phrase
French
Faux Pas
/foʊ ˈpɑː/
lit. “false step”
A social blunder.
Origin
Adopted into English in the 17th century from French court vocabulary, where social missteps were a high-stakes matter. Has stayed largely unchanged ever since.
Modern usage
Standard English for an embarrassing gaffe — usually social, sometimes professional.
In the wild
Wearing white to her wedding was a major faux pas.— common usage
Tags
social
mistake