con·tre·temps \kōⁿ.trətäⁿ, ˈkän.trəˌtäⁿ\noun (pluralcontretemps \“, -ˌtäⁿz\) Etymology: French, from contre- counter- + temps time, from Latin tempus — more at temporal 1.: an inopportune embarrassing occurrence : mishap, mischance < he moves steadily from one blunder to the next contretemps to the next embarrassment — H.A.Smith > 2.: syncopation