mind, in another way”).^[1]

It matches Occitan autrament and Italian altramente.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (1080) has altrement in the sense “otherwise, if not”: car altrement ne m'amerat il mie “for otherwise he will not love me at all”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

The sense “differently, in another way” is recorded from the middle of the 12th century.^[2] Anglo-Norman texts from 1113–1119 have it for “differently”, “otherwise, else” and “formerly”.^[6]

In classical and literary French autrement meant “in other words”, as in Chateaubriand's George Sand, autrement Madame Dudevant;^[4][3] autrement dit “in other words” is its modern form.^[4][3] It also became an intensifier, “far more, to a much greater degree”, as in bien autrement destructives.^[4]

Timeline

• 1080 – Altrement “otherwise”, in the Chanson de Roland.^[2][4]
• 1113–1119 – Anglo-Norman autrement “differently, otherwise”.^[6]
• mid-12th century – “Differently, in another way”.^[2]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Differently, in another way: il faut procéder autrement, je n'ai pas pu faire autrement que d'y aller, I had no choice but to go.^[3][1]
2. Autrement dit: in other words.^[3][4]
3. Otherwise, or else, if not.^[3][1]
4. (with bien, tout) Far more, to a much greater degree: bien autrement.^[4]

Related words

• autre
• Latin alter

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)