Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

once

/wʌn(t)s/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.53 in modern English

Syllables: once
IPA: /wʌn(t)s/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

One and only one time.

adv

Formerly; during some period in the past.

adv

At any time; ever.

Obsolete

adv

One day, someday.

Obsolete

adv

Multiplied by one: indicating that a number is multiplied by one.

conj

As soon as; when; after.

noun

Obsolete form of ounce.

Obsolete

noun

A fan of the Korean girl band Twice.

Slang

Example Sentences

"I have only once eaten pizza."
"He was once the most handsome man around."
"I once had a motorbicycle."
"Once I didn't drive a big car, but now I own an all-terrain 4WD."
"Wang notes that flowers have rooted and grow in the area once covered with ice."
"Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft."

Etymology

From Middle English ones, from Old English ānes, a remodelling (after ān (“one”)) of ǣnes, itself an extension of ǣne (“once”) with the genitive suffix -es. Equivalent to one + -s. Cognate with Saterland Frisian enst, insen (“once”), West Frisian iens (“once”), Dutch eens (“once”), German Low German eens, ins (“once”), German einst (“once”). More at one (including regarding the development of the pronunciation) and -s.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: ones, ānes
Suffix: one

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /wʌn(t)s/
British English: /wʌn(t)s/

Usage

Inflected Forms

onces (plural)

Derived Forms

onceness oncer

Phrases

Christmas comes but once a year don't spend it all at once fool me once for this once once a man, twice a boy once a man, twice a child once a woman, twice a child Once Brewed

Frequently Paired Words

at once for once for once and for all measure twice and cut once not even once once again once more once and again

Synonyms

one time immediately formerly once oncet yance wunst in one case

Antonyms

four times often thrice twice

Rhymes With

bunce kunce months one's dunce response provence ponce nonce sconce bonce honi soit qui mal y pense

Questions

How do you pronounce once?: The recorded pronunciation is /wʌn(t)s/.
What does once mean?: One and only one time.
Where does once come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce once

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “once”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/wʌn(t)s/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “once”.
Repeat and practice — Say “once” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.