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contretemps Definition

contre·temps (kän′trə tän′, kōn′-; Fr kōn trə tän′)

noun pl. -·temps′-tän′, -tänz′; Fr., -tän′

an inopportune happening causing confusion or embarrassment; awkward mishap

Etymology: Fr, altered (infl. by contre, opposite & temps, time) < OFr contrestant, prp. of contrester < VL *contrastare, contrast

contretemps Synonyms

contretemps

n.

awkward, mishap, misfortune, misadventure; see catastrophe, disaster, embarrassment 2, predicament.

contretemps Usage Examples

Converse of object

have: He waltzed out of the dance class yesterday, and had a bad contretemps with Kevin the instructor.

Adjective modifier

  • minor: This apparatus resulted in a minor contretemps when we were visited, on another matter, by a rather officious Excise Officer.
  • little: Leon was more than a little surprised at this, since it didn't concur with his memory of the little contretemps.