English Words of French Origin

English Words of French Origin

• Coiffure: A style of arranging the hair, a style of arranging or combing the hair.
• Demarche: a move, step, or maneuver, esp. in diplomatic affairs
• Denouement: the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel
• Eclat: brilliance of success, reputation, showy or elaborate display
• Elan: dash; impetuous ardor, a combination of style and vigor
• Entrepreneur: a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.
• Impasse: a situation in which progress is blocked; an insurmountable difficulty; stalemate; deadlock
• Ingenue: the role of an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman, esp. as represented on the stage.
• Malaise: a condition of general bodily weakness or discomfort, often marking the onset of a disease, a feeling of unease or depression

• Melange: a mixture; confusion
• Repartee: a sharp, witty, or aphoristic remark made as a reply
• Sangfroid: coolness of mind; calmness; composure
• Tete-a-tete: a private conversation or interview, usually between two people, without the intrusion of a third person; in intimate privacy.
• Tour de force: an exceptional achievement by an artist, author, or the like, a particularly adroit maneuver or technique in handling a difficult situation
• ​​​​​​Vignette: a decorative design or small illustration used on the title page of a book or at the beginning or end of a chapter, a decorative design representing branches, leaves, grapes, or the like, as in a manuscript, an engraving, drawing, photograph, or the like that is shaded off gradually at the edges so as to leave no definite line at the border.