# detent

> English word · Noun · IPA /dɪˈtɛnt/ · frequency rank #86,206

## Definitions
1. That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch (stopping mechanism), pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking.

## Etymology
From French détente, from Latin tendō (“to stretch”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/detent