Monday 25th April
2016
Contretemps \ [kon-truh-tahn; French kawntruh-tahn]
noun, plural contretemps \
[kon-truh-tahnz; French kawntruh-tahn](Show
IPA)
1. an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance:
He caused a minor contretemps by knocking over his drink.
Quote
Pan had been amongst them--not the great god Pan, who has been buried these
two thousand years, but the little god Pan, who presides over social contretemps
and unsuccessful picnics.
E. M. Forster, A Room with a View 1908
Origin
Contretemps is a loanword from French. Its initial element is the combining
form contre- meaning "against," and its second element is the French word
meaning "time."
It entered English as a fencing term in the late 1600’s.
Thanks to: www.dictionary.com
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