different between often vs ofttimes

English

Etymology

From Middle English often, alteration (with final -n added due to analogy with Middle English selden (“seldom”)) of Middle English ofte, oft, from Old English oft (“oft; often”), from Proto-Germanic *ufta, *uft? (“often”). Cognate with Scots oftin (“often”), North Frisian oftem (“often”), Saterland Frisian oafte (“often”), German oft (“often”), Norwegian and Danish ofte (“often”), Swedish ofta (“often”), Icelandic oft (“often”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??f(t)?n/, (East Anglia, Historical RP) /???f(t)?n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??f(t)?n/
• (US, cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /??f(t)?n/
• Rhymes: -?f?n, -?ft?n
• Homophone: orphan (non-rhotic accents with the lot–cloth split)
• Hyphenation: of?ten
• Historically, the /t/ was pronounced, but the current pronunciation was standardized after it stopped being pronounced. Therefore, the modern forms where the /t/ is pronounced (compare oft) are spelling-influenced pronunciations. The traditional /t/-less form is for that reason considered by many to be "more correct".

Adverb

often (comparative more often or oftener, superlative most often or oftenest)

1. Frequently, many times.

Synonyms

• a lot
• frequently
• usually

Antonyms

• infrequently
• occasionally
• rarely
• seldom

Derived terms

• as often as not
• oftenness

Related terms

• oftentimes
• oft

Translations

Adjective

often (comparative more often, superlative most often)

1. (archaic) Frequent.
   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act IV, Scene 1,^[2]

     […] it is a melancholy of mine own, compounded of many simples, extracted from many objects, and, indeed, the sundry contemplation of my travels; in which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness.

   • 1618, Anthony Munday (translator), The Third Booke of Amadis de Gaule by Nicolas de Herberay des Essarts (1542), London, Chapter 2, p. 18,^[3]

     Then came the Ladies to visite him, and the Queene gaue him most gracious welcome, desiring him to be of good cheere: For heere is my Daughter (quoth she) right skilfull in the Art of Chirurgerie, that meanes to bee your often visitant.

   • 1656, John Bunyan, Solomon’s Temple Spiritualiz’d, London: George Larkin, 1688, Chapter 48, p. 113,^[4]

     The Shew-bread by an often remove, and renewing, was continually to stand before the Lord in his House […]

English

Alternative forms

• oft times, oftimes, oft-times

Etymology

oft +? times

Adverb

ofttimes (not comparable)

1. often; frequently
   • 1895, Medical Review (volumes 30-31, page 423)

     The victim is an irresistable, insane subject of the peculiar trance, oblivious to his acts, and ofttimes unconscious of them afterward. During the attack he is in no way the same actor.

Synonyms

• oftentimes