French Conversation · Level 77
60 words
French word
défiance
Pronunciation
IPA/defjɑ̃s/
Meaning
- feminine noundistrust
Example
Sa défiance a augmenté après l'incident.
Their distrust increased after the incident.
More examples
Son comportement a éveillé la défiance de ses collègues.
His behavior aroused distrust in his colleagues.
Core concept
A wall of suspicion between someone and a person, plan, or authority, sometimes hardening into opposition.
Common phrases
éveiller la défiance
arouse distrust
une attitude de défiance
an attitude of distrust
Similar words
méfiance: A wary reluctance to trust people or circumstances readily.
soupçon: A vague suspicion that another person may have done something wrong.
doute: Uncertainty about whether something is true or how it will turn out.
réserve: A cautious restraint in expressing personal judgments or emotions.
Definition in French
Attitude de méfiance envers quelqu'un ou quelque chose, pouvant parfois s'accompagner d'une forme d'opposition ou de refus de se soumettre.
Word origin
Défiance is an inherited French form related to défier and traces back through Old French to Latin diffidere, meaning to distrust.
Usage tips
- Méfiance is generally more common for ordinary personal suspicion, while défiance often sounds more formal or suggests opposition.