femme incomprise

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French femme incomprise (literally “misunderstood woman”).

Pronunciation

• (French) IPA^(key): /fam ɛ̃.kɔ̃.pʁiz/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /fam aŋkɒmˈpɹiːz/

Noun

femme incomprise (plural femmes incomprises)

1. A misunderstood or unappreciated woman.
   • 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter XXIII, in The History of Pendennis. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

     Strong laughed. “Oh, Miss Amory is a muse—Miss Amory is a mystery—Miss Amory is a femme incomprise.

   • [1889 January], Rudyard Kipling, “A Second-rate Woman”, in Under the Deodars (A. H. Wheeler & Co.’s Indian Railway Library; no. 4), Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh: A[rthur] H[enry] Wheeler & Co.; London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 63:

     He posed as the horror of horrors—a misunderstood man. Heaven knows the femme incomprise is sad enough and bad enough—but the other thing!