The word rendezvous is elegant, French-sounding, and often used to describe a planned meeting or gathering. But what happens when you want to talk about more than one rendezvous? Do you say rendezvouses or rendezvous? In this detailed yet simple guide, you’ll learn the correct plural of rendezvous, how it’s used in modern English, and a few quick grammar tips to help you sound natural.
Definition and Plural of Rendezvous
What Does “Rendezvous” Mean?
Rendezvous (pronounced /ˈrɒndɪvuː/ or /ˈrɑːndɪvuː/ in American English) is a noun that means:
- a meeting or appointment arranged between two or more people, often secretly or for a specific purpose.
The word comes directly from French, where it literally means “present yourselves.”
Examples:
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We arranged a rendezvous at the café.
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The spies met at their secret rendezvous point.
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Our next rendezvous will be on Friday evening.
What Is the Plural of “Rendezvous”?
✅ The plural of rendezvous is rendezvous — the same as the singular form.
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| rendezvous | rendezvous |
In both forms, the spelling does not change, but the pronunciation can slightly differ depending on the context.
Examples:
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We’ve had several rendezvous since our first meeting.
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The agents reported two secret rendezvous last week.
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Many romantic rendezvous take place by the riverside.
Can You Say “Rendezvouses”?
Technically, yes — “rendezvouses” is sometimes used in English writing, especially in informal or older texts.
However, it is rare and often sounds unnatural to native speakers.
✅ Preferred form: rendezvous
⚠️ Less common form: rendezvouses (used mainly in historical or literary contexts)
Examples:
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Correct (common): The soldiers had multiple rendezvous during the campaign.
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Acceptable but rare: The soldiers had several rendezvouses during the campaign.
So, if you want to sound natural and grammatically correct, always use rendezvous for both singular and plural.
How to Tell If “Rendezvous” Is Singular or Plural
You can identify whether rendezvous is singular or plural by looking at the verb or number in the sentence:
| Usage | Example |
|---|---|
| Singular | This rendezvous is important to us. |
| Plural | These rendezvous are becoming more frequent. |
✅ is → singular
✅ are → plural
Pronunciation Guide
| Word | IPA Pronunciation | How It Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| rendezvous (singular) | /ˈrɒn.deɪ.vuː/ or /ˈrɑːn.deɪ.vuː/ | “RON-day-voo” |
| rendezvous (plural) | /ˈrɒn.deɪ.vuːz/ or /ˈrɑːn.deɪ.vuːz/ | “RON-day-vooz” |
Examples in Sentences
Singular: “Rendezvous”
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The two friends had a secret rendezvous in the park.
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Our next rendezvous will be at the museum.
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The detective arrived early for his rendezvous.
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She missed the rendezvous because of heavy traffic.
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The spy waited patiently at the rendezvous point.
Plural: “Rendezvous”
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The lovers had several romantic rendezvous over the summer.
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The team planned multiple rendezvous before the operation.
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Historical rendezvous between world leaders often changed history.
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Many rendezvous take place at this quiet café.
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The scientists scheduled three rendezvous to share data.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with rendezvous (singular or plural).
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The spies arranged a secret ______ in Paris.
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Our next ______ will take place next Monday.
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Several ______ were scheduled for the peace talks.
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The lovers had many romantic ______ under the stars.
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This ______ is more important than the last one.
Answer:
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rendezvous
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rendezvous
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rendezvous
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rendezvous
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rendezvous
Exercise 2: Choose the correct sentence.
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a) The rendezvous was set for midnight. ✅
b) The rendezvouses was set for midnight. -
a) We’ve had many secret rendezvous this month. ✅
b) We’ve had many secret rendezvouses this month. -
a) All rendezvous are strictly confidential. ✅
b) All rendezvouses are strictly confidential. -
a) The rendezvous were canceled due to bad weather. ✅
b) The rendezvouses were canceled due to bad weather. -
a) She missed her rendezvous because of a delay. ✅
b) She missed her rendezvouses because of a delay.