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Foreign Words and Phrases

French Words and Phrases

1. a la carte – with a separate price for each item printed on the menu

2. ambiance – (literally means surroundings): mood, character, atmosphere of a location

3. au naturel – (literally means in the natural state): served plainly; nude

4. avant-garde – (literally means “the front guard”): a progressive art movement

5. bon appetit – (literally means a good appetite): interjection meaning “I wish you a

hearty appetite.”

6. bon voyage – (literally means a good journey): farewell

7. bourgeois – townsman; member of the middle class

8. carte blanche - freedom to act: permission or authority given to somebody to act with

freedom or discretion

9. c’est la vie – that’s life; such is life

10. cliché - an expression or idea which has become overused and lost its effectiveness

11. déjà vu – (literally means “already seen”): sensation of having experienced something

12. double entendre – (literally “double meaning”): an expression open to two

interpretations, one of which is usually indecent

13. en route – on the way

14. faux pas – social blunder or mistake

15. femme fatale – (literally “fatal woman”): an irresistible woman, a woman-siren

16. haute couture – high fashion

17. je ne sais quoi – (literally “I don’t know what”); describes an elusive quality or expression

18. laissez faire – (literally “let the people do”): an individualistic approach to economic

regulations; avoiding interference in the business of others

19. nom de plume – a writer’s pseudonym, pen name

20. par excellence – the best at something

21. rendezvous - a meeting at an appointed place and time

22. résponde s’il vous plaît – (literally “reply, if you please”): used as RSVP

23. tete-a-tete – a private conversation; face-to-face

24. tour de force – a remarkable feat or accomplishment

25. vis-à-vis – face-to-face or in relation to

Latin Words and Phrases

1. ad hoc - (literally "towards this"): for this, for a particular purpose

2. ad infinitum - (literally "to infinity"): without end, indefinitely

3. ad nauseam - (literally "to the point of sickness"): in reference to something that is repeated

excessively and as a result becomes sickening

4. alma mater - ("bountiful mother"): one's former school, college, or university

5. bona fide - authentic, genuine, in good faith

6. caveat emptor - ("let the buyer beware"): the buyer is responsible for the quality of the

merchandise he/she buys

7. circa - ("around"; literally "surrounding"): about (in a chronological sense; usually in

reference to dates

8. curriculum vitae - (literally "course of life"): a concise account of one's education,

qualifications, and jobs previously held

9. de facto - in reality, actually (adverb); existing whether legally recognized or not (adjective)

10. deus ex machina - (literally "a god from a machine"): originally referring to a device in

ancient Greek theater used to suspend the actor in the role of god; the phrase now has the

figurative meaning of a narrative device that unexpectedly (and very conveniently)

resolves a plot

11. ergo - therefore or consequently

12. in memoriam - (literally "in memory"): in memory of

13. in vino veritas - (literally "in wine there is truth"): intoxication loosens many a tongue

14. in vitro - (literally "in glass"): in an artificial environment

15. in vivo - (literally "in the living"): inside a living body

16. mea culpa - (literally "my fault"): an acknowledgement of guilt or error

17. modus operandi - (literally "mode for working"): a characteristic method, a procedure

typically followed by someone, especially a criminal

18. non sequitur - (literally "it does not follow"): an illogical or irrelevant statement

19. per capita - per person EX: The per capita income of the country was very high.

20. per se - in itself EX: The statement was interesting per se; however, it didn't make sense.

21. quid pro quo - (literally "something for something"): a favor in exchange for a favor

22. status quo - (literally "condition in which"): the present state of affairs

23. subpoena - (literally "under penalty"): an official notification to appear in court

24. terra firma - firm ground

25. verbatim - (literally "word for word"; from verbum=word): quoted exactly

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