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suspens

suspense

noun sews-PAHNS Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Origin: From French 'suspens', a learned borrowing from Latin 'suspensus' (hanging, uncertain).

Usage Note

Suspens appears most often in the fixed phrase en suspens, meaning in suspense, pending, or unresolved — une question en suspens (an unresolved question). As a standalone noun it is less common than the anglicism suspense, which French has also adopted for narrative tension in films and novels. Note that suspens and suspense coexist in French, with suspens the older, more literary form.

Examples

"L'affaire reste en suspens depuis des mois."

Natural Translation

The matter has been pending for months.

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