1. ad absurdam (L) = to the point of absurdity.
2. ad hoc (L) = for this purpose.
3. adieu (Fr) = farewell.
4. affaire de coeur (Fr) = love affairs.
5. ad infinitum (L) = for ever.
6. ad lib (L) = without preparation.
7. ad valorem (L) = according to its value.
8. a fortiori (L) = with stronger reason.
9. aide de camp (Fr) = an assistant on the field.
10. aide memoire (Fr) = a reminder, an aid to the memory.
11. ante bellum (L) = before the war.
12. a la mode (Fr) = fashionable.
13. aqua vitae (L) = water of life.
14. ancien regime (Fr) = the old regime.
15. ad nauseam (L) = endlessly.
16. aurora borealis (L) = Northern lights
17. au contraire (Fr) = on the contrary.
18. au fait (Fr) = expert, up to date.
19. au naturel (Fr) = as in nature.
20. alma mater (L) = ‘benign mother’ applied by the old students to their school or college.
21. alter ego (L) = one’s second self, a friend, a representative.
22. anno Domini (L) = in the year of our Lord.
23. au revoir (Fr) = adieu till we meet again!
24. ars longa vita brevis (L) = Art is long, life is short.
25. bona fide (L) = in good faith.
26. bon voyage (Fr) = a good journey to you.
27. beau geste (Fr) = a fine gesture.
28. beau monde (Fr) = fashionable society.
29. bon vivant (Fr) = person of refined tastes.
30. bel esprit (Fr) = wit, elegance.
31. belles lettres (Fr) = writing valued for aesthetic qualities.
32. billet doux (Fr) = love letter.
33. bon mot (Fr) = witticism.
34. camera obscura (L) = dark chamber.
35. carpe diem (L) = seize the day.
36. casus belli (L) = justification for an act of war.
37. caveat emptor (L) = Let the buyer beware.
38. compos mantis (L) = sane.
39. corpus delicti (L) = evidence of a crime.
40. Cui bono (L) = To whose benefits?
41. carte blanche (Fr) = a free hand.
42. cause celebre (Fr) = a celebrated case.
43. c’est la vie (Fr) = that’s life.
44. chez nous (Fr) = at our place.
45. comedie humaine (Fr) = human comedy.
46. comme ci comme ca (Fr) = so-so.
47. comme il faut = as it should be.
48. connoisseur (Fr) = a discerning judge.
49. cardon bleu (Fr) = high quality.
50. coup de grace (Fr) = death blow.
51. coup d’etat (Fr) = sudden overthrow of a government.
52. coup de theatre (Fr) = unexpected event.
53. coup de main (Fr) = a sudden attack.
54. creme de la creme (Fr) = best of its kind.
55. cri de coeur (Fr) = heartfelt cry.
56. Dharma (Sanskrit) = cosmic law, personal duty.
57. de facto (L) = from the fact, actually , really.
58. de jure (L) = based on law, by right.
59. delirium tremens (L) = alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
60. de profundis (L) = out of the depths.
61. deus ex machina = improbabale explanation.
62. dramatis personal (L) = characters in a play.
63. de luxe (Fr) = splendid and expensive.
64. declasse (Fr) = fallen from favor.
65. decolletage (Fr) = low cut neckline.
66. deja vu (Fr) = illusion of having experienced something already.
67. de riqueur (Fr) = strictly required.
68. dernier cri (Fr) = latest style.
69. detente (Fr) = relaxation of a political tension.
70. de trop (Fr) = too much, superfluous.
71. double entendre (Fr) = double meaning.
72. du jour (Fr) = of the day.
73. e contra (late L) = conversely, contrary wise.
74. en masse (Fr) = in a body, universally.
75. en route (Fr) = on the road, let us go! march!
76. entente (Fr) = understanding.
77. entrepreneur (Fr) = contractor, builder.
78. exempli gratia (L) = for example.
79. ex gratia (L) = an act of grace.
80. ex-officio (L) = by virtue of office.
81. ex parte (L) = on one side.
82. ecce homo (L) = behold the man.
83. e pluribus unum (L) = out of many, one.
84. et al (L) = and others.
85. etc (L) = and so forth.
86. et tu, Brute? (L) = you too Brutus?
87. ex cathedra (L) = authoritative statement.
88. ex post facto (L) = retroactive.
89. eminence grise (Fr) = the power behind the throne.
90. enfant terrible (Fr) = child prodigy.
91. en passant (Fr) = incidental.
92. entente cordiale (Fr) = alliance between countries.
93. entre nous (Fr) = confidentially.
94. espirit de corps (Fr) = team spirit.
95. fait accompli (Fr) = a thing already done.
96. faux pas (Fr) = a false step, a mistake.
97. flagrante delicto (L) = in the act.
98. femme fatale (Fr) = an attractive, dangerous woman.
99. film noir (Fr) = black film.
100. fin de siecle (fr) = jaded, decadent.
101. folie a deux (fr) = delusion shared by two people.
102. force majure (Fr) = irresistible force.
103. genius loci (L) = spirit of the place.
104. habeas corpus (L) = writ requiring the prisoner be brought to the trail.
105. homme de letters (Fr) = a man of letters.
106. haute couture (Fr) = trend setting fashion.
107. haute cuisine (Fr) = elaborate cookery.
108. hors de combat (Fr) = out of the fight, disabled.
109. hors d’oeuvre (Fr) = appetizer.
110. in camera (late L) = in a judge’s private room, in secret.
111. in extenso (L) = at full length.
112. in loco parentis (L) = in the place of a parent.
113. in memoriam (L) =to the memory or in the memory.
114. inter alia (L) = among other things.
115. inter se (L) = among themselves.
116. ibid (L) = in the same place.
117. id est (i.e) (L) = that is.
118. in absentia (L) = in the absence of.
119. in extremis (L) = in extremity.
120. in flagrante delicto (L) = in the act.
121. infra dig (L) = vulgar.
122. in medias res (L) = in the middle of things.
123. insitu (L) = in its place.
124. inst (L) = in the present month.
125. in toto (L) = in all, altogether.
126. in vino veritas (L) = There is truth in wine.
127. in vitro (L) = in a test tube.
128. ipso facto (L) = by definition.
129. ide’e fixe (Fr) = fixed idea.
130. joie de vivre (Fr) = joy of life.
131. je ne sais quoi (Fr) = I don’t know what.
132. jeu d’esprit (Fr) = puzzle, brain teaser.
133. laissez faire = non interference in the matters of the others.
134. lese-majeste (Fr) = high treason.
135. lingua franca (It) = the corrupt Italian, the mixed language spoken by the Europeans in the East.
136. locus standi (L) = a place for standing, a right to interfere.
137. magnum opus (L) = a great work.
138. mala fide (L) = in bad faith, treacherously.
139. modus operandi (L) = plan for working, the mode of operation.
140. mutatis mutandis (L) = with the necessary changes.
141. mea culpa (L) = my fault.
142. momento mori (L) =reminder of death.
143. mens sana in corpore sano (L) = A healthy mind in a healthy body.
144. modus vivendi (L) = way of living.
145. mot juste (Fr) = the right word.
146. nota bene (N.B.) (L) = mark well, note well.
146. ne plus ultra (L) = the best.
147. nil desperadum (L) = never despair.
148. non compos mentis (L) = not of sound mind.
149. nee (Fr) = born.
150. noblesse oblige (Fr) = Nobility obliges.
151. nom de plume (Fr) = pseudonym.
152. nouveau riche (Fr) = newly rich.
153. obiter dictum (L) = something said by the way, a cursory remark.
154. objet d’art (Fr) = object of some artistic value.
155. objet trouve (fr) = found object.
156. outre (Fr) = exaggerated, excessive.
157. par excellence (Fr) = eminently, by way of ideal.
158. pari passu (L) = with equal pace, together, side by side.
159. post mortem (L) = after death.
160. prima facie (L) = on the first view.
161. pro forma (L) = for the sake of form.
162. pro rata (L) = at the same rate.
163. pater familias (L) = father of the family.
164. pax (L) = peace.
165. per capita (L) = per person.
166. per diem (L) = per day.
167. perpetuum mobile (L) = in perpetual motion.
168. per se (L) = in itself.
169. persona non grata (L) = unwelcome person.
170. post scriptum (L) = post script.
171. primum mobile (L) = prime mover.
172. pro bono (L) = for the public good.
173. par avion (Fr) = by plane.
174. par excellence (Fr) = foremost.
175. passe-partout (Fr) = master key.
176. petit bourgeois (Fr) = lower middle class.
177. piece de resistance (Fr) = a show piece.
178. pied-a-terre (Fr) = an apartment in town.
179. plus ca change (Fr) = the more things change.
180. pret-a-porter (Fr) = ready to wear, to go.
181. prix fixe (Fr) = fixed price.
182. pure laine (Fr) = pure francophone.
183. Q.E.D (L) =that which was to be demonstrated.
184. qua (L) = as.
185. quid pro quo (L) = fair exchange.
186. quo vadis (L) = Where are you going?
187. q.v. (L) = refer to.
188. rara avis (L) = rare or unique person or thing.
189. re (L) = regarding, with reference to.
190. reductio ad absurdam (L) = reduction to absurdity.
191. rigor mortis (L) = stiffening of the body after death.
192. raison d’etre (Fr) = reason for being.
193. re’chauffe (Fr) = warmed up.
194. recherche (Fr) = exotic, obscure.
195. retrousse (fr) = turned up.
196. roman a clef (Fr) = history presented as a fiction.
197. respondez s’il vous plait or R.S.V.P. (Fr) = reply, if you please; an
answer will oblige.
198. sine die (L) = without a day appointed.
199. sine qua non (L) = an indispensable condition.
200. sub judice (L) = under consideration.
201. summum bonum (L) = the chief good.
202. sanctum sanctorum (L) = holy of holies.
203. sic (L) = It is thus in the original.
204. sic transit gloria mundi (L) = Thus passes the glory of the world.
205. status quo (L) = current state of affairs.
206. sub rosa (L) = in secret, in confidence.
207. sui generis (L)= unique, one of a kind.
208. summa cum laude (L) = with the highest praise.
209. sang-froid (Fr) = equanimity, composure.
210. sans-souci (Fr) = carefree
211. savoir faire (Fr) = social tact.
212. soi-disant (Fr) = self-styled, so-called.
213. soupcon (Fr) = very small amount.
214. tabula rasa (L0 = an empty slate.
215. tempus fugit (L) = Time flies.
216. terra firma (L) = firm on solid ground.
217. terra incognita (L) = uncharted, unknown.
218. tete-a-tete (Fr) = intimate conversation.
219. tout le monde (Fr) = everyone.
220. trompe l’oeil (Fr) = deceive the eyes.
221. tour de force (Fr) = a feat of strength or skill.
222. ultima ratio (L) = final resort.
223. ultra vires (L) = beyond one’s power.
224. vade mecum (L) = constant companion.
225. via dolorosa (L) = sorrowful way.
226. veni, vidi, vici (L) = I came, I saw, I conquered.
227. verbatim et litteratim (L) = word for word and a letter for letter.
228. verses or vs (L) = against, toward.
229. via (L) = by the way of.
230. via media (L) = a middle course.
231. vice (L) = in the place of.
232. vice versa (L) = in terms of being exchanged.
233. viva voce (L) = by the living voice, by oral testimony.
234. volte-face (L) = a change of front.
235. vox populi, vox Dei (L) = The voice of the people is the voice of God.
236. vis-s-vis (Fr) = opposite, facing.
237. vive la difference (Fr) = Long live the difference.
238. GURU (Sanskrit) = spiritual guide , leader.
239. KARMA (Sanskrit) = Fate, effect of previous actions.
240. MANTRA (Sanskrit) = sacred incantations