esprit de contradiction
French, noun/ɛs.pʁi d(ə) kɔ̃.tʁa.dik.sjɔ̃/
esprit de contradiction is spelled E-S-P-R-I-T-D-E-C-O-N-T-R-A-D-I-C-T-I-O-N (21 letters). Esprit de contradiction is a French masculine noun meaning “contrariness, argumentativeness, quarrelsomeness, contentious spirit, confrontational attitude” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire) defines it as “Tendance à prendre le contre-pied de ses interlocuteurs lors d’une discussion, indépendamment de l’avis…”.
What does esprit de contradiction mean in English?
noun
- 1
masculinecontrariness, argumentativeness, quarrelsomeness, contentious spirit, confrontational attitude
Source: English Wiktionary, French section, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
How French dictionaries define it
noun: 1. Tendance à prendre le contre-pied de ses interlocuteurs lors d’une discussion, indépendamment de l’avis qu’ils expriment.
The definition in the French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire), in French.
Source: French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire), dump of September 1, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org.
Forms of esprit de contradiction
- esprits de contradiction plural
Source: English Wiktionary and French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026).
How do you pronounce esprit de contradiction?
- /ɛs.pʁi d(ə) kɔ̃.tʁa.dik.sjɔ̃/
- \ɛs.pʁi də kɔ̃.tʁa.dik.sjɔ̃\
Sources: English Wiktionary, French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026); recordings from Wikimedia Commons.