frequent

See also: fréquent and freqüent

English

Etymology 1

From Old French frequent, from Latin frequens (“crowded, crammed, frequent, repeated, etc.”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhrek (“to cram together”).[1]

Pronunciation

Adjective

frequent (comparative more frequent or frequenter, superlative most frequent or frequentest)

  1. Done or occurring often; common.
    I take frequent breaks so I don't get too tired.
    There are frequent trains to the beach available.
    I am a frequent visitor to that city.
  2. Occurring at short intervals.
    • Byron
      frequent feudal towers
  3. Addicted to any course of conduct; inclined to indulge in any practice; habitual; persistent.
    • Jonathan Swift
      He has been loud and frequent in declaring himself hearty for the government.
  4. (obsolete) Full; crowded; thronged.
    • Ben Jonson
      'Tis Caesar's will to have a frequent senate.
  5. (obsolete) Often or commonly reported.
    • Massinger
      'Tis frequent in the city he hath subdued / The Catti and the Daci.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations
  1. ↑ Schwartzman, The Words of Mathematics: An Etymological Dictionary of Mathematical Terms Used in English

Etymology 2

From Old French frequenter, from Latin frequentare (“to fill, crowd, visit often, do or use often, etc.”), from frequens (“frequent, crowded”)

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /fɹɪˈkwɛnt/
  • Rhymes: -ɛnt
  • Audio (US)(file)

Verb

frequent (third-person singular simple present frequents, present participle frequenting, simple past and past participle frequented)

  1. (transitive) To visit often.
    I used to frequent that restaurant.
Derived terms
Translations

Further reading

  • frequent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • frequent in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Old French

Adjective

frequent m (oblique and nominative feminine singular frequent or frequente)

  1. frequent; often

Declension

Descendants

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