French Conversation · Level 85
60 words
French word
contresens
Pronunciation
IPA/kɔ̃tʁəsɑ̃s/
Meaning
- masculine nounopposite meaning
Example
La traduction donne un contresens au texte.
The translation gives the text the opposite meaning.
More examples
En traduisant trop vite, il a fait un contresens.
By translating too quickly, he made a translation error.
Core concept
A message arrives with its direction reversed because a key word or surrounding clue has been read out of context.
Common phrases
faire un contresens
make a translation error
commettre un contresens
make a translation error
Similar words
malentendu: A misunderstanding caused by a message failing to convey its intended meaning.
méprise: A mistaken interpretation of someone's words or intentions.
incompréhension: A state of being unable to understand what someone is saying.
ambiguïté: A lack of clarity about which meaning is intended.
Definition in French
Mauvaise interprétation qui inverse le sens voulu d'une phrase ou d'une traduction en négligeant le contexte.
Word origin
The noun contresens is formed from contre and sens, with sens descending from Latin sensus, "meaning" or "sense."
Usage tips
- Contresens usually describes a wrong interpretation of words or a translation, whereas malentendu more broadly describes a misunderstanding between people.
Other meanings
- mistranslationnoun
- misunderstandingnoun
Opposites
- sensmeaningnoun