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Foreign Phrases Commonly Used in English
Created by, Laurie Stansbury
ENG IV
e.g. (exempli gratia) Meaning: for
example Origin: Latin Additional Info:
Literally “for the sake of an example.” Not to be confused with id est.
Example: “There were several type of tree in the forest e.g. beech, oak, birch, maple.”
Part of Speech: adverb (abbreviation)
RSVP Meaning: please
reply Origin: French
1895-1900 Additional Info: In
French: répondez s’il vous plaît
Example: “Don't forget to RSVP before Thursday.”
Part of Speech: verb or noun
Déjà vu Meaning: illusion of
having experienced something already
Origin: French 1900 -1905
Additional Info: Can refer to something which has in fact happened before or, more commonly, to a false sensation or illusion. Often carries an unpleasant or creepy connotation.
Example: “I had a weird feeling of déjà vu as I entered the old house.”
Part of Speech: noun
Faux pas Meaning: social
blunder Origin: French
1670-80 Additional Info:
Literally “false step,” it is usually used for a breach of etiquette.
Example: “She soon realized that she had committed a grave faux pas.”
Synonyms: error, impropriety
Part of Speech: noun
Du jour Meaning: of the day Origin: French
early 20c. on menus Additional Info: As well
as meaning food prepared for a particular day (e.g. soup du jour), it has come to mean anything fashionable, current or trendy.
Example: “Environmentalism is the big issue du jour.”
Part of Speech: noun
Bon voyage Meaning: have a
pleasant trip Origin: French
1490- 1500 Additional Info:
Used to express farewell and good wishes to a departing traveler.
Example: “He yelled, ‘Bon Voyage’ as the ship pulled away from the dock.”
Part of Speech: interjection
Alma mater Meaning: one’s old
university or school Origin: Latin 1710 Additional Info:
Literally “nourishing mother.” The term also refers to a school's official song.
Example: “My alma mater keeps asking me for donations.”
Part of Speech: noun
Cum laude Meaning: with
honor; with praise Origin: Latin 1872 Additional Info:
used in diplomas to grant the lowest of three special honors for grades above the average.
Example: “Work hard and you can graduate cum laude.”
Part of Speech: adverb See Also: Magna cum
laude (with great praise), summa cum laude (with highest praise)
Femme fatale Meaning: attractive,
dangerous woman Origin: French Additional Info:
Literally “deadly woman,” used to mean a woman likely to lead someone to ruin, even if not death.
Example: “She had the air of a femme fatale, and I was instantly on my guard.”
Part of Speech: noun
Esprit De Corps Meaning: team
spirit Origin: French
1770-80 Additional Info:
Military in origin, but now more generally applied.
Example: The sales department was well known for its esprit de corps.
Synonym: camaraderie, bonding, solidarity, fellowship
Part of Speech: noun
Verbatim Meaning: in exactly
the same words Origin: Latin 1475-
85 Additional Info:
skilled at recording word-for-word accuracy
Example: Take down my speech verbatim.
Part of Speech: adverb or adjective
E pluribus unum Meaning: out of many,
one Origin: Latin Additional Info: It refers
to the Union formed by the separate states. E pluribus unum was adopted as a national motto in 1776 and is now found on the Great Seal of the United States and on United States currency.
Example: I’m old enough to remember when the motto of the USA was “e pluribus unum” not “in McDonalds we trust.”
Part of Speech: Phrase
Prima donna Meaning:
temperamental performer; first or principal singer in opera company
Origin: Italian 1760-70 Additional Info:
Indicates a vain, difficult personality, but one who is indispensable due to their talent and style.
Example: “She may be good, but what a prima donna!”
Part of Speech: noun
Avant-garde Meaning: radically
original, cutting edge Origin: French 1475-85 Additional Info:
Literally “advance guard” or first to attack, applied to radically innovative movements in the arts, sometimes with a sarcastic suggestion of the bizarre or incomprehensible.
Example: “It was all a bit avant-garde for my tastes.”
Part of Speech: noun or adjective
Status quo Meaning: current state
of affairs; state in which Origin: Latin 1825-35 Additional Info:
Sometimes used to give the impression of excessive safety and resistance to change.
Example: “He’s too comfortable with the status quo.”
Part of Speech: noun
Joie de vivre Meaning: joy of life Origin: French Additional Info:
Implies an openness to new experiences and an exuberance and effervescence.
Example: “She was so full of joie de vivre that she was positively glowing.”
Part of Speech: noun
Carte blanche Meaning: a free
hand, a blank cheque
Origin: French 1645-55
Additional Info: Literally “white (blank) card.”
Example: “He gave me carte blanche to finish it any way I liked.”
Part of Speech: noun
Caveat emptor Meaning: let the buyer
beware Origin: Latin 1515-25 Additional Info: In the
absence of a warranty, the buyer should take care what he is buying, and assumes the risk of the quality of a product.
Example: “It’s a reliable store, but still, caveat emptor.”
Part of Speech: noun
Alpha and omega Meaning: the beginning
and the end Origin: Greek Additional Info: The
New Testament was first written in Greek. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek aplphabetand Omega is the last letter.
Example: In the New Testament Book of Revelation, God says, “I am Alpha and Omega,” meaning that he is the beginning and end of all things.
Part of Speech: noun
Tabula rasa Meaning: empty slate Origin: Latin 1525-35 Additional Info:
Starting from scratch with no preconceptions, it can suggest open-ended or open-minded.
Example: “If we can start from a tabula rasa, then anything is possible.”
Part of Speech: noun
Hoi polloi Meaning: the
masses; the common people
Origin: Greek 1815-25
Additional Info: Carries a contemptuous and condescending overtone.
Example: “She never mixed with the hoi polloi.”
Part of Speech: noun
Ad nauseam Meaning: endlessly,
to the point of nausea
Origin: Latin 1616 Additional Info:
Stronger than ad infinitum, and with more of a sense of boredom.
Example: “She showed us holiday snaps ad nauseam.”
Part of Speech: adverb
Carpe Diem Meaning: seize the day Origin: Latin 16 c. & 17
c. Additional Info:
Equivalent to “enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think” or “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.”
Example: “Carpe diem, boys, who knows what tomorrow brings.”
Part of Speech: phrase or noun
Tempus fugit Meaning: time flies Origin: Latin Additional Info:
Often with a surprised or wistful undertone.
Example: “Ah, tempus fugit. It seems like only yesterday that we first met.”
Part of Speech: phrase
C’est la vie Meaning: that’s life Origin: French Additional Info: An
expression of resignation or submission to Fate.
Example: “Sometimes all you can say is C’est la vie.”
Part of Speech: phrase
Bona fide Meaning: in good faith Origin: Latin
1935-45 Additional Info: More
generally (outside the more legal meaning) it means genuine or authentic.
Example: “He was a bona fide noble of the realm.”
Part of Speech: adjective
Savior faire Meaning: social tact Origin: French 1805-15 Additional Info:
Literally “knowing how to do,” it is usually applied to higher social circles, but could equally well apply to any other circles.
Example: “He showed a deal of savoir faire in adjusting to his new position.”
Part of Speech: noun
Non sequitur Meaning: something
that doesn’t follow Origin: Latin 1533 Additional Info: This
can either refer to spurious or illogical reasoning, or to any statement which is out of place or off the point in a conversation.
Example: “Sorry, you’ve lost me. That was a complete non sequitur.”
Part of Speech: noun
i.e. (id est) Meaning: that is Origin: Latin 1598 Additional Info:
Denotes an alternative explanation or formulation of what went before, not an example of it. See also exempli gratia (e.g.)
Example: “She took her opinions to their logical conclusion, i.e. she killed him.”
Part of Speech: Phrase
Enfant terrible Meaning: prodigy,
boy/girl wonder Origin: French 1851 Additional Info:
There is also an undertone of exasperating and unmanageable in the terrible as well as brilliant.
Example: “He was considered the enfant terrible of his day, hugely talented but troublesome.”
Part of Speech: noun
Terra firma Meaning: firm or
solid land Origin: Latin 1595-
1605 Additional Info:
Usually used to make a contradistinction from weeks or months at sea.
Example: “It was with great gratitude that he stood on terra firma once more.”
Part of Speech: noun
Vox populi Meaning: popular
opinion or sentiment Origin: Latin Additional Info:
Literally “voice of the people.”
Example: “We should go with the vox populi on that one.”
Part of Speech: noun
Ad hoc Meaning: for this
purpose only Origin: Latin
1550-60 Additional Info:
Often, but not necessarily, used in a negative way suggesting limitedness.
Example: “In my opinion, that’s just an ad hoc solution.”
Part of Speech: adjective or adverb
Cause célèbre Meaning: a celebrated
case Origin: French 1755-65 Additional Info:
Usually a legal case that generates widespread popular interest, possibly involving an element of scandal.
Example: “The press made it into a national cause célèbre.”
Part of Speech: noun
Magnum opus Meaning: great
work Origin: Latin
1785-95 Additional Info:
Usually applied to an artists greatest individual work, not just any great work.
Example: “It has always been considered to be his magnum opus.”
Part of Speech: noun
Persona non grata Meaning:
unwelcome person Origin: Latin Additional Info:
Often used to mean that someone has fallen from grace and is unwelcome is certain social circles.
Example: “After that fiasco, I was persona non grata for quite some time.”
Part of Speech: adjective
Quid pro quo Meaning: fair exchange Origin: Latin 1555-65 Additional Info:
Literally “this for that,” it can have a slightly sarcastic undertone, as though indicating something closer to a bribe than a trade.
Example: “He obviously saw it as a quid pro quo for the work he had done.”
Part of Speech: noun
Je ne sais quoi Meaning: I don’t
know what Origin: French Additional Info:
Usually used in English as a noun.
Example: “This wine has a certain je ne sais quoi.”
Part of Speech: noun
Modus operandi Meaning: way of doing
things Origin: Latin 1645-55 Additional Info: Used
about criminals (sometimes abbreviated to M.O.) and others with a regular routine.
Example: “He had a very definite modus operandi, especially at work.”
Part of Speech: noun
Nom de plume Meaning: pseudonym Origin: French 1815-25 Additional Info:
Literally “pen name,” a false name used by authors for a variety of motives. Nom de guerre is similar, but for military reasons.
Example: “A modern author does not have to resort to a nom de plume as the likes of George Eliot did in her day.”
Part of Speech: noun
Haute couture Meaning: trend-
setting fashion Origin: French Additional Info:
Literally “high dressmaking,” often used to describe any kind of high class or exclusive fashion.
Example: “He is the kingpin of Paris’ haute couture.”
Part of Speech: noun
Mea culpa Meaning: my fault Origin: Latin 1374 Additional Info:
Used outside the Catholic mass to indicate any admission of guilt.
Example: “No matter how many mea culpas he made, he would always be saddled with the blame.”
Part of Speech: noun
Raison d’être Meaning: reason for
being Origin: French
1865-70 Additional Info:
The justification or cause of something’s existence.
Example: “The whole raison d’être of the organization was to exploit people’s irrational fears.”
Part of Speech: noun
Laissez faire Meaning: non-
interference in the affairs of others
Origin: French 1815-25 Additional Info: Usually
used to mean a government policy of minimal regulation in a free enterprise system, but can also be used personally. In French literally means ‘leave alone.’
Example: “I thought this a rather laissez faire attitude, but I held my tongue.”
Part of Speech: noun or adjective
Bête noire Meaning: annoyance,
bugbear, insufferable person
Origin: French 1835-45 Additional Info:
Literally “black beast,” but not usually as strong as that translation suggests.
Example: “After several such encounters, he became my bête noire.”
Part of Speech: noun
En masse Meaning: in a mass;
all together; as a group
Origin: French 1795-1805
Example: The protestors marched en masse to the capital.
Part of Speech: adverb
In absentia Meaning: in the
absence Origin: Latin
late 1800’s Additional Info:
Refers to the absence of someone who would normally have been present.
Example: “The defendant was convicted in absentia.”
Part of Speech: adverb (abbreviation: i.a.)
Sub rosa Meaning: in secret,
in confidence Origin: Latin 1920-25 Additional Info:
Literally “under the rose,” it is suggestive of inscrutability and the potential for scandal.
Example: “The meeting was held sub rosa to avoid unnecessary publicity.”
Part of Speech: noun or adverb
Schadenfreude Meaning: pleasure in
the misfortune of others Origin: German 1890-
95 Additional Info:
Literally “hurtful joy,” the sense is of a guilty pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.
Example: “I couldn’t help a touch of Schadenfreude at his dismissal.”
Part of Speech: noun
Noblesse oblige Meaning: nobility
obliges Origin: French
1830-40 Additional Info:
Suggests that the privileged classes have some responsibility to give back as well.
Example: “I didn’t intend to become so involved, but noblesse oblige.”
Part of Speech: noun
Sine qua non Meaning: essential
element or condition Origin: Latin 1602 Additional Info: Short
for conditio sine qua non, “a condition without which nothing,” describes anything which is critical to the success of an enterprise.
Example: “The chief’s wife was the sine qua non of the negotiations.”
Part of Speech: noun
Deus ex machina Meaning: unexpected or
improbable explanation Origin: Latin 1690-1700 Additional Info: Literally
“the god from the machine,” this was originally a Greek dramatic construction, but now used for any unwarranted character or event used to resolve a tangled literary plot.
Example: “I thought the fairy godmother at the end was a bit of a deus ex machina.”
Part of Speech: noun
Dopplegänger Meaning: ghostly
double Origin: German
1850-55 Additional Info:
Also used, less accurately, for a double or look-alike in the real world.
Example: “I did a double-take as I came face to face with my Doppelgänger.”
Part of Speech: noun
Coup d’état Meaning: sudden
overthrow of a government
Origin: French 1640-50 Additional Info:
Literally “a blow against the state,” usually meaning a violent or illegal overthrow or revolution.
Example: “It was just a matter of time before another coup d’éat occurred in that country’s chequered history.”
Synonms: overthrow, rebellion, revolution, uprising
Part of Speech: noun