Word origins

• monocleA single lens, usually in a wire frame, and used to correct vision for only one eye.
• vocalicPertaining to a vowel.
• notaireA French official which attests and certifies certain legal documents; a notary.
• theodicyA justification of a deity or of particular attributes of a deity; specifically, a justification of the existence of evil and suffering in the world; a work or discourse justifying the ways of God.
• griffeA claw-like ornament at the base of a column.
• chinoiserieAn artistic object influenced by Chinese art.
• BelandA surname from French.
• DespresA surname from French.
• organdyA fine, transparent type of muslin, usually stiffened.
• BernardineOf or pertaining to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, or to the Cistercian monks.
• transhumanMore than human; superhuman.
• oriolA surname.
• liardA small French coin, equivalent to a quarter of a sou.
• pantinA jumping jack (toy)
• RacicotA surname from French.
• charcuterieThe practice of cooking and preparing ready-to-eat meat products, especially pork.
• OgierA surname from French.
• quadrupedA four-footed or four-legged animal.
• MissonA village and civil parish in Bassetlaw district, Nottinghamshire, England (OS grid ref SK6895).
• EmondA surname from French.
• bouffantOf hair or clothing, full-bodied or puffy; puffed out away from head or body.
• VarennesA commune in Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
• OllivierA surname from French.
• WatteauA surname from French.
• BernetA surname from French.
• metamorphoseOf a moth or insect, to undergo metamorphosis.
• trousseauThe clothes and linen, etc., that a bride collects or that is given to her for her wedding and married life, especially a traditional or formal set of these.
• frissonA sudden surge of excitement.
• ChimayA city and municipality in Hainault, Belgium.
• BissonnetteA surname from French.
• BerneyA surname.
• GuilbertA surname from French.
• BoulengerA surname from French.
• RamondA surname from Occitan.
• GoulartA surname from French.
• buissonA fruit tree trained on a low stem, the branches closely pruned.
• efflorescenceThe production of flowers.
• BelliveauA surname from French.
• dehorsAll sorts of outworks in general, at a distance from the main works; any advanced works for protection or cover.
• CelestinA male given name from French.
• LebretonA surname from French.
• jalousieA component in a ventilation system.
• DouaiA commune in Nord department, Hauts-de-France, northern France.
• galetteA type of flat, round cake from France.
• vitrineA glass-paneled cabinet or case, especially for displaying articles such as china, objets d'art, fine merchandise, natural history specimens, etc.
• ordinaireWine for ordinary use.
• fonduThe graded shift from one color into another.
• tourbillonA rotating frame, containing the escapement of a clock or watch, that significantly compensates for the effects of gravity.
• remouladeA popular condiment in many countries, usually mayonnaise-based.
• oeufAn egg.
• BouchervilleA city in Montérégie, Quebec, Canada
• billonAny of several alloys of precious metals and base metals that are used (where legal) to make coins, medals etc.
• DroletA surname from French.
• PerrineauA surname from French.
• bandelierA surname from French.
• AuclairA surname from French.
• victimologyThe study of the victims of crime, and especially of the reasons some people are more prone to be victims.
• galopA lively French country dance of the nineteenth century, a forerunner of the polka, combining a glissade with a chassé on alternate feet, usually in a fast 2/4 time.
• GroulxA surname from French
• calamineSynonym of smithsonite, a pink form of zinc oxide (mainly zinc carbonate ZnCO₃) formed as a byproduct of zinc sublimation, now used in skin lotions.
• refoulementThe involuntary sending of refugees or asylum seekers to their country of origin or another one, where they are likely to face persecution and harm.
• DoubsA department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France. Capital: Besançon.
• DeguireA surname from French.
• apoplecticOf or relating to apoplexy.
• DelcambreA surname from French.
• MeknesA city in the region of Fez-Meknes, Morocco.
• ChenardA surname from French.
• amandineA cosmetic cream prepared from almonds.
• lassitudeLethargy or lack of energy; fatigue, languor, listlessness
• cayesA seaport and commune of Cayes borough, Sud department, Haiti.
• immortelleAny of various papery flowers, often dried and used as decoration.
• BelleauA surname from French.
• gigotA leg of lamb or mutton.
• gigueAn Irish dance, derived from the jig, used in the Partita form (Baroque Period).
• senatusA governing body in certain universities.
• BraudelA surname from French.
• vervetA small African monkey, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, having a long tail, a black face with white cheek tufts and a greenish-brown coat.
• serinAny of various small finches in the genus Serinus, with largely yellow plumage.
• LevalloisA surname from French.
• LaffontA surname from French.
• GemblouxA city in Namur, Belgium.
• anataseA blue or brown mineral, a form of titanium dioxide, used as a pigment.
• indubitableClearly true; providing no possibility of doubt.
• DeroyA surname from French.
• etalonAn optical device containing parallel mirrors, used as a narrow band filter, often in laser design.
• speleologyThe scientific study of caves.
• ComeauxA surname from French.
• NormandinA surname from French.
• VeilleuxA surname from French.
• garrigueA type of low scrubland found on limestone soils in southern France and other parts of the Mediterranean Basin.
• careenTo heave a ship down on one side so as to expose the other, in order to clean it of barnacles and weed, or to repair it below the water line.
• ethmoidA light spongy cubical bone at the root of the nose, forming much of the walls of the nasal cavity and part of those of the orbits and having many perforations through which the olfactory nerves pass to the nose.
• pastisA liqueur containing aniseed.
• DnieperA major river in Eastern Europe which flows south through Belarus, Russia and Ukraine into the Black Sea. (see usage notes)
• SavaryA surname from French.
• BoissevainA town in Manitoba, Canada
• basculeA counterbalanced structure having one end that rises as the other lowers.
• noosphereThe sphere of human reason, thought, and consciousness, seen as a theoretical evolutionary stage.
• muskellungeA large freshwater gamefish of the pike family, native to the lakes and rivers of eastern and middle western North America; Esox masquinongy.
• cinquainA five-line poetic form which consists of 2, 4, 6, 8 then 2 syllables.