What does rendezvous mean?
Word: Rendezvous
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Rendezvous means a meeting arranged for a fixed time and place, or the spot chosen for such a meeting.
Synonyms: appointment, meeting
Word origin: Borrowed in the late 16th century from a two-word phrase of command, which was written with a hyphen.
How do you spell rendezvous?
Syllables: ren - dez - vous
Tricky part: The z and the final s are both silent, so students write rendevous or rendezvoo; both letters must still be written.
Watch out for: rendevous, rendezvoo, rondezvous
Memory tip: A zebra slipping quietly into a secret meeting makes no sound at all, just like the z in the middle of the word.
Rendezvous in a sentence
Example 1: The cousins chose the old clock tower as their rendezvous for the Durga Puja evening.
Example 2: We have a rendezvous with the rest of the team at the station at seven.
Example 3: The two trekking groups rendezvoused at the base camp before the final climb.
Fun Fact
The plural is spelt exactly like the singular, rendezvous, but in the plural the final s is sounded, so it ends in 'vooz'.
Practise the CREST Way
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Rendezvous came into English from ___, and in that language it literally means ___. 1. Italian 2. French 3. Spanish 4. Portuguese 5. present yourselves 6. wait for me 7. meet again 8. go together
a) 3/6
b) 2/5
c) 2/7
d) 1/5
Show answer
b) 2/5. French rendez-vous was an order, 'present yourselves', given to people told to gather in one place.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ou' pronounced differently?
a) souvenir
b) rendezvous
c) cloud
d) group
Show answer
c) cloud. Cloud has the 'ow' of cow; in rendezvous, souvenir and group the ou says 'oo', as in moon.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its meaning:
1. rendezvous 2. itinerary 3. excursion a. a short trip made for pleasure b. a get-together agreed in advance, at a set hour and location c. a plan of a route listing places and times
a) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
Show answer
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. People meet at a rendezvous, follow an itinerary, and enjoy an excursion.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) chauffeur
b) rendezvous
c) bouquet
d) silhouete
Show answer
d) silhouete. Silhouette ends in ette with a double t, like cassette and baguette.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The scouts' rendezvous was the banyan tree by the lake. This means the tree was ___.
a) where they had agreed to meet
b) where their hike would end
c) where they had pitched their tents
d) where they had left their bags
Show answer
a) where they had agreed to meet
2. Space engineers use rendezvous for the moment when two spacecraft ___.
a) land side by side on the Moon
b) send radio messages to Earth
c) come close together in orbit
d) leave the launch pad together
Show answer
c) come close together in orbit
