Montaigne

American

[mon-teyn, mawn-ten-y^uh] / mɒnˈteɪn, mɔ̃ˈtɛn yə /

noun

Michel Eyquem Seigneur de, 1533–92, French essayist.

Montaigne British

/ mɔ̃tɛɲ /

noun

Michel Eyquem de (miʃɛl ikɛm də). 1533–92, French writer. His life's work, the Essays (begun in 1571), established the essay as a literary genre and record the evolution of his moral ideas

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"There is a real glass ceiling in large cities," added Blanche Leridon, director of French studies at the Paris-based Institut Montaigne.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

Its headquarters on the Avenue Montaigne are barely 3 miles from the Parc des Princes, but the ambiences are worlds apart.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 4, 2026

Christian Dior Parfums’ newest boutique is open at South Coast Plaza, inspired by Dior’s birthplace at the legendary 30 Ave. Montaigne in Paris.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2025

France is "fiercely proud" that its intelligence and security services are not intertwined with the US, unlike the UK, says Georgina Wright, deputy director for international studies at the Institut Montaigne.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2025

In 1571 Montaigne retired from his professional life as a judge.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023