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adverb

à contrecœur

/a kɔ̃.tʁə.kœʁ/

adverb/a kɔ̃.tʁə.kœʁ/

reluctantly; unwillingly

Synonyms: à son corps défendant

See à, contre, and cœur for the etymologies of the individual words. The adverbial phrase derives from the phrase qui va contre le cœur, meaning “which goes against the heart”, where heart is used figuratively to mean “one’s preferences”.