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456 entries found.

"financial losses, the debit side of an account," 1929, from the red ink traditionally used to indicate debits in accounts. Earlier, "cheap wine" (1919).

infra dig.

"beneath one's dignity, unbecoming to one's position in society," 1824, colloquial abbreviation of Latin infra dignitatem "beneath the dignity of." See infra- + dignity.

ab initio

c. 1600, Latin, literally "from the beginning," from ab "from" (see ab-) + ablative of initium "entrance, beginning," which is from or related to the verb inire "to go into, enter upon, begin" (see initial).

invita Minerva

Latin adverbial phrase, used with reference to literary or artistic creation, "without inspiration," literally "Minerva unwilling;" i.e. "without inspiration from the goddess of wisdom;" ablative fem. of invitus "against the will, unwilling, reluctant," according to de Vaan from PIE compound *n-uih-to- "not turned to, not pursuing," related to the source of invitation. With Minervā, ablative absolute of Minerva.

terra incognita (n.)

"unknown or unexplored region," 1610s, Latin, literally "unknown land," from terra "earth" (from PIE root *ters- "to dry") + fem. of incognito.

ad infinitum

"endlessly," Latin, literally "to infinity" from ad "to, unto" (see ad-) + infinitum "infinity," neuter accusative of adjective infinitus "endless" (see infinite). English version to infinity is attested from 1630s.

inter alia

Latin, literally "amongst other things." from inter "among, between" (see inter-) + alia, neuter accusative plural of alius "(an)other" (see alias (adv.)). Latin for "among other persons" is inter alios.

au naturel (adj.)

1817, "uncooked," French, literally "naturally, in the natural state." Originally in English a term in French recipes, it was used euphemistically in English for "undressed" by 1860, perhaps via its use in French in the visual arts. See au + natural (adj.).

at all (prep.)

"in any way," mid-14c., originally used only affirmatively (as in I Samuel xx.6 in KJV: "If thy father at all misse me"); now it is overwhelmingly used only in the negative or in interrogatory expressions, formerly also in literary attempts at Irish dialect.

right wing (n.)

1570s of armies; from 1882 in field sports; by 1905 in the political sense (compare left wing). Right-winger is attested by 1919 in U.S. politics; 1895 in sports.

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