Foreign Words and Phrases for Cultural Literacy

a capella

Italian phrase meaning "without instrumental accompaniment"

ad hoc

Latin word meaning "for this purpose"; for the present matter or situation; temporary

ad infinitum

Latin phrase meaning "forever/endlessly"

ad nauseam

Latin phrase meaning "to a sickening degree."

aficionado

Spanish word meaning "enthusiast; fan"

alfresco

Italian - in the open air

alma mater

Latin word meaning "fostering mother"; old school

alpha

Greek meaning "first"

alter ego

Latin phrase meaning "another side of oneself"

antebellum

Latin - before the war, especially before the Civil War

a posteriori

Latin - "from what comes after" inductive

a priori

Latin - "from what comes before" deductive

au contraire

French - on the contrary

au courant

French - up to date; contemperary

avant-garde

French - "vanguard"; forward; advanced

beau geste

French - noble gesture

blitzkreig

German - a swift, sudden effort, usually in war

bete noire

French - black beast ; pet peeve

bona fide

Latin phrase for "in good faith" or "genuine."; sincere

bon appetit

French - good appetite; enjoy your meal

bon mot

French - clever turn of phrase

bon vivant

French phrase for "one who lives well." It refers to a person who lives luxuriously and has refined taste

campesino

Spanish - peasant farmer

carpe diem

Latin phrase for "seize the day." live for today

carte blanche

In French it refers to a blank sheet of paper. It is now used to refer to complete freedom or power to act at one's own discretion.

cause célèbre

In French, a widely known notorious case or issue that often inspires others to act; scandal "celebrated case"

caveat emptor

Latin phrase meaning "let the buyer beware." It advises discretion when buying something; no warranty

c'est la vie

French for "that's life." The phrase has a similar meaning in English usage with a sense of release or inevitability.

chef d'oeuvre

French - masterpiece

chutzpah

From Yiddish meaning "shameless audacity." daring

circa

Latin - approximately; about

cognito, ergo sum

Latin - "I think, therefore I am"

coup de grace

French - a decisive finishing blow, act, or event to end suffering

coup d'etat

French phrase for "a stroke of state." a sudden, decisive exercise of force in politics; government overthrow

creme de la creme

French phrase - cream of the cream ; the best

cum laude

Latin - with praise; with honor

declasse

French - fallen in social standing

de facto

Latin for "from the fact," this phrase refers to something which is true in practice, but not in the proper or legal situation.

de jure

Latin phrase for "according to the law." legally; it is the opposite of de facto, something true in theory.

detente

French - easing of strained relations

dramatic personae

Latin - "persons of the drama"; cast of characters

en masse

French - in a large group

e pluribus unum

Latin - one out of many

errata

Latin - a list of errors

ersatz

German - imitation

espirit do corps

French - common spirit with a group

eureka

Greek - I have found it; expression of discovery of triumph

ex cathedra

Latin "from the chair"; with high authority

exemplum

Latin - example; model; ancedote

ex officio

Latin - by virtue of, or because of, one's position or office

ex post facto

Latin term meaning "a thing done afterwards." retroactive; after the fact

fait accompli

French phrase for "an accomplished fact."

faux pas

French phrase for a "false step," social blunder.

fiat

Latin - "let it be done"; a command or decree

glasnost

In Russian, it literally means "publicity." openness

habeas corpus

Latin for "you shall have the body." a summon to court

haute coutoure

French - high fashion

haute cuisuine

French - elaborate cooking

hoi polloi

Greek phrase for "the many." common people or the masses.

hubris

Greek - exaggerated pride; arrogance

in extremis

Latin - in extreme circumstances

in loco parentis

Latin phrase for "in place of a parent." guardian

in medias res

Latin phrase for "in the middle of things."

in memoriam

Latin - in memory of; as a memorial to

ipso facto

Latin phrase meaning "by the fact itself." by the nature of the thing; automatically

jeie de vivre

French phrase for "joy of living"; good spirits; exberance

kamikaze

Japan - divine wind; suicide pilot

klutz

Yiddish - clumsy person

kudos

Greek - "glory, renown"; accolade; fame; honor; congrats

kvetch

Yiddish - complain; carp; gripe

laissez-faire

French phrase meaning "let people do what they want" noninterference

lingua franca

Italian - "Frankish language"; common language

magna cum laude

Latin - with great honor

magnum opus

Latin - a masterpiece

mea culpa

Latin phrase for "my fault" It is used when someone admits a mistake; expressing personal fault or guilt

modus operandi

Latin phrase for "mode of working"; a working method or arrangement; procedure

noblesse oblige

French - honorable behavior that's considered to be the obligation of people of noble birth or rank

nom de plume

French phrase meaning "name of the pen." ; pen name

nonpareil

French - having no equal

non sequitur

Latin - "does not follow"; fallacy; a reponse that does not follow logically from a previous statement

nouveau riche

French - the newly rich

par excellence

French - superior; above all

per capita

Latin term for "by heads"; for each one

per diem

Latin - "by the day"

per se

Latin - "by of, or in itself, oneself, or themselves"; of its own accord

persona non grata

Latin - an unacceptable person

piece de resistance

French - main dish of a meal; main thing or event

prima facie

Latin - on first appearance; at first glance; self-evident; sufficient to establish a fact

pro forma

Latin - "for form"; carried out as a formality; for the record

pro rata

Latin - proportinately

quid pro quo

Latin phrase meaning "something for something." trade

raison d'etre

French - reason for being

reductio ad absurdum

Latin - "reduction to absurdity"; disproving an argument by showing its absurd direction

savoir faire

French phrase meaning "knowing what to do." the ability to say and do the right thing at all times.

schlemiel

Yiddish - unlucky person; loser

schmaltz

Yiddish - excessive sentimentality

schtick

Yiddish - gimmick; a performer's idiosyncracy

sine qua non

Latin - "without which not"; like not other; something essential

status quo

Latin - "the condition in which"; present condition; the state of affairs up to now

summa cum laude

Latin - the highest honor