French word

atout

Pronunciation

IPA/atu/

Meaning

  • masculine nounadvantage

Example

Un atout de ce produit est sa durabilité.

One advantage of this product is its durability.

Illustration for atout (advantage)

More examples

Son expérience est un atout pour l'équipe.

His experience is an asset to the team.

Core concept

A trump card that gives a person, product, or plan an edge in a particular situation.

Common phrases

  • avoir un atout

    have an advantage

  • un atout majeur

    a major advantage

  • être un atout

    be an asset

Similar words

avantage: A favorable condition or benefit.
point fort: A particularly strong or impressive aspect.
qualité: A good quality or positive trait.
argument: A reason or piece of evidence used to persuade.

Definition in French

Avantage décisif ou qualité particulière qui rend une personne, un produit ou une action plus efficace ou compétitive dans une situation.

Word origin

French atout comes from the card-playing expression à tout, meaning roughly 'for all', which named a trump and later a decisive advantage.

Usage tips

  • The usual patterns are avoir un atout for possessing an advantage and jouer son atout for using one's strongest advantage.

Other meanings

  • strengthnoun
  • trump cardnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word