French word

entretien

Pronunciation

IPA/ɑ̃tʁətjɛ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nouninterview

Example

J'ai un entretien demain.

I have an interview tomorrow.

Illustration for entretien (interview)

More examples

Elle passe un entretien d'embauche ce matin.

She has a job interview this morning.

Core concept

An organized exchange where participants keep a conversation centered on a specific topic.

Common phrases

  • entretien d'embauche

    job interview

  • entretien téléphonique

    phone interview

  • passer un entretien

    have an interview

Similar words

entrevue: A short personal interview with a politician, celebrity, or other prominent person.
interview: A media interview presented as a question-and-answer conversation.
réunion: A work-related meeting for discussing matters or making plans together.
rendez-vous: A scheduled meeting or appointment arranged for a particular time and place.

Definition in French

Réunion verbale planifiée entre deux ou plusieurs personnes pour discuter d'un sujet précis, souvent dans un contexte professionnel.

Word origin

French inherited entretien through Old French entretenir, based on Latin intertenere 'to hold between'; its meeting sense developed from this verbal formation.

Usage tips

  • Entretien can also mean maintenance or servicing, so the surrounding context distinguishes a discussion from a technical upkeep task.

Other meanings

  • conversationnoun
  • meetingnoun
  • maintenancenoun

Related words

  • entretenirmaintainverb
  • entretenumaintainedadjective

Word lists with this word