enfant terrible
noun
äⁿ-fäⁿ-te-ˈrēblᵊ
äⁿ-fäⁿ-te-ˈrēblᵊ
Did you know?
Enfant terrible, which literally means "terrifying child" in French, sounds like something that might be uttered by a frazzled babysitter. Indeed, when English speakers first borrowed the term in the mid-19th century, it was used in reference to children - specifically, unpredictable children who blurted out outrageous remarks that embarrassed their elders. By the 1930s, the term had a broader application: an enfant terrible could be anyone - young or old - whose behavior shocked others. Now the term is also often applied to young, successful newcomers who shock or scare old-timers with their new approaches, easy successes, or disregard for tradition.
Examples of enfant terrible in a Sentence
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025
Miley Cyrus, Mayor Pauline Miley’s transition from enfant terrible to one of the industry’s most creative staples suggests a kind of mid-career stability present in damsel in distress turned politician Pauline.
Katy Perry, Daisy
Obviously!!!
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Blockbuster: Caravaggio 2025, Palazzo Barberini Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio—known far and wide as Caravaggio—was quite the enfant terrible.
—Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 10 June 2025
From the get-go, many recognized Ms. Sagan as a genuine talent, with critics likening her to the fellow literary enfant terrible Colette.
—Sadie Stein, New York Times, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for enfant terrible
Cite this Entry
“Enfant terrible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enfant%20terrible. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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