by Chloe Rhodes
Trade and economic growth have led to shifting fortunes between the social classes since the earliest civilizations, but during the Industrial Revolution the British borrowed the French term for those with newly acquired wealth who were breaking into aristocratic social circles for the first time. It was used as it is today, as a derogatory term, laden with the suggestion that as the beneficiaries of new money rather than old, the “nouveau riche” would lack the taste and breeding to know how to use their wealth wisely and discreetly.
I’m sorry, darling, but we really can’t go for dinner with the new neighbors; those big china bulldogs in their driveway are so painfully nouveau riche.
O
Oeuvre
work (French)
The French use this word to mean work in the sense of an artist’s work, rather than the daily grind, and “oeuvre” usually refers to the complete body of work by a writer, artist, or composer. It entered English in 1875 and is used primarily in artistic criticism or by academics who are looking at the life’s work of an individual to assess it in its widest possible context. It is generally viewed as a rather pretentious word, though it has seen resurgence through use by modern music reviewers.
Henry had studied the entire Bee Gees oeuvre, but he still could not fathom how Barry hit those high notes.
Ombudsman
commission man (Swedish)
This word can be traced back to the Danish law of Jutland in 1241. It was then written as “umbozman” and meant “royal civil servant.” By 1809 the term was established with its modern meaning of “official” with the creation of the Swedish Parliamentary Ombudsman to protect the rights of its citizens. In the United States the word describes someone who acts as a trusted intermediary to investigate a complaint.
How dare they give me a speeding fine when I was doing twenty-six miles per hour in a twenty-five-mile-per-hour zone! I’m telling you, Penelope, there should be an ombudsman to deal with this kind of injustice.
Outré
exaggerated, eccentric (French)
Used in English since around 1720, this French word is derived from “outre,” meaning “beyond,” and originally described any behavior, design, or action that broke the boundaries of eighteenth-century convention. It is now regularly used in reference to extravagant fashions, where it might be taken as a compliment by an innovative designer, or to outlandish interior decoration, where it would probably be taken as an insult.
I don’t think I’d go back there again, would you, Gordon? The food was delicious, but the faux tiger-skin rugs and zebra-hide chairs seemed rather outré for a family restaurant.
P
Panache
plume (French)
The literal translation refers to the feather worn in the helmet of King Henri IV of France, whose bravery and flamboyance gave the word its idiomatic meaning. It describes an almost reckless heroism best exemplified by French dramatist Edmond Rostand’s most famous character, Cyrano de Bergerac (created in 1897), who admired King Henri’s courage and was partly responsible for establishing “panache” as a desirable quality in a person. We now also use it in reference to anything that exudes flair, from a musical performance to an outstandingly cooked meal.
There are some who say The Boulder’s wrestling days are over, but he delivered that pumphandle slam with real panache.
Paparazzi
mosquitos (Italian)
This word is now used across the world for freelance photographers who pursue celebrities to take candid shots of them, but it didn’t acquire this meaning until the 1966 release of Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Fellini had based one of the film’s characters on a street photographer called Tazio Secchiaroli, who made his name with surreptitiously taken images of famous people having angry outbursts or arguments. He supposedly named the character Signore Paparazzo, after a school friend whose buzzing energy had earned him the nickname “The Mosquito.”
Tamara never used the front entrance to department stores; the paparazzi made window-shopping impossible.
Par excellence
preeminent (French)
The very best thing of its kind or the most skilled person in his or her field is referred to with this phrase. Its literal and original meaning—“to a degree of excellence”—has been largely superseded by a still more effusive one: “the most excellent of all.” Exactly when and why it was adopted into English is unclear, especially since our own word “preeminent” does the job equally well, but the French flourish adds a certain distinguished flair.
Fred Hurlington spent most of his days reminiscing about his time in the armed forces; in his day he’d been hailed as a military tactician par excellence, but he was now reduced to waging war on the moles in his back garden.
Pariah
untouchable, social outcast (Anglo-Indian)
The original pariahs, or “Pariars,” are a Tamil tribe of drummers named after the Pari drum. After the introduction of the Indian caste system around 1500 BC, they were segregated from the Hindu majority and are discriminated against as “untouchables” who are outside the caste system—literally “outcasts.” British colonialists witnessed the exclusion and social rejection of the Pariahs and from 1819 used their name to describe all those who are spurned by society.
Attorney Waterford was beginning to regret his decision to support plans for a new giant supermarket in the area. He had become a pariah in his town.
Passé
past (French)
It is fitting that a country where being in fashion is a matter of national pride should have provided us with a neat little word to indicate when something is looking a bit jaded. We use this word as the French do, in the sense of “past it,” to indicate something that is no longer, ahem, à la mode (see page 10). It can be applied to artistic, culinary, and musical styles as well as to clothing and is most frequently used by those who believe their own tastes to be unimpeachable.
No, Martha, there’s nothing that will work for me here; cream makes me look washed out, and chiffon is so passé.
Passim
throughout, everywhere (Latin)
This is a rather bookish word that has been passed on to us by ancient Roman scholars. It is used in footnotes, indexes, or other explanatory material to show that an idea or particular word is referred to repeatedly at various points in the work being cited. It comes from the Latin word “passus,” which is the past participle of “pandere,” meaning “to spread,” and allows references to be made to a text as a whole rather than pinpointing precise passages.
New evidence suggested that evolution was dependent on a process of natural selection (Darwin, On the Origin of Species, 1859, passim).
Peccadillo
small sin (Spanish)
This word came to us in the late-sixteenth century from the Spanish, who got their word from the Latin “peccare,” meaning “to sin.” But it refers only to the mildest of transgressions; an individual’s bad habits are often described as their “peccadillos,” as long as they are mildly annoying rather than seriously antisocial, and a one-off trivial misdeed might also be described as such.
At the start of their relationship, Jean had been charmed by Alfred’s little peccadillos, but as she swept his toenail trimmings off the edge of the bathtub for the hundredth time, she knew she had to say good-bye.
Per se
by, of itself (Latin)
Another Latin term useful in argument, “per se” means by virtue of itself; “per” is Latin for “by” or “through,” and “se” means “itself.” It is used in law as part of the phrase “illegal per se,” which is used to refer to something that is against the law in its own right and also in general argument in place of the word “necessarily.”
Melanie wasn’t averse to fancy dress per se, but in her opinion attempting to look like a Playboy bunny after the age of forty was taking things too far.
Persona non grata
unwelcome person (Latin)
This phrase
has endured in the English language primarily through its usefulness in diplomatic circles. It refers to a member of diplomatic staff who is deemed to be no longer welcome in a country, either because he is suspected of being a spy or there has been a breakdown of trust between the two nations. The phrase has taken on a broader meaning in general use and is applied to people who have been cut off or ostracized from a group.
Eddie had stopped attending the Poetry Society’s live performance nights; he felt he’d been made persona non grata when he admitted to not having read Beowulf in the original Old English.
Pied-à-terre
foot on the ground (French)
A small city apartment that serves as a temporary home during the working week is known as a “pied-à-terre.” The literal translation of the phrase gives a sense of its purpose as a foothold in a metropolis. It is usually a second home, with the owner’s primary property being larger and in a more rural setting, and so the phrase has a certain sense of luxury.
Oh, Bob, I’m sick of this long journey home every time we go out in the city. Can’t we get ourselves a sweet little pied-à-terre like Bruce and Susan’s?
Placebo
I shall please (Latin)
In the seventeenth century a “placebo” was a treatment given by a doctor purely to please a patient. Later, with the advent of clinical trials, the word was adopted to describe the mock medication given to some patients in the control experiment, in order to ensure that the changes being observed in the main experiment are the result of the drug being tested, rather than the patient’s belief in the medication. We now also use the term “placebo effect” to describe any positive outcome that is caused by a belief in something’s effectiveness.
Those pills definitely did something for me, Doctor. I don’t know if it was just the placebo effect, but the minute I got home from the drugstore, I’ve been like clockwork.
Poltergeist
noisy ghost (German)
Distinct from apparitions that materialize, poltergeists remain unseen but make noises and perpetrate acts of mischief, such as throwing objects around. In German “poltern” means “to make noise,” and “Geist” means “ghost.” Sceptics say poltergeist activity that can’t be dismissed as fraud has physical explanations, such as static electricity, electromagnetic fields, or infrasound. However, some well-documented cases with reliable witnesses are hard to explain. Traditionally, poltergeist activity may occur around disturbed or hysterical individuals.
Stephan went to sleep each night that week hoping he’d wake up with the Norovirus: Poltergeist was his favorite horror film of all time, and he wanted to experience projectile vomiting for himself.
Postmortem
after death (Latin)
A “postmortem” is the examination of a body after death. They have been carried out for more than two thousand years; one of the earliest was performed on Julius Caesar in 44 BC, and by the early twentieth century they had become standard practice for any death where the cause was uncertain. We still use the term to describe this procedure, though it is also commonly used to describe any review or analysis that takes place after the completion of an event.
Okay, guys, I think we all know we could have played better, but there’s no need for a big postmortem—let’s just focus on the games we’ve still got ahead of us.
Prêt-à-porter
ready-to-wear (French)
High-end fashion designers used to make all their clothes on a personal basis for their individual, high-paying clients, but by the mid-1950s there was a widespread desire for designer clothes at more accessible prices. Prêt-à-porter, or ready-to-wear, collections were the answer to this, allowing greater access to skillfully designed but mass-produced clothes. Many designers still make made-to-measure outfits for their most loyal clients, but the vast majority now focus on their prêt-à-porter range.
It is gorgeous, Felipe, but you know I can’t go in prêt-à-porter—I’d never live it down if someone else was wearing the same thing as me.
Prima donna
first lady (Italian)
This term was coined in Italian opera houses to describe the leading female singer in the company, usually a soprano, who, according to opera mythology, was self-important, demanding, and egotistical. The phrase is now more commonly used to describe self-obsessed female stars with a reputation for a bad temper and an outrageously long list of dressing room requirements, such as freshly painted white walls, rare Guatemalan orchids, and full kitchen facilities for their personal chef.
I’m telling you, Yvonne, I’ve done hair and makeup for some of the biggest stars out there, but that little one-hit wonder is the biggest prima donna I’ve ever come across.
Pro bono
for good (Latin)
This is a shortened version of the phrase “pro bono publico,” which means “for public good.” It refers to the work that lawyers do without payment for clients who are unable to pay their fees or for charities or non-profit-making organizations. In recent years it has also been used to describe the ethos of public service organizations, like the National Health Service and the BBC, which are run to provide a service rather than to make a profit.
I’m leaving the law firm. I have so much pro bono work, I’m going to set up a charity instead.
Protégé
protected person, apprentice (French)
A person being mentored or guided in their profession by someone more experienced is known as a “protégé.” The word, which entered English in 1778, comes from the French “proteger,” meaning “to protect,” and was originally used in relation to someone apprenticed to an established tradesman in order to learn his skills. These days it is often used in a looser sense to refer to someone who is favored, though not necessarily trained, by an expert in his field.
Brad, I believe that you have great potential. The world of bathroom and kitchen tile grouting needs someone like you—I’m going to make you my protégé!’
Pukka
cooked, ripe (Hindi, from “pakka”)
The word “pakka,” which means “cooked” or “ripe,” is used in India to denote something that is first-class or completely authentic. The term entered the English language during the days of the Raj and is now generally used as slang for “top quality.” It has been popularized in recent years by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who coined the phrase “pukka tukka” to describe an expertly cooked dish.
Come on, ladies and gents, salt and pepper shakers, a dollar a pair. That’s a pukka pot of pepper if ever I saw one.
Pundit
learned man (Sanskrit)
When Britain began trading with India in the 1600s “pundits,” sometimes known as “pandita,” were wise men who had studied Sanskrit history and traditions. They were revered as teachers and were important to the English traders in helping them to understand Indian customs. Over time, the word has come to be used for any expert or commentator who can explain events or developments in their area of expertise.
For viewers unfamiliar with the rules of llama racing, our pundits at the racetrack will talk you through the basics.
Purdah
curtain, veil (Hindi)
Originating in Persia in around 1000 BC, “purdah” is a system of rules governing the movements and dress of women in some Hindu and Muslim societies. It requires women to cover themselves with a veil or burqa and to be separated from male non-family members by a curtain. In England the word is also used to mean any period of isolation, and in politics it refers to the inactive period after the announcement of a general election or budget.
Come on, Hannah—put this sparkly wig on and come for a drink. There’s no point going into purdah just because you’re having a bad hair day.
Pajamas
trousers (Persian, from “paijama”)
The original “paijama” are loose, lightweight trousers with drawstring waistbands worn in Asia by both sexes—literally “pai,” meaning “leg,” and “jama,” meaning garm
ent. In the UK, the Untited States, and Canada, pajamas are loose-fitting, two-piece garments worn for sleeping but sometimes also for lounging. For U.S. children, pet abbreviations are popular and differ between families. These include “jamas,” “pj’s,” and “jammies.” Whatever word you’re brought up with is correct, and the other terms are weird.
