Adieu - goodbye
A` la carte - each item sold separately
A` la mode - with ice cream
Ape`rtif - before-meal drink
Applique` - attached decoration
Attache` - a person with an embassy, or briefcase
Au gratin - with the grating, prepared with grated cheese, au gratin potatoes
Au revoir - see you again
Avant-garde - cutting-edge
Ballet - type of dance
Belle - beautiful female
Blase` - nonchalant
Blond - light-haired male
Blonde - light-haired female
Bon appe`tit - enjoy your meal
Bonjour - Good day
Bon voyage - have a good trip
Brunette - brown-haired girl
Buffet - meal set out on table for choosing
Bureau - office
Cafe` - coffee shop
Caramel - burnt cream
Carte blanche - unlimited authority
C`est la vie (say la vee) - that's life
Chaise longue, or lounge - chair for reclining
Cliche` - an adage, saying
Clique (click) - small exclusive group of friends
Concierge - hotel desk manager
Connoisseur - person of refined taste
Cordon Bleu - means 'blue ribbon'
Corduroy - a material used in clothing
Coup de gra`ce - the final blow
Coup d`e`tat - sudden, forced change in government
Coquette - flirtatious girl
Creche (kresh) - a nativity display
Creme brulee - dessert of custard and toasted sugar
Creme de la creme - best of the best, cream of the cream
Croissant - buttery, flaky pastry named for its crescent shape, symbol of the often-worshipped Moon
Cul-de-sac - dead end
Culottes - knee-length pants
De`ja` vu - already seen
Derrie`re - the behind, or butt
Entree` - main dish
Entrepreneur - one who undertakes a new enterprise
Escargots - snails
Expose` - published exposure of scandal
Forte` - a strength
Faux pas - social error
Genre (zhan rah) - type or class
Grand Prix - Grand Prize, type of motor racing
Hors D`oeuvres - finger food
Layette - clothing and accessories for a baby
Macrame` - lace work with knotted cords
Mai`tre d - headwaiter
Malaise - general state of depression
Mardi gras - Fat Tuesday, the last day of eating meat before lent
Marquee - sign hanging in front of a theater advertising featured movie
Mayonnaise - 'invented in 1756 by a French chef of the Duc de Richelieu. After the Duc beat the British at Port Mahon, his chef prepared a victory feast that was to include a sauce made of cream and eggs. Realizing there was no cream in the kitchen, the chef substituted olive oil for the cream, and a new culinary creation was born. The chef named the new sauce "Mahonnaise" in honor of the Duc's victory.'
Merci beaucoup - thank you very much
Mirepoix (meer a pwah) - cooking mixture 2 parts onion and 1 part each celery and carrots
Moi (mwah) - me
Mousse - whipped dessert, or hairstyling foam
Naive - lacking experience
Nee - born, often referring to maiden name
Non - no
Oui (wee) - yes
Papier-ma`che` - a craft medium using paper and paste, 'chewed paper'
Par excellence - by excellence
Potpourri - a medley
Prote`ge` - one receiving support from an influential patron
Rapport - to be in one's good graces
RSVP (Re`pondez s`il vous plait) - please reply
Rendezvous - meeting
Resume` - list of qualifications
Roux (roo) - a cooked mixture of flour and fat used in soups and gravies
Sabotage - originates from the practice of industrial workers destroying machines by tossing their sabots (wooden shoes) into machinery.
Sans - without
Savant - a wise person, exceptionally gifted
Soupe du jour - soup of the day
Vignette - a short scene
Vinaigrette- oil and vinegar salad dressing
Vive la diffe`erence - long live the difference
Voila (vwah-lah) - there you go!!!!!