tête-à-tête

[ tet-uh-tet, teyt-uh-teyt; French te-ta-tet ]

noun

, plural tête-à-têtes, French tête-à-tête.

1. a private conversation or interview, usually between two people.
2. Also called vis-à-vis. a sofa shaped like an S so two people are able to converse face to face.

adjective

1. of, between, or for two persons together without others.

adverb

1. (of two persons) together in private:

   to sit tête-à-tête.

tête-à-tête

/ ˌteɪtəˈteɪt /

noun

1. 1. a private conversation between two people
   2. ( as modifier )

      a tête-à-tête conversation

2. a small sofa for two people, esp one that is S-shaped in plan so that the sitters are almost face to face

adverb

1. intimately; in private

tête-à-tête

1. An intimate meeting or conversation between two individuals. From French, meaning “head to head.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tête-à-tête¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; from French: literally, “head to head”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tête-à-tête¹

C17: from French, literally: head to head

Example Sentences

The "Call Her Daddy" conversation was not the contentious tête-à-tête the chattering class has come to expect after decades of cable news bloviating somehow came to represent meaningful political coverage.

From Salon

In addition to the lip-dub feature, Ms. Ochoa will often use her iPad to translate their tête-à-tête, while Mr. Romero uses the Timekettle WT2 Edge — earbuds with two-way simultaneous translation that help him follow a conversation in real time.

From New York Times

“Freud’s Last Session” comes from the stage and, like “The Two Popes,” centers on the tête-à-tête of intellectual opposites.

From Seattle Times

On the last song in the set, Woody and Casado traded lines, bringing the old idea of a cutting competition forward, riding a rising tide rather than a tête-à-tête.

From New York Times

This tête-à-tête's runtime approaches “Killers of the Flower Moon” territory.

From Salon