French Conversation · Level 70
59 words
French word
goutte-à-goutte
Pronunciation
IPA/gutagut/
Meaning
- adverbdrop by drop
Example
Le robinet fuit et l'eau coule goutte-à-goutte.
The faucet is leaking and the water is flowing drop by drop.
More examples
On arrose les plantes goutte-à-goutte.
We water the plants one drop at a time.
Core concept
A series of tiny drops builds a visible effect through steady accumulation.
Common phrases
arroser goutte-à-goutte
water ___ one drop at a time
fuir goutte-à-goutte
leak one drop at a time
s'écouler goutte-à-goutte
flow out one drop at a time
Similar words
peu à peu: Gradually over time, with slow change or growth.
petit à petit: Step by step, with gradual progress.
au compte-gouttes: In tightly limited amounts, given only as needed.
Definition in French
Exprime une progression lente et continue, chaque goutte contribuant peu à peu à un effet cumulatif.
Word origin
Goutte comes through Old French from Latin gutta, meaning 'drop', and goutte-à-goutte repeats the noun with à to express one drop following another.
Usage tips
- As an adverb, goutte à goutte is normally written without hyphens, while goutte-à-goutte with hyphens is the noun for a drip system.
Other meanings
- dripnoun
Opposites
- d'un seul coupall at onceadverb
Related words
- goutterdripverb