French word

distraitement

Pronunciation

IPA/distʁɛtəmɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbabsentmindedly

Example

Il regardait la route distraitement.

He was looking at the road absentmindedly.

Illustration for distraitement (absentmindedly)

More examples

Elle a répondu distraitement à la question.

She answered the question absentmindedly.

Core concept

A person's eyes or hands keep working while awareness floats elsewhere.

Common phrases

  • regarder distraitement

    look absentmindedly

  • répondre distraitement

    answer absentmindedly

  • parler distraitement

    speak absentmindedly

Similar words

sans faire attention: Without giving the matter any attention.
par inadvertance: Unintentionally and through inattention.
inconsciemment: Without realizing it.
par mégarde: Accidentally through a careless oversight.

Definition in French

D'une manière distraite, sans focaliser son attention sur le moment présent.

Word origin

The adverb comes from the adjective distrait with the suffix -ement; distrait is linked through distraire to Latin distrahere and its past participle distractus.

Usage tips

  • In everyday phrasing, par distraction or sans faire attention often sounds more natural than distraitement, which suits written or formal description.

Other meanings

  • inattentivelyadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word