"the right word" in French. Coined by 19th-century novelist Gustave Flaubert, who often spent weeks looking for the right word to use.
Flaubert spent his life agonizing over "le mot juste." Now Madame Bovary is available in 20 different crappy english translations, so now it doesn't really make a damn bit of difference.
by namealreadyusedbysomeoneelse July 22, 2009
a French (read: pretentious) expression meaning "the right wording/phrasing"
often used by snotty intellectuals like Frasier Crane from the TV show Frasier
often used by snotty intellectuals like Frasier Crane from the TV show Frasier
"Oh anyway, as I was saying, it was horr--well, actually, "horrible" isn't quite le mot juste--more like calamitous! Disastrous! Deplorable! EXECRABLE!"
"Oh brother."
"Oh brother."
by sssshhhnake September 20, 2005
A fancy word for just the right word someone is lucking for. The last t in mot and the last e in juste is not pronounced (since it is a french word (french pronunciation rules))
Example 1
Person A: At first I did not like Alex he seemed a bit unsympathetic, well not unsympatheic but not that talkative and a bit reserved, you know what I mean.
Person B: You mean introverted
Person A: precisely le mot juste
Example 2 (From Frasier Season 5 Episode 8)
Frasier: Wait! Wait, my God, it's really for the sake of our future
relationships. I mean, it just, I know that you're afraid to
hurt my feelings but I can stand a little constructive
criticism. Now, come on, please, what do you think are my
main faults?
Daphne: Well, if I had to choose, I'd say you are a bit of a fuss
budget.
Frasier: Fuss budget! Well, listen, if you don't mind the
substitution, I think maybe "demanding" is more the mot
juste.
Person A: At first I did not like Alex he seemed a bit unsympathetic, well not unsympatheic but not that talkative and a bit reserved, you know what I mean.
Person B: You mean introverted
Person A: precisely le mot juste
Example 2 (From Frasier Season 5 Episode 8)
Frasier: Wait! Wait, my God, it's really for the sake of our future
relationships. I mean, it just, I know that you're afraid to
hurt my feelings but I can stand a little constructive
criticism. Now, come on, please, what do you think are my
main faults?
Daphne: Well, if I had to choose, I'd say you are a bit of a fuss
budget.
Frasier: Fuss budget! Well, listen, if you don't mind the
substitution, I think maybe "demanding" is more the mot
juste.
by Earl of Warwick October 27, 2017