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de haut en bas

adjective or adverb

: of superiority : of or with condescension

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, from top to bottom

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of de haut en bas was in 1696

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Cite this Entry

“De haut en bas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de%20haut%20en%20bas. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.

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