Standard Lemma guide

tête-à-tête

adv · noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌtɛt.əˈtɛt/
  • /ˌteɪt.əˈteɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In private, between two people; head-to-head.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A face-to-face meeting, or private conversation between two people, usually in an intimate setting; a head-to-head.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: head-to-head

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A bench or sofa that allows two people to talk face-to-face, especially one that is S-shaped.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: furniture, lifestyle

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: confidante, conversation bench, courting bench, kissing bench, love seat, vis-à-vis

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A variety of early flowering, fragrant daffodil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French tête-à-tête (“head-to-head”).

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: tête-à-tête — face-to-face meeting
  • French: tête-à-tête — face-to-face meeting
  • German: Tête-à-Tête — face-to-face meeting
  • Hindi: आमना-सामना (āmnā-sāmnā) — face-to-face meeting
  • Indonesian: empat mata — face-to-face meeting
  • Indonesian: tête-à-tête — face-to-face meeting
  • Japanese: 密談 (mitsudan) — face-to-face meeting
  • Polish: tête-à-tête — face-to-face meeting
  • Portuguese: tête-à-tête — face-to-face meeting
  • Tagalog: rayama — face-to-face meeting
  • Turkish: yüz yüze — face-to-face meeting