ici et là

\i.si e la\

/\i.si e la\/ adv

The verdict

“ici et là” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - À un endroit puis à un autre.

Corpus desk

Index FR-ici-et-la · ici et là · French

ici et là · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" 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.

Key facts for ici et là
PropertyValue
Headwordici et là
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdverb
IPA\i.si e la\
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « ici et là » en français

ici et làreste hors des 100.000 mots français les plus fréquents, dans la longue queue du vocabulaire technique, archaïque ou rare, là où le doute d'orthographe frappe.

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

Rare enough to double-check

ici et là is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed \i.si e la\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "À un endroit puis à un autre.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for ici et là, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is ici et là, spelled I-C-I- -E-T- -L-À.

Definition

  1. 1
    À un endroit puis à un autre.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ici et là appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Ici et là, la serpe légère a tranché une gaule trop hardie et qui obstrue le ciel, amputé un chicot qui pourrait servir de perchoir.
  2. Un ciel grisailleux couvrait la mangrove à la grande joie des moustiques porteurs de fièvre qu’il avait fallu faire fuir vitement-pressé en allumant ici et là ces grands feux de bois que les anciens appelaient charibaudées.

Synonyms

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 "ici et là"?
"ici et là" is spelled I-C-I- -E-T- -L-À. The IPA pronunciation is \i.si e la\.
What does "ici et là" mean?
As an adverb, "ici et là" means: À un endroit puis à un autre.
How do you pronounce "ici et là"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ici et là" is \i.si e la\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ici et là" come from?
"ici et là" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list