Commonly Used Foreign Words and Phrases

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Commonly Used Foreign Words and Phrases
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Déjà vu

• Psychology. the illusion of having previously
  experienced something actually being encountered
  for the first time./disagreeable familiarity or
  samenessThe new television season had a sense
  of déjà vu about itthe same old plots and
  characters with new names.

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RSVP

• Verb (used without object) to reply to an
  invitation Dont forget to RSVP before
  Thursday.
• Noun (a reply to an invitation) He sent a
  lovely bouquet of flowers with his RSVP
• Used on an invitation to indicate that the favor
  of a reply is requested.
• From the French phrase
• repondez sil vous plait

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Faux pas

• A slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or
  conduct an embarrassing social blunder or
  indiscretion

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Du jour

• As prepared on the particular day of the kind
  being served today
• The soup du jour is split pea.
• du of
• jour day

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Bon voyage

• Interjection Have a pleasant trip!

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femme fatale

• An irresistibly attractive woman, expecially one
  who leads men into difficult, dangerous, or
  disastrous sitiuations
• a siren

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esprit de corps

• a sense of unity and of common interests and
  responsibilities, as developed among a group of
  persons closely associated in a task, cause, or
  enterprise, etc.

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avant-garde

• the advance group in any field, especially in
  the visual, literary, or musical arts, whose
  works are characterized chiefly by unorthodox and
  experimental methods

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joie de vivre

• a delight in being alive keen, carefree
  enjoyment of living

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carte blanche

• Unconditional authority full discretionary power

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savoir faire

• Noun knowledge of just what to do in any
  situation tact

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enfant terrible

• An incorrigible child, as one whose behavior is
  embarrassing
• An outrageously outspoken or bold person who says
  and does indiscreet or irresponsible things
• A person whose work, thought, or lifestyle is so
  unconventional or avant-garde as to appear
  revolutionary or shocking

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alma mater

• a school, college, or university at which one
  has studied and, usually, from which one has
  graduated

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cum laude

• An academic honor given at graduation
• (Magna cum laude with high honors)
  
• (Summa cum laude the highest academic
  distinction)

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verbatim

• in exactly the same words word for word
• to repeat something verbatim

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E pluribus unum

• out of many, one
• (motto of the United States)

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prima donna

• a first or principal female singer of an opera
  company
• a temperamental person
• a person who takes adulation and privileged
  treatment as a right and reacts with petulance to
  criticism or inconvenience

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status quo

• the existing state or condition

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caveat emptor

• Let the buyer beware the princile that the
  seller of a product cannot be held responsible
  for its quality unless it is guaranteed in a
  warranty

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Alpha and Omega

• the beginning and the end of something
• (Revelation 18)
• the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet

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tabula rasa

• a mind not yet affected by experiences,
  impressions, etc.
• anything existing undisturbed in its original,
  pure state

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hoe polloi

• the common people the masses
• (often preceded by the)

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ad nauseam

• (adverb) to a sickening or disgusting
  
• degree

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carpe diem

• Seize the day enjoy the present, as opposed
  to placing all hope in the future

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tempus fugit

• Time flies.

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bona fide

• (adjective) made, done, presented, etc., in
  good faith
• Without deception or fraud
• Authentic
• True
• a bona fide sample of Lincolns handwriting

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non sequitur

• (noun) - an inference or a conclusion that does
  not follow from the premises
• a statement containing an illogical
  conclusion

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terra firma

• Firm or solid earth
• Dry land (as opposed to water or air)

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vox populi

• the voice of the people popular opinion

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