French word

au-devant

Pronunciation

IPA/odəvɑ̃/

Meaning

  • prepositiongo to meet ___

Example

Je vais au-devant de mon ami.

I am going to meet my friend.

Illustration for au-devant (go to meet ___)

More examples

Il viendra au-devant de toi pour t'aider.

He will come out to meet you to help you.

Core concept

A person moves ahead along another person's route to meet them before they arrive.

Common phrases

  • venir au-devant de quelqu'un

    come out to meet someone

Similar words

à la rencontre de: Toward someone in order to meet them.
vers: Toward a direction or place.
devant: In front of a person or place.

Definition in French

Marquer le fait d'aller à la rencontre de quelqu'un en se plaçant en avant de son parcours, par exemple «aller au-devant de quelqu'un».

Word origin

The expression combines au, the contraction of à le, with devant, an inherited French word meaning "in front of".

Usage tips

  • Au-devant de is a fixed phrase that introduces the person with de, as in aller au-devant de son ami.

Other meanings

  • toward ___preposition

Opposites

  • à l'arrière deat the back ofpreposition

Word lists with this word