Foreign Words and Phrases
Foreign words and phrases are generally not asked directly. But the knowledge of foreign words and phrases will help you in reading comprehension and other types of common questions. So, make yourself familiar with the common foreign words and phrases.
Common Foreign Words and Phrases
| Foreign Words | Phrases |
| Ab initio | from the beginning. |
| Ab origin | from the origin. |
| Addenda | list of additions. (addenda to a book) |
| Advalorem | according to value. |
| Ad hoc | a body elected or appointed lor a definite work. (ad hoc comm ittee). |
| Ad infinitum | to infinity. |
| Alma mater | a school which one has attended. |
| A la carte | according to the bill of fare. (a la carte dishes are available) |
| Alamode | according to the custom (fashion). (a la mode silk) |
| Alter ego | the other self, intimate friend, (Kissinger is the alter ego of Nixon) |
| Amende honorable | satisfactory apology, reparation. |
| Amour propre | self love |
| Ancien regime | the forrner order of things. |
| A posteriori | empirical |
| A priori | from cause to effect, presumptive. (every science cannot be taught a priori) |
| Apropos | in respect of |
| An couran | fully acquainted with matters. |
| Au fait | expert |
| Au revoir | until we meet again (to say au revoir at parting) |
| Avant propos | preliminary matter, preface |
| Beau ideal | the ideal of perfection. |
| Beaumonde | the world of fashion. |
| Beaux esprits | men of wit. |
| Bete noire | a special aversion (India has always been bete noire for Pakistan) |
| Bona fide | good faith (His bona fide in the matter cannot be doubted) |
| Bizarre | odd, fantastic. |
| Ban voyage | a good voyage or journey to you. |
| Casus belli | that which causes or justifies war. |
| Cause celebre | a celebrated or notorious case in law |
| Charge d’ affaires | diplomat inferior in tank to an Ambassador. |
| Chefd’ oeuvre | masterpiece (Mona Lisa is Vinci’s Chef-d’ oeuvre) |
| Circa | about (‘circa 1930’) |
| Confoere | colleague |
| Contretemps | an unexpected or untoward event; a hitch |
| Corrigenda | a list of errors (in a book) |
| Coup d’etat | violent change in government. |
| Coup de grace | a finishing stroke. (The coup de grace of the Russian Revolution was the total annihilation of the Czar family) |
| Cul-de-sac | a blind alley (The failure of the Policy of non-alignment in 1962 saw our foreign reach a cul-de-sac) |
| Deback’ | complete tout (debacle of opposition in the election) |
| Defacto | actual or actually (de facto recognition to a state) |
| Dejure | from the law, by law. |
| Denovo | anew, again (trial of a case) |
| Denouement | the end of a plot (in play) |
| De profundis | out of the depths |
| Dernier resort | last resort |
| Detente | easing of strained relations especially between states. |
| Dramatis personae | characters of the drama or play. |
| Elite | the best part; the pick. (The elite of town) |
| Enfant terrible | a terrible child; one who makes disconcerting remarks. |
| Entrepreneur | person in effective control of a business organization. |
| En masse | in a body. (They took leave en masse) |
| En rapport | in harmony |
| Entourage | friends, group of people accompanying a dignitary. |
| Errata | list of errors |
| Esprit de corps | the animating spirit of a collective body, as a regiment. |
| Etcetera | and the rest. |
| Eureka | I have found it |
| Ex-officio | in virtue of his office. |
| Expose | a statement |
| Expost facto | acting retrospectively |
| Fait accompli | a thing already done. |
| Faus pas | a false step; slip in behaviour. |
| Hoipolbi | the rabble. |
| Impasse | a deadlock. (Talks reached an impasse) |
| Inextenso | at full length |
| In memoriam | in memory |
| Intoto | entirely. (The committee’s recommendations were accepted in tote) |
| Ipso facto | by that very fact. |
| Laissez faire | non interference |
| Mala Fide | with bad faith |
| Mal-a-propos | ill timed. |
| Modus operandi | manner of working. (of a gang, group etc.) |
| Mutatis mutandis | with the necessary changes (rules will come into force mutatis mutandis) |
| Noblesse oblige | rank imposes obligation. |
| Nota ‘bene | note well |
| Par excellence | pre-eminently. |
| Pari passu | side by side. |
| Per se | by itself. |
| Piece de resistance | a resistance piece, the main dish of a meal. |
| Poste restante | to remain in the post office till called for. (said of letters) |
| Post mortem | (examination) made after death. |
| Prima facie | at first view or consideration. (prima facie a good case) |
| Pro bone publico | for the good of the public |
| Pro forma | for the sake of the form. |
| Pro rata | according to rate or proportion. |
| Protégé | one under the protection of another. (S.Vietnam is U.S.’s protege). |
| Quid pro quo | an equivalent, something in return. |
| Raisond’etre | the reason for a thing’s existence. |
| Resume | a summary or abstract (of a discussion Etc.) |
| Sanctum sanctorum | holy of holies. (temple, church etc.) |
| Seiratim | in a series |
| Sine die | without a day being appointed. |
| Status quo | the existing condition. (status quo on border should be maintained) |
| Stet | let it stand. |
| Sub judice | before a court, not yet decided. (The case is sub judice) |
| Sub rosa | under the rose; confidentially |
| Sui gereris | in a class by itself |
| Summon bonum | the chief good. |
| Terra incognita | an unknown country |
| Tour deforce | a notable feat or strength of skill. |
| Ultra vires | beyond one’s authority |
| Verbatim | word for word |
| Vice versa | conversely |
| Videliect | namely |
| Vis-à-vis | opposite; face to face |
| Viva voce | an examination conducted orally. |
| Vox populi, vox die | The voice of the people is The voice of God. |
| Zeitgeist | spirit of the age. |