gaffe

This term describes a lapse in judgment or etiquette that results in public embarrassment. It carries a connotation of clumsiness or lack of tact, often occurring in high-stakes environments like politics or formal diplomacy where a single wrong word can have significant consequences. As a noun, it is a standard countable noun. When used as a verb, it describes the act of committing such a blunder, though the noun form is far more prevalent in contemporary English.