Foreign Words Flashcards
Ad hoc (/ˌæd ˈhɒk/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Created or done for a particular purpose as necessary.
Example: The committee formed an ad hoc group to address the unexpected issue.
Bona fide (/ˈboʊnə faɪd/)
Origin: Latin
.
Meaning: Genuine; real.
Example: She has a bona fide claim to the inheritance
Faux pas (/foʊ ˈpɑː/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A social blunder or indiscretion.
Example: Forgetting the host’s name was a major faux pas at the party.
Cliché (/kliːˈʃeɪ/)
Origin: French
Meaning: An overused phrase or opinion that lacks original thought.
Example: The phrase “time will tell” is a tired cliché.
Status quo (/ˈsteɪtəs ˈkwoʊ/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: The existing state of affairs.
Example: The new law aims to change the status quo in the education system.
Alma mater (/ˈælmə ˈmɑːtər/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: The school, college, or university that one formerly attended.
Example: Harvard is her alma mater.
Ad nauseam (/æd ˈnɔːziəm/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: Repeatedly to the point of annoyance.
Example: He talked ad nauseam about his achievements.
Carte blanche (/kɑːrt ˈblɑːnʃ/)
Origin: French
Meaning: Complete freedom to act as one wishes.
Example: The manager was given carte blanche to restructure the team.
Coup d’état (/ˌkuː deɪˈtɑː/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A sudden overthrow of a government.
Example: The military staged a coup d’état to seize power.
Entrepreneur (/ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːr/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A person who starts and manages a business.
Example: The young entrepreneur launched a successful startup.
Fiancé (/fiˈɒnseɪ/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A man engaged to be married.
Example: She introduced her fiancé at the party.
Fiancée (/fiˈɒnseɪ/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A woman engaged to be married.
Example: He is excited to marry his fiancée next spring.
Gourmet (/ˈɡʊərmeɪ/)
Origin: French
.
Meaning: A connoisseur of good food.
Example: The restaurant is known for its gourmet dishes
Kindergarten (/ˈkɪndərˌɡɑːrtən/)
Origin: German
Meaning: A preschool for young children.
Example: Their child just started kindergarten this year.
Laissez-faire (/ˌleseɪ ˈfɛər/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A policy of non-interference.
Example: The government’s laissez-faire approach encouraged free markets.
Modus operandi (/ˌmoʊdəs ˌɒpəˈrændi/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: A particular way of doing something.
Example: The detective recognized the criminal’s modus operandi.
Persona non grata (/pɜːrˌsoʊnə nɒn ˈɡrɑːtə/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: An unwelcome person.
Example: After the scandal, he became persona non grata in the community.
Rendezvous (/ˈrɒndeɪvuː/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A meeting at an agreed time and place.
Example: They had a rendezvous at the café.
Savoir-faire (/ˌsæv.wɑːr ˈfeər/)
Origin: French
Meaning: The ability to act appropriately in any situation.
Example: She handled the awkward situation with savoir-faire.
Tête-à-tête (/ˌteɪt ə ˈteɪt/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A private conversation between two people.
Example: They had a tête-à-tête to discuss the matter.
Veni, vidi, vici (/ˈveɪni ˈvidi ˈviki/)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”
Example: He described his quick success with “ veni, vidi, vici.”
Vis-à-vis (/ˌviːz ə ˈviː/)
Origin: French
Meaning: In relation to; compared with.
Example: Let’s discuss the budget vis-à-vis the proposed project.
Zeitgeist (/ˈtsaɪtɡaɪst/)
Origin: German
Meaning: The defining spirit or mood of a particular period.
Example: The novel captures the zeitgeist of the 1960s.
Chutzpah (/ˈhʊtspə/)
Origin: Yiddish
Meaning: Shameless audacity; impudence.
Example: It took chutzpah to start a business in a recession.
Déjà vu (/ˌdeɪʒɑː ˈvuː/)
Origin: French
Meaning: The feeling that one has already experienced the present situation.
Example: Walking into the room, she had a sense of déjà vu.
Début (/ˈdeɪbjuː/)
Origin: French
Meaning: A first public appearance or performance.
Example: He made his film début as a child actor.
