en tout cas
\ɑ̃ tu kɑ\
The verdict
“en tout cas” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency French
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Quoi qu’il arrive ; à tout événement.
Corpus desk
Index FR-en-tout-cas · en tout cas · French
en tout cas · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 11 letters
- VOW-4 4 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "E" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | en tout cas |
| Language | French |
| Part of speech | Adverb |
| IPA | \ɑ̃ tu kɑ\ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Longue queue: rang de « en tout cas » en français
Rare enough to double-check
en tout cas is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed \ɑ̃ tu kɑ\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for en tout cas, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is en tout cas, spelled E-N- -T-O-U-T- -C-A-S.
Definition
- 1Quoi qu’il arrive ; à tout événement.
- 2Quoi qu’il en soit, de toute façon.
- 3Sert à restreindre et assurer un dire.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how en tout cas appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
Le Châtaignier est-il spontané ? En tout cas les formes de régression de la Châtaigneraie sont très voisines de celles de la Chênaie de Chêne-rouvre.
La salade bulgare était un peu plus sophistiquée qu'ailleurs et l'agneau mangeable. En tout cas, Mara était ravie comme une enfant.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.