Foreign Words Encountered in English

Foreign Words Encountered in English

Version 13Oct13

ad lib – ad libitum – Improvised, spontaneous.  While rehearsing the play, the actor ad libbed his own lines.

ad hoc – For this specific purpose only.  The mayor formed an ad hoc committee to study the planned mall extension.

ad infinitum – To infinity.  The set of natural numbers goes on ad infinitum.

a la carte – Ordered as a seperately priced item.  I didn’t want the vegetables so I ordered the fish a la carte.

a la mode – Served with ice cream.  I like hot apple pie a la mode.

al dente – Cooked so as to be still firm when bitten.  Spaghetti tastes best when it is cooked al dente.

alma mater – Refers to the college or university that you graduated from.

ante bellum – Before the war (usually the American Civil War).  The ante bellum South was known for its vast fields of cotton.

a priori – Of reasoning – proceeding from causes to effects.  Deductively, without previous investigation.  Just by looking, he knew a priori that the earth was flat.

au fond – French – At bottom, basically.  Although his actions were questionable, he was au fond a good person.

au gratin – French – Sprinkled with breadcrumbs and/or grated cheese and browned.  Her au gratin potatoes were the hit of the Thanksgiving dinner.

bona fide – Real, not fake.  The painting was a bona fide Rembrandt.

de facto – In fact, in reality.  John was the de facto decision maker in the company.

de rigueur – Required by custom or etiquette.  In days gone by, it was considered de rigueur for a gentleman to stand when a lady entered the room.

du jour – Describes something that is short-lived.  The restaurant was serving corn chowder as its soup du jour on Monday. 

Ergo – Therefore.  I am a man, ergo I like computer games.  “Cogito ergo sum” – I think, therefore I am.  – René Descartes

et al.  – et alia – Latin – And others.  According to Einstein et al. we live in a strange universe.

etc. – etcetera  Latin – used at the end of a list to show that more items of a similar nature are included.

femme fatale – a dangerously attractive woman.

in situ – In its original place.  The fossil was left in situ by the excavation team.

in toto – Completely, without exception.  The student body in toto was polled about their opinion on the tuition increase.

in vitro – In glass.  Refers to biological processes that occur in the laboratory.

ipse dixit – Latin - An unproven assertion resting only on the authority of a speaker; a dogmatic statement.  The court judged that the evidence for the prosecution rested solely on the ipse dixit of the witness and therefore found for the defense.

ipso facto – Latin – By the fact itself; thereby.  John had the best grade point average so he ipso facto became the class president.

je ne sais quoi – An indefinable quality, something indescribable.   She had a certain je ne sais quoi about her which I found very attractive.

loc. cit. – loco citato – Latin – In the place cited.  Like op. cit. but means also on the page already referenced.

mea culpa – My fault.   When the boss asked our group why the project was delayed, I said “Mea culpa.”

magnum opus – The best work done by an artist. The Mona Lisa was da Vinci’s magnum opus.

op. cit. – opus citatum – Latin – In the work already quoted.  It is used in a footnote to refer the reader to a previously cited work so the full title does not have to be repeated.

per diem – By the day.  A per diem means a daily allowance for a business traveler

per se – By itself.  I don’t find the subject of science boring per se, but the professor puts me to sleep.

persona non grata – An unacceptable person, somebody who is not welcome.  As a man, I was a persona non grata in the women’s locker room.

sine qua non – Indispensable, absolutely essential.  Being in the best possible physical shape is a sine qua non condition for mountain climbing.

sotto voce – In an undertone or aside.  Muted.  When the boss told us about the layoffs, I heard George mutter sotto voce.

sous-chef – Someone who works under the direction of the main chef in a restaurant.

status quo – The existing state of things.  I support the Women’s Movement because I’m not happy with the status quo.

tabula rasa – A blank tablet – a mind with no preconceptions.  A baby is a tabula rasa waiting to be imprinted with the stamp of its culture.

terra firma – Land as opposed to the sea.  I was anxious during the sea voyage until we reached harbor and once again I was able to stand on terra firma.

verbatim – Exactly as stated.  I repeated the message to him verbatim.

vice versa – Reverse the order of.  She liked me and vice versa.  (Means I liked her as well)

Voila – An exclamation meaning “there you are” or “there it is.”  “Voila!,” she cried as she held out her latest painting to show to her friends.