MC² Market & Competitive ConvergenceWordsSemper Benignus Always Helpful d. — Died (date). d. 766 B.C. d'accord — Agreed. Mostly used in Canada. French. de facto [day FAK-toh] — In reality. Used to indicate that whatever may be believed or legislated, the reality is as indicated here. E.g., she's the de facto leader of the union. de jure [day JHOOR-ay] — In law. The opposite of 'de facto.' de mortuis nil nisi bonum — Speak only good of the dead de rigueur — Required. French. décolletage — A low-cut lady's neckline, exposing some of the breast. Alternatively, it is the portion of the breast exposed by a low neckline. Although this is from the French verb "décolleter," "décolletage" is not often used in French. dégustation — Tasting. The French word simply refers to the act of tasting, while in English "degustation" is used for a tasting event or party, as in wine or cheese tasting. déjà vu — Already seen. The impression or illusion of having seen or experienced something before. French. demimonde — half world. A marginal or disrespectful group. Prostitutes and/or kept women. French. démodé — Out of fashion. Outmoded. French. dernier cri — Last cry The newest fashion or trend. French. de trop — Of too much. Excessive, superfluous. French. deus ex machina — God from the machinery. Device in Greek theatre in which problems were resolved at the end of a play by the intervention of a god who was apparently brought down from Olympus. In fact he was moved by 'machinery' (a crane). It now refers to any contrived interposition in a video game, novel, play, or film, and in general to any external, unexpected, last-minute resolution of a difficulty. dicta / dictum — An authoritative, often formal pronouncement. He cites Augustine's dictum that ‘If you understand it, it is not God' (Joseph Sobran). dieu et mon droit — God and my right. Motto of the British Sovereign digestif — An after dinner spirited drink that helps to settle the stomach. Examples: cognac, jagermeister, cointreau. French. dixi [DIK-see] — I have spoken. That settles it. A person's statement, especially without corroboration. It appears to be a popular name for a variety of European products and Web sites. Dominus tecum — The Lord is with you. Part of the greeting of the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation, as recorded in Luke 1:28. double entendre — To hear twice. If a statement can be interpreted as innocent or as sexual then it is a double entendre. French. doux — Sweet. French. du jour — Of the day. As in 'La Soupe du Jour.' (Soup of the day). French. dulce et decorem est pro patria mori — There is no greater honour than to die for ones country. From Horace. e pluribus unum — One from many. From the seal of the United States. e.g. (exempli gratia) — For example. Often confused with ‘i.e.' Example: "Many real numbers cannot be expressed as a ratio of integers, e.g., the square root of two." eau de toilette — Toilet water. A very weak perfume. French emeritus [ay-MARE-it-us] (feminine: emerita) — Indicates someone who has served out his or her time and retired honorably. E.g., she is now professor emerita. en croute — Encrusted in puff pastry. French. enfant terrible — Terrible child. A talented, embarassing, energetic young person, such as Mozart. French. entrée [on-tre] — The main dish of a meal. The act of entering. French. eppur si mouve — It moves nevertheless. Said by Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) after being forced by the inquisition to recant his theory that the earth orbits the sun. ergo (AIR-go) — Therefore. There was a warrant for his arrest in New York; ergo, he ended up here in Seattle. errare humanum est — To err is human erratum / errata [air-AHT-um/uh] — Error / errors. Refers to the corrections included in a paper or book after it is published to correct minor errors in the text. esse quam videri — To be rather than to seem. Sallust said this of Cato. It is also the motto of North Carolina state. et al. [ETT ALL] (et alii) — And others. Used to indicate an unstated list of contributing authors following the main one. Often used as a list ender to indicate that there are others too numerous to list. etc. (et cetera) [ETT SET-er-ah] — And so forth. Note the pronunciation: There is no "eks" sound. et tu, Brute! — And you, Brutus!. Julius Caesar to Brutus as Brutus knifed him. ex cathedra — Literally from the chair. Theological term which signifies authoritative teaching, and is more particularly applied to the definitions given by the Roman pontiff. ex gratia — Done as a favor ex more — According to custom ex officio — By virtue of one's office. Under U.S. Sente rules, the term refers to the practice that allows the chairman and ranking minority member of a committee to participate in any of the subcommittees of that committee, but generally not to vote. ex parte — From a part / party. Prejudiced, involving only one party to the case. ex post facto [eks post FAK-toh] — From what is done afterward. Enacted after the fact; retroactive. When a law is passed, you can't arrest people ex post facto, i.e., arrest people accused of crimes done prior to the enactment of the law. ex scientia tridens — From knowledge, seapower. Motto of the U.S. Naval Academy. excelsior — Higher. Motto of New York state. exculpatory — Clearing of guilt or blame. Exculpatory DNA evidence cleared the defendent. exeunt — They exit. Stage directions. "X sign-off" doesn't mean love. ex libris — From the library (of). Ex libris R. Donald West. ex officio — By virtue of office ex temporeon — The spur of the moment extra Ecclesiam nulla salus — Outside of the Church there is no salvation faux pas — False step. Social misstep. French. femme fatale — Lethal Woman. An alluring, mysterious woman, who could seduce a man into a dangerous situation. French. Also, fudge fatale. festina lente — Make haste slowly feudum — Fee fait accompli [fay-tah-kom-PLEE] — Accomplished fact, or "its a done deal." French from latin roots. Fe (ferrum) — Iron. The chemical element symbol for iron comes the latin word for it, ferrum. fiat justitia, ruat coelum — Let justice be done, though the heavens fall fiat lux — Make light. As in light the candle of knowledge. Alfred University's motto fidus Achates — Faithful Achates. A true friend. The companion of Aeneas. fides Punica — Punic (Carthaginian) faith. Treachery. fido — To trust. filioque — and the Son (referring to Jesus). To further his own political ends, Charlemagne (circa 790 A.D.) made issue of the proposition that the Holy Spirit proceeds 'from the Father and Son.' The Constantinople-based Church held that it proceeds 'from the Father by the Son.' From the Nicene Creed, illustrating the effect one word can have on the course of events. film noir — Black movie. A type of cynical movie that was popular in the 1930's and 40's. An example would be The Maltese Falcon. A modern equivalent would be the film Bladerunner. French. fin de siècle — End of the century. The decadent period at the end of the 19th century. French. fl. (floruit) — He or she flourished. Used to indicate the high point of a person's life or career when his/her dates of birth are unknown. fleur-de-lis — Flower of lily. A type of iris or an emblem in the shape of an iris with three petals. French. folie à deux — Craziness shared by two people. French. force majeure — Greater force. Force majeure clauses excuse a party from liability if some unforseen event beyond the control of that party prevents it from performing its obligations under the contract. Typically, force majeure clauses cover natural disasters or other "Acts of God", war, or the failure of third parties, such as suppliers and subcontractors, to perform their obligations to the contracting party. French. friandises — An after dinner treat that could be made with chocolate, marzipan or sugared fruit that accompanies the digestif and coffee. French. gamine — Playful,little girl. Refers to an impish or playful girl/woman. French. gorgonzola — A pungent, blue-veined, pressed Italian cheese made of cow's milk. Named after a town in Italy. Italian. gemütlichkeit — Good cheer, friendliness. Ein prosit der gemütlichkeit (To All Good Cheer), from the Song Of The Volga Boatmen. German. gendarme — Police. French. gladiator in arena consilium capit — The gladiator is formulating his plan in the arena (i.e., too late) (Seneca) Grand Cru — Term used for top-quality wines. France. granita — Similar to a sorbet but with a grainier texture, usually made of fruit juice. French. gratia plena — Full of grace. It is the title given by the angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation, see Luke 1:28. gravitas [GRAV-uh-tahs] — Weight, seriousness, dignity, importance. And we want to tell our readers about sharp, clever books, utterly lacking in gravitas, that we know will delight them on the beach or the bus. --Benjamin Schwarz, "(Some of) the best books of 2001," The Atlantic, December 2001 gt / gtt (gutta / guttae) — Drop / drops of liquid. The instructions on the medicine bottle said take 1gt a.s. guerrilla — Little war. French. hab. corp. (habeas corpus) — You may (must) have the body. A writ of habeas corpus is a judicial mandate to a prison official ordering that an inmate be brought to the court so it can be determined whether or not that person is imprisoned lawfully and whether or not he should be released from custody. haute — Elegant, high. E.g., haute couture (high fashion clothing), haute cousine (high fashion food). French. Hg (hydrargyrum) — Mercury. The element symbol for mercury, Hg, comes from the Latin hydrargyrum, which means liquid silver. hic locus est ubi mors gaudet succurrere vitae — This is the place where death rejoices to teach those who live. Seen where autopsies are performed. HJS / H.J.S. (hic iacet sepultus) — Here lies buried. As on a tombstone. homo homini lupus — Man is a wolf to man. A popular Roman proverb by Plautus (died 184 B.C.), in his Asinaria. honi soit qui mal y pense — Evil to him who evil thinks. From The Order of the Garter, an ancient Order of knighthood of which the Queen is Sovereign. hors de combat — Out of the fight. Someone who has been hurt badly and has given up. After has breakup with Norma, he is hors de combat. French. hors-d'oeuvre — Outside of the work. A snack, or an appetizer, you eat before a meal. French. HRIP / H.R.I.P. (hic requiescit in pace) — Here rests in peace, as on a tombstone i.a. (in absentia) — In absence. Red Beard was sentenced to death i.a. ibid (ibidem) [ib-EED-em] — In the same place. Used in footnotes to indicate that the reference is the same as the preceding one(s). i.e. (id est) [id EST] — That is. Often confused with ‘e.g.' Example: "She won the race, i.e., she crossed the finish line first." The decision whether to use ‘i.e.,' or ‘e.g.' should be based on whether "that is" or "for example" is what is wanted in the sentence. IHS / I.H.S. (Iesus Hominum Salvator) — Jesus Saviour of Men imprimatur — Imprint. Let it be printed. If the bishop is satisfied, he gives the work his 'Imprimatur' or imprint. imprimi potest — It can be printed. If the reviewer is satisfied, he grants the work an "Imprimi potest." in camera — In a room. In private. The meeting between the district attorney and the major was held in camera. in extremis — In very bad circumstances; at the point of death. The accident victim was in in extremis. in flagrante delicto — In the commission of the act. The maid caught him in flagrante delicto with Norma Raye. in hoc signo vinces — By this sign you will conquer. From a vision of the Roman emperor Constantine in about the year 310, at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. He saw a cross with this legend. in loco parentis — In the place of a parent. Alfred University acted in loco parentis by imposing a curfew on women. in medias res — In the midst of things. It usually describes a narrative that begins, not at the beginning of a story, but somewhere in the middle, usually at some crucial point in the action. The term comes from the ancient Roman poet Horace, who advised an aspiring epic poet to go straight to the heart of the story instead of beginning at the beginning. in memoriam — In memory (of). In Memoriam Kristen Nygaard (1926-2002). in re [IN RAY] — In regards to. Often used to head formal correspondence. When only re is written, it should be translated as "regarding." IN RE: OJ SIMPSON. in statu viae — In a state of journeying. The universe, since its big-bang creation, has been in statu viae. in situ — In its proper position in solidum — For the whole. Where there are several co-obligants bound "in solidum", each is liable in full payment or performance, and the creditor may choose which of the obligants he will sue. Every person whose name appears on a bill, whether as acceptor or endorser, is liable in full payment of its contents although he may after payment do diligence against the others for relief. Those who in a joint obligation are not bound for the whole but only for their share are said to be liable "pro rata". in toto [in TOH-TOH] — Entirely. All the recommendations were adopted in toto. in vacuo [in VAK-yoo-oh] — In a vacuum. Should be taken to mean "in the absence of other conditions or influences." E.g., nobody achieves maturity in vacuo. in vino veritas — In wine truth. When we drink, the truth comes out. in vitro — In glass. It refers to the glass containers used in laboratories. In vitro fertilization takes place in a glass container. Also, in vitro diagnostics help us identify abnormal conditions in patients. in vivo — In the living. In vivo fertilization occurs within a living organism. idée fixe — Set idea. Fixation, obsession. French. infra dig. (infra dignitatem) — Beneath one's dignity. Undignified. Example from Saul Bellow: "Doing the floors on his knees didn't bother him....It never occurred to him that it was infra dig." inter alia [IN-ter ALL-ee-uh] — Among other things. Legal drafters would use it to precede a list of examples or samples covered by a more general descriptive statement. interlocutory — Between parties. Proceedings taken during the course of, and incidental to a trial. These decisions intervene after the start of a suit and decide some issues other than the final decision itself. INRI / I.N.R.I. (IESUS NAZARENVS REX IVDAEORVM) — Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. The title over Jesus' cross. N.B. Latin used 'I' and 'V' where English uses 'J' and 'U'. ipsa quidem pretium virtus sibi — Virtue is it's own reward ipso facto [IP-soh FAK-toh] — By that very fact. Example: "Lay group representations are useful in characterizing quantum mechanical phenomena, and they are, ipso facto, an important part of a physicist's mathematical training." je ne sais quoi — I don't know what. An indefinable (usually compelling) quality. French. joie de vivre — Joy of life. Some people are always happy. They have joie de vivre. French. K (kalium) — Potassium. The element symbol for potassium, K, comes from the Latin word kalium. kimmelweck — Kaiser roll topped with caroway seeds and pretzel salt. Wick. Beef on wick. Very popular in the Buffalo, New York area. Alternative spelling: Kummelweck. German. l'esprit d'escalier — Staircase wit. Thinking of the right answer too late (literally "staircase wit"), originally a witticism of Rousseau. French. laissez-faire — Let it be. A policy of non-interference. French. lapsus calami — A slip of the pen lapsus linguae — A slip of the tongue lingua franca — Frank tongue. A common language used by speakers of different languages. Latin is the lingua franca of science. The ancient Arab world referred to peoples who populated most of today's Europe as Franks. So, for them, Latin was lingua franca. lis pendes — Pending the litigation. A document filed in the public records of the county where particular real property is located stating that a pending lawsuit may affect the title to the property. Because nobody wants to buy real estate if its ownership is in dispute, a lis pendens notice effectively ties up the property until the case is resolved. Lis pendens notices are often filed in divorce actions when there is disagreement about selling or dividing the family home. Cf. pendente lite. loc. cit. (loco citato) — In the place cited. Relates to sources immediately before the citation. lusus naturae — Freak of nature. Freaks of nature were a legal entity, so you'll see references to this term. Attributions the Armchair Grammarian |