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illustration Tête-à-tête

Tête-à-tête

[ted-ə-TET]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: French, late 17th century

1.

A private conversation between two people.

2.

An S-shaped sofa on which two people can sit face to face.

Examples of Tête-à-tête in a sentence

"The world leaders had a private tête-à-tête before the press conference."

"The 20-somethings sat on the tête-à-tête and continued to flirt."

About Tête-à-tête

This word comes directly from the French, literally meaning “head-to-head.” Originates from the Old French “teste,” meaning “head.”

Did you Know?

The courting bench and the gossip’s chair are just two of the monikers given to the tête-à-tête couch. They were extremely popular in Victorian-era upper-class homes — perhaps because Victorians were so conservative about the courting process. The sofa’s unique design allowed blossoming couples to sit close without ever touching.

illustration Tête-à-tête

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