nonante

Nonante is the French numeral for ninety used in certain Francophone regions, notably Belgium and parts of Switzerland. In standard French, the number ninety is expressed as quatre-vingt-dix, so nonante functions as a regional variant rather than a universal form.

Geographic and social usage: Nonante is common in Belgian French and Swiss French, where regional counting names often differ from metropolitan conventions. It is typically paired with septante for seventy, while the form for eighty varies by region. In France, nonante is rarely used in everyday speech but may appear in regional signage, literature, or contexts aiming to reflect local speech or historical usage. Many French dictionaries classify nonante as a regional term rather than standard vocabulary.

Lexicography and prevalence: Nonante is recognized in French-language dictionaries as a regional variant. Its acceptance depends on speaker, region, and context; some speakers use it routinely, others avoid it in formal communication. The term coexists with other regional forms for tens in Belgium and Switzerland, illustrating the diversity of French regional numeration.