Many words and phrases in the English language have been absorbed from other cultures through the centuries. Their meaning in the source language has in most cases been preserved, although the pronunciation may have changed, sometimes quite radically. Some foreign words or phrases (such as pajamas or tempo) have become so familiar to English speakers they are treated no different from any others, but many more (such as de rigueur or persona non grata) are still treated as essentially foreign words and may be picked out in italics within a written text. Take note, however, that foreign proper nouns or names of foreign institutions (for example, München, Folketing, Universidad de las Américas) are not italicized.Because their linguistic roots are different, it is not always easy to discern the meaning of such words and phrases, unless the reader has some prior knowledge of the language in question. It is not, however, necessary to be well read in the source language to use a word or phrase that has been absorbed into modern English. By spending a little time familiarizing yourself with the meaning of some of the more useful examples (many of which are commonly encountered in everyday speech and writing), it is easily possible to add them to one's own passive, or even active, vocabulary. It soon becomes apparent that many seemingly alien words and phrases extracted from foreign languages have relatively simple meanings, and writers should not be afraid of considering their use where the context seems appropriate. Overuse of such words and phrases in the wrong context should, however, be avoided, because their inclusion can make a piece of writing seem mannered and pretentious.The following table lists some of the more commonly used foreign words and phrases adopted by English speakers and writers, together with their source language and meaning:| Word or Phrase | Source | Meaning |
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| ab initio | Latin | from the beginning | | ab origine | Latin | from the beginning of the world | | abseil | German | to lower oneself by rope | | a cappella | Italian | unaccompanied | | accelerando | Italian | getting faster | | actualité | French | truth | | actus Dei | Latin | act of God | | ad absurdum | Latin | to the point of absurdity | | adagio | Italian | at a relaxed pace | | addendum | Latin | addition or appendix | | à deux | French | for two people | | ad finem | Latin | to the end | | ad hoc | Latin | for this special purpose | | adieu | French | farewell | | ad infinitum | Latin | to infinity | | adios | Spanish | farewell | | ad lib | Latin | spontaneous, extemporized | | ad nauseam | Latin | interminably | | Adonis | Greek | handsome young man | | ad rem | Latin | to the purpose | | aegis | Greek | auspices | | affidavit | Latin | written statement | | aficionado | Spanish | enthusiast | | agent provocateur | French | spy, secret agent | | agitprop | Russian | propaganda | | agoraphobia | Greek | fear of open spaces | | aide-de-camp | French | military aide | | aide-mémoire | French | reminder | | à la | French | in the manner of | | à la carte | French | from a separately priced menu | | à la mode | French | fashionable | | al dente | Italian | lightly cooked | | al fine | Italian | to the end | | alfresco | Italian | in the open air | | algebra | Arabic | arithmetic using letters | | alias | Latin | an assumed name | | alibi | Latin | defensive plea | | allegro | Italian | brisk | | alma mater | Latin | a person's place of education | | al segno | Italian | repeat from the point indicated | | alter ego | Latin | a person's other self | | alumnus | Latin | former student | | amanuensis | Latin | assistant | | amigo | Spanish | friend | | amok | Malay | wild, uncontrollably | | amour propre | French | self-esteem | | ancien régime | French | the old order | | andante | Italian | moderately slowly | | angst | German | anxiety | | anno Domini | Latin | year of the Lord | | annus mirabilis | Latin | year of wonders | | anorak | Danish | weathproof jacket | | ante meridiem (A.M.) | Latin | before noon, morning | | apartheid | Afrikaans | racial segregation | | aperitif | French | alcoholic appetizer | | a posteriori | Latin | empirically | | apparatchik | Russian | underling | | a priori | Latin | deductive | | apropos | French | opportunely, relevant | | archipelago | Italian | chain of islands | | argot | French | dialect, idiom | | armada | Spanish | fleet, large group | | Armageddon | Greek | final battle | | arpeggio | Italian | notes of a chord | | assassin | Arabic | murderer | | à trois | French | for three people | | attaché | French | diplomatic officer | | au contraire | French | on the contrary | | au courant | French | up-to-date | | au fait | French | well-informed | | auf Wiedersehen | German | farewell | | au gratin | French | with cheese | | au naturel | French | naked | | au pair | French | foreign family help | | au revoir | French | farewell | | avant-garde | French | in the forefront | | badinage | French | banter | | baguette | French | small loaf of white bread | | baksheesh | Persian | bribe or gratuity | | balaclava | Russian | knitted headwear | | bandanna | Hindi | cloth worn on the head or around the neck | | barbecue | Spanish | open-air grill | | basque | French | tight-fitting bodice | | bazaar | Persian | market or store | | beau geste | French | noble gesture | | beau monde | French | high society | | belle | French | beautiful girl | | berserk | Old Norse | frenzied | | bête noire | French | detested person or thing | | bijou | French | small but elegant | | billet-doux | French | love letter | | bistro | French | café or wine bar | | bivouac | French | rudimentary encampment | | blasé | French | indifferent | | blitz | German | intensive assault | | bona fide | Latin | in good faith | | bonanza | Spanish | lucky success | | bon appétit | French | enjoy your meal | | bonhomie | French | geniality | | bonjour | French | good morning | | bon mot | French | quip, witticism | | bon viveur | French | lover of the good life | | bon voyage | French | farewell | | boudoir | French | lady's bedroom | | bouquet garni | French | mixed herbs | | bourgeois | French | middle-class | | boutique | French | shop | | brasserie | French | small restaurant | | bric-a-brac | French | odds and ends | | brio | Italian | vivacity | | buenas noches | Spanish | good night | | cabaret | French | nightclub entertainment | | cadenza | Italian | closing passage | | cadre | French | select group of persons | | canapé | French | appetizer | | canoe | Spanish | small lightweight boat | | canyon | Spanish | deep valley | | capo | Italian | chief | | carpe diem | Latin | seize the moment | | carte blanche | French | free license | | casus belli | Latin | cause of hostilities | | cause célèbre | French | notorious scandal or person | | caveat | Latin | warning | | caveat emptor | Latin | let the buyer beware | | c'est la guerre | French | expression of resignation | | c'est la vie | French | that's life | | chargé d'affaires | French | diplomatic officer | | chef d'oeuvre | French | masterpiece | | che sarà sarà | Italian | what will happen, will happen | | chez | French | at the house of | | chiaroscuro | Italian | light and shade | | chic | French | fashionable | | chutzpah | Yiddish | self-confidence, audacity | | ciao | Italian | farewell | | cliché | French | overused expression or theme | | coiffure | French | hairstyle | | comme ci comme ça | French | so-so | | compos mentis | Latin | sane | | concierge | French | doorkeeper, porter | | contretemps | French | argument, something unfortunate | | cordon sanitaire | French | protective barrier | | cortège | French | retinue | | coup de grâce | French | fatal blow | | coup d'état | French | revolution | | crèche | French | day nursery | | crème de la crème | French | the very best | | crescendo | Italian | increasing in volume or force | | cri de coeur | French | heartfelt appeal | | cum laude | Latin | with honors | | curriculum vitae | Latin | career record | | debacle | French | disaster | | debut | French | first appearance | | de facto | Latin | actually | | déjà vu | French | already seen or experienced | | de jure | Latin | by right | | démodé | French | outmoded | | denouement | French | final outcome | | de rigueur | French | required | | deus ex machina | Latin | contrived solution | | diktat | German | official command | | diminuendo | Italian | decreasing in volume | | distingué | French | distinguished | | distrait | French | distracted | | ditto | Italian | as before | | dolce vita | Italian | the soft life | | doppelgänger | German | double | | double entendre | French | double meaning | | dramatis personae | Latin | cast of a performance | | du jour | French | of the day | | eau de toilette | French | scented perfume | | ecce homo | Latin | behold the man | | éclat | French | acclaim, ostentation | | élan | French | enthusiasm, zest | | émigré | French | emigrant | | éminence grise | French | power behind the scenes | | en bloc | French | collectively | | enchanté | French | charmed | | encore | French | again | | en croûte | French | in pastry | | en famille | French | at home | | enfant terrible | French | unruly rebel | | en masse | French | in a body | | ennui | French | boredom | | en passant | French | incidentally, by the way | | en route | French | on the way | | ensemble | French | group | | en suite | French | in a series, connected | | entente | French | agreement between nations | | entente cordiale | French | cordial agreement | | entre nous | French | between ourselves | | entrez | French | enter or introduction | | ergo | Latin | therefore | | erratum | Latin | error | | esprit de corps | French | team spirit | | et alia (et al.) | Latin | and others | | et cetera (etc.) | Latin | and so on | | eureka | Greek | I have found it | | ex cathedra | Latin | with official authority | | exempli gratia (e.g.) | Latin | for example | | ex gratia | Latin | voluntary | | exit | Latin | goes out | | ex libris | Latin | from the library of | | ex officio | Latin | by virtue of a person's office | | exposé | French | revelation, exposure | | ex post facto | Latin | after the fact, retrospective | | extempore | Latin | unprepared | | factotum | Latin | general assistant | | fait accompli | French | irreversible deed | | farrago | Latin | jumble | | faux | French | artificial | | faux pas | French | social blunder | | femme fatale | French | dangerously seductive woman | | fête | French | festival, fair, party | | fiancé | French | man engaged to be married | | fiancée | French | woman engaged to be married | | fiasco | Italian | chaos, disaster | | fiesta | Spanish | festival | | fin de siècle | French | end of the century | | finesse | French | refinement, adroitness | | flambé | French | in flaming liquor | | forte | Italian | loud | | fracas | French | clamor, uproar | | garni | French | served with a garnish | | gateau | French | cake | | gauche | French | awkward | | genre | French | category, style | | ghetto | Italian | minority quarter of a city | | gigolo | Italian | paid male escort | | goujon | French | strip of chicken or fish | | goulash | Hungarian | meat stew | | gourmet | French | lover of fine food | | graffiti | Italian | words written in a public place | | gratis | Latin | free | | gravitas | Latin | solemnity | | guerrilla | Spanish | irregular soldier | | habeas corpus | Latin | court writ | | habitué | French | regular frequenter | | hasta la vista | Spanish | farewell | | haute couture | French | high fashion | | haute cuisine | French | elaborate cuisine | | hoi polloi | Greek | common herd | | hors de combat | French | out of action | | hors d'oeuvre | French | appetizer | | hubris | Greek | pride, self-confidence | | ibidem (ibid.) | Latin | in the same place | | idem (id.) | Latin | already mentioned | | id est (i.e.) | Latin | that is | | imbroglio | Italian | confusion | | impasse | French | deadlock | | impresario | Italian | promoter, sponsor | | in absentia | Latin | in the absence of | | in camera | Latin | privately | | incognito | Latin | under a concealed identity | | incommunicado | Spanish | not in communication | | in extremis | Latin | at the point of death | | in flagrante delicto | Latin | caught redhanded | | ingénue | French | naive young woman | | in loco | Latin | instead of | | in memoriam | Latin | in memory of | | in situ | Latin | in its natural position | | in toto | Latin | completely | | in transit | Latin | on the way | | in utero | Latin | in the womb | | in vino veritas | Latin | in wine there is truth | | in vitro | Latin | in a test tube | | ipso facto | Latin | by the very fact | | je ne sais quoi | French | indefinable quality | | jihad | Arabic | holy war | | joie de vivre | French | enjoyment of life | | juggernaut | Hindi | unstoppable force or object | | junta | Spanish | ruling political faction | | kamikaze | Japanese | suicidal | | kaput | German | dead, out of action | | kitsch | German | cheap, lacking in taste | | kudos | Greek | prestige | | laissez-faire | French | free choice | | largesse | French | generosity | | leitmotif | German | recurring theme | | lèse-majesté | French | disrespect | | libretto | Italian | text of a musical show | | lingua franca | Italian | common language | | locum tenens | Latin | temporary substitute | | macho | Spanish | aggressively male | | maelstrom | Dutch | whirlpool, turbulence | | maestro | Italian | composer, conductor, master | | mafia | Italian | criminal organization | | magnum opus | Latin | masterpiece | | maître d'hôtel | French | headwaiter | | malaise | French | unease | | mañana | Spanish | tomorrow, the indefinite future | | manifesto | Italian | declaration of policy | | mano a mano | Spanish | direct confrontation | | manqué | French | would-be | | matériel | French | equipment, ammunition | | mea culpa | Latin | I am to blame | | mélange | French | medley | | melee | French | confused struggle | | memento mori | Latin | a reminder that you must die | | ménage | French | household | | ménage à trois | French | relationship of three people | | merci | French | thank you | | moccasin | Algonquian | soft shoe | | modus operandi | Latin | method, procedure | | modus vivendi | Latin | practical compromise | | mogul | Persian | magnate | | mot juste | French | appropriate word | | mutatis mutandis | Latin | with the necessary changes made | | nada | Spanish | nothing | | née | French | born | | nil desperandum | Latin | never despair | | nirvana | Sanskrit | spiritual enlightenment | | noblesse oblige | French | the obligations of nobility | | noli me tangere | Latin | do not touch me | | nom de guerre | French | pseudonym | | nom de plume | French | pen name | | nonpareil | French | person or thing without equal | | non sequitur | Latin | illogical conclusion | | nota bene (NB) | Latin | note well | | nouveau riche | French | newly rich | | obiter dictum | Latin | incidental remark | | objet d'art | French | work of art | | oeuvre | French | artistic or literary work | | opere citato (op cit) | Latin | in the work cited | | opus | Latin | work | | outré | French | eccentric | | padre | Italian/Spanish/Portuguese | priest | | pampas | Spanish | grassy plain | | panache | French | style, flamboyance | | paparazzi | Italian | press photographers | | par excellence | French | beyond compare | | parvenu | French | newly rich, upstart | | pas de deux | French | duet for two dancers | | passé | French | outdated | | passim | Latin | mentioned here and there | | pastiche | French | imitation | | patio | Spanish | terrace | | patois | French | local dialect | | peccadillo | Spanish | minor vice | | penchant | French | inclination, liking | | per annum | Latin | each year | | per capita | Latin | for each person | | per procurationem (p.p.) | Latin | on behalf of | | per se | Latin | in itself | | persona non grata | Latin | inadmissible person | | petit bourgeoisie | French | lower middle class | | piano | Italian | softly | | piazza | Italian | open square | | pièce de résistance | French | chief attraction | | pied-à-terre | French | temporary residence | | placebo | Latin | something that soothes or placates | | plaza | Spanish | square | | plus ça change | French | the more things change, the more they are the same | | por favor | Spanish | please | | post hoc | Latin | after this | | post meridiem (P.M.) | Latin | afternoon, evening | | postmortem | Latin | autopsy | | postscriptum (P.S.) | Latin | written afterward | | précis | French | summary | | premiere | French | first performance | | prima facie | Latin | on the face of it | | pro bono publico | Latin | for the good of society | | pro forma | Latin | as a matter of form | | pronto | Spanish | promptly | | pro rata | Latin | in proportion | | protégé | French | pupil | | quid pro quo | Latin | something for something | | quod erat demonstrandum | Latin | what had to be demonstrated | | quorum | Latin | group of people | | raison d'être | French | motivation | | rappel | French | to descend by rope | | rapport | French | harmonious agreement | | re | Latin | regarding | | recherché | French | choice, rare | | rendezvous | French | prearranged meeting | | repertoire | French | rehearsed performances, skills, etc. | | répondez s'il vous plaît (RSVP) | French | please reply | | résumé | French | summary | | risqué | French | improper, indelicate | | roué | French | rake, profligate | | safari | Kiswahili | hunting trip | | sangfroid | French | self-possession | | sans souci | French | carefree | | savoir faire | French | assured confidence | | sic | Latin | thus | | sic passim | Latin | so throughout | | sierra | Spanish | mountain range | | siesta | Spanish | nap | | sine qua non | Latin | something essential | | sobriquet | French | epithet, nickname | | soirée | French | social gathering in the evening | | sotto voce | Italian | in an undertone | | spiel | German | chatter, talk | | status quo | Latin | existing state of affairs | | sub judice | Latin | under consideration by the court | | subpoena | Latin | legal summons | | sub rosa | Latin | confidential | | sui generis | Latin | unique | | table d'hôte | French | fixed price menu | | tacit | Latin | implied, understood | | tempus fugit | Latin | time flies | | terra firma | Latin | dry land | | tête-à-tête | French | private conversation | | thug | Hindi | gangster, ruffian | | timbre | French | tone | | tour de force | French | remarkable feat or display | | tout le monde | French | everybody | | trompe l'oeil | French | optical illusion | | trousseau | French | bridal possessions | | tsunami | Japanese | tidal wave | | ultra vires | Latin | beyond the power of | | vendetta | Italian | feud | | verbatim | Latin | word for word | | verboten | German | forbidden | | via | Latin | by way of | | vis-à-vis | French | regarding | | viva voce | Latin | by word of mouth | | voilà | French | there | | volte-face | French | about-face | | vox populi | Latin | the voice of the people | | wunderbar | German | wonderful | | wunderkind | German | child prodigy | | zeitgeist | German | spirit of the time |
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