Enfant terrible

Enfant terrible (/ˌɒ̃fɒ̃ tɛˈriːblə/; French: [ɑ̃fɑ̃ tɛʁibl]; "unruly child") is a French expression, traditionally referring to a child who is terrifyingly candid by saying embarrassing things to parents or others.[1][2] However, the expression has drawn multiple usage in careers of art, fashion, music, and other creative arts. In these careers, it implies a successful, and often young, "genius" who is very unorthodox, striking, and in some cases, offensive, or rebellious.[3]

This article is about the French expression. For the African mythological tale, see Enfant terrible (folklore). For the German film, see Enfant Terrible (film). For other uses, see Les Enfants Terribles (disambiguation).

The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, gives the definition: "A child who embarrasses his elders by untimely remarks; transf. a person who compromises his associates or his party by unorthodox or ill-considered speech or behaviour; loosely, one who acts unconventionally."

One of Webster's Dictionary's definitions of enfant terrible is "a usually young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox, innovative, or avant-garde".[4]

See also

References
  1. "enfant terrible". dictionary.reverso.net. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  2. "enfant terrible". www.wordreference.com. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  3. "enfant terrible". translation.babylon.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  4. "enfant terrible". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved March 20, 2020.





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