mot juste

American  

[moh zhyst] / moʊ ˈʒüst /

noun

French.

• mots justes
  plural

1. the exact, appropriate word.

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mot juste British  

/ mo ʒyst /

noun

1. the appropriate word or expression

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mots justes
  plural

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mot juste

Gainsbourg is bilingual, but French is her first language; she pauses occasionally in our conversation to search around for le mot juste.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 26, 2019

And as Barnum ended nearly a century of trying to edit that sense of wonder into the mot juste, he finally nailed it at the end.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 18, 2019

Two years later, “thirst” remains with us as the mot juste for these and other people, moments and things — and the evidence of that thirst has only grown more undeniable.

From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2017

In January, when PhD students jostle for jobs at the annual meeting of the American Economic Association, a “market” might seem the mot juste.

From Economist ● Nov. 24, 2016

I decided that 'dim' was the mot juste for him.

From Seven Men by Sir Max Beerbohm