The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (19 page)

comme it faut (kom eel fo) FRENCH
[as it should be] adverb phrase properly, as necessary, as dictated by
accepted standards. -adjective phrase
proper, as it should be: "I implore you,
my dear Miss Vavasor, to remember what
you owe to God and man, and to carry out
an engagement made by yourself, that is in

all respects comme it faut, and which will
give entire satisfaction to your friends and
relatives." (Anthony Trollope, Can You
Forgive Her?, 1864).

commis (kamee) FRENCH [deputy,
from commettre to employ] adjective
junior or apprentice: "The commis chef
assists the chef in the preparation and service of food."

commissar (komaSah) FRENCH [from
Russian komissar, from German Kommissar, ultimately from Latin commissarius agent] noun a person who heads
a government department or occupies
a senior political position (especially
in communist countries).

commissariat (komasareeat) LATIN
[from commissarius agent] noun a
board of commissioners, or a government department (especially in a
communist country); can also refer
to an organization responsible for
providing supplies for an army: "Crops
in the region were confiscated on the order
of the army commissariat."

commissionaire (kamishanair), commissionnaire FRENCH [from Latin
committere to commit] noun a uniformed door-attendant at a hotel,
theater, etc.: "...I am sure she and her
daughter enjoyed themselves hugely in
the shops, from one of which I shall never
forget Irene emerging proudly with a
commissionaire, who conducted her under
an umbrella to the cab where I was lying in wait" (J. M. Barrie, The Little White
Bird, 1902).

commode (kamod) FRENCH [suitable,
convenient, from Latin commodus fit,
useful] noun a small chest of drawers; can also refer to a piece of
furniture housing a chamber pot or
washbasin: "The drawers of her commode
stood open, giving glimpses of dainty
tres, which she was tying up with bright
ribbons" (Louisa May Alcott, Rose in
Bloom, 1876).

communard (komyoonahrd FRENCH
[ultimately from Latin communis]
noun a person who lives in a commune (originally a supporter of the
1871 Paris Commune).

communique (komynikay) FRENCH
[communicated, past participle of
communiquer to communicate] noun an
official bulletin or press release: "The
press department has issued several communiques since yesterday."

compadre (komp-Lhdray) SPANISH
[godfather] noun a benefactor,
accomplice, companion, friend.

compagnon de voyage (kompanyon(g)
da voiyazh) FRENCH [companion of
the-voyage] noun phrase a traveling
companion.

compendium (komendeeam) LATIN
[profit, shortcut, from compendere to
weigh together] noun (plural compen

diums or compendia, kom~endeea)
a collection or compilation of writings, table games, etc.; can also refer
to a summary or abstract of a larger
work: An easy substitute for this labor
was found in a digest or compendium of the
work noticed, with copious extracts or a
still easier, in random comments upon such
passages as accidentally met the eye of the
critic, with the passages themselves copied
at full length" (Edgar Allan Poe, "Exordium," 1842).

compere (kompair), compere FRENCH
[godfather] noun a master of ceremonies, a host of a television or radio
program. verb to announce the acts
during a theatrical entertainment or a
television or radio program: "The next
decision to be made was who to choose to
compere the show."

compos mentis (kompas mentas)
LATIN [master of one's mind] adjective
phrase sane, lucid, of sound mind:
`Personally, I doubt that the old lady is
totally compos mentis."

compote (kompot) FRENCH [from
Latin compostus, from componere to
put together] noun a dessert consisting of fruit preserved or stewed
in syrup: "She served up a delicious fresh
fruit compote."

compte rendu (komptrondoo) FRENCH
[account rendered] noun phrase (plural
comptes rendus) a financial statement or, more generally, a report or summary: "In this manner I went through
the whole extent of the science; and the
written outline of it which resulted from
my daily compte rendu, served him afterwards as notes from which to write his Elements of Political Ecomony" (John Stuart
Mill, Autobiography, 1873).

con See CONTRA.

con amore (kon 2.mOray) ITALIAN
[with love] adverb phrase (in music)
tenderly; can also mean in a wider
context with love, with enthusiasm,
with delight.

con brio (kon breeo) ITALIAN [with
vigor] adverb phrase (in music) to be
played briskly, energetically.

concerto (konchairto) ITALIAN [from
concertare to bring into harmony] noun
(plural concertos or concerti, konchairtee) a musical composition, usually in three movements, written for
one or more soloist instruments and
orchestra: "The new concerto was greeted
with wild enthusiasm."

concerto grosso (konchairto iiso,
konchairto groso) ITALIAN [big concerto] noun phrase (plural concerti
grossi, konchairtee grosee, konchairtee grosee) an orchestral composition in which solo instruments are
backed by a full orchestra.

concessionaire (konseshanair), concessionnaire FRENCH [concessionary,

from concession, ultimately from Latin
concedere to concede] noun the owner
or operator of a concession permitting
the running of a refreshment stand,
souvenir both, or other small business
outlet: "All the concessionaires running
stands in the foyer have been invited to a
meeting to discuss the problem."

conchiglie (konkeel)-ay) ITALIAN [little shells, from Latin concha shell]
noun pasta made in the shape of small
shells: `7 ordered conchiglie with salmon
and spinach."

concierge (konsyalrzh) FRENCH [janitor, ultimately from Latin conserves
fellow slave] noun a person who
serves as doorkeeper or porter for an
apartment building or hotel.

concordat (kakordat) FRENCH [from
the past participle of Latin concordare
to agree] noun an agreement, a compact (especially one between a government and a religious body referring to
ecclesiastical matters): "The Concordat
afterwards, in the sixteenth century, gave
to the kings of France the absolute right
of presenting to all the great, or what are
called the consistorial, benefices of the Gallican Church" (Adam Smith, The Wealth
of Nations, 1776).

contours d'elegance (konkor delegons) FRENCH [contest of elegance]
noun phrase a parade of automobiles
in which the vehicles are judged on
the grounds of appearance.

condominium (kondamineeam) LATIN
[joint ownership, from dominium
domain]noun plural condominiums or
condominia, kondamineea) a type
of apartment building or complex in
which residents own individual units
of the property and pay common maintenance charges; can also refer to a territory that is jointly controlled by two
or more other states: "They moved into
a new condominium overlooking the river."
''abbreviated form condo (kondo).

condottiere (kondoteeairee) ITALIAN [from condotta a contract, ultimately from condurre to hire, to
conduct] noun (plural condottieri,
kondoteeairee) a mercenary soldier
(referring originally to the mercenaries employed by many postmedieval
European armies).

conduit (kondwit, kondooat, kondwat, kondit) FRENCH [pipe, culvert]
noun a pipe, channel, or ditch for
conveying water or other liquids; can
also be used more generally of any
means of distribution of money, goods
or information: "...therefore I give thee
leave and licence to go when thou wilt
to my fountain, my conduit, and there to
drink freely of the blood of my grape, for
my conduit Both always run wine" (John
Bunyan, The HolyWar, 1682).

con espressione (kon espreseeonee,
kon espreseeonay) ITALIAN [with
expression] adverb phrase (in music)
to be played expressively, with feeling.

confer (kanfer) LATIN [compare, from
conferre to bring together] verb compare with (instruction to a reader to
consult a relevant passage elsewhere).
'abbreviated form cf.

confetti (kanfetee) ITALIAN [plural of
confetto candy, from Latin confect us,
past participle of conficere to prepare] plural noun tiny scraps of colored paper in a variety of shapes that
are traditionally tossed in celebration, such as over a newly married
couple by guests at the wedding:
"The happy couple were still picking
pieces of confetti out of their hair the
following morning."

confidant (konfadont, konfadont)
FRENCH [from Italian confidenate confident] noun a person in whom
another confides: "Fix made up his mind
that, if worst came to worst, he would make
a confidant of Passepartout, and tell him
what kind of a fellow his master really
was" (Jules Verne, Around the World in
80 Days, 1873). '"noun, feminine confidante a woman in whom another
confides.

confrere (konfrair), confrere FRENCH
[colleague, from Latin confrater brother] noun a comrade, a colleague,
a fellow: Ha, ha! You see? You are my
confrere" (Booth Tarkington, Monsieur
Beaucaire, 1900).

confrerie (konfreree) FRENCH [confraternity, brotherhood] noun an association of individuals who share
the same interests or who work in the
same trade.

con moto (kon moto) ITALIAN [with
movement] adverb phrase (in music)
to be played in a spirited manner.

connoisseur (konaser, konasoor)
FRENCH [Old French for connoisseur
good judge, ultimately from Latin
cognoscere to know] noun an expert,
a person who has a thorough knowledge of a particular subject: "Don't
say no; returned the little woman, looking
at me with the aspect of a connoisseur; a
little bit more eyebrow?"' (Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, 1849-50).

conquistador (konkeestador, kankeestador, konkistador, kankweestador)
SPANISH [conqueror, ultimately from
Latin conquirere] noun (plural conquistadors or conquistadores,
konkeestadoreez, kankweestadorez,
konkistadorez, kankwistadorez) a
person who conquers (originally
referring specifically to the Spanish
conquerors of Latin America): "The
whole building, which, for all I know, may
have been contrived by a Conquistador
farmer of the pearl fishery three hundred
years ago, is perfectly silent" (Joseph
Conrad, Nostromo, 1904).

consensus (kansens5S) LATIN [agreement, from consentire to assent] noun
(plural consensuses, kansensaseez)
unanimity, general agreement,

accord: All parties eventually reached
a consensus on their future approach to
tobacco products."

conservatoire (konservatwahr)
FRENCH [from Italian conservatorio
conservatory, ultimately from Latin
conservare to keep] noun an academy
of music or another of the performing arts (especially in France): "The
son was a fellow student of mine at the
Conservatoire. He was killed the second
winter of the war" (Willa Cather, One of
Ours, 1922).

console (konsol) FRENCH [possibly
from consolider to consolidate] noun a
control panel for an electric or electronic system; can also refer to the
keyboard of an organ or to a cabinet
housing a television or other apparatus: "The technicians took the top off the
console and started to inspect the tangle of
wires inside the machine." Also, a small
machine, usually connected to a television set, on which video games may
be played.

consomme (kons3p ) FRENCH [past
participle of consommer to complete,
from Latin consummare to finish up]
noun a clear soup made with meat
stock: "The thin consomme had done little
to satisfy their hunger."

consortium (konsorsh(e)em, konsorteeam) LATIN [fellowship] noun
(plural consortiums or consortia,
konsorsh(e)em, konsorteea) an association, society, or group of
organizations formed to pursue
shared interests: "The consortium have
held a meeting and have agreed to delay
further progress on the project."

con spirito (kon sirato, kon spirato)
ITALIAN [with spirit] adverb phrase
(in music) to be played in a lively
manner.

consul (konsal) LATIN [possibly from
consulere to consult] noun a diplomat
who represents his or her country's
commercial interests abroad and who
provides assistance as required to his
or her state's citizens in that country:
"The consul managed to sort out visas for
all the tourists but could not help with
transportation."

contagion (kontjan) LATIN [corn
together and tangere to touch] noun a
contagious disease or infection; can
also refer more widely to the working
any kind of influence: "He had caught
the contagion of the excitement, and he felt
that in some way he must do a great thing
for John Thornton" (Jack London, The
Call of the Wild, 1903).

conte (kont) FRENCH [story] noun a
short adventure story or tale.

continuum (kontin)'ooam) LATIN
[neuter of continuus continuous,
from continere to hold together] noun
(plural continuums or continua,
kontinyooa) a continuous whole,

or an unbroken series, sequence, or
progression.

contra (kontra) LATIN [against] preposition against, in opposition to.
adverb on the contrary, contrariwise.
'abbreviated form con.

contralto (kontralto) ITALIAN [from
contra against and alto high] noun (plural contraltos) a singer with a range
below mezzo-soprano but above
tenor: "The choir is very short of contraltos." 'adjective of or relating to a
contralto voice or part.

contra mundum (kontra mindam)
LATIN [against the world] adverb phrase
contrary to general opinion, opposing everyone: "`It's a game,' he said,
'an odd game but the chances are all
for me, Mr. Grfn, in spite of your invisibility. Gr!n contra mundum-with a
vengeance!"' (H. G. Wells, The Invisible
Man, 1897).

contrapposto (kontraposto) ITALIAN
[set opposite, ultimately from Latin
contraponere to eontraposeI noun (plural
contrapposti, kontral2osttee) (in
art and sculpture) a pose in which the
upper body is turned in a different
direction from the lower body.