Word of the Day: Volte-face

Saturday, March 8, 2025

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noun

1. An act of turning around so as to face in the opposite direction.

2. An abrupt and complete reversal of attitude, opinion, or position.

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"The CEO's volte-face on remote work surprised employees who had been working from home for five years."

"The mayor's volte-face on the proposed policy alienated some longtime supporters but attracted new ones."

"After reviewing user feedback, the social media platform made a dramatic volte-face on its controversial commenting feature."

Latin, early 19th century

"Volte-face" is translated directly from French as "about face" but the French borrowed it from the Italian "voltafaccia," with the same meaning. Both Romance languages trace back to Latin roots, with "volvere" meaning "to roll" and "facies" meaning "appearance or face." ...