en tout cas

\ɑ̃ tu kɑ\

/\ɑ̃ tu kɑ\/ adv

The verdict

“en tout cas” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as an adverb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Quoi qu’il arrive ; à tout événement.

Key facts for en tout cas
PropertyValue
Headworden tout cas
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdverb
IPA\ɑ̃ tu kɑ\
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “en tout cas” sits in French frequency

en tout cas falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for en tout cas is 11 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ɑ̃ tu kɑ\. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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

  1. 1
    Quoi qu’il arrive ; à tout événement.
  2. 2
    Quoi qu’il en soit, de toute façon.
  3. 3
    Sert à restreindre et assurer un dire.

Synonyms

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "en tout cas"?
"en tout cas" is spelled E-N- -T-O-U-T- -C-A-S. The IPA pronunciation is \ɑ̃ tu kɑ\.
What does "en tout cas" mean?
As an adverb, "en tout cas" means: Quoi qu’il arrive ; à tout événement.
How do you pronounce "en tout cas"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "en tout cas" is \ɑ̃ tu kɑ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "en tout cas" come from?
"en tout cas" is a French word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “en tout cas”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is E-N- -T-O-U-T- -C-A-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ɑ̃ tu kɑ\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list