au fond

American  

[oh fawn] / oʊ ˈfɔ̃ /

adverb

French.

1. at bottom or to the bottom; basically; in reality; fundamentally.

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au fond British  

/ o fɔ̃ /

adverb

1. fundamentally; essentially

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Etymology

Origin of au fond

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

It's often said – even McEwan's friends have said this – that he is, au fond, a brilliant story writer, a sprinter not a marathon runner.

From The Guardian • Aug. 31, 2014

However, au fond, I think we share the same point of view.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2013

As another Nazi general wrote of Keitel later, "He was certainly not wicked au fond, as one occasionally reads of him."

From Time Magazine Archive

The French response to De Gaulle was strongly emotional, but the French are, au fond, a pre-eminently reasonable rather than sentimental people.

From Time Magazine Archive

Comme la vie de l'homme, même la plus prospère, est toujours au fond plus triste que gaie, le ciel sombre nous est harmonieux.

From The Beauties of Nature and the Wonders of the World We Live In by Lubbock, John, Sir