denouement
pronunciation
How to pronounce denouement in British English:
UK [ˌdeɪ'nu:mɒ̃]
How to pronounce denouement in American English:
US [ˌdenuˈmɑŋ]
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- Noun:
- the outcome of a complex sequence of events
- the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work
Word Origin
- denouement
- denouement: [18] A denouement is literally an ‘untying of a knot’. It was borrowed from French (its first recorded use in English is by Lord Chesterfield in one of his famous letters to his son (1752)), where it was a derivative of dénouer ‘undo’. This was a compound verb formed from the prefix dé- ‘un-’ and nouer ‘tie’, which came ultimately from Latin nōdus ‘knot’ (source of English newel, node, nodule, and noose).=> newel, node, nodule, noose
- denouement (n.)
- 1752, from French dénouement "an untying" (of plot), from dénouer "untie" (Old French desnouer) from des- "un-, out" (see dis-) + nouer "to tie, knot," from Latin nodus "a knot," from PIE *ned- "to bind, tie" (see net (n.)).
Example
- 1. So builds the dreadful climax and dark denouement of this brilliant narrative .
- 2. This time the denouement would be one of the biggest bubbles in history , probably in scale and certainly in number of people involved .
- 3. A syrian denouement may not yet be imminent but the regime is tottering .
- 4. The gripping question is whether the reel will now advance to the same government shutdown and the same happy denouement for the democrats .
- 5. But if this denouement is to be avoided , it 's not enough for other states to eschew worst-case thinking .