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.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

de rigueur (duh'-ree-GRR')

Click for pronunciation

      If something is de rigueur, it is required by fashion, etiquette, or custom.  For example, it is de rigueur for a Supreme Court Justice to wear a black robe.  It is also de rigueur for members of a grunge band to have long, stringy hair.
     Interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield, speaking on the essentials for entertaining, uses the term in the January 2006 issue of Architectural Digest. He says:

      "And in my book, a good chef is de rigueur."

See article on line

     Make sure you spell de rigueur correctly.  The term occasionally pops up in print missing the first "u."
A good chef:  de rigueur if you can afford one.
© Starush | Stock Free Images 

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