Plus ou moins
Example: Le projet est terminé plus ou moins à temps.
Definition
"Plus ou moins" is an adverbial phrase used to indicate approximation or uncertainty, meaning 'more or less' or 'approximately.' It conveys that something is done or true to a certain extent but not exactly, as in the sentence, 'The project is completed more or less on time.'
Etymology
The phrase "plus ou moins" comes directly from the French words 'plus' meaning 'more,' 'ou' meaning 'or,' and 'moins' meaning 'less.' It reflects a simple comparative structure to express approximation. Did you know? Despite its literal translation, it is used idiomatically to express 'about' or 'roughly' in everyday French.
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"Plus ou moins" appears in the Vocaplus list "French - General - (A2) - set 2", containing 116 commonly used words.
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