enfant perdu: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Military
Quick answer
What does “enfant perdu” mean?
A lost child.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A lost child; specifically, a soldier sent on a suicide mission or assigned to an extremely hazardous, forward outpost.
More broadly, any person in a hopeless, sacrificial, or isolated position; someone sent into danger with little chance of survival or success.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more common in British historical/military writing due to historical European military influences. American usage tends to be more strictly in historical contexts about European wars.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties: extreme peril, sacrifice, and being forsaken.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both. More likely encountered in historical novels, military history, or sophisticated journalism than in common speech.
Grammar
How to Use “enfant perdu” in a Sentence
[Subject] was sent forth as an enfant perdu.They treated the scouts as [possessive] enfants perdus.The [military unit] became the [possessive] enfant perdu of the campaign.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “enfant perdu” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- He had an enfant perdu quality about him.
- The battalion's enfant perdu squad advanced.
American English
- She was given an enfant perdu assignment.
- They were in an enfant perdu position.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Metaphorically for a team assigned a near-impossible project with high risk of failure and blame. 'The merger team felt like the company's enfants perdus.'
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or military studies to describe sacrificial troops or symbolic sacrificial figures.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Specific military history term for soldiers in a 'forlorn hope' detachment.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “enfant perdu”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “enfant perdu”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “enfant perdu”
- Using it to mean simply an actual lost child (use 'lost child').
- Pronouncing 'perdu' as English 'per-doo' instead of the French approximation.
- Misspelling as 'enfant perdue' (feminine).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is extremely rare in spoken English. It survives in formal writing, historical analysis, and literary contexts as a vivid metaphor.
Yes, the standard plural is 'enfants perdus', following the French pattern, as it is a fixed loan phrase.
When used in its literal military sense, it is a factual historical term. Used as a metaphor for modern situations (e.g., in business), it can be seen as dramatic, cynical, or potentially trivialising of sacrifice, so careful context is needed.
The first syllable approximates a nasalised vowel, like the 'on' in French 'bon'. In careful speech, try /ˌɑ̃n.fɑ̃/ (US) or /ˌɒ̃.fɒ̃/ (UK). In relaxed English speech, it is often anglicised to 'ON-fon' or 'AHN-fahn'.
A lost child.
Enfant perdu is usually formal, literary, military in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A lamb to the slaughter”
- “Sent on a fool's errand”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a lost (perdu) child (enfant) soldier, sent ahead into the dark forest of battle, never to return.
Conceptual Metaphor
A MILITARY MISSION IS A SACRIFICE; SOLDIERS ARE CHILDREN; EXPENDABILITY IS BEING LOST.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'enfant perdu' be LEAST appropriate?