congé

[ kon-zhey, -jey; French kawn-zhey ]

noun

, plural con·gés [kon, -zheyz, -jeyz, kaw, n, -, zhey].

1. leave-taking; farewell.
2. permission to depart.
3. sudden dismissal.
4. a bow or obeisance.
5. Architecture. a concave molding, as an apophyge, formed by a quadrant curving away from a given surface and terminating perpendicular to a fillet parallel to that surface.

congé

/ ˈkɒnʒeɪ /

noun

1. permission to depart or dismissal, esp when formal
2. a farewell
3. architect a concave moulding See also cavetto

Word History and Origins

Origin of congé¹

From French, dating back to 1695–1705; congee

Word History and Origins

Origin of congé¹

C16: from Old French congié, from Latin commeātus leave of absence, from meātus movement, from meāre to go, pass

Example Sentences

When she met Nicolas Congé 16 years ago, they christened themselves Jehnny Beth and Johnny Hostile and played together from 2006 to 2011, although they’re still a couple.

From The Guardian

“We are a peaceful, tolerant, free society. The horrific violence on Toronto’s Conge Street will strengthen rather than undermine these truths,” columnist John Ibbitson wrote in the Globe and Mail national newspaper.

From Reuters

Erdem and his colleague Kamil Conge, a 45-year-old field manager, had a combined 30 years of experience on the beach.

From The Guardian

An inch beneath the dirt, Conge said, there was a layer of concrete that extended most of the way to the shore – a recent addition, before which the yard became a muddy horror whenever it rained.

From The Guardian

In those days, Conge said, a ship “could take a year to dismantle”.

From The Guardian

Related Words

• escape
• evacuation
• exit
• exodus
• flight
• passage
• removal
• retirement
• retreat
• separation
• takeoff
• walkout
• withdrawal