French word

doucement

Pronunciation

IPA/dusəmɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbgently

Example

Ouvre la porte doucement.

Open the door gently.

Illustration for doucement (gently)

More examples

Il parle doucement pour ne pas réveiller le bébé.

He speaks softly so as not to wake the baby.

Core concept

An action carried out with controlled softness rather than haste or force.

Common phrases

  • parler doucement

    speak softly

  • fermer la porte doucement

    close the door gently

  • marcher doucement

    walk quietly

Similar words

lentement: At a slow pace.
tranquillement: Calmly and without agitation.
délicatement: Gently, with careful attention and precise control.

Definition in French

Signifie qu'une action est faite lentement et avec délicatesse.

Word origin

The word is a derivation of doux, whose source is Latin dulcis, with the productive adverbial ending -ment from Latin mente.

Usage tips

  • Doucement is pronounced with an s sound in the middle, unlike doux when that adjective stands alone.

Other meanings

  • quietlyadverb
  • slowlyadverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word