bête noire

[beyt nwahr, bet nwar]

noun

plural

bêtes noires 

1. a person or thing especially disliked or dreaded; bane; bugbear.

bête noire

/ bɛt nwar /

noun

1. a person or thing that one particularly dislikes or dreads

bête noire

1. Something or someone a person views with particular dislike: “The new candidate for governor is the bête noire of all the liberals in the state.” From French, meaning “black beast.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bête noire¹

1835–45; < French: literally, black beast

Word History and Origins

Origin of bête noire¹

literally: black beast

Idioms and Phrases

A person or thing that is particularly disliked. For example, Calculus was the bête noire of my freshman courses. This phrase, French for “black beast,” entered the English language in the early 1800s. For synonyms, see pain in the neck; thorn in one's flesh.