Guidon (gahyd-n) Noun a small flag or streamer carried as a guide More about Guidon First recorded in 1540–50. Borrowed directly from French; equivalent to the Italian guid(are), “to guide" + -one, noun suffix. Examples of Guidon The soldiers rallied around their unit’s guidon during the parade. The guidon fluttered wildly in the wind as the captain carried it. Ethnocentric (eth-noh-sen-trik) Adjective demonstrating a belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture More about Ethnocentric First recorded in the 1860s; combines ethno + -centric Originated as a technical term in social sciences. Examples of Ethnocentric The student’s ethnocentric views limited his understanding of global issues. The curriculum was revised to address its ethnocentric bias, ensuring it represented a broader range of cultural viewpoints. Pemmican (pem-i-kuhn) Noun dried meat pounded into a powder and mixed with fat and dried fruits More about Pemmican First recorded in 1735–45.
Per Se (per sey) Adverb by, of, for, or in itself; intrinsically More about Per Se First recorded in 1565–75. From the Latin per sē, meaning “by itself.” Examples of Per Se I don’t hate working from home per se, but I miss the office environment. The movie wasn’t a horror film per se, though it had some scary moments. Poesur (poh-zur) Noun a person who attempts to impress others by assuming a fake manner More about Poesur First recorded in 1880–85; combining pose1 + -eur. From the French verb poser, meaning to “affect an attitude or pose.” Examples of Poesur At the art gallery, the poseur stood in front of paintings, making pretentious comments he clearly didn’t understand. Although she talked about social justice, her lack of real action made her seem more like a poseur than a genuine activist. Battologize (buh-tol-uh-jahyz) Verb to repeat (a word, phrase, mannerism, etc.) excessively More about Battologize First recorded in 1625–35; combining battolog(y) + ize Examples of Battologiz