Foreign Terms and Phrases

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avant-garde

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adjective: favoring new ideas (Origin: French). Example: That building has an avant-garde design that makes it look out of place compared to the buildings that surround it.

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beau monde

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noun: fashionable world, wealthy society (Origin: French). Example: The northern cities in this country have the atmosphere of a beau monde.

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coup d’état

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noun: overthrow of a government (Origin: French). Example: A group of young adults organized a coup d’état that failed because their approach was ineffective.

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de facto

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adjective: denoting something that serves a function without having official standing (Origin: Latin). Example: The de facto leader of the organization held a meeting without the official president.

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déjà vu

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noun: a feeling of experiencing a present moment at a previous time (Origin: French). Example: Even though I was experiencing a cruise for the first time, the atmosphere gave me a feeling of déjà vu.

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magnum opus

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noun: a great work or achievement, usually in the arts (Origin: Latin). Example: The famous painting of Mona Lisa is a magnum opus.

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mano a mano

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adverb: describing the competition between two people (Origin: Spanish). Example: The two friends are always ready to go mano a mano whenever they play backgammon.

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pas de deux

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noun: a dance between a man and woman (ballet); a complex relationship involving two people or things (Origin: French). Example: We performed a pas de deux that received a standing ovation.

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per capita

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adjective: for each person (Origin: Latin). Example: The per capita income of this neighborhood is $30,000.

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status quo

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noun: the existing state of things (Origin: Latin). Example: Becoming different than the majority can be intimidating, but keeping the status quo can inhibit growth and change.