Word of the Day – Detent

Detent (noun)

dee-tent

A catch in a machine which prevents motion until released. Often used in clocks to regulate the strikes.

Late 17th century (denoting a catch in a clock): from French détente, from Old French destente, from destendre ‘slacken’, from des- (expressing reversal) + Latin tendere ‘to stretch’.

Example sentences

“The detents ensure the accuracy of the clock.”