The Browser’s Dictionary
of Foreign Words
and Phrases

The Browser’s Dictionary
of Foreign Words
and Phrases
Mary Varchaver and
Frank Ledlie Moore
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
New York • Chichester • Weinheim • Brisbane • Singapore • Toronto
Copyright © 2001 by Mary Varchaver and Frank Ledlie Moore. All rights reserved
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Foreword
At last we are given a bright and sprightly dictionary that is not
only useful but a joy to read. Veteran reference book compilers
and editors Mary Varchaver and Frank L. Moore, who are known
especially for their recently published Dictionary of the Performing
Arts, have turned their talents to enlightening us on the meanings
of foreign words and phrases we meet in our daily lives. This is
not a dictionary of academic terms you might have been expected
to learn in school. Nor is it a dictionary directed to travelers in
foreign lands from which you are supposed to learn scores of
terms about ordering your dinner in restaurants, or learning to
get about in a train station, or arguing with concierges about the
state of your hotel room or the high amount of your bill. It is,
rather, a dictionary to help you elucidate what you come across
every day in newspapers or hear on television. Its choice of terms
and directness of style reflect the immediacy of everyday discourse.
Thus it is a unique and exceptionally useful addition to
the genre of special dictionaries.
What are its other features? First, it guides you to the correct
pronunciation of foreign words, using transcriptions from ordinary
English. Most other dictionaries of foreign words and expressions
use elaborate phonetic symbols unfathomable to most persons,
or, even worse, have no pronunciation guides at all.
Second, the definitions are a model of clarity, and the meanings
are illustrated by hundreds of sentences. Consider these entries,
given in their entirety:
afflatus (ah-FLAH-tus) [Latin: a breathing on] An inspiration; an
irresistible understanding that comes into the mind as a fresh
breeze. 
He goes at the canvas with all the afflatus of a silkworm
eating its phlegmatic way across a mulberry leaf.—Time, April
13, 1998.
v
vi Foreword
smorgasbord (SMOR-ges-bord) [Swedish: sandwich table] A buffet
table that presents a great variety of hot and cold dishes. By
extension, any situation that offers many choices. 
Here, in the
sunny Southern Caliphate, they make up a smorgasbord of leastfavored
nations.—The New York Times Book Review, July 18,
1993.
Third, the entries focus on those words that an American
reader will recognize as truly foreign. Thousands of words in
American English have foreign sources, such as dollar or ketchup,
but their meanings have become so thoroughly absorbed into our
everyday language that they are no longer classified as foreign. In
this Browser’s Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases, the authors
have stressed foreignness by choosing words that are relatively
recent additions to the language. They have also included some
older adopted words that have different or expanded meanings in
current usage.
I learned early on in my career as an editor and writer of reference
books that a really useful dictionary is one that contains
the information you need, in a form you can easily use. This dictionary
is, in short, a book you will want to keep at hand year in
and year out. You will not be disappointed if you approach it with
that expectation in mind.
Gorton Carruth, former editor in chief
of Funk & Wagnalls, coeditor of the
Oxford American Dictionary, and
editor of The New York Times
Crossword Puzzle Dictionary
Acknowledgments
Grateful acknowledgment is made to our agents and friends
Nicholas Smith and Andrea Pedolsky, who provided the impetus
for this project, and to the fine editors at Wiley & Sons: Chip Rossetti,
Mark Steven Long, and Jim Gullickson. Special thanks also
to Gorton Carruth, Yola Coffeen, Andre Varchaver, and Nicholas
Varchaver for their help and encouragement. Without the invaluable
assistance of Gabi Moore, this dictionary would not have
seen the light of day.
vii

Dedicated to the memory of Frank Ledlie Moore.

How to Use This Dictionary
1. The entry word or phrase appears in boldface.
2. Pronunciation appears next in italics in parentheses, with the
stressed syllables in uppercase type. In some cases where the
original pronunciation of the foreign word differs from that of
modern or standard English, both pronunciations are given.
3. The etymology and/or language origin of the words appears
in brackets.
4. The definition follows.
5. Cross-references appearing within or at the end of the entries
are in small capital letters.
Pronunciation Guide
ah the sound of (a) in father.
ay the sound of (a) in day, ace.
eh the sound of (e) in met, edge.
eye the sound of (i) in ice, write.
ih the sound of (i) in it, give.
oh the sound of (o) in go, over.
ow the sound of (o) in cow, now.
uh the sound of (u) in but, up.
zh the sound of (s) in vision, treasure.
Foreign Sounds
au as in German auf, Latin laude, Spanish gaucho: the sound of
(ou) in out.
eu as in French deux, German schon: the sound of (e) in get or
let, pronounced with the lips rounded or pursed.
1
kh as in German ach or Scottish loch: made by pronouncing a
strong, aspirated (h) with the tongue in position for (k), as
in keel or cool.
u as in French rue, German uber: the sound of (e) in feet, pronounced
with the lips rounded or pursed.
nh Indicates the heavy nasalization of a preceding vowel. (The
symbols n and h are not pronounced.) Nasalization means
that more of the sound comes through the nose than
through the mouth. Thus:
anh heavily nasalized sound of the (a) in father, as in French
piquant (pee-KANH) or nuance (nu-ANHS).
enh heavily nasalized sound of the (a) in cat, as in French vin
(venh) or point (point).
onh heavily nasalized sound of the (o) in order, as in French tontine
(tonh-TEEN) or marron (mah-RONH).
Note: In some words, such as the German verboten (fehr-BOH-tn),
no vowel appears in the unstressed syllable because the (tn) is
closest in sound to the entire syllable. Many languages do not use
stress in the manner of English. In some transliterations of Japanese
words that have high and low tones rather than accents, we
have chosen to indicate a syllable that the Japanese pronounce
with a low tone, as if it were a stressed syllable.
2 How to Use This Dictionary
a bas • a capella 3
a bas (ah BAH) [French] Down with, as in a bas le roi: down with
the king. The opposite is vive.
abbatoir (ah-bah-TWAHR) [French] A slaughterhouse.
abbe (ah-BAY) [French, from Latin] An abbott. In France, a title
given to a priest or member of the clergy.
abogado (ah-boh-GAH-doh) [Spanish] An advocate; an attorney;
a lawyer.
ab origine (ahb oh-RIH-jeh-neh) [Latin] From the beginning. Not
the same as the single word aborigine.
aborigine (ah-boh-RIH-jeh-nee) [Latin] One of the original people
(of a country). 
The Maoris are the aborigines of New Zealand.
ab ovo (ahb OH-voh) [Latin: from (the) egg] From the very beginning.
abrazo (ah-BRAH-soh) [Spanish] An embrace; a hug.
abri (ah-BREE) [French, from Latin] A shelter; a place of refuge.
absinthe (AB-sinth) [French, from Latin and Greek] A green, bitter,
licorice-flavored liqueur distilled from wormwood and other
aromatics; like ouzo, it turns milky white when water is added.
Because of its extremely high alcohol content (70 percent to 80
percent) and toxicity, it has been banned in most countries.
a capella (ah kah-PEL-ah) [Italian: in chapel] A musical term describing
choral music that has no instrumental accompaniment.
A
accable (ah-kah-BLAY) [French] Overwhelmed; physically or mentally
overcome by fatigue or sorrow; crushed.
accolade (ah-koh-LAID) [French: around the neck] Originally, the
embrace around the neck by which the king bestowed knighthood,
later the touch of a sword on the shoulder. Recently, any
award, honor, or praise. 
The highest accolade honored two
officers killed in the line of duty
accouchement (ah-koosh-MANH) [French, from accoucher: to give
birth, to be delivered] Childbirth; confinement; lying-in.
achtung (AHKH-toong) [German] Watch out! Attention! Pay attention.
acme (AK-mee) [Greek: point, edge] The highest point; the greatest
achievement.
actualites (ahk-tyoo-ah-lee-TAY) [French] Current or recent events;
the news of the moment; a newsreel.
adagio (ah-DAH-zhyoh) [Italian, from ad agio: at ease] In music,
slowly. A slow piece of music or dance. 
In ballet, the slow,
sustained movements of an adagio form the first section of the
classical pas de deux.
addenda (plural); addendum (singular) (ah-DEHN-dah, ah-DEHNdum)
[Latin] Something added; additional information. 
thousands
of clumsy, awkward amateurs, whose addenda to this
“course” of study make the schools ridiculous—The Atlantic
Monthly, March 1999.
addio (ah-DEE-oh) [Italian, from a Dio: to God] Good-bye.
a deux (ah DEU) [French] For or of two people; for two people
only; between two people in a close relationship; intimate.
4 accable • a deux
ad hoc • Adonai 5
ad hoc (ahd HOHK) [Latin: for this] For a particular purpose or
thing; up to this time. Usually applied to small groups or committees
whose work will continue only as long as a specific problem
is under discussion. 
This ad hoc group of five investigators
. . . published a report.—The New York Review of Books,
April 22, 1999.
ad hominem (ahd HOM-ih-nehm) [Latin: to the man] Founded
on or appealing to the interests, passions, or prejudices of an
individual, rather than to his or her argument. By extension,
casting doubt on an opponent’s character rather than responding
to the question posed. Also, an argument that fails to prove
a point under discussion by failing to address it directly. 
There
is a difference between satire and spiteful, ad hominem playground
insults.
adieu (ah-DYEU) [French, from a Dieu: to God] Good-bye; farewell.
ad infinitum (ahd in-fih-NYE-tum) [Latin] To infinity; forever.

The list could be extended ad infinitum.—The New York Times,
November 30, 1941.
adios (ah-DYOHS) [Spanish, from a Dios: to God] Good-bye;
farewell.
ad libitum (ahd LIB-ih-tum) [Latin] At liberty; at will.
ad nauseam (ahd NAW-zee-um) [Latin] To the point of nausea;
to a sickening degree.
adobe (ah-DOH-bee) [Spanish] A yellow silt found in the U.S.
Southwest, used to make sun-dried bricks for building. 
The
community houses of the Pueblo Indians were built of adobe or
stone.
Adonai (ah-doh-NYE) [Hebrew] A phrase meaning “the name of
God,” used in Orthodox Jewish services to avoid speaking the
actual name in accordance with the commandment not to take
the Lord’s name in vain.
ad valorem (ahd vah-LOH-rehm) [Latin] To the value; according to
(its) value. 
With recent ad valorem taxes the figure is higher.—
The Guardian, February 4, 1999.
aegis (EE-jiss) [Latin, from Greek: the shield of Zeus] Protection;
sponsorship. 
To complicate the bureaucracy even further,
Europe-only actions would be carried out under the aegis
of the Western European Union.—Time, April 12, 1999.
affaire de coeur (ah-FAIR deu KEUR) [French] An affair of the
heart; a love affair.
affaire d’honneur (ah-FAIR don-NEUR) [French] An affair of
honor; a duel.
affiche (ah-FEESH) [French] An official notice or an advertisement
posted in a public place; a poster.
afflatus (ah-FLAH-tus) [Latin: a breathing on] An inspiration; an
irresistible understanding that comes into the mind as a fresh
breeze. 
He goes at the canvas with all the afflatus of a silkworm
eating its phlegmatic way across a mulberry leaf.—
Time, April 13, 1998.
aficionado (ah-fee-syoh-NAH-doh) [Spanish] An enthusiast; a fan,
especially a devotee of bullfighting. 
This is the domain of aficionados,
and categories rapidly ramify.—The New York Review of
Books, April 22, 1999.
a fond (ah FONH) [French] To the bottom; fully; thoroughly. See
also au fond.
agal (ah-gahl) [Arabic] A cord wound around an Arabic man’s
head to hold his kaffiyeh in place.
6 ad valorem • agal
agent provocateur (ah-zhanh pro-vok-ah-TEUR) [French: instigator]
A paid undercover agent who abets activities directed against
the state or against society, or one who incites people under
suspicion to commit illegal acts that result in their downfall or
punishment. 
The novel follows the misfortunes of a doubledealing
agent provocateur in the former Soviet Union.
agita (AH-jee-tah) [Italian] Agitation; annoyance; trouble.
a gogo (ah GOH-goh) [French] As much as you want; galore; to
your heart’s content.
agon (AH-gon) [Greek: a struggle or contest] In drama, the struggle
or tension between principal characters that precipitates the
action of the play 
In Shakespeare’s Othello the agon can be felt
in every evil insinuation as Iago goads Othello into murderous
jealousy.
agora (AH-go-rah) [Greek] A marketplace in ancient Greece; a
popular place of assembly. 
And nothing really happens that
isn’t older than the forum, more ancient than the agora in
Athens.—The New York Times, May 5, 1962.
aide-de-camp (ehd deu KAHN) [French: camp helper] A military
or naval officer acting as a personal assistant to a senior officer.
aide-memoire (ehd-mehm-WAHR) [French: an aid to the memory]
A memorandum recounting a proposal, discussion, agreement,
or action.
aikido (eye-KEE-doh) [ Japanese: way of spiritual harmony] A
method of self-defense, designed to subdue rather than injure
an opponent, that uses throwing and twisting techniques to
turn the opponent’s impetus and strength against him or her.

Her mother is a student of homeopathy and a teacher of the
Japanese martial art aikido.—Time, August 14, 1995.
agent provocateur • aikido 7
aioli (eye-oh-LEE) [Provencal, from Portuguese and Latin: garlic and
oil] A garlic-flavored mayonnaise popular in southern France,
often served with cold fish, chicken, or cold boiled potatoes.
a la carte (ah lah KAHRT) [French: by the card] According to the
menu. With each item on the menu having a separate price;
the opposite of prix fixe or table d’hote. 
that offer a range of
menus, from prawn cocktails to a la carte—The Guardian,
March 20, 1999.
alameda (ah-lah-MAY-dah) [Spanish] A public walkway shaded
with poplar trees.
a la mode (ah lah MOHD) [French] In the style of; according to
the fashion. Fashionable. In the United States, describing a
dessert served or topped with a scoop of ice cream.
albergo (ahl-BEHR-goh) [Italian] An inn or hostelry. 
Our room
at the albergo had a small, private terrace shaded by grapevine.
alembic (ah-LEM-bik) [Arabic: a cap on a still] A device or a
method that tests, transforms, or purifies.
alfresco, al fresco (ahl-FREHS-koh) [Italian] In fresh air; out of
doors, as in “an alfresco supper on the terrace.” See also en
plein air, fresco, plein air.
algorithm (AL-goh-rithm) [Arabic, a variant of algorism] A procedure
for analyzing or solving a particular kind of problem in a
finite or measurable number of steps. Any method of computation
based on the Arabic system of arithmetical notation.

National Weather Service Doppler radars use algorithms to
analyze radar data for determining accumulated rainfall, storm
motion, etc.
alibi (AL-lih-bye) [Latin: in another place] An excuse; a story that
would, if proven true, exonerate an accused person. 
People
8 aioli • alibi
who cannot do mental arithmetic may have been given a new
alibi.—The Guardian, May 7, 1998.
a l’improviste (ah lemh-proh-VEEST) [French, from Italian] All of
a sudden; in an unexpected, sudden, or spontaneous manner.
aliyah, aliya (ah-lee-YAH) [Hebrew: ascent] The immigration of
Jewish individuals or groups to Israel. In a synagogue, the act
of going to the lectern to read the weekly selection from the
Torah.
alkali (AL-kah-leye) [Arabic: from ashes] Any of several base chemicals
that neutralize acids or form caustic solutions in water.
Soap, for example, is an alkali.
allegro (ah-LEH-groh) [Italian] Light; lightly. In music, a directive
to play briskly, at a fairly rapid pace.
allemande (ahl-MAHND) [French: German] A 16th-century German
dance in duple meter. In music of the 17th and 18th centuries,
a section of an instrumental suite, often in moderate
4/4 time.
alma mater (ahl-mah MAH-ter) [Latin] Benign, nourishing mother;
originally an epithet of several goddesses in Greek mythology,
now used almost exclusively in reference to one’s college or
university. 
He has contributed lavishly to Princeton, his son’s
alma mater.
almanac (AHL-mah-nak) [Arabic: the calendar] An annual publication
that provides tables of astronomical and meteorological
information for the year. Almanacs for the general public typically
contain the times of sunrises and sunsets, the beginnings
and endings of seasons, holidays, predictions of weather, and
general advice for living.
aloha (ah-LOH-hah) [Hawaiian] Greetings; hello; good-bye.
a l’improviste • aloha 9
altiplano (ahl-tee-PLAH-noh) [American Spanish: high plain] Any
plateau or large area of level land at a high elevation. 
this
Andean snow-fed lake is, in fact, a remnant of an ancient inland
sea that covered much of what is now the Bolivian Altiplano—
The New York Times, January 10, 1999.
alto (AHL-toh) [Italian: high] In music, formerly, the highest male
voice, now generally restricted to the lowest female voice. Having
the tonal range of an alto, between tenor and soprano.
amah (ah-MAH) [Portuguese] A female servant who takes care
of the children; a nanny. See also ayah.
amandine (ah-manh-DEEN) [French] In French cooking, prepared
or served with almonds.
amanuensis (ah-man-yoo-EHN-sis) [Latin, short for servus amanuensis:
servant at hand] A personal secretary who writes down
everything that is spoken; a literary assistant. 
More than that,
she became an acolyte at the foot of the sage, an amanuensis
chronicling his every word.—Time, August 12, 1996.
ambience, ambiance (ahm-bee-ANHS) [French] The character, pervading
atmosphere, mood, or quality of the surroundings or
the milieu. That which encompasses; the environment. 
Even
the lowliest diner has its particular ambience.
ambuscade (ahm-bus-KAHD) [French, from Portuguese] An ambush.
To lie in wait to attack from a hidden position.
ami (m), amie (f ) (ah-MEE) [French] A friend; a lover.
amicus curiae (AH-mee-kus KYOO-ree-ay) [Latin: friend of the court]
A person who advises or is invited to advise the court upon a
matter to which he or she is not a party. 
Douglas N. Letter,
Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, argued the cause for
amicus curiae—The New York Times, July 28, 1998.
10 altiplano • amicus curiae
amiga (f ), amigo (m) (ah-MEE-gah, ah-MEE-goh) [Spanish] Friend;
comrade.
amok (ah-MOK) [Malay] In parts of Southeast Asia, a psychic disorder
in which depression is followed by frenzied or murderous
behavior; used in the phrase “to run amok.” 
Against a relatively
tame attack Lara ran amok, hitting 111—and South Africa out
of the series.—Time, May 17, 1999.
amontillado (ah-mon-tee-YAH-doh) [Spanish: from (the town of )
Montilla] A type of matured, medium-dry Spanish sherry.
amoretto (ah-mor-REH-toh) [Italian] A little amor; a cupid.
amor vincit omnia (ah-MOR VIN-sit OM-nee-ah) [Latin] Love conquers
all. Also written as omnia vincit amor.
ancien regime (anhs-YEHN ray-ZHEEM) [French] The old government,
particularly that of France before the revolution of
1789. See also regime. 
straight talk that pierces the pretensions
and propaganda of an oppressive and antidemocratic ancien
regime—The Atlantic Monthly, March 5, 1997.
andante (ahn-DAHN-teh) [Italian] In music, moving along; at a
comfortable walking pace.
angst (ahnkst) [German] Anxiety; dread; psychological tension.

all three rather passive actors notable for exuding angst and
spiritual injury—The Guardian, May 16, 1999.
anima (AH-nee-mah) [Latin: breathing being] The soul or spirit;
vital force. In Jungian psychology, the inner person that is in
contact with the subconscious. 
When asked about the source
of his strong anima, he said it might have developed from his
position as the only male in a family of many women.
anomie (AN-oh-mee) [French, from Greek: lawlessness] A social
or personal condition characterized by a lack of social values
amiga • anomie 11
12 antebellum • aplomb
and standards. 
a story of existentialist anomie tricked out in
real gold—The Guardian, April 25, 1999.
antebellum (AN-tee-BEL-lum) [Latin: before the war] In existence
before the war; usually used in reference to the period before
the American Civil War of 1861–1865. 
Many of the elegant
plantation houses in the deep South are preserved as examples
of antebellum grandeur.
ante meridiem (AN-tee meh-RIH-dee-em) [Latin] Before noon; before
the sun reaches the meridian. Abbreviated a.m.
antipasto (ahn-tee-PAH-stoh) [Italian: before the meal] Appetizers
consisting of anchovies, olives, artichoke hearts, various sausages,
etc., served before the main course of a meal.
apartheid (ah-PAHR-tayt) [Afrikaans: apartness] The rigid government
policy of racial segregation and discrimination against
nonwhites in the Republic of South Africa, abolished in the early
1990s. By extension, any policy or system that segregates people
according to their race or social class. 
With the Olympics
increasingly mired in political controversy—whether as antiapartheid
protesting ground or cold-war proxy battle—Time,
May 10, 1999.
apercu (ah-pehr-SU) [French: perceived] A quick glance; a glimpse.
An immediate estimate, insight, or understanding. A summary
exposition; a view of the whole.
aperitif (ah-pay-ree-TEEF) [French, from Latin] A drink of wine
or liquor taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite. See also
digestif.
aplomb (ah-PLONH) [French, from a plomb: by the lead; as straight
up and down as the plumber’s lead weight] Confidence; dignity;
poise; self-assurance. Also, the vertical position. 
He answered
personal questions from the press with great aplomb.
apocalypse • appellation controlee 13
apocalypse (ah-POK-ah-lips) [Greek] When capitalized, the last
book of the New Testament: the Revelation of Saint John the
Divine. A prophecy, revelation, or disclosure, especially one
concerning a conflict between the forces of good and evil.
Also, a catastrophic event; universal destruction; the end of the
world, as in “the apocalypse of nuclear warfare.”
a point (ah PWENH) [French: to the point] Cooked just right;
done to a turn.
a posteriori (ah poh-steh-ree-OH-ree ) [Latin: to the back] Going
back to what came before; based upon facts that were known
before. An a posteriori theory is one that has been derived from
the evidence of its result.
apotheosis (ah-poth-ee-OH-sis) [Greek: from a god] Deification;
the elevation of a human being to godhood or divine rank;
the glorification of a person or principle. Also, the epitome
or perfect example, as in “the apotheosis of creativity.” 
I love
paper—a good book is the apotheosis of which every tree
dreams.—The Atlantic Monthly, February 1997.
apparat (ah-pah-RAHT) [Russian] A machine or system; a power
structure; a political organization.
apparatchik (singular); apparatchiki (plural) (ah-pah-RAHT-chik,
ah-pah-RAHT-chih-kee) [Russian] An agent or member of the
apparat or power structure within an organization or political
party. The word was introduced into English in the early 1940s.

The speech catapulted him from apparatchik obscurity to political
prominence as a Serb nationalist.—The New Yorker, April 19,
1999.
appassionato (ah-pah-syoh-NAH-toh) [Italian] In music, with passion;
to be played passionately.
appellation controlee (ah-peh-lah-SYONH konh-troh-LAY) [French:
controlled appellation] A designation given to those French
wines for which the government guarantees the origin, the
variety of grapes used, and the quality of the finished product.
The designation appears on wine labels as, for example, Appellation
Cotes du Rhone Controlee.
applique (ah-plee-KAY) [French: applied; fastened] In quilt making
or sewing, a piece of fabric cut to a certain shape or design
and sewn onto a backing; the piece of work so formed. To
apply such pieces to a quilt, a dress, a wall-hanging, etc. 
She
wore a handsome velvet jacket with silk appliques in art deco
style.
apres moi le deluge (ah-pray MWAH leu day-LUZH) [French]
After me, the deluge: attributed to Louis XV, referring to evidence
of the coming revolution.
a priori (ah pree-OH-ree) [Latin: from before] Already known to
be valid. A fact known a priori requires no analysis. 
Logic and
a priori assumption, not empirical research, led to Sennett’s
insight—The Atlantic Monthly, February 1998.
apropos (ah-proh-POH) [French, from Latin] As an adverb: to the
purpose; pertinently; at the right time. As an adjective: opportune;
pertinent, as in, for example, “an apropos comment.” Apropos
of: with regard to; with respect to, as in “apropos of the latest
news.” When used to introduce a noun: incidentally, by the
way. 
the amusing congruity of Lola Young’s remarks (apropos
the Orange Prize short-list—The Guardian, May 11, 1999.
aquarelle (ah-kwah-REL) [French, from Italian, from Latin] A
painting done in watercolors. A printed picture on which watercolors
have been applied by hand, using stencils.
aquavit (AHK-wah-veet) [Danish, Norwegian, Swedish] A distilled
drink similar to vodka, flavored with caraway seeds.
arbitrage (AHR-bih-trahzh) [French, from Latin: to regulate; arbitrate]
The simultaneous buying and selling of the same stocks,
14 applique • arbitrage
bonds, commodities, etc., in different markets to profit from
unequal prices. 
It means the government ought to practice
colossal arbitrage with irrational private savers.—Fortune,
November 25, 1996.
arcana (ahr-KAH-nah) [Latin] Mysterious or hidden things; profound
secrets. 
The general reader can immediately appreciate
the architecture of its orchestration with little or no grounding
in Yeatsian arcana or the “Irish question.”—The Atlantic Monthly,
February 1998.
arete (ah-REHT) [French, from Latin: a bristlelike ear of wheat]
A sharp mountain ridge or rugged spur, created by the action
of glaciers.
argot (AHR-goh, ahr-GOH) [French] The jargon, slang, or specialized
vocabulary used by a particular group or class of people;
the jargon or idiom of a trade or profession. 
I thought at first
it might be a piece of Welsh argot—The Guardian, April 28,
1999.
aria (AH-ree-ah) [Italian: air] An extended song for solo voice,
often with orchestral accompaniment, usually part of an opera
or choral work.
arigato (ah-ree-GAH-toh) [ Japanese] Thank you.
Armageddon (ar-mah-GEHD-don) [Hebrew] The name of a great
battle that was prophesied to occur on the plains (now called
Megiddo) in the Valley of Jezreel near Mount Carmel in northern
Israel. In modern parlance, the final conflict that will
destroy the world, or any battle that results in utter devastation.

Of course, in thinking about the financial implications
of doomsday, don’t overlook stockpiling and other standard
Armageddon preparations.—The New York Times, April 12, 1998.
armoire (ahr-MWAHR) [French, from Latin] A large, movable cupboard,
cabinet, or wardrobe. Formerly a place for storing arms;
arcana • armoire 15
16 arpeggio • art nouveau
an armory. 
Our spacious hotel room also boasted an armoire
in lieu of a closet.
arpeggio (ahr-PEH-jyoh) [Italian] In music, the notes of a chord
played in succession, with an upward or downward sweep,
rather than simultaneously.
arriere-pensee (ah-ree-EHR panh-SAY) [French: backward thought]
A mental reservation; a concealed motive.
arriviste (ah-ree-VEEST) [French] A person who uses any means
available to realize his or her desires. In current usage, one who
attains sudden social or financial success through underhanded
or dishonorable practices rather than hard work. 
They were
distressed when their only child married an arriviste.
arrondissement (ah-ronh-dees-MANH) [French: a rounding out]
The largest subdivision of a French departement, made up of
several cantons or smaller administrative districts. A municipal
district in some larger French cities, such as Paris.
arroyo (ah-ROY-oh) [Spanish] In the southwestern United States,
a gorge with relatively steep sides and a flat floor, usually dry
except during infrequent rains.
art deco (ahrt DEH-koh) [French, from a shortening of arts decoratifs]
A style of decorative art and industrial design introduced
in the 1920s and 1930s, since revived in the 1970s, that uses
geometric motifs, long, sleek forms, and synthetic materials to
evoke or express modern technology. 
City planners hope to
preserve at least the facade of this art deco building.
artiste (ahr-TEEST) [French: artist] An entertainer; a public performer,
as a singer, dancer, actor, mime, etc.
art nouveau (ahrt noo-VOH, ahr noo-VOH) [French: new art] A
style of decorative art popular in the late 1880s and early 1890s.
Lavishly ornamental, it made use of exotic and dreamlike forms,
strong symbolism, and a linearity reminiscent of natural forms
such as plant tendrils. 
The jewelry of designer Rene Lalique
was considered one of art nouveau’s most elegant expressions.
ashram (ASH-ram) [Sanskrit] In India, a secluded place of religious
retreat and learning, sometimes the home of a guru.

Since the Beatles’ flirtation with meditation in the 1960s,
ashrams in India have been frequented by celebrity ascetics.—
Time, July 6, 1998.
assegai (AH-seh-gheye) [Portuguese, from Arabic] A wooden spear
carried by the original warriors of the Bantu-speaking tribes of
South Africa.
atelier (ah-teul-YAY) [French, from Latin] A workshop, especially
of an artist, artisan, printmaker, or designer; a studio. 
The
atelier served as a living space as well as a work area.
atrium (AY-tree-um) [Latin] The main room of an ancient Roman
house, at the center of the house, and open to the sky. In a
modern house, a small, not necessarily skylit room near the
entrance, where guests may be received before they enter the
main living room.
attache (ah-tah-SHAY) [French] A diplomatic or military official
attached to a diplomatic mission or staff in a specific field of
activity, as a cultural attache or army attache. 
He was the U.S.
defense attache in Paris during the Nixon administration.
auberge (oh-BEHR-zh) [French, from Provencal] An inn or hostelry.
aubergine (oh-behr-ZHEEN) [French] Eggplant, or the dark purple
color of eggplant.
au contraire (oh kon-TRAIR) [French] On the contrary; on the
opposite side. 
I am not prepared to say that all American husashram
• au contraire 17
bands are untrue to their wives. Au contraire, I think most husbands
are faithful in their fashion.—The New York Times, September
20, 1998.
au courant (oh koo-RANH) [French: in the current] Up-to-date;
well-informed; fully aware. 
your company will become more
flexible, more profitable, more au courant—The Guardian, February
7, 1999.
au fond (oh FONH) [French] At bottom; to the bottom; essentially;
thoroughly; in actuality. See also a fond.
auf Wiedersehen (owf VEE-dehr-zay-en) [German] Until we meet
again; good-bye for now.
au gratin (oh grah-TENH) [French: with the scrapings from the
bottom of the pan] In French cooking, a baked dish sprinkled
with buttered breadcrumbs and/or grated cheese.
au jus (oh ZHU) [French] As applied to cooked meat: served
with its natural juices or gravy.
auld lang syne (awld lang ZINE) [Scottish: old long since] Days
of long ago; old times or friendships fondly remembered. The
title and theme of a Scottish song by Robert Burns. 
It was the
occasion of our auld lang syne to the fine old stadium, soon to
be torn down.
au naturel (oh nah-tur-EHL) [French] In the natural state; in the
nude. Also, plainly cooked; ungarnished; raw.
au pair (oh PAIR) [French: even; equal (exchange)] A foreign
young person employed to help with housework and child
care, in exchange for room and board. Relating to or employed
under such an arrangement. 
The highest court in Massachusetts
upheld a reduced sentence for British au pair Louise Woodward
on Tuesday—The New York Times, June 17, 1998.
18 au courant • au pair
au revoir (oh reu-VWAHR) [French] Until we see each other again;
good-bye for the time being.
aurora australis (aw-ROH-rah aw-STRAH-liss) [New Latin] The
southern lights; the aurora of the Southern Hemisphere. See
also aurora borealis.
aurora borealis (aw-ROH-rah boh-ray-AH-liss) [New Latin] The
northern lights: great waves and streamers of colorful light
seen at night in the northern sky at high latitudes. They are
caused by the flow of solar particles from the Sun as they meet
the forces near Earth’s magnetic poles.
auteur (oh-TEUR) [French, from Latin: author; originator] The
chief creator of a motion picture, especially one belonging to
the French “new wave” movement of the 1950s and 1960s; a
filmmaker with control over all the elements of production.

All right, any auteur can replay his greatest hits, exploiting
even the youngest viewer’s need for nostalgia.—Time, April
26, 1999.
autobahn (OW-toh-bahn) [German] In Germany, a main highspeed
highway.
auto-da-fe (singular); autos-da-fe (plural) (aw-toh-dah-FAY) [Portuguese:
act of the faith] Public condemnation of a religious
heretic by the court of the Spanish Inquisition, and the execution
of the religious verdict by civil authorities, usually by
burning at the stake.
autoroute (aw-toh-ROOT) [French] In France and French-speaking
Canada, a main highway or expressway.
autostrada (aw-toh STRAH-dah) [Italian] In Italy, a main highway
or expressway.
avant-garde (ah-vanh-GAHRD) [French: advance guard] The vanguard;
the innovators and experimenters, especially in the arts,
au revoir • avant-garde 19
noted for their willingness to use daring or unorthodox techniques.
Pertaining to or belonging to the advance guard. 
The
painting introduced a technique that was considered avant-garde
in its time.
avatar (AH-vah-tar) [Sanskrit: descent] In Hindu mythology, the
personification or spirit of a god, the embodiment of a principle
or idea. In computer jargon, the digital identity a person
takes when corresponding with others on the Internet. 
Mayor
Daley was the unapologetic avatar of “The City That Works,”
once known as “The Windy City.”
aviso (ah-VEE-soh) [Spanish, from Latin] A message or notice, or
the boat or vehicle that carries it.
avoirdupois (ah-VWAHR-du-PWAH) [French, from Latin: to have
weight] A system of weights in the United States and Britain,
based on the pound of 16 ounces and the ounce of 16 drams.
Informally, corpulence; heaviness of body.
a votre sante (ah voh-treu sahn-TAY) [French] A toast: to your
health.
ayah (AH-yah) [Hindi] A female servant who takes care of children;
an amah.
ayatollah (ah-yah-TOH-lah) [Persian, from Arabic] Among Shiite
Muslims, a chief religious leader with profound knowledge of
Islam and its laws.
Ayurveda (ah-yoor-VEH-dah) [Sanskrit: life knowledge] The ancient
Hindu system of medicine, based in part upon natural substances.

He practices yoga and teaches a course in Ayurveda,
an ancient holistic discipline from India.
azan (ah-ZAHN) [Arabic] The Muslim call to prayer, chanted by
a muezzin from a minaret, or other high place in a mosque, five
times a day.
20 avatar • azan
baba (BAH-bah) [French, from Polish: old woman; grandmother]
A small, spongelike cake made with yeast and steeped in rum
syrup. Also called baba au rhum.
baba ghanouj (BAH-bah gah-NOOZH) [Origin uncertain] In Middle
Eastern cooking, a salad or dip of pureed roasted eggplant,
garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and tahini. Also called eggplant
caviar.
babka (BAHB-kah) [Polish] A sweet yeast cake, often in the form
of a cylinder and sometimes flavored with rum.
babu (BAH-boo) [Hindi] A Hindu term of polite address, equivalent
to sir or mister.
babushka (BAH-boosh-kah) [Russian] An old woman; a grandmother.
A woman’s scarf folded into a triangle and used as a
head covering, with two of the ends tied under the chin.
bacalao (bah-kah-LAH-oh) [Spanish, from Basque] Salt cod, or a
dish made with salt cod, tomatoes, olives, garlic, etc.
baccarat (bah-kah-RAH) [French] A gambling game in which two
or more players bet against the banker; winnings are calculated
by comparing the banker’s cards with those of the players.
bacchanal (bah-kah-NAHL) [Latin, from Greek] A tumultuous
celebration in dance and song with a good deal of drinking,
named after the orgiastic festivals in honor of the Greek god
Bacchus; a carousal; a debauch.
baba • bacchanal 21
B
badinage (bah-dee-NAHZH) [French, from Provencal and Latin]
Banter; raillery; good-humored teasing. 
One can find endearment
in the lame badinage of C-3PO—Time, February 10,
1997.
bagasse (bah-GAHS) [French, from Spanish] The dry, fibrous
refuse of sugarcane that remains after pressing, used to make
paper.
bagatelle (bah-gah-TEHL) [French, from Italian] A trifle; something
of little importance or worth. A short musical composition,
usually for piano. Also, a game similar to billiards. 
Compared
to that book, “An Equal Music” is a bagatelle—The
Guardian, March 28, 1999.
bagel (BAY-gl) [Yiddish, from German] A ring-shaped yeast roll
with a firm texture, simmered in water and then baked.
baguette (bah-GEHT) [French] A small gem or crystal cut in a
rectangular form, or the form itself. A long, narrow loaf of
French bread. In architecture, a small, bead-shaped molding.

Chirac didn’t specify whether this helps to bake a better
baguette.—The New York Times, September 23, 1997.
baklava (BAHK-lah-vah) [Turkish] An intensely sweet Turkish
pastry consisting of layers of phyllo, butter, and ground nuts;
after baking it is drenched in honey or sugar syrup.
baksheesh (BAHK-sheesh) [Persian: gift] Money; a tip in cash.

With his country on the verge of economic meltdown, he is
back in line for American baksheesh.
balaclava (bah-lah-KLAH-vah) [Russian, after Balaklava, a port on
the Black Sea, site of a British attack during the Crimean War,
immortalized by Tennyson’s poem “The Charge of the Light
Brigade”] A knitted, helmetlike cap that fits closely over the
head, neck, and tops of the shoulders.
22 badinage • balaclava
balalaika (bah-lah-LYE-kah) [Russian] A stringed instrument with
a triangular body and a short neck, played (usually by strumming)
like a guitar, sometimes solo but more frequently in
bands.
balletomane (bah-leh-toh-MAYN) [back formation from French,
ballet, and Greek, mania] A ballet enthusiast.
ballon d’essai (bah-LONH deh-SAY) [French] A trial balloon, one
released to gather information on meteorological conditions.
By extension, an experiment, often a program or statement
issued to test public reaction.
bandanna (ban-DAN-nah) [Hindi] A large, colorfully dyed handkerchief,
sometimes folded into a triangle, worn over the head
and tied under the chin; often worn around the neck by horsemen
in the American Southwest with the wider part in back to
protect the neck from sunburn.
bandeau (banh-DOH) [French] A headband; a narrow band of
fabric, sometimes elasticized, worn over the forehead or about
the hair.
banlieue (both singular and plural) (banh-LYEU) [French] A suburb;
the suburbs. A banlieusard(e) is someone living in the
suburbs; a suburbanite.
banshee (BAN-shee) [Irish] In Irish legend, the spirit of a woman
whose wailing was thought to foretell a death.
bantam (BAN-tam) [Dutch, from Indonesian] Any of several varieties
of small domestic fowl noted for their combativeness. A
small, belligerent person. Diminutive; miniature; tiny.
bar mitzvah (bahr MITZ-vah) [Hebrew] A ceremony, usually held
in a synagogue, by which a thirteen-year-old boy who has successfully
learned the fundamentals of Judaism is admitted to
adulthood. See also bat mitzvah.
balalaika • bar mitzvah 23
baroque (bah-ROHK) [French, from Portuguese: a rough pearl]
Characteristic of a 17th-century European style of art and architecture,
notable for its extravagant ornamentation and theatrical
effects. Of or resembling music of the period after the
Renaissance; ornate, florid, or fantastic in style. Anything lavishly
ornamented, particularly when it goes beyond the borders
of good taste. An irregularly shaped pearl is referred to as a
“baroque pearl.” Compare rococo. 
Guest acts include the Canadian
baroque troupe—Time, May 31, 1999.
barrage (bah-RAHZH) [French: a blocking off; a barring] A barrier
of artillery fire designed to protect one’s own troops or to
stop enemy movements; a massive attack or concentration of
firepower. By extension, an overwhelming amount of words,
questions, blows, etc.; a torrent, burst, or storm. 
She faced a
barrage of questions from reporters and interested citizens.
barrette (bah-REHT) [French] A small bar with a clasp, used to
hold a girl’s or a woman’s hair in place.
barrio (BAH-ree-oh) [Spanish: a district; a quarter] An urban
ghetto; the densely populated area of a big city where mostly
Spanish-speaking people live. In New York City, the barrio on
the Upper East Side of Manhattan Island came into existence
after World War II, as Hispanic people from Puerto Rico and
South America moved into the area. 
The graceful atmosphere
of Barrio Norte is at the heart of what makes Buenos Aires a
supremely pleasant and civilized city.—The Atlantic Monthly,
September 1998.
bas-relief (bah reh-LEEF) [French, from Italian] A type of sculpture
in which the figures and decorative elements project
slightly from the background. Also called low relief.
basso continuo (BAH-soh con-TIN-yoo-oh) [Italian] A continuous
bass accompaniment in a piece of 17th- or 18th-century chamber
music, often played by a harpsichord and a cello, with the
harpsichordist improvising chordal embellishments.
24 baroque • basso continuo
bastion (BASS-tee-yun) [French, from Italian] A projecting part of
a rampart or fortification; a bulwark, stronghold, or fortress.
Anything seen as defending or preserving a position, quality, or
condition. 
They see themselves as the last bastion of unadulterated
and intelligible French speech.
batik (bah-TEEK) [ Javanese: painted] A method of applying designs
to fabric by first applying wax for a negative image, then
dyeing it and when the dye has set, removing the wax with
boiling water.
batiste (bah-TEEST) [French] A fine, plain-woven fabric, now
made of cotton but originally linen.
bat mitzvah (baht MITZ-vah) [Hebrew] A ceremony, usually held
in a synagogue, by which a thirteen-year-old girl who has successfully
learned the fundamentals of Judaism is admitted to
adulthood. See also bar mitzvah. 
The family showed guests a
videotape of their daughter’s bat mitzvah.
batterie de cuisine (bah-TREE deu kwee-ZEEN) [French] The ensemble
of (mostly metal) utensils used in cooking, such as pots
and pans, spoons, whisks, graters, etc.
bayadere (bye-yah-DAIR) [French, from Portuguese: dancer] A
professional dancing girl of India, especially one serving in a
temple. A fabric or pattern of brightly colored horizontal stripes.
bayou (BYE-yoo) [Louisiana French, from Choctaw bayuk: a small
stream] A marshy inlet, outlet, or arm of a lake or a river; a
stagnant creek. Any sluggish, boggy, or still body of water.
bazaar (bah-ZAHR) [Persian] A marketplace, particularly a large
public market in a Middle Eastern city. A sale of miscellaneous
items to raise money for a charitable cause. 
The widowed
mother of two lost her life savings to looters ushered in by
men who arrived in trucks and broke open the steel doors of
the bazaar.—Time, May 31, 1999.
bastion • bazaar 25
beaucoup (boh-KOO) [French] A large number; a considerable
quantity; a lot; much. Sometimes used informally in English, as
in “He won beaucoup dollars in the lottery.”
beau geste (boh ZHEST) [French: beautiful gesture] A display of
magnanimous conduct; a fine, noble, or gracious gesture, sometimes
futile or made only for effect.
Bedouin (BEH-doo-in) [French, from Arabic: desert dweller] A
member of a nomadic Arab people living in the desert in Africa
and the Near East. 
Once a desert roamed by Bedouin nomads,
dubiously carved into a hatchet-shaped country by Winston
Churchill after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire—Time, February
22, 1999.
beguine (beh-GHEEN) [West Indies French: an unimportant love
affair] A ballroom dance originally from Martinique, based on
the rhythm of the bolero, or the music for such a dance.
behemoth (beh-HEE-moth) [Hebrew: beast] A huge animal; a
machine or organization of enormous size and power. 
America
is beginning to see itself less and less in the tall image of
Lincoln or even the robust one of Johnny Appleseed and more
and more as a dazed behemoth with padded shoulders.—The
New York Times, May 13, 1990.
beignet (bayn-YAY) [French] A fritter or doughnut, sometimes with
a fruit or other filling; anything dipped in batter and deep-fried.
bel canto (bel KAHN-toh) [Italian: beautiful singing] In music, a
vocal style in which the melody is sung smoothly and gracefully.

But (the part of ) Aron . . . should and must sing with all the
florid bel canto roulades he can muster.—The New Criterion,
May 1999.
bella figura (BEH-lah fee-GOO-rah) [Italian: handsome face] An
impressive or dashing presence; a grand effect. A personal style
characterized by a high standard of dress and mannerly behav-
26 beaucoup • bella figura
belles lettres • buerre blanc 27
ior. The opposite of bruta figura (ugly face). 
he was a great
favorite with the fighting men, who had their nation’s love of
bella figura.—The New York Review of Books, March 4, 1999.
belles lettres (behl LEH-treu) [French: fine letters] Literature
that has aesthetic rather than informational value, such as fiction,
poetry, or drama; literature characterized by elegance,
refinement, and the “light touch.” 
The struggle, as Bloom
famously conceived it in “The Anxiety of Influence,” is a belleslettres
re-enactment of Freud’s ‘family romance’—the sons in
Oedipal revolt against their poetic fathers.—The New York
Times, September 25, 1994.
beluga (beh-LOO-gah) [Russian: white] A white sturgeon found in
the Black and Caspian Seas, prized as a source of high-quality
caviar. Not to be confused with the white whale, an aquatic
mammal sometimes called beluga.
bento, obento (BEHN-toh, oh-BEHN-toh) [ Japanese, from Chinese]
A complete meal served in a lacquered box divided into sections
that keep the various dishes apart.
beret (beh-RAY) [French, from Latin] A soft, flat, woollen cap of
Basque origin, with a close-fitting headband and a round top.
bergere (behr-ZHEHR) [French: shepherdess] A large, deep armchair
of the 18th century.
bete noire (beht NWAHR) [French: black beast] A bugaboo; a
bugbear; a person or thing that arouses hatred or fear. 
Everyone
has his or her personal nightmare or bete noire.
betise (beh-TEEZ) [French: foolishness] A stupid or nonsensical act
or remark; an absurdity. Something of no consequence; a trifle.
beurre blanc (beur BLANH) [French: white butter] In French cooking,
a sauce made from a reduction of vinegar and shallots,
beaten with butter until thickened.
beurre manie (beur mahn-YAY) [French: kneaded butter] In French
cooking, a paste of butter and flour, usually blended with the
fingers and used to thicken sauces, soups, etc.
beurre noir (beur NWAHR) [French: black butter] In French cooking,
a dark-brown butter sauce often flavored with vinegar,
capers, or herbs.
bhakti (BUK-tee) [Sanskrit: devotion] In Hinduism, personal devotion
to a god in the hope of reaching enlightenment.
bhang (bang) [Sanskrit: hemp] marijuana or hashish made from
the Indian hemp plant, used as a narcotic.
bibelot (beeb-LOH) [French] A small decorative object; a pretty,
curious, or rare trinket.
bidarka (bee-DAHR-kah) [Russian: a little coracle] An Alaskan Eskimo
boat made of sealskin.
bidet (bee-DAY) [French] A low washbasin that can be straddled
for washing the genital and anal areas.
bidonville (bee-donh-VEEL) [French, from bidon: metal drum, and
ville: city] A shantytown, in which abandoned metal drums are
used as building material; a poor section of a city or a suburb
composed of hastily built, ramshackle dwellings.
bien entendu (byenh anh-tanh-DU) [French: well understood] Of
course; naturally.
bienvenu (byenh-veh-NU) [French] Welcome.
bijou (singular); bijoux (plural) (BEE-zhoo, bee-ZHOO) [French,
from Breton] A jewel; a trinket; something small, delicate, and
beautifully made.
28 buerre manie • bijou
bildungsroman (BIL-doongs-roh-MAHN) [German: portrait novel]
A type of novel that recounts the formative years and character
development of a young protagonist; a classic example is
Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1796). 
This romantic
fable is part classical riff, part homoerotic Bildungsroman.—
Time, February 22, 1999.
billet-doux (bee-yay-DOO) [French: sweet note] A love letter; a
note from a lover.
biretta (bih-REHT-ah) [Italian, from Latin] A brimless, square cap
with three or four upright projections on its crown, worn by
clerics in the Catholic hierarchy.
bis (beess) [French] Again; a second time; twice. In France, the
equivalent of encore.
bisque (beesk) [French] A thick cream soup, especially one of
pureed shellfish. Also, an unglazed ceramic having a pinkish
tan color.
bistro (bee-STROH) [French, from Russian: quickly] Informally, a
small, unpretentious bar, restaurant, or nightclub. The term
came into use in France after the battle of Waterloo in 1814,
when Russian troops who had helped conquer Napoleon spent
their free time in Parisian bars and expressed their impatience
with the service by shouting “bistro!”
bivouac (BIH-voo-ak) [French, from Swiss German] A temporary
encampment for soldiers in the field, often without protection
from enemy fire. To assemble or rest in such a place. 
Some
hardy fans, undeterred by the rain, set up a bivouac outside the
stadium ticket office.
blanc de blancs (blanh deu blanh) [French: white of whites] In
France, a champagne made from a single variety of white grape,
the Pinot Blanc. Also, a white table wine that may be mildly
effervescent.
bildungsroman • blanc de blancs 29
blancmange (blanh-MANHZH) [French: white food] A whitish,
sweet pudding made with milk, gelatin, eggs, and various flavorings;
it has a jellylike consistency.
blanquette (blanh-KEHT) [French] A meat stew, often of veal
(blanquette de veau), prepared in a white sauce.
blase (blah-ZAY) [French, from blaser: to make indifferent] Worldweary;
bored or indifferent due to overindulgence in worldly
pleasures; jaded; unimpressed.
blintze, blintz (blints) [Yiddish, from Byelorussian: small pancake]
In Jewish cooking, a thin pancake folded over a filling of pot
cheese, potato, jam, etc., usually fried and served with sour
cream.
blitz (blits) [German, short for blitzkrieg: lightning war] Any swift,
overwhelming attack, particularly the massive air attacks by the
Germans in Poland that opened World War II. In football, to
charge directly at the passer as soon as the ball is snapped; to
red dog. 
During World War II, the blitz caused great devastation
and loss of life in London.
bloc (blok) [French: block] A group or coalition of politicians,
businesses, countries, etc., that share common interests and act
together to promote or protect those interests. The Organization
of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an example.
bobeche (boh-BEHSH) [French] A glass or metal collar that fits
over the socket of a candlestick to catch the wax drippings.
boccie (BAW-chee) [Italian] An outdoor game of bowling on a dirt
surface between low wooden curbs, popular among Italians
everywhere. Also written bocce, bocci.
Boche (bosh) [French: blockhead] A derogatory slang term for a
German soldier during World War I.
30 blancmange • Boche
bodega (boh-DAY-gah) [American Spanish] A grocery store, wineshop,
or storeroom, usually in a Spanish-speaking area. 
Several
Hispanic leaders and city officials met outside a bodega in Washington
Heights.
bodhisattva (boh-dih-SUHT-vah) [Sanskrit: enlightenment being]
In Buddhism, the compassionate and altruistic one who has
achieved enlightenment, but renounces full entry into nirvana
until all beings can be saved.
boiserie (bwahz-REE) [French: woodwork] Wainscoting; wood
paneling, sometimes carved, used often in 18th-century French
interiors.
boite de nuit (bwaht deu NWEE) [French: night box] A nightclub
or cabaret.
bok choy (BOK choy) [Chinese] A mild-tasting Chinese cabbage
with dark green leaves and white stems and ribs.
bolero (boh-LEH-roh) [Spanish] A moderately slow Spanish dance
for a soloist or a couple to an intricately syncopated measure of
three beats (in Spain) or two (in Cuba).
bolillo (boh-LEE-yoh) [Spanish, from Latin] In Mexican cooking,
a hard roll, or a sandwich made with such a roll.
bolo (BOH-loh) [Philippine Spanish] A large, single-edged knife,
or machete, used in the Philippines.
Bolshevik (BOHL-sheh-vik) [Russian: larger, greater] A member
of the radical majority of the Social Democratic Party that
seized control in Russia in 1917. A member of the Communist
Party. By extension, any radical or revolutionary. 
The Bolshevik
Cheka, or secret police, was founded by the man known as
Iron Felix.
bodega • Bolshevik 31
bombe (bohmb) [French: bomb] A dessert molded in the form of
a ball, especially one made of ice cream or frozen mousse.
bombe (bohm-BAY) [French] In describing furniture, swelling or
curving outward.
bona fide (BOH-nah fied) [Latin: with good faith] Legitimate;
authentic; done or made in good faith. See also mala fide.
bona fides (BOH-nah fiedz) [Latin: good faith] Demonstrable trustworthiness;
freedom from intent to mislead; sincerity; honest
intention. Not a plural form of bona fide, thus: “Our chairman’s
bona fides was subject to intense scrutiny.” See also mala fides.
bon appetit (bon ah-pay-TEE) [French] (May you have) good appetite;
enjoy your meal. 
The point is to find combinations that
fit your palate and your schedule. Bon appetit!—Time, October
12, 1998.
bonbon (bonh-bonh) [French nursery word: good-good] A piece
of candy.
bonhomie (boh-noh-MEE) [French] Good-heartedness; geniality;
friendliness. 
an office lawyer full of contrived bonhomie—The
Guardian, May 2, 1999.
bon mot (bonh MOH) [French: good word] An elegant expression;
the right word at the right time; a compliment. 
Ideally
he would like to die while gardening, and he would like it to be
quick, although not so quick as to deny him the opportunity of
uttering his final bon mot.—The New York Times, April 24, 1999.
bon ton (bonh TONH) [French] Good style or breeding; elegant
form. Something considered fashionably correct.
bon vivant (bonh vee-VANH) [French] A person who enjoys good
food, good drink, and luxurious living; an epicure.
32 bombe • bon vivant
bon voyage (bonh vwah-YAHZH) [French] (Have a) good trip.
bonze (bonz) [ Japanese, from Chinese] A Japanese Buddhist monk.
boondocks (BOON-doks) [Tagalog: mountain] A slang term for
rough, uninhabited backcountry; the backwoods; “the sticks.”

and where by March we feel dull and flat and lost in the
boondocks—Time, March 24, 1997.
bordello (bohr-DEL-oh) [Italian] A house of prostitution. 
A
woman alleged to have operated a local bordello pleaded guilty
to charges of prostitution.
borscht (borsht) [Russian] In Russia and eastern Europe, any of a
variety of soups based on cabbage, beets, potatoes, meat stock,
etc., served hot or cold and sometimes topped with sour cream.
borzoi (BOR-zoy) [Russian: swift] The Russian wolfhound.
bossa nova (BOS-sah NOH-vah) [Portuguese: new bag] A couple
dance, similar to the samba, that combines Brazilian rhythms
and North American cool jazz. The music for such a dance.
boucle, boucle (boo-KLAY) [French: curled; buckled] A yarn with
loops or knots that produce a nubby, curly surface on knitted
or woven fabric; the fabric itself.
boudin (boo-DENH) [French] A sausage made with pig’s blood
(boudin noir) or with a mixture of chicken, pork, and veal
(boudin blanc).
boudoir (boo-DWAHR) [French, from bouder: to sulk] A lady’s
bedroom or private sitting room.
bouffant (boo-FANH) [French: swelling] Puffed out or flaring, as
a skirt. A hairstyle in which the hair is teased to form a puffed,
rounded shape over the forehead and temples, or over the entire
bon voyage • bouffant 33
head. 
The role called for bleached-blonde bouffant hair and
rhinestone-studded jeans.
bouillabaisse (boo-yah-BEHSS) [French, from Portuguese] In
French cooking, a soup or stew made with a variety of fish and
shellfish, flavored with saffron and served with rouille.
bouillon (boo-YONH) [French, from bouillir: to boil] A clear broth
made by simmering together meat or chicken, vegetables, and
seasoning.
boulangerie (boo-lanh-ZHREE) [French] A bakery, especially one
that produces and sells bread.
bouquet (boo-KAY) [French] A bunch of flowers. The distinctive
aroma of wines, liqueurs, etc.; a delicate odor. Also, a compliment.
bourgeoisie (boor-zhwah-ZEE) [French] The middle class. In the
class struggle of Marxist theory, the group opposed to the
working class; those not engaged in manual labor, whose primary
concerns are personal comfort and property values. Critic
H. L. Mencken referred to this class, which he saw as uncultured
and complacent, as the “booboisie.”
bourree (boo-RAY) [French] A 16th-century peasant dance from
the French Auvergne, in duple time, or a musical form based
on that dance.
bourse (boorss) [French: purse] A stock exchange or money market
of some European cities. 
Soon after Lindbergh landed an
employee of the Bourse telegraph office arrived with more than
700 cablegrams for him—The New York Times, May 22, 1927.
boutique (boo-TEEK) [French] A small retail shop selling clothes
and other items of the latest fashion. Within a larger store, a
shop that carries a special selection of merchandise. Any exclu-
34 bouillabaisse • boutique
sive small business that provides customized service. Of or
relating to such a business.
boutonniere (boo-ton-YEHR) [French: buttonhole] A small bouquet
or flower worn in the buttonhole of a man’s jacket lapel.
bouzouki (boo-ZOO-kee) [Modern Greek, from Turkish] A modern
Greek stringed instrument similar to a lute, with a long
neck and fretted fingerboard. 
We found a Greek nightclub
with live bouzouki music and the added attraction of good
food.
boyar (boy-YAHR) [Russian] In Russia and other Slavic countries
before Peter the Great, a member of the old nobility or privileged
class. 
In the traditional Russian bylina, or folk epic, a
dashing warrior in shining armor rescues the good Czar from
the evil influence of his scheming boyars.—Time, July 1, 1996.
bracero (brah-SAY-roh) [Spanish] A migrant worker from Mexico,
admitted legally for seasonal labor in the United States.
Brahman, Brahmin (BRAH-min) [Sanskrit] A member of the highest
of the four Hindu castes in India, the priestly caste.
Brahmin (BRAH-mahn) [Sanskrit, a variant of Brahman] Informally,
in the U.S. Northeast, a person of high intellectual or
social status, especially an aloof, snobbish, or conservative one.

After earning an MBA at Harvard, the young Boston Brahmin
astounded his family by joining the Peace Corps.
brasserie (brahs-REE) [French: brewery] An unpretentious tavern
or restaurant that serves simple food and drinks, especially
beer. 
the sandwiches and beer sent up from the neighboring
brasserie—The New York Times, August 4, 1975.
bratwurst (BRAHT-woorst) [German: roasted sausage] A sausage
made of pork with herbs and spices.
boutonniere • bratwurst 35
bravado (brah-VAH-doh) [Italian] A show of bravery, often unsupported
by real strength; boastful defiance.
bravura (brah-VOO-rah) [Italian] In music, a show of brilliance in
creating or performing a technically difficult passage. Any performance
that displays brilliance and daring. 
It was both an example
of bravura playing and an endurance test for the cellist.
bric-a-brac (BRIH-kah-brak) [French: at random] A collection of
miscellaneous old or interesting objects, often those of little
value; knickknacks; trinkets.
brioche (bree-UHSH) [French, from Norman dialect: to knead] A
soft roll or small pastry made with flour, yeast, butter, and
eggs, baked in a mold.
briquette (brih-KEHT) [French: small brick] A small block of compressed
coal dust or charcoal used as fuel for outdoor cooking.
bris, brith (briss) [Hebrew: covenant] The ritual circumcision of
Jewish infant males. 
The statistics do not include infant boys
circumcised in the Jewish ritual of the bris.—The New York
Times, March 2, 1999.
brise-soleil (BREEZ-soh-LAY) [French: sun breaker] A louvered
screen placed outdoors to protect the windows of a house
from direct sunlight.
brochette (broh-SHEHT) [French] A skewer used in roasting or
barbecuing. En brochette refers to anything cooked on a skewer
or a small spit.
brochure (broh-SHOOR) [French: a stitched book] A pamphlet or
booklet containing information.
broderie anglaise (broh-deh-REE anh-GLEHZ) [French: English
embroidery] A style of fine white cotton fabric with embroidered
eyelets laid out in a pattern or a flowerlike design.
36 bravado • broderie anglaise
brouhaha (BROO-hah-hah) [French] An uproar; a commotion; a
hullabaloo; a clamor; an incident involving turmoil or confusion,
especially a disagreement or fight over something unimportant.

The twenty-fifth is called “Silk Stockings” and will open Thursday
in a fashionable brouhaha—The New York Times, February 20,
1955.
brusque (brusk, broosk) [French, from Italian, from Latin] Abrupt
and offhand in manner; curt; blunt; rough.
brut (broot) [French: raw; unpolished] In describing champagne:
very dry; not sweet.
bubkes (BUB-kehs) [Yiddish: beans] In slang, something worthless;
a trifle; zilch; “peanuts,” as in “he sold his grandmother’s
brooch for bubkes.”
bulgur, bulghur (BULL-ger) [Turkish, from Arabic] Whole-grain
wheat that has been dehusked, parboiled, cracked, and dried;
sometimes used in place of rice or potatoes.
bulmus (BULL-mus) [Hebrew, from Greek boulimos: hunger] A
ravenous hunger; a faintness caused by prolonged fasting. By
extension, an exaggerated eagerness; an avidity; a mania.
bungalow (BUNG-ah-loh) [Hindi: of Bengal] A small house of one
floor and often only one room, surrounded by a wide veranda.
bunraku (boon-RAH-koo) [ Japanese] In Japan, the traditional puppet
theater since the 1600s, with almost life-size puppets operated
by puppeteers who are fully visible; the chief handler wears
period costume, while the assistants are dressed and hooded
in black.
burka, burqa (BOOR-kah) [Urdu] The long, dark, featureless cloak
that Muslim women in Pakistan and Afghanistan are required
to wear in public to conceal their bodies. See also chador.
brouhaha • burka 37
burlesque (ber-LESK) [French, from Italian] A literary or dramatic
work that uses comic or mocking imitation in its
treatment of a serious or dignified subject. Any broad satire,
parody, or grotesque caricature. Characterized by ridiculous
incongruity. Also, a vaudeville show often featuring striptease
acts, slapstick humor, and bawdy songs. Such luminaries as Al
Jolson, Mae West, and Bert Lahr began their careers in burlesque.
burnoose, burnous (ber-NOOS) [French, from Arabic] An Arab
or Moorish cloak with a hood. 
The cloakroom displayed everything
from fur jackets and ten-gallon hats to a checkered
burnoose.
burrito (boo-REE-toh) [Mexican Spanish: young donkey] In Mexican
cooking, a stuffed taco, using a tortilla made from wheat
rather than corn flour.
burro (BOO-roh) [Mexican Spanish] A small donkey used in Mexico
and the southwestern United States as a pack animal.
Bushido (boo-SHEE-doh) [ Japanese] The strict military code of
conduct, honor, and loyalty of samurai warriors in feudal Japan.
bustier (bust-YAY) [French] A woman’s corsetlike, sleeveless, strapless
top, either reinforced with facing or supported by stays to
give it shape. Originally an undergarment.
Butoh (BOO-toh) [ Japanese] A modern style of Japanese theater
developed shortly after World War II, characterized by a general
sense of despair and pessimism. 
and Dairakudakan, one of
Japan’s oldest Butoh dance companies—Time, May 31, 1999.
38 burlesque • Butoh
cabal (kah-BAHL) [Latin, from Hebrew] A secret plot, conspiracy,
or intrigue. A small group of people that meet secretly for
some private purpose, such as the inner group of advisers that
strongly influenced court policy during the reign of Charles II
of England; a faction, league, or junta.
caballero (kah-bah-YEH-roh) [Spanish] In Spain, a gentleman; a
cavalier. In the southwestern United States, a horseman or a
woman’s escort.
cabana, cabana (kah-BAH-nah) [Spanish] A cabin, especially a
little cabin on the beach or beside a swimming pool, large
enough for changing one’s clothes in private. A cottage.
cabaret (kah-bah-RAY) [French] A restaurant or nightclub that
offers food, drink, and entertainment featuring skits, humorous
improvisation, and songs of political satire, with much of the
material drawn from current events; any similar form of theatrical
entertainment. 
to be presented in the Algonquin’s intimate
Oak Room, where cabaret singers usually perform—The
New York Times, September 17, 1997.
cabochon (KAH-boh-shon, kah-boh-SHONH) [French, from Latin
caput: head] A highly polished hemispherical or oval-cut gem
with a smooth, unfaceted surface.
cabriolet (kah-bree-oh-LAY) [French: a leap; caper] A two-wheeled,
doorless, one-horse carriage with a folding top, with space for
two passengers, popular in the 18th century. Later the word
was shortened to “cab” and used to designate any carriage for
hire.
cabal • cabriolet 39
C
cacciatore (kahtch-yah-TOH-reh) [Italian: in the style of hunters]
In Italian cooking, a dish of poultry or meat prepared with
mushrooms, tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, etc.
cache (kahsh) [French] A secret place for storing or hiding food,
ammunition, equipment, treasure, etc., especially one in the
ground. The things hidden in such a place. 
The police uncovered
a vast cache of arms and ammunition on Tuesday.
cachepot (kahsh-POH) [French] A decorative container used to
cover an ordinary flowerpot.
cachet (kah-SHAY) [French] Originally, an official stamp or seal
that validated a document. Currently, a sign of consent or approval
given by an important person. By extension, a distinctive
mark, or sign of originality. 
Revelatory films by New Wave
directors gave French cinema an unprecedented cachet.
cadenza (kah-DEN-zah) [Italian, from Latin] In music, an elaborate
solo passage, sometimes improvised, that interrupts a
piece often just before the end; it consists of variations on the
themes of the work.
cadre (KAHD-ree, KAH-dreh) [French, from Italian and Latin: frame;
framework] The core group of officers and men needed to
organize and train a new military unit; a nucleus of qualified
personnel or leaders in politics, business, religion, etc. A framework;
a skilled workforce. In Communist countries, a cell of
trained and conscientious workers. 
bright New Labourites . . .
who can be brought on quickly and help sustain a Blairite cadre
of ministers—The Guardian, May 12, 1999.
caduceus (kah-DOO-see-us) [Latin, from Greek] The herald’s staff,
consisting of two snakes wound around a staff with the wings
of an eagle on top, carried by the mythical Greek god Hermes
(Mercury) to symbolize his position as the messenger of the
gods. It is the emblem of the medical profession and the medical
corps.
40 cacciatore • caduceus
cafe (kah-FAY) [French: coffee] A coffeehouse; a small restaurant,
often with a sidewalk section; a barroom.
cafe au lait (kah-FAY oh LAY) [French] Coffee with an equal
amount of hot milk. A light-brown color.
caffe latte (kah-feh LAH-teh) [Italian] Coffee mixed with an equal
part of hot milk.
caftan (KAHF-tan) [Russian, from Turkish] A traditional Middle
Eastern garment consisting of a full-length cloak with long
sleeves, bound with a girdle at the waist. 
Slaves stand at attention
along the mosaic-covered walls, while concubines glide to
and fro in sumptuous caftans.—Time, March 29, 1999.
ca ira (sah ee-RAH) [French] It will go; it will succeed; it will be
enough.
caisson (KAY-son) [French, from caisse: box; chest] A watertight
chamber that makes it possible to work on underwater structures
such as a bridge pier; a device to raise sunken ships. Also,
a two-wheeled vehicle for carrying artillery ammunition.
calaboose (KAH-lah-booss) [Creole, from Spanish] A jail.
calamari (kah-lah-MAH-ree) [Italian] Squid, especially the small
squid used in Italian cooking.
calash See caleche.
caleche, calash (kah-LEHSH) [French, from German and Czech]
A light carriage of two or four wheels with a folding top, pulled
by one or two horses. 
A line of caleche drivers waits at the
Place de Foucauld.
caliph (KAH-lif) [Arabic] The head of state and spiritual leader
in a Muslim state.
cafe • caliph 41
calpac See kalpak.
calumet (KAHL-yoo-met) [French, from Latin] Among northern
Native American tribes, a long, straight, highly decorated pipe
ceremoniously passed around and smoked by negotiators, each
in turn, who have arrived at an agreement; a peace pipe.
calzone (kahl-ZOH-neh) [Italian: trouser leg] In Italian cooking, a
type of turnover made with pizza dough and a filling of
cheese, sausage, herbs, etc., baked or deep-fried.
camaraderie (kah-mah-RAH-deh-ree) [French, from Spanish] Comradeship,
brotherhood; good fellowship; conviviality. 
The
camaraderie is awkward—they have to shout to be heard.—
Time, March 22, 1999.
cambio (KAHM-bee-oh) [Italian, Spanish] Change (money). An
exchange; a place to convert money from one currency to
another.
camera lucida (kah-meh-rah loo-SEE-dah) [Latin: bright chamber]
An optical device that projects an image from a microscope to
a piece of paper so that it can be traced.
camera oscura (kah-meh-rah oh-SKOO-rah) [Italian: dark chamber]
A box or a room where no light is admitted except that coming
through a small hole in one wall; it produces an image on the
opposite wall showing something outside the room.
camino real (kah-MEE-noh ray-AHL) [Spanish: royal road] A highway
or main road.
camisole (KAH-mih-sohl) [French, from Spanish] A woman’s short
sleeveless shirt or underwaist, worn under a sheer bodice; a
short negligee. Also, a long-sleeved straitjacket.
camouflage (KAH-moo-flahzh) [French] A method or the materials
used to conceal or disguise objects, military installations,
42 calpac • camouflage
equipment, etc., by coloring or screening so that they blend into
the background or natural surroundings. To obscure or conceal
under a false appearance. By extension, any disguise or strategem
used for concealment. 
The natural camouflage of some
big cats makes them almost invisible in the African grasslands.
campanile (kahm-pah-NEE-leh) [Italian] A bell tower, particularly
one that stands free, apart from its church. 
Will a British professor
be the one to save the legendary campanile with his highrisk
underground strategy?—The Guardian, April 19, 1999.
campesino (kahm-peh-SEE-noh) [Spanish] A peasant; a farmer.
canaille (kah-NYE) [French, from Latin: a pack of dogs] Rabble;
riffraff; a mob.
canape (kah-nah-PAY) [French: covering; spread] A thin piece of
toast or bread topped with savory paste, cheese, caviar, etc.,
often served as an appetizer. Also, an 18th-century French sofa.
canard (kah-NARD, kah-NAHR) [French: a duck] A story, often disparaging
and usually false, based upon rumor or innuendo and
used to discredit someone or something; a hoax. 
a speech for
Secretary McNamara which would, inter alia, once and for all
dispose of the canard that the Vietnam conflict was a civil
war—The Atlantic Monthly, April 1968.
cannoli (kah-NOH-lee) [Italian] A small roll of pastry filled with
sweetened ricotta cheese or pastry cream.
cantata (kahn-TAH-tah) [Latin: sung] A piece of religious or secular
music for voices, often accompanied by an organ or other
instruments.
cantatrice (kahn-tah-TREESS) [French, from Italian, from Latin]
A professional woman singer, especially an opera singer.
cantina (kahn-TEE-nah) [Spanish] A place where food and drinks
are sold; a saloon.
campanile • cantina 43
canto (KAHN-toh) [Italian, from Latin cantus: song] A division of
a long poem.
capo (KAH-poh) [Italian: chief] A slang term for an underboss in
a mafia organization. 
St. Martin serves as the hide-out of
choice for all kinds of unsavory types, including an aged Mafia
capo under F.B.I. protection.—The New York Times Book Review,
September 21, 1997.
capotasto (kah-po-TAHS-toh) [Italian] A steel bar that can be
clamped at different positions along the fingerboard of a guitar
to change its tuning; often shortened to capo and pronounced
KAY-poh.
cappuccino (kah-poo-CHEE-noh) [Italian: little Capuchin (friar)]
Italian coffee and steamed milk topped with whipped cream and
a dash of cinnamon. A white cowl over a simple brown robe was
the style of dress that marked the Capuchin friars of the Franciscan
order, who were sworn to a life of poverty and good
works.
carabiniere (singular); carabinieri (plural) (kah-rah-been-YEH-reh,
kah-rah-been-YEH-ree) [Italian] A member of the Italian police,
so called because they used to carry short rifles, called carbines.
The mountain passes are guarded by the Alpini, but the
Caribinieri guard the ports and the highways.
carafe (kah-RAHF) [French, from Arabic] A bottle for holding
and serving beverages, especially wine, with a wide mouth and
a neck narrower than its base.
carbonade (kahr-boh-NAHD) [French] In France, meat grilled over
charcoal. In Belgium, carbonade Flamande is a beef stew made
with vegetables and beer.
carillon (KAH-rih-lon, kah-ree-YONH) [French, from Latin] A set
of church bells mounted in an open tower, played by means of
a keyboard installed in a room just below.
44 canto • carillon
carioca (kah-ree-OH-kah) [Brazilian Portuguese] A form of samba
made suitable for ballroom dancing. Not to be confused with
karaoke.
caritas (KAH-ree-tahss) [Latin] Charity; kindness.
carnitas (kahr-NEE-tahss) [Mexican Spanish] A Mexican snack
consisting of crisp bits of diced or shredded roast pork.
carpe diem (KAHR-peh DEE-em) [Latin: seize the day] Enjoy the
present; take advantage of today’s opportunities; make hay
while the sun shines. 
Carpe diem—you need good planning
and analysis.—The Guardian, January 9, 1999.
carrefour (kahr-FOOR) [French, from Latin] A crossroads; the junction
of several streets or roads. Also, a public square or plaza.
carte (kahrt) [French] A menu; a bill of fare.
carte blanche (kart BLANHSH) [French: white card] A blank paper
signed by one person and given to another, allowing its bearer
to write in his or her own conditions. Also, permission or
authority to act as one thinks best; unrestricted authority or
access. 
Hollywood misused him . . . by giving him carte
blanche to run wild with the Rat Pack in vanity productions.—
The Atlantic Monthly, September 1998.
carte du jour (kahrt du JOOR) [French] The menu of the day.
cartel (kahr-TEL) [French, from Italian] An international trust or
syndicate formed with the aim of controlling a specific market.
A coalition of political groups with a common interest or cause;
a bloc. An official agreement between hostile governments,
often for the exchange of prisoners. Formerly, a written challenge
to a duel.
cartouche (kahr-TOOSH) [French, from Italian] A rounded surface
bearing an image, such as the little sculptures of cherubs
carioca • cartouche 45
that decorate the inner corners of some ceilings in old Italian
buildings, or the stark pictographs contained in oval outlines
carved in ancient Egyptian tombs. 
Something more easily
found is a cartouche, usually a pendant in gold or silver with
the wearer’s name in Pharaonic hieroglyphics.—The New York
Times, December 13, 1998.
casino (kah-SEE-noh) [Italian: little house] A public dancing hall
where food and drink may be served and, usually, where gambling
is permitted.
cassareep (KASS-ah-reep) [Carib] In West Indian cooking, a syrup
or condiment made from the juice of cassava roots.
cassis (kah-SEESS) [French] The European black currant, or a
cordial made from black currants.
cassoulet (kah-soo-LAY) [French, from Provencal] A rich French
stew containing white beans, preserved goose or duck, mutton,
and sausage.
castanet (kah-stah-NET) [Spanish: little chestnut] One of a pair
of small wooden shells held in the palm of the hand and
clapped together with the fingers to produce a hollow clicking
sound as a rhythmical accompaniment to dance.
caste (kast) [Portuguese, Spanish: race; lineage] In India, one of
the hereditary social divisions of Hindu society. A distinct social
group consisting of people of the same or similar background,
customs, and status.
casus belli (kah-sus BEHL-eye) [Latin] An act or event that justifies
war, or one seen as a reason for declaring war.
catafalque (KAH-tah-fahlk) [French, from Italian] A platform that
supports the coffin of a distinguished person during a funeral,
or one mounted on a carriage on which the coffin is drawn in
a funeral procession.
46 casino • catafalque
catalogue raisonne (KAH-tah-log ray-soh-NAY) [French: reasoned
catalog] A list of items, such as works of art, with descriptive
notes or commentary.
catamaran (kah-tah-mah-RAHN) [Tamil: tied wood] In some parts
of India, South America, etc., a long raft made of logs lashed
together. Also, a sailboat with twin hulls held apart by a frame
above them.
catharsis (kah-THAHR-siss) [Greek: a cleaning out; a purification]
The feeling of relief and satisfaction that comes with the resolution
of any deeply felt period of stress and change. Aristotle
called catharsis the principal experience to be sought in any performance
of a great tragic drama. 
The punishment will be
sufficient to satisfy the need not only for moral satisfaction and
justice but also for some measure of emotional satisfaction, a
catharsis.—Time, March 8, 1999.
cauchemar (kohsh-MAHR) [French] A nightmare; an experience
that arouses feelings of dread, helplessness, or sorrow.
caucus (KAW-kus) [poss. Algonquian] A preliminary or private
meeting of political party leaders to choose candidates or convention
delegates. Within a legislative body, a meeting of party
members to shape policy and choose leaders. To hold or meet in
a caucus. 
The latest caucus includes some of the more Internetliterate
members of Congress.
caudillo (kow-DEE-yoh) [Spanish, from Latin] The leader of a
government, especially a military dictator such as General
Franco of Spain. Also, the mayor of the town; the chief of the
village.
cause celebre (kohz say-LEH-breu) [French: famous case] A highly
controversial matter that becomes the focus of public attention;
a famous trial or lawsuit, especially one involving broad
legal or social issues. 
The Simpson case became a nationwide
cause celebre.
catalogue raisonne • cause celebre 47
causerie (kohz-REE) [French, from Latin] An informal, easy conversation;
a chat. A brief, informal piece of writing.
cavatina (kah-vah-TEE-nah) [Italian: little thing drawn out] A short
song, usually composed on a single sentence without repeats.
caveat (KAH-veh-aht) [Latin: let him beware] A caution or warning.
In law, a formal notice to an officer or a court to stop a
proceeding until the notifier can be heard. 
each country still
trailing along its own special caveats and reservations—The
Guardian, May 18, 1999.
caveat emptor (KAH-veh-aht EMP-tor) [Latin] Let the buyer beware.
cerise (seh-REEZ) [French] A cherry. Usually used as an adjective
meaning cherry red; cherry-colored.
cerveza (sehr-VAY-sah) [Spanish] Beer.
cesta (SESS-tah) [Spanish: basket] In the game of jai alai, the
racket used for catching and throwing the ball. It has a narrow,
curved wicker basket at one end and a glovelike fitting at the
other.
c’est-a-dire (seht ah DEER) [French] That is to say.
c’est la guerre (say lah GAIR) [French] That’s war; such is war.
c’est la vie (say lah VEE) [French] That’s life; that’s the way it
goes.
cha (chah) [Chinese] Tea.
chacun a son gout (shah-KUNH ah onh GOO) [French] Each
according to his or her own taste.
chador (CHUD-er, CHAH-der) [Hindi, from Persian] A long, darkcolored
traditional garment of Hindu and Muslim women that
48 causerie • chador
covers the entire body and part of the face. See also burka,
yashmak. 
I wanted the anonymity and protection a chador
would bring.—The New York Times, February 8, 1998.
chaise longue (shehz LONH-geu) [French] A sofalike lounging
chair, with the seat extended to allow the sitter to stretch out.
chalet (shah-LAY) [French, from Swiss French] A Swiss hut or
cottage built of wood, with a projecting roof and wide eaves,
common in Alpine areas; a small villa or ski lodge in this style.

The steeply pitched roof of the chalet prevents excessive accumulation
of snow.
champleve (shanh-leu-VAY) [French] In the decorative arts, the
ancient process of cutting away or hollowing areas in a metal
plate, and filling the hollows with enamel. An enamel object
made by this method.
chanoyu (CHAH-noh-yoo) [ Japanese: tea ceremony] A traditional
Japanese ceremony, both simple and meticulous, in which tea is
prepared with carefully chosen utensils and served and consumed
in a quiet ritual.
chansonnier (shanh-son-NYAY) [French] A writer or singer of satirical
songs; a cabaret entertainer who performs in a style that
blends singing and speech.
chantage (shahn-TAHZH) [French] Blackmail; extortion.
chanterelle (shanh-TREHL) [French, from Latin: drinking cup] A
wild, mustard-yellow, edible mushroom, much in demand in
France.
chanteuse (shanh-TEUZ) [French] A female professional singer,
one who performs in cabarets and nightclubs. 
The rakish
secret agent. A blond chanteuse. Cameras masquerading as bow
ties.—Time, May 10, 1999.
chaise longue • chanteuse 49
chapati (chah-PAH-tee) [Hindi] In northern India, a staple flatbread
often made of whole-wheat flour and baked on a hot griddle.
chapeau (singular); chapeaus, chapeaux (plural) (shah-POH)
[French, from Latin] A hat. Also, in France, a congratulatory
expression, short for “Hats off !”
charcuterie (shahr-ku-TREE) [French] A shop where pork sausages,
hams, pates, etc., are sold; the pork products themselves.
charge d’affaires (shahr-ZHAY dah-FAIR) [French: one in charge
of things] The deputy in charge of a diplomatic mission during
the temporary absence of its ambassador or minister. An
envoy to a foreign nation to which an ambassador or minister
is not accredited. 
After the recent impasse, they withdrew
their charge d’affaires from Baghdad.
charisma (kah-RIZ-mah) [Latin, from Greek] A spiritual gift or
talent, as the ability to heal. A personal quality or presence that
allows an individual to influence others and to inspire devotion;
magnetism. 
Forest Whitaker brings presence and charisma to
the part.—The Guardian, May 20, 1999.
charlatan (SHAHR-lah-tn) [French, from Italian] A person who
claims more expertise than he or she possesses; an imposter; a
quack; a phony. 
He was an accomplished charlatan, from a
long line of itinerant patent medicine salesmen.
charlotte (SHAHR-let) [French, from a woman’s name] A rich dessert;
a mold lined with cake or bread and filled with a mixture
of fruit, whipped cream or custard, and gelatin.
charpoy (CHAHR-poy) [Urdu, from Persian] In India, a light bedstead
or cot with a wooden frame.
chasse gardee (shahss gahr-DAY) [French] A private hunting
ground.
50 chapati • chasse gardee
chaud-froid (shoh-FRWAH) [French: hot-cold] A cooked dish, often
of fowl or game, that has been glazed with aspic and chilled.
chauffeur (shoh-FEUR) [French: stoker] A person hired to drive a
car or limousine. To drive as a chauffeur; to transport by car.
chauvinism (SHOH-vih-nism) [French, after Chauvin, a soldier in
Napoleon’s army] Extreme zeal or patriotism; loudly expressed
enthusiasm for a group or cause. Biased admiration for one country
or ideology to the exclusion of all others. More recently,
the tendency to treat members of the opposite sex as inferiors.

he was taken to task for his chauvinism.—The St. Louis Post-
Dispatch, January 31, 1999.
chauvinist (SHOH-vih-nist) [French] A person whose chief characteristic
is chauvinism. 
You gotta love a self-described “female
chauvinist sow” who writes like Walt Whitman crossed with
Erma Bombeck.—Time, March 8, 1999.
chazan See hazan.
chef (shehf) [French, short for chef de cuisine: head of the kitchen]
The chief cook in a restaurant or hotel, whose responsibilities
include planning menus, buying ingredients, and supervising
the preparation of food. More generally, any cook.
chef d’oeuvre (singular); chefs d’oeuvre (plural) (shay DEU-vreu)
[French] A masterpiece; a matchless or outstanding work, often
a work of art. 
The string quartets, taken as a whole, may well
be Shostakovich’s chef d’oeuvre.
chenille (sheh-NEEL) [French: caterpillar; silkworm] A velvety
yarn of cotton, rayon, or silk used for bedspreads, curtains, and
sometimes for clothing; any fabric with a protruding pile.
cher (m), chere, cherie (f ) (shair, shay-REE) [French] Dear;
beloved.
chaud-froid • cherchez la femme 51
52 cher • chiffonier
cherchez la femme (shehr-shay lah FAHM) [French] Look for the
woman: used to suggest that a woman is the motive behind a
specific action, or the clue to solving a mystery. 
In this romantic
comedy written and directed by John Walsh, a Midwesterner
plays cherchez la femme in New York.—The New York Times, September
8, 1996.
cheroot (sheh-ROOT) [Tamil] A cigar, particularly one with open,
untapered ends.
chevre (SHEH-vreu) [French: goat] In full: fromage de chevre. A
cheese made from goat’s milk.
chiaroscuro (kee-ah-roh-SKOO-roh) [Italian, from Latin: clearobscure]
The treatment and distribution of light and shade in
a painting or drawing, used to enhance character traits and/or
dramatic effects. Also called clair-obscure. 
the chiaroscuro use of
light and shadow—The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 10, 1998.
chic (sheek) [French, from German Schick: skill] Stylish; fashionable
and elegant. Good taste and stylishness in dress.
chicanismo (chee-kah-NEES-moh) [Spanish] The values, traditions,
and culture of Mexican Americans, or the pride taken by Mexican
Americans in their background.
chichi (SHEE-shee) [French] Trendy in a pretentious or ostentatious
way; fussily elegant; showy; in an affected manner.

There is nothing chichi about the sweaters, skirts, pants, jackets
and coats.—The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 5, 1999.
chiffonade (shih-foh-NAHD) [French, from chiffon: a rag] A mixture
of greens or herbs sliced in fine ribbons, used in soups or
salads.
chiffonier (shih-fon-EER, shih-foh-NYAY) [French] A tall chest of
drawers mounted on short legs, often with a mirror on the top.
chignon (sheen-YONH) [French, from Latin] A woman’s hairstyle:
long hair dressed in a knot or roll at the back of the head or
the nape of the neck. 
But that was four makeovers ago and
before Washington hairdressers, previously known for keeping
the chignon alive, had p.r. agents.—Time, April 13, 1998.
chili con carne (chee-lee kon KAHR-nay) [Spanish] A Mexican-style
dish consisting of hot peppers or chili powder, ground meat,
onions, tomatoes, and kidney beans.
chili verde (chee-lee VAIR-day) [Spanish] A stew containing beef
or pork, flavored with hot green peppers.
chimera (kee-MEH-rah) [Latin, from Greek] A grotesque, firebreathing
monster of the imagination. 
She may not be the
chimera your anxiety has made of her.
chinoiserie (sheen-wahz-REE) [French: Chinese trinket] An example
of Chinese art; something decorated in the Chinese style or
with Chinese motifs. By extension, something needlessly complicated;
red tape.
cholo (CHOH-loh) [Mexican Spanish: mestizo; peasant] Among
Mexican Americans, a youth who belongs to a street gang. Also,
a disparaging term for a half-breed or half-civilized Indian.
chorizo (choh-REE-zoh) [Spanish] A Mexican or Spanish pork sausage
flavored with garlic and chilis.
chotchke See tchotchke.
chutney (CHUT-nee) [Hindi] A spiced, sweet-and-sour condiment
of East Indian origin, often served with curry.
chutzpah (HOOTS-pah) [Yiddish] Effrontery; impudence; audacity;
brazen boldness. 
a manic-eyed showgirl with the curls of
Shirley Temple and the chutzpah of Barbra Streisand—Time,
November 2, 1998.
chignon • chutzpah 53
cicerone (sis-eh-ROH-neh) [Latin, after the Roman orator Cicero]
A guide, one who shares his or her knowledge of antiquities
and historical curiosities with sightseers. 
A bad egg, he has
made his dubious living by writing leaders for The Daily Beast,
by selling champagne and by acting as a bored and wicked
cicerone to humdrum tourists.—The New York Times, May 30,
1942.
cineast, cineaste (see-nay-AHST) [French: filmmaker] A film producer
or director. A devotee or aficionado of moviemaking.
Also written as cineaste.
cinema verite, cinema verite (see-nay-mah veh-ree-TAY) [French]
A style of motion picture, prevalent in the 1940s and 1950s,
that avoided any hint of prepared staging, and used handheld
cameras to photograph the characters of the story (who were
not always actors) in seemingly real, completely unprepared situations.

Just like Frederick Wiseman is cinema verite, David
Isay is audio verite.—The New York Times, November 8, 1998.
cinquecento (ching-kway-CHEN-toh) [Italian] In Italy, the 16th century;
usually used with reference to prevailing attitudes in art
and literature of the 1500s.
circa (SEER-kah) [Latin] About; around. Used before an approximate
date or figure and often abbreviated as c., ca., cir.
cirque (seerk) [French, from Latin: circus] A bowl-shaped mountain
valley with steep walls; a circular hollow, sometimes with
a small lake at the base.
clairvoyance (clair-VOY-ans) [French: clear seeing] The supposed
ability to perceive hidden or distant things, or to see future
events; insight that goes beyond the range of normal perception.
Second sight; vision. 
Lack of clairvoyance comes with the
territory.—Time, June 2, 1997.
claque (klahk) [French, from claquer: to clap] A group of people
in an audience who have been hired to applaud a performer or
54 cicerone • claque
act; a group that applauds an actor who is either a friend or an
employer. 
He entertained the journalistic elite and had them
applauding as if he had hired a claque.
claves (KLAH-vays) [Spanish: keys; keystone] In music, a pair of
short hardwood sticks, played by striking them together to produce
a dry clacking sound of indeterminate pitch.
clavier, klavier (klah-VEER, KLAH-vee-er) [German, from French,
from Latin] A keyboard of a musical instrument; an instrument
that has a keyboard, as a piano or harpsichord.
cliche (klee-SHAY) [French, from clicher: to stereotype] A trite
phrase, idea, action, plot, etc., that has lost its impact through
overuse. Hackneyed; stereotyped; commonplace. 
Soon I’m a
cliche in sunglasses and rolled-up pant legs.—The Washington
Post, February 28, 1999.
clique (kleek) [French] A small, exclusive, or clannish group of
people; a narrow coterie; a set. 
The small, sectarian world
of mainstream poetry has never been free of cliques.—The
Guardian, May 20, 1999.
cloche (klosh) [French, from Latin: bell; bell-jar] A woman’s bellshaped,
close-fitting hat. A glass cover in the shape of a bell,
used to protect young plants from frost, or one placed over a
plate to keep food warm.
cloisonne (klwah-zoh-NAY) [French: partitioned] Decorative enamelware
in which the colors of the design are separated by metal
strips or wires laid edgewise. Pertaining to or made by such a
method.
cloture (KLOH-cher) [French, from Latin: barrier; cloister] A maneuver
to stop debate in a legislative body in order to have an immediate
vote on a question. 
He had a greater task remaining
before him than cobbling together a Republican majority for a
cloture vote.—Time, May 27, 1996.
claves • cloture 55
cocotte (1) (koh-KOT) [French, from Latin] A small cast-iron or
porcelain cooking pot with handles and a lid.
cocotte (2) (koh-KOT) [French: a child’s word for hen] A woman
of easy virtue; a prostitute.
coda (KOH-dah) [Italian, from Latin: tail] The closing section of
a piece of music, a ballet, or a literary or dramatic work, particularly
a concluding passage that contains themes or motifs
from preceding sections. Anything that serves to bring a composition
to a formal, complete ending. 
This book ends with a
coda, sustained but puzzling.—The New York Review of Books,
March 4, 1999.
cognac (KON-yahk) [French] Brandy made in the area around
the French town of Cognac. Any good brandy.
cognoscenti (kon-yoh-SHEN-tee) [Italian, from Latin: cognoscere: to
know] Those people with exceptional inside knowledge and
appreciation of a particular field, most often in the fine arts, literature,
and fashion. 
Whisk wizard Marty Kaplan . . . serves
up scrumptious goodies to the cognoscenti.—The St. Louis Post-
Dispatch, March 7, 1999.
coiffeur (m), coiffeuse (f ) (kwah-FEUR, kwah-FEUZ) [French] A
hairdresser or hairstylist.
coiffure (kwah-FUR) [French] A style of dressing or combing the
hair. Also, a headdress or head covering.
cojones (koh-HOH-nes) [Spanish: testicles] Courage; nerve; “guts.”
collage (koh-LAHZH) [French: pasting; gluing] An artistic work,
often abstract, made by gluing newspaper, bits of cloth, tickets,
labels, etc., onto a flat surface, with or without painting around
them. By extension, a collection of diverse or seemingly unrelated
elements presented without transition, as in an abstract
56 cocotte • collage
film or play. Picasso introduced collage in 1912, when he glued
a piece of printed oilcloth to a cubist painting.
coloratura (koh-loh-rah-TOO-rah) [Italian, from Latin: coloring]
Describing a style of singing characterized by rapid, florid passages
that require great vocal agility, usually composed for the
highest soprano voice. Also, a soprano who specializes in the
coloratura style.
comanchero (koh-man-CHAY-roh) [American Spanish] In the southwestern
United States, an Indian trader.
commando (kah-MAN-doh) [Afrikaans, from Portuguese: a group
commanded] Describing any specially trained fighting unit
used for quick, deadly raids behind enemy lines; a member of
an assault team that uses hit-and-run tactics in extremely dangerous
situations.
comme il faut (kom eel FOH) [French] As it should be; correct;
fittingly. 
How many candidates have violated the comme il faut
of campaign finance?
communique (kom-myoo-nih-KAY) [French: communicated] An official
bulletin or announcement that reports to the public or the
press on a meeting or conflict. 
(He) was working on an unrelated
computer-security problem when the communique first
unfolded on a colleague’s screen.—The Atlantic Monthly, April
1999.
compadre (kom-PAH-dray) [Spanish: godfather] A male friend,
companion, or crony.
companero (m), companera (f ) (kom-pahn-YEH-roh, kom-pahn-YEHrah)
[Spanish] Companion; partner; coworker.
compos mentis (KOM-pohs MEHN-tiss) [Latin] Of sound mind;
sane.
coloratura • compos mentis 57
compote (kom-POHT) [French, from Latin: composite] Fruit that
has been cooked or stewed in sugar syrup, often served in a
dish called a compotier.
con amore (kon ah-MOH-reh) [Italian] In music, with love; to be
played lovingly; with tenderness.
concerto (kon-CHEHR-toh) [Italian] In music, an orchestral work
featuring one or more instrumental soloists.
concerto grosso (kon-CHEHR-toh GROH-soh) [Italian: big concert]
In music, an instrumental work in which several soloists play
individually and together with an orchestra.
concierge (konh-see-AIRZH) [French, from Latin] In France, the
doorkeeper and janitor of a building; the person charged with
screening visitors, etc., who often occupies a ground-floor apartment
in the building. In a hotel, a staff member responsible for
special services for guests, such as obtaining theater tickets,
arranging for tours, or providing special equipment.
concordat (kon-KOHR-daht) [French, from Latin] An official agreement.
A contract between the pope and a national government
for the regulation of church matters. 
Once it has approved
the concordat, the assembly can go on to debate the issue in
Wales.—The Guardian, April 13, 1999.
concours (kohn-KOOR) [French] A contest; a public competition.
See also hors concours.
confetti (kon-FEHT-tee) [Italian: confections] Small bits of colored
paper, thrown or dropped from above to add merriment to a
festive occasion such as a wedding or a parade.
confidant (m), confidante (f ) (KON-fih-dant) [French, from Italian,
from Latin] A person with whom one can discuss private matters
or to whom secrets can be confided. 
the toast of Holly-
58 compote • confidant
wood during the 1930s and 1940s—the confidant of Aldous Huxley
and a friend to Charlie Chaplin—Time, March 29, 1999.
confit (konh-FEE) [French, from Latin] In French cooking, goose
or duck that has been cooked and preserved in its own fat. Any
food preserved in vinegar or sugar.
confiture (konh-fee-TUR) [French] Fruit preserves; jam.
conge (konh-ZHAY) [French] Leave-taking; departure. A temporary
permission to leave one’s employment, as a leave of absence.
con moto (kon-MOH-toh) [Italian] In music, with animation; to be
played in an active or lively manner.
connoisseur (kon-neh-SEUR) [French, from Latin cognosciter: knower]
A person with thorough knowledge of any of the arts or of
matters of taste, whose expertise qualifies him or her to make
critical judgments in such matters. 
Connoisseurs will encounter
some old Vidal favorites—The New York Review of Books,
April 22, 1999.
conquistador (kon-KEES-tah-dor) [Spanish] A conqueror, especially
one of the Spanish conquerors of Mexico and Peru in the 1500s.
consigliere (kon-seel-YEH-reh) [Italian: counselor] One who closely
advises a mafia leader; a counselor of considerable power
and influence. 
One of those convicted of conspiring in that
plot was Louis “Bobby” Manna, who prosecutors say was the
consigliere—or No. 3 man—in the Genovese family under
Gigante.—The New York Times, July 11, 1997.
consomme (KON-soh-may, konh-soh-MAY) [French, from Latin: to
add up; finish] A clear broth made with meat or chicken, vegetables,
bones, and seasonings, boiled in water.
consortium (kon-SOR-tee-um) [Latin: partnership] A coalition or
combination of nations, corporations, banks, or other groups,
confit • consortium 59
for the purpose of launching a venture that requires vast financial
resources. Any association, union, or fellowship. 
industrywide
concerns, like leading a consortium called Sematech to
stave off foreign competition—Time, March 29, 1999.
conte (konht) [French] A short story.
contrejour (konh-treu-ZHOOR) [French: against the daylight] In
photography, an image taken with the main light source behind
the subject; with the camera aimed at, or almost at, the strongest
light.
contretemps (KON-treu-tanh, konh-treu-TANH) [French: against
time] A mischance; an unfortunate or unforeseen event that
interferes with one’s plans; an inopportune incident. 
After a
tape of the Pfeiffer pilot got out, it set off yet another overheated
racial contretemps in Los Angeles.—Time, October 12,
1998.
coq au vin (kok oh VENH) [French: cock in wine] A traditional
French stew containing chicken, vegetables, diced bacon, seasonings,
and red wine.
coquette (koh-KEHT) [French] A woman who flirts in a casual
manner; one who attracts the attention of men by flirting.
corazon (kor-ah-SOHN) [Spanish] The heart; affection; sympathy;
courage or spirit.
cordillera (kor-dee-LAIR-ah) [Spanish] A system of mountain
ranges within a large landmass. The Cordilleras is the system of
mountain ranges lying parallel to the Pacific Coast, extending
from the Andes to the Rocky Mountains.
cordon bleu (singular); cordons bleus (plural) (kor-donh BLEU)
[French: blue ribbon] The blue ribbon once worn by the highestranking
knights of the (French) Bourbon monarchy. A person
60 conte • cordon bleu
who has achieved great eminence in his or her field, especially
an outstanding cook. Any high distinction. At the highest level
of excellence in cooking. 
In recent years, the only women I
know who got as much of a creative kick as men out of cooking
are a few whose cordon bleu expertise now gets public
acclaim—The New York Times, January 5, 1977.
cordon sanitaire (kor-donh sah-nee-TAIR) [French] A guarded line
or barricade around a quarantined area, designed to prevent
the spread of infectious disease. Also, a group of buffer states
surrounding a potentially dangerous nation, or forming a barrier
between two hostile nations.
corniche (kor-NEESH) [French, from Italian: rock ledge] A narrow,
winding road cut into the face of a cliff or a steep hill,
especially one that follows a coastline. A famous example is the
Grande Corniche on the French Riviera.
cornuto (kor-NOO-toh) [Italian: one who is horned] A cuckold.
corps de ballet (kohr deu bah-LAY) [French] The company of ballet
dancers of a particular theater, or the ensemble of nonsoloists
in a ballet company.
corpus delicti (KOR-pus deh-LIK-tye) [Latin: the body of the offense]
In law, the essential fact of a crime; in a murder case,
the discovery of the body of the murder victim. The object of
a crime, such as a murder victim’s body, that provides evidence
that the crime was committed.
corral (kor-RAL) [Spanish, from Latin] Formerly, a circular enclosure
made of wagons, for protection against attack. More
recently, an enclosed space; a pen for cattle or horses. Informally,
to capture, seize, or secure.
corrida (kor-REE-dah) [Spanish: course; race] Short for corrida de
toros: running of the bulls. A bullfight.
cordon sanitaire • corrida 61
corrigendum (singular) (kor-ee-JEHN-dum) [Latin] Something to
be corrected, as an error in print. In the plural, corrigenda: a list
of corrected errors in a printed book or publication.
cortege (kor-TEHZH) [French, from Italian] A ceremonial procession,
as in a “funeral cortege.” A train of attendants accompanying
an important person; a retinue. 
The cortege will travel
slowly from the church to the cemetery.—The Guardian, May
15, 1999.
corvee (kor-VAY) [French, from Latin] Formerly, the unpaid peasant
labor required by a feudal lord. More recently, unpaid or
underpaid labor, usually for repairing roads.
coterie (KOH-teh-ree) [French, from earlier cotier, an association of
tenant farmers] A small group of people with common interests
and pursuits; a clique.
cotillion (koh-TIL-yon) [French, from cotillon: a petticoat] An elaborate
French dance usually executed by four couples; the ancestor
of the square dance. In modern usage, a formal ball for
young women being introduced to society. 
No more would it
summon folks to come and read how kids’ crepe-paper birthdays
rivaled royal cotillions.—Time, August 4, 1997.
coulee (KOO-lee) [French, from couler: to flow] In the western
United States and western Canada, a deep gulch or dry ravine
formed by rainfall or melting snow. Also, a small, intermittent
flow of water.
coulisse (koo-LEESS) [French: flowing] A groove or narrow space
through which something slides or flows. In theater, a narrow
space between the wings. In landscape painting, a view through
dark valleys toward distant light.
coup (koo) [French: a blow with the fist; a sudden shock] An unexpected,
telling blow, act, or move; a brilliant accomplishment;
a masterstroke. See also coup d’etat. 
He was arrested and ac-
62 corrigendum • coup
cused of instigating a palace coup designed to unseat the reigning
monarch.
coup de foudre (koo deu FOO-dreu) [French: thunderbolt] Informally,
love at first sight.
coup de grace (koo deu GRAHSS) [French: a stroke of mercy] A
death blow; a mortal stroke delivered to end the suffering of a
wounded enemy. By extension, any decisive action taken to finish
or put an end to something.
coup de main (koo deu MENH) [French: a blow from the hand] A
vigorous and unexpected stroke; a surprise or sudden development.
Informally, a helping hand; temporary assistance.
coup d’etat (koo day-TAH) [French: a stroke of state] The sudden
and illegal overthrow of those in power; a sudden and often
violent takeover of a government by rebel forces. See also junta.
coup de theatre (koo deu tay-AH-treu) [French] A surprising or
sensational twist in the plot of a play; a successful dramatic device
that excites the audience.
coup d’oeil (koo DEUY) [French: a stroke of the eye] A quick
glance; a comprehensive view of a landscape, building, etc.
courgette (koor-ZHEHT) [French] Zucchini; green summer squash.
couscous (kooss kooss) [French, from Arabic] In North African
cooking, a form of semolina, usually steamed and served with
a light stew of meat and vegetables.
couture (koo-TOOR, koo-TUR) [French: sewing; seam] The art and
action of sewing, dressmaking, and tailoring; clothing created
by fashionable designers or couturiers. See also haute couture.

Ferragamo has also purchased the Paris couture house of
Emanuel Ungaro.—Time, October 19, 1998.
coup de foudre • couture 63
couturier (m), couturiere (f ) (koo-too-ree-AY, koo-too-ree-AIR) [French:
one who sews] A dressmaker, one who designs and makes highfashion
clothing. 
The fabrics were made by skilled artisans,
something like those who work in a couturier’s atelier—The
Baltimore Sun, April 9, 1999.
creche (krehsh) [French: crib; cradle] A group of figures representing
the scene at the stable in Bethlehem when Christ was
born, often displayed at Christmastime. Also, a home for foundlings
or, in Britain and France, a day nursery.
credenda (kreh-DEN-dah) [Latin] Matters or articles of faith; things
to be believed, as opposed to agenda: things to be done.
credenza (kreh-DEN-zah) [Italian, from Latin] A buffet or sideboard,
often without legs; a closed cabinet used to store office
supplies.
creme anglaise (krehm anh-GLEZ) [French: English cream] A
sweet custard sauce that may be flavored with liqueur.
creme brulee (krehm bru-LAY) [French: burned cream] A rich custard
dessert that is sprinkled with sugar just before serving and
run under the broiler to caramelize the sugar.
creme de la creme (krehm deu lah krehm) [French: cream of the
cream] The very best; the most select. 
what you see will definitely
not be the creme de la creme.—The Guardian, May 7, 1999.
creme de menthe (krehm deu MANHT) [French: cream of mint]
A sweet, green or white liqueur strongly flavored with mint.
creme fraiche (krehm FREHSH) [French: fresh cream] A thickened,
flavorful form of cream, slightly fermented, similar to
but milder than sour cream.
crepe, crepe (krehp) [French, from Latin crispus: crinkled] A thin
pancake, rolled around a filling or served with a sauce. Also, a
dress fabric; see crepe de chine.
64 couturier • crepe
crepe de chine, crepe de chine (krehp deu SHEEN) [French: crepe
from China] A thin, soft, silk dress fabric with a finely crinkled
surface.
crepes suzette (krehp su-ZEHT) [French] Thin pancakes, folded
and warmed in a sauce of butter and orange-flavored liqueur,
and served flambe.
crescendo (kreh-SHEHN-doh) [Italian] In music, growing louder;
increasing in volume of sound. The opposite of decrescendo.
cri de coeur (kree deu KEUR) [French: cry from the heart] A cry
of distress, resentment, or exasperation.
crime passionel (kreem pahs-yoh-NEL) [French] A crime of passion,
one directly caused by feelings of love, hate, or jealousy.

Although it involved homicide, this unpremeditated crime
passionel inspired some sympathy for the accused among jury
members.
crise (kreez) [French, from Greek] A crisis.
crise de conscience (kreez deu konh-SYANHS) [French] A crisis of
conscience; an ethical or moral dilemma.
critique (krih-TEEK) [French, from Greek] A critical review of an
artistic or literary work; a detailed commentary on a specific
subject or problem. Often misused as a verb: to review critically.

Its allegorical critique of paternalism obviously still has special
resonance.—The Guardian, May 20, 1999.
croquette (kroh-KEHT) [French, from croquer: to crunch] A small
cake or patty of finely chopped food, often coated in batter or
breadcrumbs and fried in deep fat.
croupier (kroop-YAY) [French] An attendant in a gambling house
who rakes in chips or money at a gaming table and pays the
winners.
crepe de chine • croupier 65
crouton (kroo-TONH) [French] A small square of toasted or fried
bread, used to garnish soups or salads.
cru (kroo, kru) [French: growth] In France, a vineyard that produces
wine of excellent quality. See also grand cru.
crudites (kru-dee-TAY) [French, from Latin cruditas: indigestion]
An appetizer consisting of small, raw vegetables, served with
or without a dressing or dip.
cui bono (kwee BOH-noh) [Latin] For whose benefit? Who profits
by it?
cuisine (kwee-ZEEN) [French, from Latin: kitchen] The style or
quality of cooking, as that of southern France or Indonesia.

eating seasonal foods and safeguarding regional cuisines and
producers who cultivate them—Time, May 17, 1999.
cul-de-sac (kul-de-SAK) [French: bottom of the bag] A street or
passage open only at one end; a dead-end street; a blind alley.
By extension, any situation in which one cannot make further
progress, or from which one cannot escape. 
But now the horror
of winter storms in Southern California is a Seattle occurrence:
water runs down fresh-paved cul-de-sacs and crushes
everything below.—The New York Times, December 29, 1996.
culotte (ku-LOT) [French: breeches] A woman’s trousers that are
cut loosely to resemble a skirt. Often used in the plural, culottes.
cum laude (kum LAU-deh) [Latin] With praise; with honor. Used
on diplomas to denote academic achievement above the average.
See also magna cum laude, summa cum laude.
cure (ku-RAY) [French] In France, a parish priest.
curettage (kyoor-TAHZH) [French] The process of scraping with
a curette.
66 crouton • curettage
curette (kyoo-REHT) [French] A small surgical instrument in the
shape of a scoop or spoon, used to scrape tissue or growths
from body cavities.
Curia (KYOOR-ee-ah) [Latin] The papal court; the body of officials
of the Vatican. 
uses this thread which she follows through the
labyrinthine, protean structure of the papal Curia—The New
York Review of Books, March 4, 1999.
curriculum (singular); curricula, curriculums (plural) (kuh-RIKyoo-
lum) [Latin: course of action; race] The complete range of
studies available at a school, a college, or a university; a particular
or regular course of studies. 
The university is reducing
its core curriculum and increasing recreational facilities to attract
more students.
curriculum vitae (singular); curricula vitae (plural) (kuh-RIK-yoolum
VEE-tay) [Latin] The course of one’s life; one’s career. A
short biographical summary of a person’s education, training,
and work experience, usually prepared when applying for a job.
See also resume.
cynosure (SYE-noh-shoor) [Latin, from Greek: dog’s tail] A focus
or center of attraction and attention; something that invites
admiration. Also, something that provides guidance or direction.

So it’s more of a shock to discover children who are not
the cynosure of all eyes.—The Guardian, January 4, 1999.
czar, tsar (tzahr) [Russian, from Latin Caesar] An emperor or
king; the former emperor of Russia. An absolute ruler, or any
person in a position of supreme power or authority. 
Formerly
the Defense Department’s export czar, he knows every sinkhole
in the regulatory swamp.—Time, May 24, 1999.
czardas (CHAR-dahsh) [Hungarian] A Hungarian folk dance dating
from the Middle Ages, with a slow, melancholy section followed
by a fast, lively one.
curette • czardas 67
da capo (dah KAH-poh) [Italian: from the head] In music, from
the beginning; an instruction to the player to go back to the
opening of the piece, or the section just played, and repeat it.
d’accord (dah-KOR) [French] Informally, (I am in) agreement; (I)
accept.
dacha (DAH-chah) [Russian] A villa or house in the Russian
countryside; a summer weekend cottage once available only to
aristocrats and party officials. 
he met with Stalin in the Kremlin
and then at a dacha outside the city.—The New York Review
of Books, March 4, 1999.
dacoit (dah-KOYT) [Hindi] In India and Burma, one of a gang of
criminals engaged in organized theft and murder.
Dada (DAH-dah) [French nursery word: horse; hobbyhorse] In
the early 20th century, a nihilistic movement in art and literature
that flouted artistic convention and declared a program of
protest against bourgeois values. A popular means of expression
among dadaists was photomontage, which combined pasted bits
of photographs with printed messages or slogans. 
Dada evaporated
because its original revolutionary spirit could not be
sustained—The New York Times, June 5, 1977.
daikon (DYE-kon) [ Japanese, from Chinese: big root] In Asian
cooking, a long, white, winter radish used raw (grated or shredded),
or pickled.
daimyo, daimio (DYE-myoh) [ Japanese, from Chinese: great name]
Formerly, a title given to the hereditary feudal lords of Japan.
68 da capo • daimyo
D
Dalai Lama (DAH-lye LAH-mah) [Mongolian] The title of the
highest-ranking monk of Tibet, said to be a reincarnation of
the bodhisattva known as Avalokitesvara. Until the Chinese
Communist takeover in 1959, the Dalai Lama was the temporal
as well as spiritual ruler of Tibet. See also lama.
dan (dahn, dan) [ Japanese, from Chinese: grade] In the martial arts,
the highest ranks of proficiency in judo, karate, etc., symbolized
by the wearing of a black cloth belt.
danke schon (DAHN-keh SHEUN) [German] Thanks very much.
danse macabre (dahnss mah-KAH-breu) [French] A scene in a
medieval mystery play, in which the figure symbolizing Death
leads his victims in a dance to the netherworld. The French
word macabre may derive from celebrations of the biblical battle
of the Maccabees.
danseur (m), danseuse (f ) (danh-SEUR, danh-SEUZ) [French] A
dancer.
daruma (dah-ROO-mah) [ Japanese, from a Chinese transliteration
of the Sanskrit: dharma] A large Japanese doll made in the
image of a seated Buddhist monk, a symbol of the Indian monk
Bodhidharma, who founded the Zen sect of Buddhism; it is
thought to be a good-luck charm.
dashiki (dah-SHEE-kee) [Yoruba] A loose-fitting pullover garment,
usually made of brightly colored printed cotton, worn by some
African men. 
While Barry is fond of dashikis and rambling
rhetoric, Brimmer is as precise and exacting as the cut of his
charcoal-gray suit.—Time, August 18, 1997.
daube (dohb) [French] In French cooking, a stew made by braising
meat and vegetables, i.e., simmering with a small amount
of liquid in a tightly covered pot.
Dalai Lama • daube 69
dauphin (doh-FENH) [French, from Dauphine, a former province]
The eldest son of a king of France, a title in use between 1349
and 1830.
dayan (singular); dayanim (plural) (dah-YAHN, dah-YAHN-ihm)
[Hebrew] In Judaism, a judge in a religious court. Also, a person
who advises rabbis on matters of Talmudic law.
debacle (day-BAH-kl) [French, from bacler: to act hastily and carelessly]
An abrupt change resulting in disorder or ruin; utter collapse;
a sudden, disastrous breakdown.
debauchee (day-boh-SHAY) [French] A person given to debauchery
or immoral conduct; one addicted to the pleasures of the
flesh.
debonair (deh-boh-NAIR) [French, from de bon air: of good mien]
Having an urbane and nonchalant manner; charming and
sophisticated; gracious and self-confident. 
Fred Astaire has to
have been the most debonair entertainer of his generation.
de bonne grace (deu bun GRAHSS) [French] With good grace;
willingly.
debrouillard (day-broo-YAHR) [French, from debrouiller: to untangle]
Cleverly resourceful; adept at coping with a tricky situation.
One who is skilled at managing his or her own affairs.
debut (day-BYOO) [French, from debuter: to begin] A first public
performance or appearance on the stage, or the formal introduction
to society of a young woman. The beginning, as of
a profession or career. As an adjective: pertaining to a first
appearance.
debutante (DEH-byoo-tahnt) [French] A young woman who is
being formally introduced to society.
70 dauphin • debutante
decathlon (dih-KATH-lon) [Greek] An athletic competition in
which each contestant participates in a series of ten track-andfield
events.
declasse (day-klah-SAY) [French] Lowered or diminished in rank;
reduced in position or social status. 
Are the Hamptons becoming
declasse as a summer gathering place?
decolletage (day-kohl-TAHZH) [French, from decolleter: to uncover
the neck and shoulders] A low-cut neckline in the front or back
of a dress, one that may bare the shoulders as well.
decollete (day-kohl-TAY) [French] Used to describe a garment cut
low in front or in back; with the neck and shoulders bare.
decor (day-KOHR) [French] The style of decoration used in a
home, a room, or a building; the furniture, fabrics, objects, etc.,
that serve to convey the style. In the theater, the decorative
style of a stage set; the scenery and set dressing. 
The elegant
decor of this restaurant does not excuse the haughtiness of its
service.
decorum (deh-KOHR-um) [Latin] Correctness and dignity of behavior
and dress; propriety of manners. In the plural (decorums),
the requirements of good taste or social convention.
decoupage (day-koo-PAHZH) [French: a cutting out] The art of
decorating a surface with cutouts of paper and lacquering over
them; a piece produced in this manner.
decrescendo (deh-kreh-SHEN-doh) [Italian] In music, decreasing;
gradually becoming softer in volume. The opposite of crescendo.
de facto (deh FAK-toh) [Latin] According to fact; in reality. Compare
de jure. 
So long as poverty persists, de facto if not de jure—
The Guardian, May 19, 1999.
decathlon • de facto 71
degringolade (day-grenh-goh-LAHD) [French: a precipitous descent]
A rapid deterioration or breakdown; a falling apart; ruination.
de gustibus non est disputandum (deh GOO-stee-bus non ehst dihspoo-
TAHN-dum) [Latin] About taste there is no disputing. One
cannot argue about matters of taste.
Dei gratia (deh-ee GRAHT-syah) [Latin] By the grace of God.
deja vu (day-zhah VU) [French: already seen] The illusion that
something seen or encountered for the first time has been
experienced before. Often used incorrectly to describe a situation
that one already experienced.
dejeuner (day-zheu-NAY) [French, from Latin] Lunch; luncheon.
de jure (deh JOO-reh) [Latin] According to the law; according to
a specific decision. Compare de facto. 
but any citizen whatever
whose de jure equality was a facade for de facto enmity
and injustice.—The New York Times, December 20, 1987.
delicatessen (deh-lih-kah-TEH-sen) [German: delicacies] Prepared,
ready-to-serve foods such as cooked meats, salads, pickles,
cheeses, etc., or a store that sells such foods.
delirium tremens (deh-LEER-ee-um TREH-mehnz) [Latin] A violent
form of mental disturbance caused by excessive drinking,
exhaustion, some infectious diseases, etc., characterized by terrifying
hallucinations, tremors, and acute emotional distress.
Also called d.t.’s.
deluxe (deh-LUKS, deu LUKS) [French] Elegant and expensive; of
the highest quality; luxurious. In a sumptuous manner.
demagogue, demagog (DEHM-ah-gog) [Greek: a leader of the
people] A political leader, orator, or agitator who gains popular
support by appealing to people’s emotions and prejudices;
an unscrupulous politician.
72 degringolade • demagogue
demarche (day-MAHRSH) [French: a step; gait] A diplomatic or
political action, especially one introducing a change in policy; a
formal diplomatic protest or appeal. A manner of approach; a
way of proceeding.
dementi (day-menh-TEE) [French: contradiction] An official statement
issued by a government that denies actions or policies
attributed to it.
demimondaine (deu-mee-monh-DEHN) [French] A woman of the
demimonde; of or about the demimonde.
demimonde (deu-mee-MOHND) [French: half world] The class of
women no longer considered respectable because of their
immoral or licentious behavior; courtesans or prostitutes. Also,
a fringe social group, such as the criminal or bohemian underworld.
demi-plie (deu-mee-plee-AY) [French] In ballet, a movement in
which the dancer keeps the feet flat on the floor and bends the
knees halfway. See also plie.
demi-pointe (deu-mee-PWENHT) [French] In ballet, a position on
the toes but not on the tips of the toes; on the balls of the feet.
demi-sec (deu-mee-SEHK) [French] In describing wines: medium
dry; sweeter than sec.
demitasse (deu-mee-TAHSS) [French: half cup] A small cup in
which strong after-dinner coffee is served; the coffee itself.
demode (day-moh-DAY) [French] Out of fashion; outmoded; dated;
“old hat.” 
a part of human history . . . has become merely
demode—The New Criterion, May 1999.
demoiselle (deu-mwah-ZEL) [French] An unmarried girl or young
woman.
demarche • demoiselle 73
de nada (day NAH-dah) [Spanish] It’s nothing; you are welcome;
don’t mention it; not at all (in answer to “thank you”).
denouement, denouement (day-noo-MANH) [French: an untying
or unraveling] In a novel or drama, the final untangling of a
complicated plot, or the moment in the story at which such a
resolution takes place. More generally, the outcome of a perplexing
or intricate series of events. 
But Ronald Christ’s oil on linen,
“Interval (From Umbertide),” serves as the proper denouement
for this exhibit.—The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 21, 1998.
de profundis (deh proh-FOON-dis) [Latin] Out of the depths (of
sorrow, misery, etc.): the first words of Psalm 130 in the Bible.
derailleur (dih-RAY-ler, day-rye-YEUR) [French: derailer; disengager]
On a bicycle, a gear-shifting device that moves the drive chain
from one sprocketed wheel to another.
de rigueur (deu ree-GEUR) [French] Strictly required by custom,
fashion, or etiquette. 
A tuxedo is de rigueur for the occasion.
dernier cri (dehrn-yay KREE) [French: the last cry] The newest
trend or thing; the most up-to-date fashion. 
This interpretation
of the lurid tale of a Hollywood star and her gigolo is the
dernier cri in adult drama.
derriere, derriere (deh-ree-AIR) [French] The buttocks; the rear.
desaparecido (dehs-ah-pah-ray-SEE-doh) [Spanish, Portuguese] One
who has disappeared, especially a Latin American secretly imprisoned
or executed during a government’s campaign of repression,
as in Chile and Argentina in the 1970s. 
who claimed
responsibility for as many as 5,000 desaparecidos (disappeared
ones) during his tenure as police chief —Time, September 5,
1994.
descamisado (dehs-kah-mee-SAH-doh) [Spanish: shirtless] Formerly,
a liberal extremist of the Spanish revolution of 1820–1823. More
recently, a poor factory worker or laborer, especially in Argentina.
74 de nada • descamisado
deshabille (dis-ah-BEEL, day-zah-BEE) [French: undressed] A state
of being untidily or partially dressed; the negligent style of clothing
worn in this state. By extension, a disorganized or careless
way of thinking.
desideratum (singular); desiderata (plural) (deh-see-deh-RAH-tum,
deh-see-deh-RAH-tah) [Latin] Something desirable or required
that is lacking in a situation. 
Transparency in the arms trade is
the first desideratum.—The New York Review of Books, March 4,
1999.
desole (day-soh-LAY) [French] Greatly distressed; afflicted; upset.
desperado (singular); desperadoes (plural) (dehs-per-AH-doh)
[Spanish, from Latin] A desperate, reckless outlaw or criminal.

the kind of dingbats and desperadoes who are currently destroying
our railway system—The Guardian, May 13, 1999.
detente (day-TANHT) [French: relaxation] An easing of tension
in relations between countries, particularly through diplomatic
negotiations. 
Kissinger’s goal in this was to reassure the Chinese
that the detente with the Soviet Union was in no way
designed to isolate China.—The New York Review of Books,
March 4, 1999.
detritus (dih-TRY-tus) [French, from Latin] Loose particles or
fragments of rock or other material, separated or washed away
from an exposed surface by erosion, glacial action, etc. Any
mass of disintegrated material; debris. 
to be churned into the
detritus of a defunct industry to provide a growing medium for
the thousands of trees and plants that will green the valley.—
Time, May 3, 1999.
de trop (deu TROH) [French] Too many; too much; not wanted;
superfluous.
deus ex machina (DAY-us eks MAH-kee-nah) [Latin, from Greek:
god from a machine] In classical Greek and Roman theater,
deshabille • deus ex machina 75
(the character of ) a benevolent god lowered mechanically into
the scene to resolve a difficult situation in the drama. By extension,
any improbable event or device used to untangle a situation
at the last moment. 
In western films, the deus ex machina
often took the form of cavalry arriving just in time to prevent
a massacre.
dharma (DAHR-mah) [Sanskrit] Buddha’s teaching; law; ultimate
truth.
dharna (DAHR-nah) [Hindi: placing; the act of sitting in restraint]
In India, a way of exacting payment or compliance with a demand
by sitting at the oppressor’s doorstep and fasting until
death or until justice is done.
dhoti (DOH-tee) [Hindi] In India, a long cotton loincloth worn
by Hindu men. 
“I am a blind supporter of Atal Behari,” said
Tyagi, 52, who was dressed in a dingy white dhoti.—The New
York Times, April 30, 1999.
dhow (dow) [Arabic] An Arabian sailing vessel with slanted, triangular
sails on one or two masts.
dhurrie (DUH-ree) [Hindi] A heavy, woven cotton rug of India.
diaspora (dye-AH-spoh-rah) [Greek: scattering] The dispersion of
the Jewish peoples after Roman times, or those peoples themselves
living outside their traditional homeland, or the countries
to which they have fled. By extension, the scattering of a
religious group, or the members of a religious minority who
live among people of a dominant religious group. 
Many refugees
from Kosovo’s diaspora have fled to the United States.
dictum (DIK-tum) [Latin] A formal pronouncement; an authoritative
statement or assertion. A maxim or saying. See also obiter
dictum. 
adding that the same dictum holds for young actors—
Time, April 12, 1999.
76 dharma • dictum
digestif (dee-zhehs-TEEF) [French: digestive] An after-dinner drink
of liqueur or brandy, taken to help the digestion. See also aperitif.
diktat (DIK-taht) [German: something dictated] A sternly worded
decree or settlement handed down by those in power; often, a
severe punishment inflicted on a defeated political group or
nation.
dilettante (DIH-leh-tahnt) [Italian, from Latin] A person who engages
in an activity or pursues knowledge simply for his or her
own amusement. A dabbler, an amateur. Also, one who loves
the fine arts.
dim sum (dim sum) [Chinese: touch the heart] In Chinese cooking,
fried, baked, or steamed dumplings filled with pork, seafood,
etc., served as a snack or appetizer.
dinero (dee-NEH-roh) [Spanish, from Latin] Money; currency.
dirigiste (dih-rih-ZHEEST) [French] One who subscribes to the
principle of dirigisme, a political system in which the government
has the power to make decisions or determine policy on
economic matters.
dirndl (DERN-dl) [German] A woman’s dress patterned after Tyrolean
peasant wear, with a full skirt gathered to a tight bodice.
Any full skirt gathered to a yoke or waistband.
discotheque, discotheque (dis-koh-TEHK) [French] A nightclub
or dance hall where music for dancing is pro