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Word or Phrase -Derivation Meaning
ad hoc Latin for the specific purpose ad hominem Latin “to the man”—appealing to the personal rather than the logical ad infinitum Latin to infinity ad nauseum Latin to the point of nausea à la carte French each item (on a menu) available separately à la mode French fashionable; with ice cream alma mater Latin one’s college or university angst German anxiety, apprehension anno domini Latin year of our Lord (A.D.) a priori Latin deductive, determined through logic alone avant garde French cutting edge, advanced bête noire French “black beast”—something to be avoided bona fide Latin “in good faith”—genuine, authentic carpe diem Latin “seize the day” carte blanche French free rein coup d’état French governmental takeover by force cul-de-sac French dead end cum laude Latin with honor de facto Latin in reality déjàvu French “already seen”—lived through previously de jure Latin in law ésprit de corps French morale ex post facto Latin after the fact fait accompli French accomplished, irreversible fact faux pas French gaffe, misstep gestalt German unity, perceived whole idée fixe French obsession in absentia Latin in the absence of in loco parentis Latin in the place of a parent in medias res Latin in the middle of a plot ipso facto Latin by that very fact joie de vivre French “joy of living” lingua franca Latin common language magnum opus Latin masterwork mano a mano Spanish “hand to hand”—face to face confrontation mirabile dictu Latin “wonderful to say” modus operandi Latin way of working ne plus ultra Latin “no more beyond”—pinnacle, acme noli-me-tangere Latin “touch me not”—do not interfere nom de plume French penname non sequitur Latin “not following”—off the topic nota bene Latin pay attention per se Latin in and of itself persona non grata Latin unwelcome prima facie Latin “at first view”—self-evident pro bono Latin “for the good”—for free pro forma Latin for form’s sake, done as a formality pro rata Latin in proportion raison d’être French reason for being, justification rara avis Latin “rare bird”—rarity realpolitik German expansionist nationalism savoir-faire French know-how, savvy, tact schadenfreude German pleasure derived from others’ misfortunes sine qua non Latin essential condition sui generis Latin “of its own kind”—unique tabula rasa Latin “blank slate”—unformed opinion vis-à-vis French “face to face”—in connection to weltschmerz German romantic pessimism zeitgeist German spirit of the times
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