têtetête

Tête-à-tête is a French expression meaning “face to face.” In English usage, it designates a private conversation between two people or a two-person meeting intended to be confidential. The term can also refer to a specific type of seating arrangement designed for two people to sit facing each other.

The phrase comes from the French elements tête (head) and à tête (face to face) and entered English in the 18th century. It gained popularity in social and salon culture, and was later adopted in furniture terminology to describe a seating arrangement that facilitates intimate, two-person interaction.

Furniture sense: A tête-à-tête sofa is a small, curved two-seater that allows two occupants to sit opposite each other, often forming an intimate nook within a room. The design varies, sometimes forming a corner or a gentle arc. It was fashionable in European interiors from the late 18th to the 19th centuries and remains a recognizable antique and contemporary style.

Usage: In modern language, the term refers to a private talk between two people, whether casual or formal, and can imply discretion or confidentiality. Variants include accented and unaccented spellings: tête-à-tête, tete-a-tete, or tete-a-tete; capitalization and hyphenation may vary by context.