denouement

Or dé·noue·ment

[dey-noo-mahn]

noun

1. the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.

2. the place in the plot at which this occurs.

3. the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.

   Synonyms: upshot, end, conclusion, solution

denouement

/ deɪˈnuːmɒn, denumɑ̃ /

noun

1. 1. the final clarification or resolution of a plot in a play or other work

   2. the point at which this occurs

2. final outcome; solution

dénouement

1. The solution or outcome of the plot of a play or novel: “In the dénouement of many tragedies, the main character dies.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of denouement¹

First recorded in 1745–55; from French: literally, “an untying,” equivalent to dénouer “to untie,” Old French desnoer ( des- + noer “to knot,” from Latin nōdāre, derivative of nōdus “knot”) + -ment; de-, -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of denouement¹

C18: from French, literally: an untying, from dénouer to untie, from Old French desnoer, from des- _de- + noer to tie, knot, from Latin nōdāre, from nōdus a knot; see _node

Example Sentences

After the film’s first screening, Weinstein demanded it be rewritten and reshot with a happy ending—but Stoppard fought to keep his denouement of “love lost, inspiration gained.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Before the denouement came one more opportunity to chastise the Australians, one more chance to be at the centre of a red-hot Ashes tussle.

Read more on BBC

The ending, always the hardest thing to land in horror stories, falls short of perfection only because it’s almost glossed over; I missed the denouement on the first read.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There is hope here and across the region that there may soon be a denouement to the war.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

An intriguing denouement confirms that readers of icons from Charles Dickens to Anne Perry can do no better than spending time with Charles Lenox, his family and ever-widening circle of friends.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• climax 
• culmination 
• finale