faux pas
foe PAW´ (French, ‘false step’) A faux pas is an embarrassing social mistake or a breach of manners or good conduct. Using the wrong fork at a formal dinner is […]
badinage
bad-uh-NAHZH´ Badinage is good-natured verbal sparring, or teasing that fails to cross the line into actual insult (though it may come close). Synonyms include ribbing, joshing, banter, and raillery. Other […]
jet set
The jet set is the international group of rich people who congregate at the world’s most fashionable resorts. Members of the jet set are also members of the carriage trade, […]
beau monde
boh-MOANED´ (French, ‘beautiful world’) The beau monde is the world of high society and fashion. Members of the beau monde meet the requirements for membership in the carriage trade (they’re […]
porte-cochère
PORT´-coh-SHAIR´ (French for ‘coach door’) A porte-cochère is an entrance, wide enough to accommodate cars and carriages, that leads from the street—through a wall or building—to a courtyard. True portes-cochères […]
pilaster
pih-LAS´-ter A pilaster is a rectangular column attached to a wall. Pilasters project into a room in a shallow manner, usually by less than one-third of their width. Pilasters may […]
chamber music
Chamber music is music specifically composed to be played by a small number of musicians in a private room or other small venue. While compositions written as chamber music are […]
nouvelle cuisine
(French, ‘new cooking’) Nouvelle cuisine is a late 1960s reaction to the perceived excesses of cuisine classique. Nouvelle cuisine, as a healthier version of French haute cuisine, shuns butter and […]
cuisine classique
kwee-ZEEN´ claw-SEEK´ Cuisine classique is the classic branch of French haute cuisine. Known for its heavy use of cream and butter, it was developed over centuries in royal and aristocratic […]
haute cuisine
oat´ kwee-ZEEN´ (French for ‘high cooking’) Haute cuisine is cooking at a high level. The term is most often applied to French cooking, but it can also refer to any […]