Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An unforeseen event that disrupts the normal course of things; an inopportune occurrence.
  • noun An argument or dispute.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An unexpected and untoward event; an embarrassing conjuncture; a “hitch.”
  • noun In music, same as syncopation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An unexpected and untoward accident; something inopportune or embarrassing; a hitch.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An unforeseen, inopportune, or embarrassing event; a hitch
  • noun fencing An ill-timed pass.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an awkward clash

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French : contre-, against (from Latin contrā-; see contra–) + temps, time (from Latin tempus).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French

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Examples

  • The practical political effect of the Clinton contretemps is simple: Meek, already struggling badly for any traction in the race (polling suggests that his support runs in the high teens) looks hapless and hopeless at a time when voters want the exact opposite.

    The Fix's Worst Week in Washington Post 2010

  • Associated Press News analyst Juan Williams All these sentiments strike me as eminently reasonable, but my own view of the contretemps is slightly different.

    The Real Case for Defunding NPR Seth Lipsky 2010

  • While the Clinton contretemps is absolutely fascinating -- particularly to veteran Clinton watchers like us -- it ultimately will have little effect on the race.

    RGA drops $6.5 million in quartet of governors races Aaron Blake 2010

  • I’ve been trying to puzzle through what to say about the Bush-Putin contretemps over US deployment of missile defense systems in central Europe.

    Matthew Yglesias » Russia and the Missile Shield 2007

  • But by now it's clear to everyone that there was no great PR strategy behind taking the artist / label contretemps public, and that the album's fortunes have been affected in the collateral damage. about what she calls the "supposed feud," insisting that she and her team remain a "tightly knit family" and saying, "A lot has been made in the press about my relationship with Clive.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • Jack Bradley himself has been unavailable for comment, but bank spokesperson Wayne Taylor does concede that the contretemps is a no-win situation for everyone.

    How To Get a Business Loan Joseph R. Mancuso 1990

  • Jack Bradley himself has been unavailable for comment, but bank spokesperson Wayne Taylor does concede that the contretemps is a no-win situation for everyone.

    How To Get a Business Loan Joseph R. Mancuso 1990

  • Jack Bradley himself has been unavailable for comment, but bank spokesperson Wayne Taylor does concede that the contretemps is a no-win situation for everyone.

    How To Get a Business Loan Joseph R. Mancuso 1990

  • Jack Bradley himself has been unavailable for comment, but bank spokesperson Wayne Taylor does concede that the contretemps is a no-win situation for everyone.

    How To Get a Business Loan Joseph R. Mancuso 1990

  • The French word "contretemps" means, among other things, "a note played against the beat".

    contretemps - French Word-A-Day 2009

Comments

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  • "An unforeseen event that disrupts the normal course of things; an inopportune occurrence." AHD

    May 7, 2008

  • As today's Word of the Day on dictionary.com, suggested pronunciation is \KAHN-truh-tahn\.

    I'd rather eat rocks.

    March 31, 2009

  • An inopportune or embarrassing situation or event; a hitch.

    April 1, 2009