manque
C2Formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
Having failed to become something; unfulfilled in a particular potential, talent, or aspiration.
Used postpositively (after a noun) to describe a person who missed becoming a particular type of person (e.g., a writer, actor, artist) or experiencing a particular life, often due to circumstances or lack of opportunity, but retains the associated qualities or inclinations.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is a direct borrowing from French and retains its French grammatical structure (postpositive adjective). It implies a sense of loss, unfulfilled destiny, or a road not taken, rather than simply a lack of skill.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight difference in frequency, being slightly more common in British English due to historical French influence, but the meaning and usage are identical.
Connotations
Carries an intellectual, somewhat melancholic, or artistic connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low-frequency word in both varieties, primarily found in literary, artistic, or high-register analytical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Noun] + manquéVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's a poet manqué, forever scribbling in notebooks but never publishing.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, biographical studies, or cultural analysis to describe figures.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would be considered pretentious or highly specific.
Technical
Not used.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- He was considered the architect manqué of his generation.
American English
- She viewed herself as a filmmaker manqué, her scripts forever stuck in a drawer.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He was a painter manqué, his studio filled with unfinished canvases.
- The biography portrayed the tycoon as a philosopher manqué, deeply unsatisfied by his material success.
- Her novels are full of revolutionary menqués, dreaming of grand uprisings from their dusty studies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MAN' + 'QUE(stion)'. A man who questions what he could have been is a 'manque'.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A PATH / A PERFORMANCE. 'Manqué' conceptualises a person as having missed their intended turn on the path or their intended role in the performance.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation. It is not "неудачник" (loser/failure), which is broader and more negative. It is closer to "несостоявшийся" + [profession], e.g., "несостоявшийся художник".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a prepositive adjective (*'a manque artist'). It must come after the noun.
- Pronouncing it as /ˈmæn.kjuː/.
- Using it to mean simply 'failed' without the sense of unfulfilled potential for a specific role.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'manqué' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a postpositive adjective borrowed from French and must be placed directly after the noun it modifies (e.g., 'a poet manqué').
Not necessarily. It implies unfulfilled potential or opportunity. The person may have had the talent but lacked the chance, circumstances, or perseverance to realise it.
No, it is a low-frequency, literary word. Using it in everyday conversation would sound very formal or affected.
In English, the borrowed word is typically invariable. Some strict stylists might use 'manquée' for a female subject, but 'manqué' is widely accepted for all.