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
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
That Charli’s performance went right into Green Day felt, more than most of Coachella’s adjacent performances, thematically apt, each indulging in an enfant terrible persona to create outsider art that eventually became insider art.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2025
Artist, filmmaker, and former enfant terrible Harmony Korine is closing in on the New York premiere of his latest film, Baby Invasion.
—Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 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 8 Jul. 2025.
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