French word

étrangement

Pronunciation

IPA/etʁɑ̃ʒəmɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbstrangely

Example

Il fait étrangement froid aujourd'hui.

It is strangely cold today.

Illustration for étrangement (strangely)

More examples

Elle se comporte étrangement depuis ce matin.

She has been behaving strangely since this morning.

Core concept

An ordinary situation with an unexplained odd quality visible in its details.

Common phrases

  • se comporter étrangement

    behave strangely

  • paraître étrangement heureux

    seem strangely happy

Similar words

curieusement: In a way that makes an event or action seem puzzling.
étonnamment: In a way that is surprising because it differs from what was expected.
bizarrement: In a way that seems strange by ordinary standards.

Definition in French

D'une manière qui paraît étrange ou inexplicable, suscitant une impression de bizarrerie.

Word origin

Étrangement is formed by adding the adverbial suffix -ment to étrange, which comes through Old French estrange from Latin extraneus, meaning "external".

Usage tips

  • Placed before an adjective, étrangement commonly marks an unexpected quality or degree rather than an unusual manner of acting.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word