malentendu

American  

[mal-ahn-tahn-dy] / mal ɑ̃ tɑ̃ˈdü /

adjective

1. misunderstood; misapprehended.

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noun

malentendus plural

1. a misunderstanding; mistake.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• malentendus
  plural

Etymology

Origin of malentendu

First recorded in 1610–20; from French mal mal- ( def. ) + entendu, “understood,” past participle of entendre “to understand”; cf. double entendre ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

malentendu malentendus

But did a British malentendu over another French summer staple — a fictional series of articles in Le Monde — contribute to a mysterious sell-off in French bank stocks last week?

From New York Times ● Aug. 14, 2011

After a few more speeches, in which the malentendu is well kept up, Sir Robert goes out, and Lord Goring rushes to the drawing-room to meet—Mrs Cheveley.

From Oscar Wilde by Ingleby, Leonard Cresswell

I don't know if all the malentendus were in French, but almost all the explanations were, and this didn't a bit prevent Brooksmith's following them.

From Some Short Stories [by Henry James] by James, Henry