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contretemps

[ kon-truh-tahn; French kawntruh-tahn ]
/ ˈkɒn trəˌtɑ̃; French kɔ̃trəˈtɑ̃ /
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noun, plural con·tre·temps [kon-truh-tahnz; French kawntruh-tahn] /ˈkɒn trəˌtɑ̃z; French kɔ̃trəˈtɑ̃/.

an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance: He caused a minor contretemps by knocking over his drink.

RELATED WORDS

predicament, misfortune, disaster, misadventure, mishap, embarrassment

Nearby words

contre-jour, contre-partie, contrecoup, contrecoup injury of brain, contredanse, contretemps, contrib., contribute, contribution, contributor, contributory

Origin of contretemps

1675–85; < French, equivalent to contre- counter- + temps time (< Latin tempus); perhaps alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle French contrestant, present participle of contrester to oppose; see contrast
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for contretemps

contretemps

/ (ˈkɒntrəˌtɑːn, French kɔ̃trətɑ̃) /

noun plural -temps

an awkward or difficult situation or mishap
fencing a feint made with the purpose of producing a counterthrust from one's opponent
a small disagreement that is rather embarrassing

Word Origin for contretemps

C17: from French, from contre against + temps time, from Latin tempus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for contretemps

contretemps

n.

1680s, "a blunder in fencing," from French contre-temps "motion out of time, unfortunate accident, bad times;" from Latin contra + tempus (see temporal). As a ballet term, from 1706; as "an unfortunate accident," 1802; as "a dispute," from 1961.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper