Commonly Used Foreign Words and Phrases

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Commonly Used Foreign Words and Phrases

• Word Definitions
• Example of Use
• Parts of Speech
• Word Origins

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Why should we study foreign words?

• Foreign words are what created our present day
  English language. In order to better understand
  our spoken and written language we need to
  understand some foreign words and phrases. These
  foreign words and phrases help us to better
  understand our English language, express
  ourselves more clearly, and comprehend
• the meaning behind some expressions.

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Directions for Use

• To use this power point, click on the word you
  are studying from the table of contents . That
  will take you to the slide with the pronunciation
  of the word, the definition of the word, the
  origin of the word, the part of speech to which
  the word belongs, and an example of the word used
  in a sentence.
• To hear the word pronounced, click on the word in
  blue at the top of the slide. A pronunciation
  window will pop up and the word should be
  pronounced. If this does not happen, just
• click on the link in the window that says,
  to hear
• the word again. The word should be
  pronounced.

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Table of Contents-1
9th Grade (these words are included in 10th,
11th, 12th grades as well) RSVP alma
mater status quo déjà vu cum laude joie de
vivre faux pas femme fatale carte blanche du
jour esprit de corps caveat emptor bon
voyage verbatim alpha and omega E pluribus
unum tabula rasa prima donna hoi
polloi avant-garde ad nauseam
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Table of Contents-2

• 10th Grade (11th 12th also) 11th Grade
  (12th also) 12th Grade
• Carpe diem enfant terrible ad hoc
  raison detre
• tempus fugit terra firma cause celebre
  laissez faire
• Cest la vie vox populi magnum opus bete
  noire
• bona fide persona non grata en
  masse
• savoir faire quid pro quo in absentia
• non sequitur je ne sais quoi sub rosa
• Id est modus operandi
  schadenfreude
• nom de plume noblesse oblige
• haute couture sine qua non
• mea culpa deus ex machina
• doppelganger
• coup detat

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RSVP

• Used on an invitation to indicate that the favor
  of a reply is requested
• Part of Speech - Verb (used without object) to
  reply to an invitation Dont forget to RSVP
  before Thursday.
• or
• Noun (a reply to an invitation) He sent a
  lovely bouquet of flowers with his RSVP.
• Word Origin - from the French phrase
• repondez sil vous plait

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déjà vu

• Psychology the illusion of having previously
  experienced something actually being encountered
  for the first time disagreeable familiarity or
  sameness
• The new television season had a sense of déjà vu
  about itthe same old plots and characters with
  new names.
• Part of Speech - Noun
• Word Origin - French

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faux pas

• A slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or
  conduct an embarrassing social blunder or
  indiscretion
• He committed a social faux pas when he called her
  Mrs. Instead of Miss.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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du jour

• As prepared on the particular day of the kind
  being served today du of, jour day
• The soup du jour is split pea.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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bon voyage

• Have a pleasant trip!
• Bon voyage, mom!
• Part of Speech Interjection
• Word Origin - French

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11
alma mater

• a school, college, or university at which one has
  studied and, usually, from which one has
  graduated
• I went a football game at my alma mater, UTK.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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cum laude

• An academic honor given at graduation
• (Magna cum laude with high honors)
  
• (Summa cum laude the highest academic
  distinction)
• She graduated magna cum laude from Georgia Tech.
• Part of Speech Adverb
• Word Origin - Latin

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femme fatale

• An irresistibly attractive woman, especially one
  who leads men into difficult, dangerous, or
  disastrous situations a siren
• Angelina Jolie is a true femme fatale.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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esprit de corps

• a sense of unity and of common interests and
  responsibilities, as developed among a group of
  persons closely associated in a task, cause, or
  enterprise, etc.
• Participation in community service improves the
  groups esprit de corps.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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verbatim

• in exactly the same words word for word
• to repeat something verbatim Adverb
• corresponding word for word to the original -
  Adjective
• James mother told him to tell the principal about
  the argument he had with his teacher. Adv.
• This is a verbatim recording of the proceedings.
  Adj.
• Part of Speech Adjective or adverb
• Word Origin - Latin

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E pluribus unum

• out of many, one
• (motto of the United States)
• E pluribus unum was adopted as the national motto
  for the United States in 1776.
• Part of Speech Phrase
• Word Origin - Latin

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prima donna

• a first or principal female singer of an opera
  company
• a temperamental person a person who takes
  adulation and privileged treatment as a right and
  reacts with petulance to criticism or
  inconvenience
• Valerie is the prima donna of our schools senior
  play this year.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Italian

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avant-garde

• the advance group in any field, especially in the
  visual, literary, or musical arts, whose works
  are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and
  experimental methods
• Apple computers are the avant-garde in
  technology. Noun
• She is very avant-garde in her fashion sense.
  Adj.
• Parts of Speech Noun or adjective
• Word Origin - French

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status quo

• the existing state or condition
• People with money are often satisfied with the
  status quo.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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joie de vivre

• a delight in being alive keen, carefree
  enjoyment of living
• She displays a true joie de vivre.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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carte blanche

• Unconditional authority full discretionary power
• He exercises his carte blanche frequently.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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caveat emptor

• Let the buyer beware the principle that the
  seller of a product cannot be held responsible
  for its quality unless it is guaranteed in a
  warranty
• On the web, the advice caveat emptor has never
  been more apt.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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alpha and omega

• the beginning and the end of something
  (Revelation 18) the first and last letter of
  the Greek alphabet
• God is the alpha and the omega.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Greek

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tabula rasa

• a mind not yet affected by experiences,
  impressions, etc, anything existing undisturbed
  in its original, pure state
• John Locke believed that a childs mind was a
  tabula rasa.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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hoi polloi

• the common people the masses (often preceded by
  the)
• The hoi polloi think that Fitzgerald is a great
  screen director.
• Part of Speech - Noun
• Word Origin - Greek

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ad nauseam

• to a sickening or disgusting degree
• We have heard about all the budget cuts ad
  nauseam.
• Part of Speech Adverb
• Word Origin - Latin

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carpe diem

• Seize the day enjoy the present, as opposed to
  placing all hope in the future
• Its a beautiful day, so forget tomorrows tests
  Carpe diem!
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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tempus fugit

• Time flies
• Tempus fugit when youre having fun.
• Part of Speech phrase
• Word Origin - Latin

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c est la vie

• express philosophical acceptance of the way
  things are Thats Life
• Suzannes response to her job loss was, Cest la
  vie.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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bona fide

• made, done, presented, etc, in good faith
  Without deception or fraud Authentic True
• The museum has a bona fide sample of Lincolns
  handwriting.
• Part of Speech Adjective
• Word Origin - Latin

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savoir faire

• knowledge of just what to do in any situation
  tact
• At the fancy restaurant, I realized that I lacked
  the savior-faire to use all of the silverware
  correctly.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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non sequitur

• an inference or a conclusion that does not follow
  from the premises a statement containing an
  illogical conclusion
• We had been discussing plumbing, so her remark
  about astrology was a real non sequitur.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin Latin

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id est

• that is to say in other words
• Im going to the place where I work best, i.e.,
  the coffee shop.
• Part of Speech Adverb
• Word Origin - Latin

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enfant terrible

• An incorrigible child, as one whose behavior is
  embarrassing
• An outrageously outspoken or bold person who
  says and does indiscreet or irresponsible things
• A person whose work, thought, or lifestyle is
  so unconventional or avant-garde as to appear
  revolutionary or shocking
• The spoiled child was enfant terrible.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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terra firma

• Firm or solid earth or Dry land (as opposed to
  water or air)
• After our stormy voyage, we were relieved to set
  foot on terra firma.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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vox populi

• the voice of the people popular opinion
• The speakers address got barely a whisper from
  the vox populi.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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ad hoc

• For the present purpose or end presently under
  consideration adverb
• concerned or dealing with a specific subject,
  purpose, or end adjective
• After a tornado swept through the school, an ad
  hoc group of parents was formed to assist in the
  repairs.
• Part of Speech Adverb or Adjective
• Word Origin - Latin

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38
cause celebre

• Any controversy that attracts public attention
• The question of the draft was a cause célèbre in
  the 1960s.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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magnum opus

• a great work
• Moby Dick was Melville's magnum opus.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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persona non grata

• an unwelcome or unacceptable person
• He has become persona non grata in our club.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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quid pro quo

• One thing in return for another
• The Chinese may make some concessions on trade,
  but they will no doubt demand a quid pro quo, so
  we must be prepared to make concessions too.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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je ne sais quoi

• an indefinable quality that makes somebody or
• something more attractive or interesting
• She has a certain je ne sais quoi that charms
  everybody.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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43
modus operandi

• a method or way of doing of something
• Her modus operandi in buying a new car always
  included a month of research.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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noun de plume
noun de plume

• a naming word a word or group of words used as
  the name of a class or people, places, or things,
  or of a specific person, place, or thing
• Samuel Clemens noun de plume is Mark Twain.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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haute couture

• top fashion exclusive and expensive clothing
  made for an individual customer by a fashion
  designer, or the industry that produces such
  clothing
• The new I-Phone is a god send to techies
  everywhere hot technology meets haute couture.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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mea culpa

• expressing guilt or fault used to express an
  admission of your own guilt
• I gave you the wrong directions to my house mea
  culpa.
• Part of Speech Interjection
• Word Origin - Latin

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raison detre

• the reason for being underlying principle
• Professor Naylor argues that in the nuclear age,
  infantry forces have lost their raison d'être.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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laissez faire

• principle of no regulation of industry principle
  that the economy works best if private industry
  is not regulated and markets are free
• People who support a laissez faire system are
  against minimum wages, duties, and any other
  trade restrictions.
• Part of Speech - Noun
• Word Origin - French

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bete noire

• somebody or something that is particularly
  disliked
• Tax shelters have long been the bête noire of
  reformers.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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en masse

• in a group as a body
• The protesters marched en masse to the capitol.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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in absentia

• while absent in the absence of the person or
  persons concerned
• The man was tried and convicted in absentia.
• Part of Speech - Adverb
• Word Origin - Latin

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sub rosa

• Confidentially secretly privately
• The meeting was held sub rosa, due to the
  sensitive nature of its content.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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schadenfreude

• gloating at somebody elses bad luck smug or
  malicious pleasure taken in somebody elses
  misfortune
• To feel envy is human, to savor schadenfreude is
  devilish.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - German

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noblesse oblige

• notion of aristocratic responsibilities the idea
  that people born into the nobility or upper
  social classes must behave in an honorable and
  generous way toward those less privileged
• In the Robinson familys circles, public service
  had long been common it connoted not personal
  ambition so much as noblisse oblige.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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sine qua non

• an essential condition or prerequisite
• Her presence was the sine qua non of every social
  event.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Latin

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deus ex machina

• god who resolves plot in ancient Greek and Roman
  theater, a god introduced to resolve a
  complicated plot
• Only a deus ex machina could resolve the novels
  thorny crisis.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin New Latin

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doppelganger

• double or mirror image
• Doppelganger experiences have led many people to
  believe that they were part of a set of twins
  that had been separated at birth.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - Greek

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coup detat

• seizure of political power the sudden violent
  overthrow of a government and seizure of
  political power, especially by the military
• The SPD once swore to defend the Republic against
  any coup detat from the right or the left.
• Part of Speech Noun
• Word Origin - French

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