bête noire

noun

ˌbet-ˈnwär 

ˌbāt-

plural bêtes noires ˌbet-ˈnwär(z) 

ˌbāt-

: a person or thing strongly detested or avoided : bugbear

an idiosyncratic driver whose bête noire was the left turn

—Marylin Bender

Synonyms

• dread
• spirit
• black beast

Examples of bête noire in a Sentence

a politician who is the bête noire of liberal groups

doing my own tax return is the bête noire that haunts me every April

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, black beast

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bête noire

noun

ˌbet-nə-ˈwär 

ˌbāt-

plural bêtes noires ˌbet-nə-ˈwär(z)  ˌbāt- 

: a person or thing strongly disliked or feared