détente

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˌdeɪˈtɒnt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/deɪˈtɑnt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(dā tänt′; Fr. dā tänt′)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
dé•tente or de•tente /deɪˈtɑnt/USA pronunciation   n. [uncountable]
  1. Government, Foreign Termsa relaxing of tension, esp. between nations.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
dé•tente  (dā tänt′; Fr. dā tänt′),USA pronunciation n., pl. -tentes 
    (-tänts′; Fr. -tänt′).USA pronunciation 
  1. Government, Foreign Termsa relaxing of tension, esp. between nations, as by negotiations or agreements.
Also, de•tente′. 
  • French; see detent
  • 1905–10

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
détente /deɪˈtɑːnt; French: detɑ̃t/ n
  1. the relaxing or easing of tension, esp between nations
Etymology: French, literally: a loosening, from Old French destendre to release, from tendre to stretch
'détente' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Brandt - detent

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