The Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Writers Reference) (67 page)

secretariat (sekrataireeat) FRENCH
[from secretariat office of secretary,
ultimately from Latin secretarius confidential officer] noun the office of
secretary, or the clerical or administrative staff of a large organization
(often referring to a government
department): "Orders for the immediate
evacuation of the village were issued by
the secretariat."

Seder (sdar) HEBREW [from sedher
order] noun (in Judaism) a ritual service and ceremonial meal held on the
first night of the first two nights of
Passover: "The Seder commemorates the
exodus of Jewish slaves from Egypt thousands ofyears ago."

sedilia (sadileea) LATIN [plural of
sedile seat, from sedere to sit] plural
noun a group of three stone seats
for the officiating clergy, often set in
a recess in the south chancel wall of a
church.

segno (synyo) ITALIAN [sign] noun
(plural segnos or segni, s4nyee) (in
music) a sign indicating the position
from which a passage of music is to be
repeated.

segue (5gway, s gway) ITALIAN
[there follows, from seguire to follow]
verb to proceed from one piece of
music to another without a pause: "The
best radio disc jockeys can segue from one
record to another with such skill that it is
impossible to tell where one song ends and
another begins..' -noun an unbroken transition from one piece of music, subject,
activity, level, or condition to another.

seicento (saychento) ITALIAN [siX
hundred] noun the 17th century
(usually in relation to Italian arts and
culture).

seigneur (saynTer, senTer) FRENCH
[senior, elder] noun a man of rank
or authority, a gentleman, an aristocrat (originally referring specifically
to the lord of a feudal manor): "`Will
your cousin come south this year, to that
beautiful villa of his at Cannes?' ... A
grand seigneur combined with a great connoisseur,' opined the other heavily" (Joseph
Conrad, The Arrow of Gold, 1919).

semi- (semee) LATIN [from Greek
hemi-] prefix half, e.g., semicircle,
semifinal.

semiosis (simeeosas, semeeosas,
semioshs) GREEK [observation of

signs, from semeioun to observe signs]
noun the process of signification
(variously applied in language, linguistics, or biology).

semper fidelis (semper fitlis) LATIN
[ever faithful] adjective phrase always dependable, always trustworthy
(motto of the United States Marine
Corps). 'abbreviated form semper fi.

semplice (semplichay, semplichee)
ITALIAN [from Latin simplex simple]
adjective (in music) simple, plain.
-adverb (in music) simply, plainly.

sempre (Sempray) ITALIAN [from Latin
semper always] adverb (in music)
always, throughout.

senatus populusque Romanus (senahths popyooluskway romahnas) LATIN
[the senate and Roman people] noun
phrase the senate and the Roman
people (as quoted in official decrees).
'abbreviated form S.P.Q.R.

senhor (sin TOY) PORTUGUESE [superior, lord, from Latin senex old] noun
(plural senhors or senhores, sin eezh, sin~weez) respectful form
of address for a man (especially one
in a Portuguese-speaking country).
'abbreviated form Snr.

senhora (sinrh) PORTUGUESE [mistress, feminine of senhor superior, lord, from Latin senex old]
noun respectful form of address for a married woman (especially one
in a Portuguese-speaking country).
''abbreviated form Snra.

senhorita (seenyareet5) PORTUGUESE
[young lady, diminutive of senhora mistress] noun respectful form of address
for an unmarried woman (especially
one in a Portuguese-speaking country).
"abbreviated form Snrta.

senor (sayn ror), senor SPANISH [lord,
master] noun (plural senors or senores,
sayn~orayz) respectful form of
address for a man (especially one in a
Spanish-speaking country). 'abbreviated forms S., Snr., Sr.

senora (sayn), senora SPANISH
[lady, feminine of senor lord, master] noun (plural senoras or senoras,
saynoraz) respectful form of address
for a married woman (especially one
in a Spanish-speaking country). 'abbreviated forms Snra., Sra.

senorita (saynyareeta), senorita SPANISH [young lady, diminutive of senora
lady] noun (plural senoritas or senoritas, saynyareetaz) respectful form
of address for an unmarried woman
(especially one in a Spanish-speaking
country): "The senoritas gathered in a
tight knot as the guitars struck up for the
first dance." -abbreviated forms Snrta.,
Srita., SRTA, Srta.

sensu stricto (sensoo stricto), stricto
sensu LATIN [in the strict sense]

adverb phrase strictly, strictly speaking. "adjective phrase in a strict sense.

sententia (sentensha) LATIN [feeling,
opinion, from sentire to feel] noun
(plural sententiae, sentenshiee) an
aphorism, maxim, or saying.

senza (Sena) ITALIAN [probably from
Latin absentia absence] noun (in
music) without.

sepia (seepeea) GREEK [cuttlefish,
ink] noun a faded brown color (reminiscent of the brown color of the
ink released by cuttlefish). adjective
of or relating to such a color (often
referring to sepia-tinted photographs,
drawings etc): "It reminded me of a sepia
painting I had once seen done from the
ink of a fossil Belemnite that must have
perished and become fossilized millions
of years ago" (H. G. Wells, The Time
Machine, 1895).

sepoy (Seepoi) URDU [from sepahi
soldier] noun (in colonial India) an
Indian soldier in the service of the
British or another European power.

seppuku (seookoo, sepakoo) JAPANESE [abdomen-cutting, from setsu to
cut and fuku abdomen] noun harakiri.

sepsis (sepsis) GREEK [decay, from
sepein to putrefy] noun (plural sepses,
sepseez) blood poisoning, a toxic
condition caused by bacterial infection (often referring specifically to setpicemia): "The surgeon did what little he
could, but sepsis had set in and the task
appeared hopeless."

Septuagint (septooajint) LATIN [from
septuaginta seventy] noun the ancient
Greek translation of the Hebrew
Scriptures, including the Apocrypha,
said to have been translated by 72
scholars working independently.

septum (septum) LATIN [from sepire
to enclose] noun (plural septa, seta)
(in anatomy) a partition that separates two chambers or tissues, such
as the tissue between the nostrils:
"Habitually snorting cocaine will eventually erode the septum."

seq. See SEQUITUR.

sequestrator (sekwastraytar) LATIN
[one who receives as a third party, a
trustee] noun (in law) a person who
takes legal possession of another's
property and holds it temporarily
until a debt is paid or other claims
have been met.

sequitur (sekwiter) LATIN [it follows]
noun a consequence or logical conclusion. -abbreviated form seq.

seraglio (saralyo, sarahlyo) ITALIAN
[from serraglio enclosure, ultimately
from Turkish saray palace, mansion]
noun a harem, or the palace of a sultan; may also refer to the women of

a harem: "But if not, I will first strangle
you -I learned the art from a Polonian
heyduck, who had been a slave in the Ottoman seraglio and then seek out a mode
of retreat." (Walter Scott, A Legend of
Montrose, 1819).

serape (sarahpee, sarapee), sarape
SPANISH [from Mexican Spanish sarape] noun a brightly colored woolen
shawl draped around the shoulders
(as worn by men in Central American
countries) .

seraph (seraf) HEBREW [back formation of seraphim order of angels] noun
(plural seraphim, serafim, serafeem,
seraphs) a member of the highest
order of angels in celestial hierarchies.

serenade (serdna' ) FRENCH [from
serenade song in the open air, itself
from Italian serenata, from sereno clear,
calm] noun a song or instrumental
composition addressed to a lover or
other individual; can also refer to a
musical composition written for a
small instrumental group. -verb to
address such a composition to a lover
or other individual: "Each evening the
lovers were serenaded by a nightingale
singing in the bushes below their balcony."

seriatim (siree4thm) LATIN [in a
series, from series chain, from serere
to join] adverb in a series, serially,
in succession, one by one: "I take two
volumes (and no man could do it in less) to examine the theories of all the philosophers
in the world, ancient and modern, on the
Vital Principle. I take two more (and little
enough) to scatter every one of the theories,
seriatim, to the winds." (Wilkie Collins,
After Dark, 1856). '"adjective following
in a series.

serum (seer3m) LATIN [whey] noun
(plural serums or sera, seera) a
watery fluid, such as whey, blood
serum, or plant juices: "Fresh supplies
of blood serum were rushed to the hospital
when the scale of the emergency became
evident."

serviette (serveeet) FRENCH [a towel,
from servir to serve] noun a table napkin: "The table was laid with fine china and
crisp white serviettes in silver rings."

sesquipedalia (seskwapal),a) LATIN
[from sesquipedalis a foot and a half] plural noun long, multisyllabic words.

settecento (seteechento) ITALIAN
[seven hundred] noun the 18th century (usually with reference to Italian
art and culture of the period).

sforzando (sfortsahndo, sfortsando)
ITALIAN [from forzare to force] adjective
(in music) forceful, with emphasis.
-adverb to be played with special emphasis, forcefully. -noun (plural sforzandos
or sforzandi, sfortsahndee, sfortaandee)
a note, or sequence of notes intended to
be played in such a manner.

sfumato (sfoomahto) ITALIAN [past
participle of sfumare to evaporate]
noun (in painting) a hazy or blurred
outline, a gradual shift in tone or
color. -adjective painted in a hazy,
soft, indistinct manner.

sgraffito (skrafeeto, zgrafeeto) ITALIAN
[past participle of sgraffire to scratch
away] noun (plural sgraffiti, zgrafeetee,
skrafeetee) an artistic technique in
which an image is created by scratching away a top layer of clay or plaster
to expose a different color beneath
(usually relating to pottery); may also
refer to a piece of pottery decorated
in such a manner.

shah (shah) PERSIAN [king] noun title
formerly borne by the ruler of Iran
(originally Persia).

shad(h See SHEIKH.

shako (shako, shko) HUNGARIAN
[csako peaked, ultimately from German Zacken peak, point] noun (plural shakos or shakoes) a style of
peaked military hat with a high crown
plume: "The captain removed his plumed
shako and bowed low to the ladies as they
advanced into the room."

shalom (shahlom, shalom) HEBREW
[peace] interjection peace (used as a
greeting or farewell).

shaman (shahman, sh man) RusSIAN [from Tungusian saman] noun a priest, medicine man, or healer who
professes to have communication with
the spirit world and to be able to use
magic to cure illnesses or foretell
the future: "The old woman rejected the
advice of the doctors and instead called in
the local shaman."

shammy See CHAMOIS.

sharia (shareea), shari'a, shariat, sheria, sheriat ARABIC [from shar'iah
lawfulness] noun the body of
Islamic law derived from the Koran:
"The new government insisted upon strict
observance of the sharia throughout the
country.,,

sharif (shareef), shareef, shereef,
sherif ARABIC [from sar f illustrious,
noble] noun a person who claims
descent from Muhammad through his
daughter Fatima thus, by extension,
any ruler or other figure of authority
in an Arabic country. 'noun, feminine
sharifa (shareefa) the wife of a sharif.

shashlik (shahshlik, shahshlik), shashlick, shaslik RUSSIAN [from shashlyk,
probably ultimately from Crimean Tatar
sis skewer] noun (in eastern European
and Asian cuisine) a kebab of seasoned
mutton.

shebeen (shebeen) IRISH [from sibin
illicit whiskey] noun an unlicensed
drinking den or other establishment where alcohol is sold illegally:
"Rumor had it that the men met together

each night at an illegal shebeen, but
the police never found out where it took
place."

sheesh kebab See SHISH KEBAB.

shegetz (shagits) YIDDISH [sheygets
non-Jewish boy, from Hebrew sheques
blemish, abomination] noun (plural
shkotsim, shkortsim) insulting term
for a non-Jewish man or boy, or for a
Jewish man or boy who is judged to
have lapsed in his religious obligations.

sheikh (sheek, shayk), sheik, sheykh,
shaikh ARABIC [from shaykh old man,
chief, ultimately from saka to grow old]
noun an Arab chief or other figure of
authority, such as the head of a family
or community.

shekel (shekal) HEBREW [from shegel,
itself from saqal to weigh] noun in
historical and modern Israel, a coin
equivalent to a certain weight of gold
or silver, and thus money or riches in
general: "You are a jew and of the line of
David. It is not possible you can find pleasure in the payment of any tax except the
shekel given by ancient custom to Jehovah"
(Lew Wallace, Ben Hur, 1880).

Shema (shamah) HEBREW [hear]
noun the central affirmation of Jewish belief and a declaration of faith in
one God, beginning with the words
"Hear 0 Israel, the Lord our God is
one Lord" (from Deuteronomy 6:4).

shemozzle (shamozal), schemozzle
YIDDISH [from Hebrew shellomazzal
bad luck] noun a confused muddle
or altercation, uproar. verb to make a
hasty retreat, to escape.

Sheol (sheeol) HEBREW [from she'ol]
noun (in ancient Hebrew theolog))
the abode of the dead.

sherbet (sherbet), sherbert (sherbart)
TURKISH [from Persian sharbat, from
Arabic sharbah drink] noun a cold
drink made with sweetened fruit juice
or effervescent sherbet powder; alternatively, a fruit-flavored ice made with
milk, egg white, or gelatin. See also
SORBET.

sheria, sheriat See SHARIA.

sherpa (sherpe) TIBETAN [from sharpa
inhabitant of an eastern country]
noun a member of a Nepalese people inhabiting the southern Tibetan
Himalayas, long known for their skill
as mountain climbers and guides: "The
sherpas get little recognition for risking
their lives accompanying international
expeditions up Himalayan peaks."