ebenso

Ebenso is a German adverb meaning "likewise" or "also." It is used to indicate similarity or agreement with a preceding statement and often appears in both formal written language and everyday speech. The word can modify adjectives, verbs, or entire clauses and frequently occurs in constructions such as "ebenso wie" to express comparison.

In practice, "ebenso" can precede or follow the element it modifies. Examples: "Er ist müde, ebenso wie ich." (He is tired, just as I am.) "Die Preise sind hoch; ebenso die Lebenshaltungskosten." (Prices are high; so are the cost of living.) "Ebenso wichtig ist es, pünktlich zu handeln." (Equally important is to act on time.) The collocation "ebenso wie" is the standard way to link two equal terms or clauses.

Etymology and history: "Ebenso" derives from the combination of "eben" (often meaning "even" or "just") and "so" (thus), with attestations in German dating from the medieval to early modern periods. It has retained a formal tone and is common in analyses, reports, and literature, though it remains a normal part of everyday speech as well.

See also: Related terms like "auch" (also) or "gleichfalls" (likewise) can express similar ideas, but "ebenso" emphasizes parallelism and an explicit sense of equivalence or emphasis in comparison.

Note: In casual speech, speakers may substitute "auch" for "ebenso," but "ebenso" tends to carry a more formal or emphatic nuance.