rendezvous
Americannoun
-
rendezvous
plural
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an agreement between two or more persons to meet at a certain time and place.
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the meeting itself.
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a place designated for a meeting or assembling, especially of troops or ships.
-
a meeting of two or more spacecraft in outer space.
-
a favorite or popular gathering place.
verb (used with or without object)
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rendezvous,
present (3rd person singular)
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rendezvoused,
past participle, past
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rendezvousing
present participle
noun
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a meeting or appointment to meet at a specified time and place
-
a place where people meet
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an arranged meeting of two spacecraft
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rendezvoussimple
-
have rendezvousedperfect
-
has rendezvousedperfect
-
am rendezvousingprogressive
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are rendezvousingprogressive
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is rendezvousingprogressive
-
have been rendezvousingperfect progressive
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has been rendezvousingperfect progressive
Past
-
rendezvousedsimple
-
had rendezvousedperfect
-
was rendezvousingprogressive
-
were rendezvousingprogressive
-
had been rendezvousingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rendezvous
1585–95; < Middle French, noun use of rendez-vous (imperative) present or betake yourselves; see render 1
Explanation
Rendezvous is a very French way to say "meeting" or "date." So go ahead and call your next dentist appointment or lunch date with friends a rendezvous. In the 1590s, rendezvous meant “a place for assembling of troops.” And you'll still hear military tacticians talking about "rendezvous points" today. But more often we use rendezvous to describe an assembling of friends, an appointment, or a date with your secret lover. If you're feeling extra Frenchy, you can use rendezvous as a verb, as in "Let's rendezvous next Saturday at the mall."
Vocabulary lists containing rendezvous
The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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Hamilton
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"Of Plymouth Plantation," Vocabulary from the historical account
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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.
See Examples For:
According to Beller’s testimony to authorities, Cerimedo tricked her into the near-fatal rendezvous outside the hotel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Sombert and Youskevitch rendezvous for a haunting, lamplit pas de deux.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
After reaching orbit, Orion will rendezvous and dock with the Blue Origin test lander.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026
The third phase of Artemis will involve testing the Orion spacecraft and conducting rendezvous and docking tests with lunar landers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
Our rendezvous might be set up at 11 P.M. the night before or 5:15 A.M. the morning of.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
She then whisked him away and allegedly rendezvoused with Jawed, who transported the accused hitman to Texas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2024
Still, the hotel maintained its sentimental pull as the place where your parents honeymooned; where you spent your first night in the big city; where you rendezvoused with friends.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 1, 2024
Rusesabagina and Niyomwungere rendezvoused as planned at the Ibis Styles hotel and then went to the airport.
From New York Times ● Mar. 2, 2021
A few miles offshore, in the Malacca Strait, each rendezvoused with a second, empty tanker that had pulled alongside.
From Reuters ● Jun. 12, 2020
It was a natural landmark where campers often rendezvoused on hunting expeditions, but now there was nobody around.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
The crew will then spend a little less than a full day in orbit before rendezvousing with the International Space Station.
From The Verge ● Oct. 29, 2021
We had planned to meet at the Nice airport, but after a flight delay, I ended up rendezvousing with them in Antibes.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 12, 2018
He stated that he was arrested as he was rendezvousing with a 35-year-old former North Korean solider, who was giving him a USB stick and camera containing military secrets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2016
Bowie reportedly wrote this song after seeing a couple rendezvousing under the Berlin Wall and imagining their story.
From Time ● Jan. 11, 2016
It is Fair-time; all manner of traders, pedlers, showmen rendezvousing; many neighboring Nobility too, as was still the habit.
From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 10 by Thomas Carlyle
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