atout

trump card, asset

noun ah-TOO Rare

Origin: French à tout (for everything), a term from card games

Usage Note

Atout originates in card games where it means 'trump suit'. In everyday speech it broadly means an advantage or asset, as in ses atouts pour le poste (his assets for the job). The final -t is silent. The plural atouts is frequently used in CVs and job contexts to list one's strengths.

Examples

"Sa maîtrise de l'anglais est un vrai atout."

Natural Translation

Her command of English is a real asset.

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