French Conversation · Level 61
71 words
French word
ôter
Pronunciation
IPA/ote/
Meaning
- verbremove
Example
J'ai ôté la poussière du meuble.
I removed the dust from the furniture.
More examples
Elle a ôté sa veste en entrant.
She took off her jacket as she came in.
Core concept
A hand pulls an object or garment away from the person or place holding it.
Common phrases
ôter ses chaussures
take off one's shoes
ôter un vêtement
take off a garment
ôter la poussière
remove dust
Similar words
enlever: To take away an object, piece of clothing, or mark so it is no longer present.
retirer: To pull something out of a place or take it off the body.
Definition in French
Retirer quelque chose d'un endroit ou d'une personne, souvent par un geste manuel, usage fréquent pour des objets et des vêtements.
Word origin
French ôter comes from Old French oster, and the circumflex reflects the loss of an earlier s in the spelling.
Usage tips
- Ôter is formal or literary, while enlever is more usual in many everyday contexts for physical removal.