The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (18 page)

cicatrice (sikatrees) LATIN [feminine
of cicatrix] noun a scar, or a mark
resembling a scar: "Captain Mitchell
exhibited willingly the long cicatrice of
a cut over his left ear and temple, made
by a razor-blade fastened to a stick..
(Joseph Conrad, Nostromo, 1904).

cicerone (sisaronee) ITALIAN [after the
Roman orator Cicero (106-43 ii.c.)]
noun (plural cicerones or ciceroni)
a guide who conducts tourists on a
sightseeing tour: `Here renewed greetings passed: the young ladies shook hands;
and Oldbuck, completely in his element,
placed himself as guide and cicerone at the head of the party, who were now to
advance on foot towards the object of their
curiosity" (Walter Scott, The Antiquary,
1816).

cicisbeo (cheech5z1o) ITALIAN noun
(plural cicisbeos or cicisbei, cheech5z1ee) the male lover of a married
woman: "He was moreover the cicisbeo,
or rather the complaisant chevalier of the
Countess of Boufflers, a great friend also to
D'Alembert, and the Chevalier de Lorenzi
was the most passive instrument in her
hands" (Jean -Jacques Rousseau, Confessions, 1782-89).

ci-devant (see-davon) FRENCH [formerly, heretofore] adjective former,
late. ' adverb formerly.

cigarillo (sigarllo, sigaree),o) SPANISH
[cigarette, from cigarro cigar] noun a
small cigar about the size of a cigarette.

cilantro (silantrO) SPANISH [from Latin
coriandrum] noun coriander leaves used
as a seasoning or a garnish, especially in
Mexican cuisine.

cineast (sineeast, sineeast), cineaste,
cineaste FRENCH [from cine cinema
and -aste (after enthusiaste enthusiast)]
noun a person with an enthusiasm
for the cinema; can also refer to a
moviemaker.

cinema verite (sinama Verity) FRENCH
[cinema truthfulness] noun phrase a style of moviemaking emphasizing
realism: "That movie is now regarded as
a masterpiece of cinema verite."

cinquecento (chinkweechento) ITALIAN [five hundred] noun the 16th century (especially in relation to Italian
art, literature, and history). See also
QUATTRO C EN TO.

circa (serka) LATIN [around] preposition around, about, approximately
(especially in relation to dates): "The
writer William Browne was born circa
1590.""abbreviated form c., ca., cir.

cire perdue (seer pairdoo) FRENCH
[lost wax] noun phrase a technique
of bronze casting in which a mold
is contructed around a wax model,
which is then melted and replaced
by metal.

citron presse (seetron pres4) FRENCH
[pressed or squeezed lemon] noun
phrase (plural citrons presses, seetron
press) lemonade made from freshly
squeezed lemon juice, sugar, water, and
ice cubes: `I stopped at a cafe for a refreshing glass of citron presse."

clairvoyance (klairvoiyhns) FRENCH
[clear-sightedness, from clair clear
and voyant seeing] noun the power
to perceive objects that cannot be
detected through the natural senses,
or intuitive knowledge of things:
"He was wondering all the time over the
extraordinary clairvoyance of the publisher, who had looked through so many thick
folds, broadcloth, lining, brown paper, and
seen his poems lying hidden in his breastpocket" (Oliver Wendell Holmes, The
Guardian Angel, 1867).

claque (klak) FRENCH [applauders,
from claquer to clap] noun a group of
people who are hired to applaud a performance and, by extension, any group
of sycophantic or self-seeking admirers: Wever, Monsieur Braulard, the leader
of the claque, got him out of that. He wears
gold earrings, and he lives by doing nothing,
hanging on to women, who are fools about
these good-looking scamps"' (Honore de
Balzac, Cousin Bette, 1846-47).

claqueur (klaker) FRENCH [applauder,
from claquer to clap] noun a person who
is hired as a member of a claque: "Such
were his tastes and passions: his antipathies
were not less lively. He detested three things:
a Jesuit, a gendarme, and a claqueur at
a theater" (William Makepeace Thackeray, The Paris Sketch Book of Mr. M. A.
Titmarsh, 1840).

claret (klar3t) FRENCH [clear] noun
a full-bodied red wine of a type produced in the Bordeaux region of
France. adjective deep red (after the
color of claret wine): "The curtains were
of a deep claret color."

clarsach (klahrsakh) SCOTTISH GAELIC
[harp] noun the Celtic harp, a small
harp with wire strings, played mainly
in traditional Scottish and Irish music:

At the folk club we heard a wonderful Scottish singer accompanied on the cldrsach."

cliche (klees , kleeshay), cliche
FRENCH [stereotype, from clicker to
stereotype] noun an overused or trite
expression, idea, theme, or character: "His speech was full of cliches and
bad jokes.' -adjective hackneyed, stereotyped, trite.

clientele (kliantel, kleeantel), clientele FRENCH [from clientele, ultimately from Latin cliens client] noun
the patrons or customers of a commercial establishment: "The clientele of
the hotel were largely traveling salesmen
and drifters."

clique (kleek, klik) FRENCH [set,
gang, from cliquer to make a noise,
from Middle Dutch klikken to click]
noun an exclusive group of people
who work together in pursuit of their
common interest: "A man once came a
considerable distance to ask me to lecture
on Slavery; but on conversing with him, I
found that he and his clique expected seven
eighths of the lecture to be theirs, and only
one eighth mine; so I declined" (Henr),
David Thoreau, Life Without Principle,
1863).

clochard (kloshar) FRENCH [from
clocker to limp] noun a vagrant or
tramp.

cloche (klosh) FRENCH [bell] noun
a glass or plastic cover used to protect young plants in cold weather; can also
refer to a type of woman's hat vaguely
in the shape of a bell: "She wore bobbed
hair under a cloche hat."

cloisonne (kloizay, klahza), cloisonne FRENCH [past participle of cloisonner to partition] noun a type of
enamelwork, usually applied to metal.
-adjective of or relating to such enamelwork: "He picked up the cloisonne
vase." (Sinclair Lewis, Main Street,
1920).

co- (ko) LATIN [from cum with] prefix
together with, e.g., coworker, coeducation.

cocotte (kokot) FRENCH [hen, darling, from coq rooster] noun a prostitute, a woman of easy virtue: "`Get
along to your sovereign mistress,' she said
to him (there was at that time in Wiesbaden
a certain princess di Monaco, who looked
surprisingly like a cocotte of the poorer
sort); `what do you want to stay with a
plebeian like me for?"' (IN-an Turgenev,
Torrents of Spring, 1870).

coda (koda) ITALIAN [tail, from Latin
cauda tail] noun the concluding part
of a piece of music, literature, or ballet:
"At this moment a harlequin and columbine,
dancing to the music of the band in the
garden, which has just reached the coda of
a waltz, whirl one another into the room."
(George Bernard Shaw, You Never Can
Tell, 1899).

codex (kodeks) LATIN [tablet, block
of wood, from caudex tree trunk] noun
(plural codices, kodiseez, kohdiseez)
a manuscript book containing ancient
or medieval texts; can also refer to
any collection of rules.

cogito, ergo sum (kogito airgo sum)
LATIN [I think, therefore I am, coined
by French philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650)] interjection I
think, therefore I am (used to express
the notion that the fact that an individual is capable of thought constitutes a
proof of his or her existence).

cognac (konyak, konyak) FRENCH
[after Cognac, France] noun a superior brandy made in the departments
of Charente and Charente-Maritime,
France: "The general never went on campaign without at least a couple of cases of
good cognac."

cognomen (kognoman, kognaman)
LATIN [from nomen name] noun (plural
cognomens or cognomina, kognomana) a name or title (often referring specifically to a surname or family
name): "He had been long identified with
the Bailie, and he was vain of the cognomen
which he had now worn for eight years; and
he questioned if any of his brethren in the
Council had given such universal satisfaction" (Walter Scott, Chronicles of the
Canongate, 1827).

cognoscente (konyashcntec, kognashentee, konyasentec, kognasentee) ITALIAN [a person who knows, from
Latin cognoscere to know] noun (plural
cognoscenti, konyashentee, kognashentee, konyasentee, kognasentee)
a person with expert knowledge of
something (especially of the fine arts),
a connoisseur: "The gallery became very
popular with the cognoscenti of the art
world."

coiffeur (kwafer) FRENCH [hairdresser, from coffer to dress the hair]
noun a male hairstylist: "Hearing
why he had come, the Princess was halfhumorously, hafseriously angry with
him, and sent him home to dress and not
to hinder Kitty's hairdressing, as Charles
the coiffeur was just coming" (Leo
Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, 1874-76).
-noun, feminine coiffeuse (kwaferz)
a female hairstylist.

coiffure (kwalur) FRENCH [hairstyle,
from coiffer to dress the hair] noun a
hairstyle: "No wonder that with her
admirably dressed, abundant hair, thickly
sprinkled with white threads and adding to
her elegant aspect the piquant distinction
of a powdered coffure.. " (Joseph Conrad, Chance, 1914).

coitus (koatas, koeetas, koitas) LATIN
[union, from coire to go together] noun
sexual intercourse.

coitus interruptus (koatas intartas,
koeetas intaraptas, koitas
intaretas) LATIN [interrupted sexual intercourse]
noun phrase sexual intercourse in

which the penis is withdrawn before
ejaculation to avoid conception.

cojones (kahoniz) SPANISH [from cojon
testicle] plural noun (slang) balls,
guts, courage.

collage (kolazh) FRENCH [gluing, from
coller to glue] noun an artistic technique in which pieces of paper, fabric,
or other materials are glued onto a
surface to create an image or pattern: "The class worked together on the
collage over several weeks." Can also
refer more generally to any muddled
or confusing miscellany of ideas or
impressions.

collecteana (kolektneeb) LATIN
[collected things, neuter plural of
collectaneus collected] plural noun
collected writings, an anthology of
written passages.

collegium (kalegeeam, kalgeeam)
LATIN [college, guild] noun (plural
collegiums or collegia, kalegeea,
kalavgeea) a group in which power
and authority is divided equally among
the members.

col legno (koljgno) ITALIAN [with
the wood] adverb phrase (of violins
and other stringed instruments) played
with the wooden back of the bow.

colloquium (kalokweeam) LATIN [conversation] noun (plural colloquiums
or colloquia, kalokwcca) an aca demic conference or seminar during
which specialists each deliver their
views on a particular subject: "The
society will host a colloquium on the topic
of historical linguistics next spring."

cologne See EAU DE COLOGNE.

colophon (kolofon) LATIN [from
Greek kolophon summit or finishing
touch] noun a publisher's imprint or
emblem, which usually appears on the
title page of a book.

coloratura (kalaratoora, kalarachoora)
ITALIAN [colored, from the past
participle of Latin colorare to color]
noun (in vocal music) an elaborate
ornamentation, or a singer who specializes in such music. 'adjective of
or relating to such ornamentation:
"She developed into a very fine coloratura
soprano, appearing at leading opera houses
throughout Europe."

colossus (kalosas) LATIN [from Greek
kolossos a huge statue] noun (plural
colossuses or colossi, kalosee) a
giant, or a thing of gigantic proportions: "Dombey,'said the Major, defiantly,
I know better; a man of your mark the
Colossus of commerce is not to be interrupted"' (Charles Dickens, Dombey and
Son, 1846-48).

colostrum (kalastram) LATIN [beestings] noun the thin, milky fluid
produced by the mother's breasts
after childbirth, before the produc

tion of true milk. It is rich in antibodies and protein: "Colostrum is very
nutritious and it also protects the baby
from disease."

coma (koma) GREEK [koma deep sleep]
noun a state of deep unconsciousness produced by injury, illness, or
drugs; can also refer more generally
to a state of lethargy or inactivity: "The
household convulsion had made her herself
again. The temporary coma had ceased, and
activity had come with the necessity for it"
(Thomas Hard),, Far From the Madding
Crowd, 1874).

comedienne (kameedien) FRENCH
[from comedienne actress in comedy]
noun a woman comedian: "They hung
mainly on the problematical good-will
of an ancient comedienne, with whom
Mrs. Farlow had a slight acquaintance..
(Edith Wharton, The Reef, 1912).

commandant (komandant) FRENCH
[commander, from commander to command] noun a commanding officer:
"It was not the Colonel that brought
Bobby out of Simla, but a much more
to be respected Commandant" (Rud),ard
Kipling, "Only A Subaltern," 1888).
"abbreviated form Cdt., Comdt.

commandeer (komindeer) AFRIKAANS
[from French commander to command]
verb to take possession of property
or goods by force; to force a person
into military service: "Among them was
the pimply clerk, who had been inspired to commandeer a pitchfork from a hardware
store" (Booth Tarkington, The Conquest
of Canaan, 1905).

commando (kamando) AFRIKAANS
[from kommando military unit, from
Dutch commando command, from
Portuguese comandar to command,
ultimately from Latin commandare to
command] noun a specialized military unit trained to carry out raids
on an enemy, or a member of such a
unit: "The commandos were sent in first to
disrupt enemy communications."

comme ci, comme ca (kom see kom
sa) FRENCH [like this, like that] adverb
phrase so-so, middlingly.

commedia dell'arte (kadeea del
ahrtay, kameedeea delahrtay) ITALIAN [comedy of art] noun phrase a
genre of largely improvised theatrical comedy featuring stock characters and slapstick action that first
became popular in 16th-century Italy:
"Many of the characteristics of the Italian commedia dell'arte were absorbed
into the English pantomime via the harlequinade."