Snob Words: Making Sense of Words You Wish You Knew, But Don't



Snob words are lexical aristocrats, highfalutin' words and phrases--often derived from foreign languages--that never appear on sixth-grade spelling tests. They're words you don't know, but feel you should know.

And because you don't know them, you often feel excluded.

For example, when Architectural Digest reveals that the actress of the moment has just installed an étagère in her pied-á-terre--and you're left racing to find a French dictionary app--you're a victim of snob words. Those fortunate enough to know the terms are in on the secret, while you're left standing behind the red velvet rope.

This blog is an attempt to demystify snob words, which show up frequently in publications that cater to well educated, upscale readers.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

étagère (ay-tah-ZHAIR΄)

     An étagère is a set of shelves—either free-standing or set into a wall—used to display small precious objects, such as ceramics, metalwork items, or curios (see post on objet d’art).
     In Victorian times, étagères were referred to as "what-nots," and my mother calls her étagère a "curio cabinet," so we do have English names for these pieces of furniture.
     For full snob effect, however, refer to them by their French name.


Etagères can range in style from chinoiserie...


to starkly modern.
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