| A | B |
|---|
| mea culpa | an acknowledgment of guilt |
| haute couture | high fashion; the most fashionable and influential dressmaking and designing |
| nom de plume | French for “pen name”; an invented name under which an author writes |
| modus operandi | procedure; method of operating |
| Je ne sais quoi | an indefinable, elusive quality, especially a pleasing one: She has a certain je ne sais quoi that charms everybody |
| Ad nauseam | To a disgusting extent |
| Alma mater | School or university at which one has been a student |
| Alpha and omega | The first and the last, the beginning and the end |
| Avant-garde | A group of people, especially in the arts, who are ahead of all others in using or creating new ideas, methods, designs, etc. |
| Bon voyage | Good-by, good luck, pleasant trip |
| Carte blanche | Freedom to use one’s own judgment; |
| Caveat emptor | Let the buyer beware; |
| Cum laude | With distinction (added to the diploma of a student who has especially good academic work) |
| Deja vu | Illusion of having previously experienced something that one is actually experiencing for the first time |
| Du jour | (out of many, one) |
| Esprit de corps | Group spirit; |
| Faux pas | Slip in speech, conduct, or manners; breach of etiquette; blunder |
| Femme fatale | Very seductive woman; seductress |
| Hoi polli | The common people; |
| C'est la vie | An expression used to play down some minor disappointment “that's life.” |
| Carpe diem | “Seize the day”: take full advantage of present opportunities |
| savoir faire | Ease and dexterity in social and practical affairs |
| bona fide | Genuine |
| tempus fugit | time flies |
| non se•qui•tur | statement containing an illogical conclusion |
| terra firma | “firm (or solid) ground.” |
| je ne sais quoi | a quality that eludes description |
| enfant terrible | “terrible child.” |
| persona non grata | unacceptable or unwelcome person |
| quid pro quo | “something for something.” |
| magnum opus | most important work in a person's career, especially in literature, art, or scholarship |
| cause célèbre | “celebrated cause.” |
| ad hoc | high fashion; the most fashionable and influential dressmaking and designing |
| mea culpa | “my fault” or “my blame.” |
| nom de plume | French for “pen name”; an invented name under which an author writes |
| modus operandi | The way someone does something; a characteristic method |
