Commonplace Book

Sessile

Fixed in one place; attached directly without a stalk.

Sedulous

Diligent, careful, and persistent in effort.

Priapic

Characterized by exaggerated or obsessive sexual desire.

Agitprop

Political propaganda intended to stir public opinion.

Misanthrope

A person who dislikes or distrusts humankind.

Wabi-sabi

A Japanese aesthetic finding beauty in simplicity and imperfection.

Ichigo ichie

A Japanese expression emphasizing the uniqueness of each moment.

Solipsistic

Extremely self-centered; believing only one's own mind exists.

Elide

To omit, suppress, or leave out.

Bibulous

Fond of drinking alcoholic beverages.

Parvenu

A newly wealthy person who lacks social refinement.

Per contra

On the contrary; conversely.

Hegira

A journey to escape danger or persecution.

Dissipated

Given to excessive pleasure, luxury, or vice.

En clair

In plain language; unencrypted.

Vitiate

To impair, weaken, or spoil the effectiveness of something.

Ménage

A household or domestic establishment.

Tour d'horizon

A broad survey or comprehensive overview of a subject.

Tableau d'histoire

A historical painting depicting a significant event with moral importance.

Précis

A concise summary of a text or argument.

Credulous

Too ready to believe things; gullible.

Non sequitur

A statement that does not logically follow from what preceded it.

Lacuna

A gap, missing section, or omission in a text.

Cui bono?

Latin for "Who benefits?"—used to identify who gains from an action.

Hoist by one's own petard

To be harmed by one's own scheme or device.

Evince

To show or demonstrate clearly.

Bien dans sa peau

Comfortable and confident in oneself.

Putative

Generally believed or assumed to be true, though not proven.

Déclassé

Having fallen in social status; regarded as socially inferior.

Paternalism

The practice of limiting another's freedom for their supposed benefit.

Bowdlerize

To remove offensive or inappropriate material from a work.

Quisling

A traitor who collaborates with an occupying enemy.

Micawberism

Optimistic faith that something will turn up despite difficulties.

Panglossian

Naively or excessively optimistic.

Mise-en-scène

The arrangement of scenery and visual elements in a production.

Stricture

A severe criticism or censure.

Climacteric

A critical turning point or decisive stage.

Punctilious

Showing meticulous attention to detail or correct procedure.

Suasion

The act of persuading, especially by reasoning or moral appeal.

Irredentist

One advocating the recovery of territory historically belonging to their nation.

L'esprit de l'escalier

The perfect retort that occurs only after the conversation has ended.

Ne

A literary French negation particle, sometimes used alone.

Bien-pensant

Conforming to conventional or socially approved opinions.

Shibboleth

A custom or belief distinguishing members of one group from another.

Limpid

Clear, transparent, or easy to understand.

Clapped-out

Worn out from age or overuse; exhausted.

Adduce

To cite or present as evidence.

Tableau vivant

A motionless group of people arranged to represent a scene.

À la mode

Fashionable; in cooking, served with ice cream.

Noetic

Relating to the intellect, reason, or direct inner knowledge.

Sturm und Drang

A period of emotional turmoil or intense individualism.

Demimonde

A social world on the fringes of respectable society.

Beau monde

Fashionable high society.

Benighted

Intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened.

Feu de joie

A ceremonial volley of gunfire fired in celebration.

Dotty

Slightly eccentric or mentally confused.

Corvée

Unpaid compulsory labor; a tedious duty.

Solicitude

Care, concern, or attentive consideration for another's well-being.

Elle tient la maison

Literally, "She runs the household."

Apologia

A formal defense or justification of an idea or action.

Sans-culottes

Radical working-class revolutionaries during the French Revolution.

Secondment

The temporary transfer of an employee to another position.

De novo

Starting anew; from the beginning.

Idée fixe

An obsessive, persistent idea that dominates thinking.

Hors de combat

Out of action because of injury or incapacity.

Tutelary

Serving as a guardian, protector, or guide.

Primus inter pares

First among equals.

Sapere aude

Latin for "Dare to know"; the Enlightenment motto.

Badinage

Light, witty, playful conversation.

Amanuensis

An assistant who writes or copies what another dictates.

Salad days

The period of youthful inexperience and idealism.

Omertà

A code of silence, especially associated with organized crime.

Notional

Existing only as an idea; theoretical.

Abstruse

Difficult to understand; obscure.

Obtuse

Slow to understand; lacking perception.

Abrogate

To repeal or abolish officially.

Derogate

To detract from; to lessen in value or authority.

Abnegate

To renounce or deny oneself, often for moral reasons.

Deontology

An ethical theory based on duties rather than consequences.

Bête noire

A person or thing that one particularly dislikes.

Sine qua non

An essential condition or indispensable element.

A fortiori

With even stronger reason; all the more so.

Metonymy

Referring to something by the name of an associated thing.

Lagniappe

A small, unexpected bonus given in addition to a purchase.

Beau geste

A noble, generous, or chivalrous gesture.

Eschatology

Theology dealing with the end of the world or death.

Millenarian

Relating to belief in a coming golden age of peace.

Teleology

The explanation of phenomena by their purpose or goal.

Aide-mémoire

A reminder, memorandum, or written prompt to aid memory.

Cavil

To raise trivial or petty objections.

Heuristic

A practical mental shortcut used to solve problems quickly.

Cordon sanitaire

A protective barrier or figurative isolation of a group.

Samizdat

Clandestine copying and distribution of banned literature.

Déshabillé

A state of being partially dressed or informally clothed.

Velleity

A mere wish or inclination too weak to result in action.

Abjure

To formally renounce or reject a belief or claim.

Recherché

Rare, exotic, or highly refined.

Hypothecate

To pledge property as security without surrendering possession.

Saturnine

Gloomy, morose, or slow in temperament.

Inamorata

A person's female lover or beloved.