Foreign words and phrases

ab initio

from the beginning

a cappella

sung without instrumental accompaniment

à deux

for or involving two people

ad hoc

made or done for a particular purpose

ad infinitum

endlessly; forever

ad interim

for the meantime

ad nauseam

to a tiresomely excessive degree

a fortiori

more conclusively

agent provocateur

a person who tempts a suspected criminal to commit a crime so they can be caught

à huis clos

in private

al dente

cooked so as to be still firm when bitten

alfresco

in the open air

amour propre

self-respect

annus mirabilis

a remarkable or auspicious year

a posteriori

based on reasoning from known facts or past events

a priori

based on deduction rather than experience

au courant

well informed; up to date

au fait

having good or detailed knowledge

au fond

basically; in essence

au naturel

in the most simple or natural way

beau geste

a noble and generous act

beau idéal

the highest standard of excellence

beau monde

fashionable society

beaux arts

the fine arts

bête noire

a person or thing one particularly dislikes

belles-lettres

literary works valued for style

billet-doux

a love letter

blitzkrieg

a swift and intense military campaign

bona fide

genuine; real

bon mot

witty remark

bon vivant

a person who enjoys a sociable and luxurious life

brasserie

an informal or inexpensive restaurant

carpe diem

seize the day

carte blanche

complete freedom to act

cause célèbre

a controversial issue attracting public attention

caveat emptor

let the buyer beware

c’est la guerre

expression of resigned acceptance ($h!t happens)

chacun à son gout

everyone to their own taste

chef-d’œuvre

masterpiece

cherchez la femme

look for the woman behind a mystery

comme il faut

proper or correct behavior

compos mentis

sane; of sound mind

cognoscenti

people well informed about a subject

cordon sanitaire

a guarded line preventing spread of disease

Cosa Nostra

a mafia-related criminal organization

coup de foudre

love at first sight

coup de grâce

a final blow to end suffering

coup de main

a sudden surprise attack

coup d’état

a sudden seizure of power

cri de cœur

a passionate appeal

cui bono?

who benefits?

de facto

in fact

Dei gratia

by the grace of God

déjà vu

feeling of having experienced something before

de jure

by right

de nos jours

contemporary

Deo gratias

thanks be to God

Deo volente

God willing

de profundis

from the depths; deep emotion

de rigueur

required by etiquette or fashion

dernier cri

the latest fashion

de trop

unnecessary; superfluous

deus ex machina

an unexpected solution to a problem

dolce far niente

pleasant idleness

dolce vita

life of luxury

doppelgänger

a double or lookalike

double entendre

a phrase with two meanings

dramatis personae

characters in a play

embarras de richesse

too many options

éminence grise

a hidden influential person

en famille

with family

enfant terrible

a controversial person

en masse

all together

en passant

by the way

entente cordiale

friendly agreement

entre nous

between ourselves

esprit de corps

group loyalty and pride

ex gratia

given as a favor

ex officio

by virtue of position

fait accompli

something already done

faute de mieux

for lack of better option

faux pas

an embarrassing mistake

femme fatale

a seductive woman

fête champêtre

an outdoor party

fin de siècle

end of a century

force majeure

superior force

folie de grandeur

delusions of grandeur

gîte

a holiday house in France

grande dame

an influential woman

haute couture

high fashion design

haute cuisine

high-quality cooking

haut monde

fashionable society

hors de combat

out of action

idée fixe

an obsession

in absentia

in absence

in camera

in private

in extremis

at the point of death

in loco parentis

in place of a parent

in medias res

in the middle of things

in propria persona

in one’s own person