5 French Expressions, Part I

FIVE FRENCH EXPRESSIONS USED IN ENGLISH (Part I)

EXPRESSION: carte blanche [kart blongsh]

• MEANING: "white card" --> "full power to choose"
• EXAMPLE: "Do whatever you need to; I'm giving you carte blanche."

EXPRESSION: bon appetit [bone ah-puh-TEE]

• MEANING: "good appetite" -->"Enjoy your meal."
• EXAMPLE: "Here's your order, sir; bon appetit!"

EXPRESSION: au contraire [oh kone-TRAIR]

• MEANING: "On the contrary"
• EXAMPLE: "Me? Difficult? Au contraire, I'm very agreeable!"

EXPRESSION: cause célèbre [koze suh-LEB-ruh]

• MEANING: "celebrated [or famous] case," an issue much discussed by the public or in the press
• EXAMPLE: "The governor’s murder trial was a local cause célèbre."

EXPRESSION: à la carte [a la CART]

• MEANING: "on the card" --> separate items on a menu
• EXAMPLE: "Would you like a set meal, or would you like to order à la carte?"

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)