ad hoc - to this
Generally means "for this", in the sense of improvised on the spot or designed for only a specific, immediate purpose.
ad referendum (ad ref) - to that which must be brought back
Loosely "subject to reference", meaning that something has been approved provisionally, but must still receive official approval. Not necessarily related to a referendum.
addendum - thing to be added
An item to be added, especially a supplement to a book. The plural is addenda.
affidavit - he asserted
A legal term from Medieval Latin referring to a sworn statement. From fides, "faith".
agenda - things to be done
Originally comparable to a to-do list, an ordered list of things to be done. Now generalized to include any planned course of action. The singular, agendum (thing that must be done), is rarely used.
alias - otherwise
An assumed name or pseudonym. Similar to alter ego, but more specifically referring to a name, not to a "second self".
alter ego - other I
Another self, a second persona or alias. Can be used to describe different facets or identities of a single character, or different characters who seem representations of the same personality. Often used of a fictional character's secret identity.
alumna or alumnus - pupil
Sometimes rendered with the gender-neutral alumn or alum in English. A graduate or former student of a school, college or university. Alumna (pl. alumnae) is a female pupil, and alumnus (pl. alumni) is a male pupil—alumni is generally used for a group of both males and females. The word derives from alere, "to nourish", a graduate being someone who was raised and taken care of at the school.
amateur - a non-professional
Anno Domini (A.D.) - in the Year of the Lord
Short for Anno Domini Nostri Iesus Christi (in the Year of Our Lord Jesus Christ), the predominantly used system for dating years across the world, used with the Gregorian calendar, and based on the perceived year of the birth of Jesus Christ. The years before Jesus' birth were once marked with a.C.n (Ante Christum Natum, Before Christ was Born), but now use the English abbreviation BC (Before Christ).
ante meridiem (a.m.) - before midday
The period from midnight to noon.
aqua - water
artiste - a skilled performer, a person with artistic pretensions.
ballet - a classical type of dance.
bona fide - in good faith
In other words, "well-intentioned", "fairly". In modern contexts, often has connotations of "genuinely" or "sincerely". Bona fides is not the plural (which would be bonis fidebus), but the nominative, and means simply "good faith". Opposite of mala fide.
bon voyage - have a good trip.
bureau (pl. bureaux) - office.
café - a coffee shop (also used in French for "coffee").
cliché - literally negative; trite through overuse; a stereotype.
circa (c.) or (ca.) - around
In the sense of "approximately" or "about". Usually used of a date.
confer - bring together
Thus, "compare". Used as an abbreviation in text to recommend a comparison with another thing.
curriculum vitae - course of life
An overview of a person's life and qualifications, similiar to a résumé.
décor - the layout and furnishing of a room
de facto - in fact
Said of something that is the actual state of affairs, in contrast to something's legal or official standing, which is described as de jure. De facto refers to the "way things really are" rather than what is "officially" presented as the fact.
déjà vu - already seen
an impression or illusion of having seen or experienced something before.
dossier - a file containing detailed information about a person; it has a much wider meaning in modern French, as any type of file, or even a computer directory
en route - on the way
entrée - literally "entrance"; the first course of a meal (UK English); used to denote the main dish or course of a meal (US English)
et cetera (etc.) - And the rest
In modern usages, also used to mean 'and so on' or 'and more'.
et tu, Brute? - And you, Brutus?
Also 'Even you, Brutus?' or 'You too, Brutus?' Used to indicate a betrayal by someone close. From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, based on the traditional dying words of Julius Caesar. However, these were almost certainly not Caesar's true last words; Plutarch quotes Caesar as saying, in Greek (which was the language of Rome's elite at the time), καὶ σὺ τέκνον; (Kaì sù téknon?), in English 'You as well, (my) child?', quoting from Menander. Some have speculated based on this that Brutus was Caesar's child, though there is no substantial evidence of this.
exempli gratia (e.g.) - for the sake of example
Usually shortened in English to 'for example'. Exempli gratia,'for example', is commonly abbreviated 'e.g.'; in this usage it is sometimes followed by a comma, depending on style.
extant - still in existence; surviving
extant law is still existing, in existence, existent, surviving, remaining, undestroyed. Usage, when a law is repealed the extant law governs.
fiancé/e - betrothed; literally a man/woman engaged to be married.
genre - a type or class, such as "the thriller genre"
Grand Prix - a type of motor racing, literally "Great Prize"
habeas corpus - You (shall) have the body
A legal term from the 14th century or earlier. Refers to a number of legal writs to bring a person before a court or judge, most commonly habeas corpus ad subjiciendum (you may have the body to bring up). Commonly used as the general term for a prisoner's legal right to challenge the legality of their detention.
id est (i.e.) - that is
"That is (to say)", "in other words", or sometimes "in this case", depending on the context; may be followed by a comma, or not, depending on style (American English and British English respectively).
Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (INRI) - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews
Direct quote from the Vulgate, John 19:19. The inscription was written in Latin, Greek and Aramaic at the top of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. (John 19:20)
in vitro - in glass
An experimental or process methodology performed in a "non-natural" setting (e.g., in a laboratory using a glass test tube or Petri dish), and thus outside of a living organism or cell. The reference to glass is merely an historic one, as the current usage of this term is not specific to the materials involved, but rather to the "non-natural" setting employed. Alternative experimental or process methodologies include in vitro, in silico, ex vivo and in vivo.
liaison - a close relationship or connection; an affair.
The French meaning is broader; "liaison" also means bond such as in "une liaison chimique" (a chemical bond).
libra (lb) - scales
Literally "balance". Its abbreviation, lb, is used as a unit of weight, the pound.
lieu - from Latin locus ("place"); in lieu of: "instead of", "in the place of".
This is illustrated for instance in the English word "lieutenant", which literally means "place-holder"
Magna Carta - Great Charter
A set of documents between Pope Innocent III, King John of England, and English barons.
magnum opus - great work
Said of someone's masterpiece.
montage - a blending of pictures, scenes, or sounds
Opus Dei - The Work of God
Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá. Its mission is to help people turn their work and daily activities into occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society.
per - By, through, by means of.
per annum (pa) - through a year
Thus, "yearly"—occurring every year.
per capita - through the heads
"Per head", i.e., "per person". The singular is per caput ("through a head").
per se - through itself
Also "by itself" or "in itself". Without referring to anything else, intrinsically, taken without qualifications, etc. A common example is negligence per se.
post meridiem (p.m.) - after midday
The period from noon to midnight.
post mortem - after death
Usually rendered postmortem. Not to be confused with post meridiem.
pro forma - for form
Or "as a matter of form". Prescribing a set form or procedure, or performed in a set manner.
pro rata - for the rate
i.e., proportionately.
quod erat demonstrandum (Q.E.D.) - which was to be demonstrated
The abbreviation is often written at the bottom of a mathematical proof. Sometimes translated loosely into English as "The Five Ws", W.W.W.W.W., which stands for "Which Was What We Wanted".
quorum - of whom
The number of members whose presence is required under the rules to make any given meeting constitutional.
rapport - to be in someone's "good graces"; to be in synch with someone
reconnaissance - scouting; like connoisseur, modern French use a "a", never a "o" (as in reconnoissance).
reportage - reporting; journalism
répondez s'il vous plaît. (RSVP) - Please reply.
requiescat in pace (R.I.P.) - let him rest in peace
Or "may he rest in peace". A benediction for the dead. Often inscribed on tombstones or other grave markers. "RIP" is commonly mistranslated as "Rest In Peace", though the two mean essentially the same thing.
rigor mortis - stiffness of death
The rigidity of corpses when chemical reactions cause the limbs to stiffen about 3–4 hours after death. Other signs of death include drop in body temperature (algor mortis, "cold of death") and discoloration (livor mortis, "bluish color of death").
rôle - a part or function of a person in a situation or an actor in a play
sabotage - subversive destruction
From the practice of workers fearful of industrialization destroying machines by tossing their sabots ("wooden shoes") into machinery
signetur (sig) - let it be labeled
status quo - the situation in which
The current condition or situation. Also status quo ante ("the situation in which [things were] before"), referring to the state of affairs prior to some upsetting event.
théâtre (or theater) - a building or area where plays, performances, lectures, or film showings are given
verbatim - word for word
Refers to perfect transcription or quotation.
versus (vs) - towards
Literally "in the direction". Mistakenly used in English as "against" (probably from "adversus"), particularly to denote two opposing parties, such as in a legal dispute or a sports match.
veto - I forbid
The right to unilaterally stop a certain piece of legislation. Derived from ancient Roman voting practices.
via - by the road
Thus, "by way of" or "by means of".
vice - in place of
Thus, "one who acts in place of another".
vice versa/versa vice - with position turned
Thus, "the other way around", "conversely", etc. Historically, vice is properly pronounced as two syllables, but the one-syllable pronunciation is extremely common. Classical Latin pronunciation dictates that the letter C can only make a hard sound, like K and a v is pronounced like a w; thus wee-keh wehr-suh.
vis-à-vis - face to face [with] : in comparison with or in relation to; opposed to.
From "vis" (conjugated form of "voir", to see). In French, it's also a real estate vocabulary word meaning that your windows and your neighbours' are within sighting distance (more precisely, that you can see inside of their home).
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