adverbnoun

autrefois

formerly · past

Cela veut dire il y a longtemps, dans le passé.

Definition & meaning

Autrefois is a French adverb used to refer to a time in the past, typically a period that is distant or significantly different from the present. It most commonly translates to "formerly," "in the past," "once," or "in olden days" in English.

It is frequently used to establish a contrast between the way things used to be and the way they are now. While it can be used in historical contexts, it is also common in personal storytelling or nostalgia to describe habits or states that no longer exist.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, autrefois is an invariable adverb. It can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to set the timeframe or after a verb.

The word is a compound formed from two distinct French parts:

autre : meaning "other."
fois : meaning "time" or "occasion."

Etymologically, it comes from the Old French autre feiz, literally meaning "another time." Unlike the English "sometimes," which refers to frequency, autrefois refers specifically to a completed period in the past.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

jadis : This is a more formal or literary synonym, often used to describe a very ancient or legendary past.
auparavant : Meaning "previously" or "before," though it is often used relative to a specific event rather than just the general past.
anciennement : Meaning "formerly" or "anciently."
par le passé : A prepositional phrase meaning "in the past."