American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

[French : tête , head (from Late Latin testa , skull ; see teston ) + à , to + tête , head .]

2. A sofa for two, especially an S-shaped one allowing the occupants to face each other.

1. A private conversation between two persons.

Without the intrusion of a third person; in intimate privacy: talk tête-à-tête; a tête-à-tête supper.

[C17: from French, literally: head to head]

2. (Furniture) a small sofa for two people, esp one that is S-shaped in plan so that the sitters are almost face to face

a. a private conversation between two people

tête-à-tête

(ˈteɪt əˈteɪt, ˈtɛt əˈtɛt)

1. a private conversation or interview, usu. between two people.

2. Also called Sso that two people can converse face to face. Also called vis-à-vis. a small sofa shaped like anso that two people can converse face to face.

3. of, between, or for two persons together without others.

4. (of two persons) together in private: to sit tête-à-tête.

[1690–1700; < French: literally, head to head]

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