NYT Dictionary

OFTEN

/ˈɒfən/
AdverbAdjectiveOFT-enoft-en · 2 syllablesGrade 2

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2022

Meaning

Frequently; many times on different occasions.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English often, alteration (with final -n added due to analogy with Middle English selden (“seldom”)) of Middle English ofte, oft, from Old English oft (“often”), from Proto-Germanic *ufta, *uftō (“often”). Cognates Cognate with Scots affen, aften, af'en, oaffen, oaften, oftin (“often”), North Frisian aaft, oftem, oofting (“often”), Saterland Frisian oafte (“often”), German, Luxembourgish and Pennsylvania German oft (“often”), Yiddish אָפֿט (oft, “often”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk ofte (“often”), Faroese, Swedish ofta (“often”), Icelandic oft (“often”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐍄𐌰 (ufta, “often”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

a lotoftentimestypicallyfeelefoldfrequentlymanifoldmanyfoldoftoftenoftenly

Antonyms

infrequentlyoccasionallyrarelyseldomunoftenscarcelyseldomlyuncommonlyforevernever

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2022.

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