denouement

de·noue·ment

also dé·noue·ment (dā′no͞o-mäN′)

a. The final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot.

b. The events following the climax of a drama or novel in which such a resolution or clarification takes place.

2. The outcome of a sequence of events; the end result.

[French dénouement, from Old French desnouement, an untying, from desnouer, to undo : des-, de- + nouer, to tie (from Latin nōdāre, from nōdus, knot; see ned- in Indo-European roots).]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

denouement

(deɪˈnuːmɒn) or

dénouement

1. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms)

a. the final clarification or resolution of a plot in a play or other work

b. the point at which this occurs

2. final outcome; solution

[C18: from French, literally: an untying, from dénouer to untie, from Old French desnoer, from des- de- + noer to tie, knot, from Latin nōdāre, from nōdus a knot; see node]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

de•noue•ment

or dé•noue•ment

(ˌdeɪ nuˈmɑ̃)

n.

1. the final resolution of a plot, as of a drama or novel.

2. the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.

[1745–55; < French: literally, an untying]

denouement

the final resolution of the plot, following the climax.

denouement

dénouement

noun

1. climax, conclusion, finale, termination, culmination the book's sentimental denouement

2. outcome, end, result, consequence, resolution, conclusion, end result, upshot an unexpected denouement to the affair

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

denouement

dénouement [deɪˈnuːmɒn] N → desenlace m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

denouement

dénouement [deɪˈnuːmɒn] n [book, play, series events] → dénouement m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

dénouement

n (Theat, Liter) → (Auf)lösung f; (fig) → Ausgang m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

denouement

dénouement [deɪˈnuːmɒn] n → epilogo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Every tragedy falls into two parts,--Complication and Unravelling or Denouement. Incidents extraneous to the action are frequently combined with a portion of the action proper, to form the Complication; the rest is the Unravelling.

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That same day all America heard of the affair of Captain Nicholl and President Barbicane, as well as its singular denouement .

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Her story was as full of desperation and despair as her limited acquaintance with those uncomfortable emotions enabled her to make it, and having located it in Lisbon, she wound up with an earthquake, as a striking and appropriate denouement. The manuscript was privately dispatched, accompanied by a note, modestly saying that if the tale didn't get the prize, which the writer hardly dared expect, she would be very glad to receive any sum it might be considered worth.

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But with the denouement of the scene he threw off all restraint, and laughed aloud.

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These complications of Seldon and Marchiali - the complications first of setting at liberty and then imprisoning again, the complications arising from the strong likeness in question - had at last found a very proper denouement .

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"My paper was an early edition," Bransome answered, "but it spoke of a sensational denouement within the next few hours.

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D'Artagnan, whose mind was never more fertile in resources than in critical emergencies, swore again that he would try all conceivable means to prevent the denouement of the bloody tragedy.

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Had not my mind been so full of Polina, I should have given myself up to the comical piquancy of the impending denouement, and laughed my fill at it.

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Several other passengers had drawn toward the scene of the altercation, and all awaited the denouement.

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Nevertheless, one or two of the most excellent women I have ever known, have been French governesses, though I do not choose to reveal what this particular individual of the class turned out to be in the end, until the moment for the denouement of her character shall regularly arrive.

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He was not sorry for the denouement of his visit: he only wished it had come sooner, and spared him a certain waste of emotion.

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All about the carriage were gathered the children from a dozen blocks, waiting and eager for some tragic and terrible denouement. Carriages were seen on their street only for weddings and funerals.

Noun	1.	denouement - the outcome of a complex sequence of events final result, outcome, resultant, termination, result - something that results; "he listened for the results on the radio"
	2.	denouement - the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work answer, result, solution, solvent, resolution - a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem; "they were trying to find a peaceful solution"; "the answers were in the back of the book"; "he computed the result to four decimal places"