A list of 5 words by jpin.
- laissez-fairewas added by jpin and appears on 32 lists
- meticulouswas added by jpin and appears on 177 lists
- vehementwas added by jpin and appears on 137 lists
- insouciancewas added by jpin and appears on 198 lists
- nonchalancewas added by jpin and appears on 41 lists
jpin commented on the list nonchalance
From French nonchalant from Old French nonchaloir (“to not be concerned”) from non- (“not”) + chaloir (“to have concern for”), from Latin non 'not' + calere 'to be warm'
September 13, 2010
jpin commented on the list nonchalance
Don't worry -- be insouciant. Perhaps your mind will rest easier if we explain that English speakers learned "insouciance" from the French in the 1700s (and the adjective "insouciant" has been part of our language since the 1800s). The French word comes from a combination of the negative prefix "in-" and "soucier," meaning "to trouble or disturb." "Soucier" in turn traces to "sollicitus," the Latin word for "anxious." If it seems to you that "sollicitus" looks a lot like some other English words you've seen, you're right. That root also gave us "solicit" (which now means "to entreat" but which was once used to mean "to fill with concern or anxiety"), "solicitude" (meaning "uneasiness of mind"), and "solicitous" ("showing or expressing concern").
September 13, 2010