'Chic' French Words Used in English
A "cliché" is something that has been said so often that it no longer has any impact. The word comes from French, and it isn't the only one English has taken from the Romance language.
Here are a few other French words commonly used in English.
An "entrepreneur" is someone who starts a new business, usually with a lot of financial risk. The word comes from the French verb entreprendre, which means "to undertake" — another way of saying to start something, or try to do something.
An entrepreneur could decide to open a clothes "boutique," which is a small and often "chic" store. Boutique is a French word for a shop, while chic means "stylish" in both French and English.
If many people think something is very chic right now, it could be said to be "in vogue." Not just the name of a popular magazine, vogue is a French word for fashion.
If someone makes a "faux pas," then they have made a social mistake or been rude without meaning to. In French, the phrase means "false step," and is used the same way as it is in English.
For example, it might be a faux pas to not "RSVP" when you have been given an invitation. RSVP is short for the French phrase "répondez s'il vous plaît," or "please respond" in English. It's often written at the end of invitations, along with a date saying when people should respond by.
