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Definitions from WordNet

Definitions from the Web

Term: bete noire

Part of speech: Noun

Sense 1: A person or thing that is particularly disliked, feared, or avoided.

Example sentence:

I can never understand why spiders are a bete noire for so many people.

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Part of speech: Noun

Sense 2: An object or concept that is persistently or obsessively focused on, often to an exaggerated or abnormal degree.

Example sentence:

For my mother, cleanliness is her bete noire; she can't let a single speck of dust go unnoticed.

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Part of speech: Noun

Sense 3: A term used in French, meaning "black beast".

Example sentence:

While visiting France, I learned that "bete noire" refers to something considered unlucky or ill-omened.

Part of speech: Adjective

Sense 1: An adjective used to describe a person or thing that is particularly disliked or loathed.

Example sentence:

The new policy became the bete noire of the employees, resulting in widespread protests.

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