contretemps: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Literary
Quick answer
What does “contretemps” mean?
A minor dispute or a mishap.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A minor dispute or a mishap; an unexpected and inconvenient occurrence.
An unforeseen and often awkward or embarrassing incident that disrupts an event, situation, or relationship. Can also refer to a brief, sharp disagreement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is used more frequently in British English, where it is well-established, especially in formal and literary contexts. In American English, it is markedly more rare and considered an elegant borrowing, often encountered in high-brow journalism or literature.
Connotations
In both varieties, it retains its French-derived sophistication. In the UK, it may be used with slight irony in social commentary. In the US, its use almost always signals a highly formal or deliberately erudite register.
Frequency
Common in UK broadsheet newspapers, political commentary, and literary reviews. Very low frequency in general American English, where 'mishap', 'setback', 'snag', or 'disagreement' are preferred.
Grammar
How to Use “contretemps” in a Sentence
There was a slight contretemps over X.The meeting was delayed by a minor contretemps.They had a contretemps with the neighbours.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in formal reports or discussions to downplay a minor conflict or operational hiccup, e.g., 'a contretemps with the logistics supplier'.
Academic
Occurs in historical or literary analysis to describe a social or diplomatic incident.
Everyday
Extremely rare. If used, it is often with self-conscious humour to describe a domestic disagreement.
Technical
Not used in technical fields.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “contretemps”
- Mispronouncing the final 's' (it is silent).
- Using it to describe a major disaster.
- Spelling as 'contra-temps' or 'contretemps' (incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the final 's' is silent in both British and American English, as in the original French.
No, it is exclusively a noun in modern English. Historical use as a verb is obsolete.
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word. In everyday conversation, words like 'problem', 'mix-up', or 'disagreement' are more natural.
The plural is also 'contretemps' (pronounced the same). It is an invariable noun, like many French borrowings.
A minor dispute or a mishap.
Contretemps is usually formal/literary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(no specific idioms; the word itself is used like an idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a French count (conte) who is temporarily (temps) upset—a 'Countre-temps' is a temporary upset or disagreement.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL INTERACTION IS A DANCE / A contretemps is a misstep in the dance of social or diplomatic interaction.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'contretemps' LEAST likely to be used?