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