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enfant terrible

[ ahn-fahnte-ree-bluh ]

/ ɑ̃ fɑ̃ tɛˈri blə /

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See synonyms for enfant terrible on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural en·fants ter·ri·bles

[ahn-fahnte-ree-bluh]. /ɑ̃ fɑ̃ tɛˈri blə/. French.

an incorrigible child, as one whose behavior is embarrassing.

an outrageously outspoken or bold person who says and does indiscreet or irresponsible things.

a person whose work, thought, or lifestyle is so unconventional or avant-garde as to appear revolutionary or shocking.

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Enfant Terrible: Visual Word of the Day

The term enfant terrible is an example of how words can change in meaning when moving from one language to another.

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Origin of enfant terrible

First recorded in 1850–55; literally, “terrible child”

Words nearby enfant terrible

Enewetak, enface, en famille, enfant perdu, enfant sauvage, enfant terrible, enfeeble, enfeoff, en fête, enfetter, enfever

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use enfant terrible in a sentence

He returned home to learn that his 9-year-old son had been awakened in the night by a terrible dream.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos|Michael Daly|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The birds are debeaked, suffer ulcers, and terrible feet conditions.
The History of the Chicken: How This Humble Bird Saved Humanity|William O’Connor|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Amelia says some truly terrible things to Sam, supposedly inhabited by the Babadook but really consumed in grief.
Grief: The Real Monster in The Babadook|Tim Teeman|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most frustratingly for the school chancellor, this made it all but impossible to fire terrible teachers.
Your Local School Doesn’t Have to Suck|Michael S. Roth|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I knew because I rifled through his mail that terrible October morning.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Judge or sheriff, it was all one to them, each being equally terrible in their eyes.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Terror drives you on; fate coerces you; you can't help yourself, and my delight is to make the plunge terrible.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
The king was struck with horror at the description I had given him of those terrible engines, and the proposal I had made.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
The history of that terrible hour is brightened by many such instances of native fealty.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
He stood listening to what I was saying, and I recall that when I turned slightly and saw his face, it was terrible!
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux

British Dictionary definitions for enfant terrible

enfant terrible

/ French (ɑ̃fɑ̃ tɛriblə) /

noun plural enfants terribles (ɑ̃fɑ̃ tɛriblə)

a person given to unconventional conduct or indiscreet remarks

Word Origin for enfant terrible

C19: literally: terrible child

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

Cultural definitions for enfant terrible

enfant terrible

[ (ahn-fahn te-ree-bluh) ]

A person who stirs things up in an irresponsible or indiscreet way or has unconventional ideas: “Doctor Hill keeps writing articles that criticize his fellow physicians; he is becoming known as the enfant terrible of his profession.” From French, meaning “terrible child.”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.