Foreign Words and Phrases

Flashcards for vocabulary from lecture notes.

á la carte

"according to the menu", and used in a reference to a menu of items priced and ordered separately.

ad hoc

appointed specially for the purpose of

ad lib

to improvise or speak without preparation

ad nauseam

something unpleasant that has continued "to the point of nausea"

au pair

a domestic assistant from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family

avant-garde

people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics.

blasé

uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence.

bona fide

made in good faith without fraud or deceive

bourgeois

a person belonging to the middle class. a person whose attitudes and behaviour are marked by conformity to the standards.

camaraderie

a spirit of friendly good-fellowship.

carte blanche

unrestricted power to act at one's own discretion; unconditional authority

coup d'état

an overthrow, the sudden, illegal deposition of a government, usually by a small group

coup de grâce

a deathblow or death shot administered to end the suffering of one mortally wounded

cuisine

a characteristic style of cooking practices

cum laude

a Latin term used to denote a high level of academic distinction.

de facto

a Latin expression that means "concerning fact"; in reality

de jure

by right of law

debut

first public appearance on a stage, on television, etc.

déjà vu

strong sensation that a current event/experience has been experienced in the past.

don Juan

a legendary, fictional libertine whose story has been told many times by many authors.

en masse

all together, as a group; in a body

en route

on or along the way

fait accompli

something that has already happened and cannot be changed

faux pas

a violation of accepted social norms, customs or etiquette rules. I.e. a social blunder.

hors d'oeuvre

first course; appetizer of food items served before the main courses of a meal.

joie de vivre

a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit; delight in being alive.

laissez-faire

an economic environment in which there is non-government interference in commercial affairs (i.e. private parties are free from tariffs, government subsidies, and enforced monopolies)

regime

a regular pattern of occurrence or action (often of a political nature)

rendezvous

a meeting at an appointed place and time

sans

without

savoir-faire

the ability to say or do the right or graceful thing.

verbatim

in the exact words; word for word