Meaning

adverb many times at short intervals

adverb frequently or in great quantities

adverb in many cases or instances

originFrom 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 (“often”), from Proto-Germanic *ufta, *uftō (“often”). Cognates Cognate with Scots affen, aften, af'en, oaffen, oaften, oftin (“often”), North Frisian aaft, oftem, oofting (“often”), Saterland Frisian oafte (“often”), German,…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0