“Fill out the form and write your autobiography” - we often hear such phrases and do not think that this is a mistake from the category of “oil oil”. An autobiography is a description of one’s life (autos - “myself”, bios - “life” and grapho - “I write”). It is impossible to write someone else’s autobiography, so the use of a possessive pronoun in this case is unnecessary.
2. Ambitious
Think before you write ambition in the strengths column on your resume. An ambitious and purposeful person are different concepts. Ambition is heightened pride, excessive conceit, as well as various claims and claims. The adjective derived from this word also has a negative emotional connotation.
3. Appeal - operate
These words are often confused. In fact, they are completely different. To appeal means to turn to someone or something for support: “Appeal to authority.” This word is interpreted even more narrowly in legal practice: appeal - complaint, appeal - to protest something. You can operate with some tools or data. “An expert uses statistics” means that he skillfully demonstrates them. If he calls on statistical research for help, then he is already appealing to statistics.
4. A priori
Many people understand this adverb as something that goes without saying and does not require proof. But in philosophy, to think a priori means to have an idea about something without testing it in practice (from the Latin a priori - “from what precedes”). The antonym is the word “a posteriori” - a judgment based on existing experience. So you can’t be a priori sure of the meaning of a word until you look in the dictionary.
5. Test - try
These words are sometimes used interchangeably. To avoid such a mistake, remember: to test means to check and approve. As a rule, we are talking about some kind of official procedures: “Scientists have tested a new medicine - it will soon go on sale.” You cannot test semolina, unless, of course, it is some kind of major study, the results of which will result in a written conclusion.
6. Asexual
Sometimes they mistakenly call an unattractive person this way. The term "asexuality" means weak sexual instinct. An asexual person can be damn cute, but at the same time indifferent to.
7. Authentic
Fashionable word. Every now and then something becomes authentic - cafes, performances and even people. But the word “authenticity” ≠ “originality”. It means authenticity, correspondence to the original. Authentic can be a contract or a product, as well as works of art.
8. Hypothesis - theory
Close, but not identical concepts. A hypothesis is a scientific assumption put forward to substantiate a phenomenon and requires experimental verification. A theory (in one of its meanings) is an opinion about anything, developed on the basis of observations. In other words, within the framework of a theory, a hypothesis can be put forward to prove certain provisions of this theory.
9. Dilemma is a problem
Solving a dilemma and coping with a problem are not the same thing. A dilemma is a difficult choice between two mutually exclusive options. To be or not to be? The third, as a rule, is not given. A problem is, first of all, an unpleasant situation with many or no solutions.
10. Agreement - contract
Very similar concepts, but there are semantic and legal nuances. A contract is an agreement between two or more persons. By civil law it can be concluded either in written or oral form. A contract is always a written agreement. Moreover, according to the current legislation, one of its parties, as a rule, is the state.
11. Significant - significant
There is also a lot of confusion with these adjectives. Words, for example, can be meaningful, that is, having weight or having a special meaning. Significant is primarily large in size or strength; something that is of great importance. Therefore, the company's profit will always be significant.
12. For - so that
These conjunctions are often used incorrectly because they do not know their meaning. Look in the dictionary so as not to make a mistake when adding a subordinate clause. The conjunction “for” corresponds to the conjunctions “because” and “since,” and “in order” corresponds to the conjunction “so that.”
13. Ideology - ideologicalness
These concepts cannot be replaced with each other. Ideology is a belief system that shapes a worldview. Previously, the world was clearly divided into adherents of one or another political and economic ideology. Ideology is loyalty to some point of view, idea.
14. Quintessence
This word comes from the Latin quinta essentia - “fifth essence”. In ancient and medieval philosophy, the quintessence was the essence, the basis of anything. Now for some reason this term is used to combine various concepts, for example: “The author noticed that his book is the quintessence of many genres, connecting many plots.” And this, of course, is not true.
15. Traveler - business traveler
“Hotel accommodations are for business travelers only” - many will pass by such an advertisement without suspecting a catch. But a business trip is something inanimate related to a business trip. You can't talk about people like that. A person who has gone somewhere to carry out an official assignment is on a business trip: “The company rented a hotel for business travelers and pays them travel allowances.”
16. Come il faut
Having heard the phrase “Call him, otherwise I’m somehow not comme il faut,” we immediately understand that one person is embarrassed to dial another’s number. This word is often used to mean “convenient/inconvenient” or “comfortable/uncomfortable”. Few people know that the dictionary meaning of the word “come il faut” is sophisticated, refined, corresponding to the rules of good manners. “In public he behaves comme il faut, but at home...”
17. Competence - competence
Knowledge and experience in a certain field should not be confused with the ability to use them. For example, if a company has a vacancy for a lawyer, then only a person with a higher legal education (competence) can fill it. But having a diploma does not guarantee the competence of applicants.
18. Congenial
Many are convinced that this is the superlative form of the adjective “brilliant.” Like, congenial - it’s like genius, only even better. But the word actually comes from the Latin con (“together”) and genialis (“pertaining to genius”). Moreover, “genius” in Latin is spirit. Thus, congenial is congenial. A congenial person is one who is close in way of thinking and values.
19. Credit - loan
These terms can sometimes be used interchangeably (depending on the context). However, it is important to remember the legal differences between these concepts. A bank or other lending institution issues money, for which interest is charged. The subject of a loan can be not only money, but also things, and not necessarily on a reimbursable basis.
20. Liberalism - libertarianism
Two ideological trends with similar names, but different content. Liberalism unites supporters of the parliamentary system, broad political freedoms and entrepreneurship. The main feature of libertarianism is the prohibition of “aggressive violence.” Supporters of this political movement believe that any manifestation of force and even the threat of its manifestation should be punishable by law.
21. Loyal
Many people equate this word with condescension: “If the teacher was loyal, he installed it automatically.” Let's look at the dictionary: “Loyal - remaining faithful to the existing state power, the existing order." Only in the second meaning - a correct attitude towards someone or something - is loyalty similar to condescension, but it is still impossible to put an equal sign between these concepts.
22. Marginal
When the press does not want to offend the homeless or beggars, they are “politely” called marginalized. But in sociology this term is much broader. A marginalized person is someone who finds himself in a new situation and has not yet adapted to it. For example, a marginal position is occupied by a person who has just moved from a village to a city.
23. Misalliance - union
Following the logic that "alliance" is the root, some believe that misalliance represents some kind of union of people or states. In fact, misalliance is nothing more than an unequal marriage (the root is “misalliance”). The phrase “Japan-Korea misalliance” may sound ambiguous and sometimes offensive.
24. Misanthrope
Avoids people, does not strive to communicate - this characteristic suits not only misanthropes, but also introverts. Therefore, these concepts are often confused and identified. But a misanthrope (literally, a misanthrope) not only reduces social contacts to a minimum - people infuriate him. He doesn’t trust anyone, sees only the bad in everything and suspects everyone of something. Misanthropy can be selective and manifest itself in hatred only towards men or, conversely, towards women. for the most part they are absolutely darling.
25. Mental - conceivable
Feel the difference with examples: “Is it conceivable to fail a session!” - the mother screamed in rage. “La-li-lay...” - the daughter mentally sang. A mental one is an imaginary one that lives somewhere in your thoughts. And conceivable is something that is difficult to imagine (but possible).
26. Unflattering - unpleasant
The first word is often used as a synonym for the second: “What an impartial guy!” But it is wrong to say so. In fact, impartial is impartial, fair, one who does not seek to please anyone. If someone calls you an impartial person, consider it a compliment.
27. Intolerant - intolerable
Words similar in spelling, but different in meaning. An intolerant is someone who lacks tolerance, or something that cannot be tolerated. For example, an intolerant misanthrope or intolerant rudeness. Intolerable is unbearable, acting so strongly that it cannot be tolerated. Pain or wind can be unbearable.
28. Nonsense
This word is often given the wrong meaning: “The new iPhone is just nonsense!” They wanted to emphasize the incredible coolness and sensationalism of the gadget, but they said that it was nonsense and absurdity. After all, this is precisely the meaning of the word “nonsense”.
29. Odious
Be wary if someone in your environment is called an odious person. It’s good if people simply don’t know that odious is not extravagant and extraordinary, but something that causes a storm of negative emotions. What if not?
30. Organic - organic
Adjectives in which it is easy to get confused if you do not learn once and for all that organic is determined by the very essence of someone or something (synonym - natural). And organic is related to a living organism. Even more narrowly - consisting of carbon. Example: “The monument to doctors fighting organic brain damage fits organically into the city’s landscape.”
31. Pathos
This word is often understood as pretense. In fact, páthos means “passion” in Greek. Pathos is elation, inspiration. In literary works, this term denotes the highest emotional point reached by the characters and which finds a response in the hearts of readers.
32. Teacher - teacher
An equal sign is often put between these words, although these concepts are not at all identical. A teacher is a person who is engaged in teaching or educational activities (synonym - mentor). A teacher is an employee of a secondary or higher educational institution who teaches a subject (mathematics teacher, literature teacher). Thus, a teacher is an occupation, a profession, and a teacher is a specialization.
33. Gift - souvenir
Using these words as synonyms is not always appropriate. A souvenir is a memorable thing associated with visiting a place. What we buy as a memory of a country, city or person. The expressions “memorable souvenir” or “memento souvenir” have semantic redundancy. If the gift is not related to the trip, it is better to write “gift”.
34. Under the auspices
According to ancient Greek mythology, the aegis is the cape of Zeus, which has magical properties. To be under the auspices means to be protected by some powerful force, to rely on the support of someone or something. It is incorrect to use this expression to mean “under pretext.” You cannot say: “Under the auspices of protecting consumer rights, Rospotrebnadzor conducted a raid on retail outlets in the city.”
35. Change - change
Words that are in writing literary speech should not be mixed. To exchange means to give away what is yours and receive something else instead, that is, to exchange something. To change means to make something different. The expression “He completely changed his life” is wrong, as is “She changed her maiden name to her husband’s last name.”
36. Almost - almost
These adverbs are often confused. You can write “Almost everything remains the same” and “Almost everything remains the same,” but the meaning will be different. The adverb “practically” can be replaced by the expression “in practice” or “essentially.” Then our example would sound like this: “In practice, everything remains the same” or “In essence, everything remains the same.” In other words, things are still there. The adverb “almost” means that something is missing; it can be replaced by the expression “almost.” The sentence “Mostly everything remains the same” has a different semantic connotation: something has been done, but not much.
37. Painting - signature
Related words, but they should not be identified. A signature is an inscription under something (under + write). For example, write your last name under the text of the contract. Painting is decorative painting on walls, ceilings or objects. From a literary point of view, the request to put a signature on the document is incorrect. Replacing a signature with a signature can only be done in colloquial speech.
38. Today's - present
“Today’s”, that is, relating to the current day, should not be confused with the word “present”. The last concept is broader. It covers everything that relates to the current year (month, summer, season).
39. Sentence
Maxims usually mean some statements, remarks or theses. But it is important to remember that, according to the dictionary, these should not be any statements, but sayings of a moralizing nature.
40. Sociopath - social phobe
The first suffers from dissocial personality disorder, and therefore does not take into account social norms and rules, does not care about morality and constantly challenges others. The second is a person who is afraid of society. He may be afraid to talk to a stranger on the street or be in a crowded place. Sociopathy is a type of mental disorder, social phobia is. It is impossible to put an equal sign between these concepts.
41. Typical - typical
Consonant, but different in meaning words. Do not confuse: typical - embodying the characteristic features of someone or something. Typical is one that corresponds to some pattern.
42. Frustration - prostration
These concepts are often confused even by psychologists themselves. Frustration is a feeling of anxiety that arises from the inability to achieve what you want. In other words, dissatisfaction. Prostration is a depressed, apathetic state, a loss of strength, when you don’t want and can’t do anything.
43. Functionality - functionality
Even in serious IT publications they make the unfortunate mistake of calling functionality functionality and vice versa. It's not the same thing. Functionality is a set of possible uses or possible actions performed by a certain object: the functionality of a smartphone or laptop. A functional is a numerical function defined on a vector space.
44. Empathy
This psychological term is sometimes confused and identified with sympathy. Empathy is the ability to enter into the emotional state of another person and feel his experiences. We are not always able to take the place of another person, even if we like him.
guardian of belles lettres
Clever words borrowed from other languages are designed to amaze others with the intelligence of the speaker or writer. And many people want to know abstruse words for communication and their meaning, but are too lazy to simply look for them on the Internet and use them in simple speech. It's time to finally compile a dictionary of the most incomprehensible words in the Russian language and their meanings and memorize them! Where and how will this help you? For example, in reviews of new films, plays and books, in conversations with colleagues, in talk shows on TV and the blogosphere, “insight”, “excess”, “existential” and, of course, the trendy “cognitive” are flashed here and there with an important air. dissonance". But you don’t understand a word, and no one wants to feel “close-minded” and ignorant.
Remember the proverb “The word is not a sparrow; if it flies out, you won’t catch it”? Full list We, of course, cannot give you the smartest words in the world that can be used for conversation, and their meaning, but we bring to your attention a list of literate smart words for communicating with people (and their meaning) - a kind of mini-dictionary of popular smart expressions.
Smart nouns
The most useful complicated words with meanings that everyone should know are nouns, because they are the basis of our speech. All these smart words, like “insight”, “collaboration”, “frustration”... So, let’s replenish our vocabulary with long smart words that you need to know by heart.
ADDICTION
The English word addiction characterizes dependence, addiction, a way of escaping reality. Addictions are not only alcoholism, gambling, drug addiction, and smoking. Psychologists assure: a similar mechanism of addiction is found in those who overeat, live and burn at work, love extreme sports, hang out on the Internet for days, love creativity and... fall in love. Another thing is that forms of addiction are divided into those acceptable by society, such as workaholism or falling in love, and unacceptable, such as excessive craving for alcohol.
AMPHIBOLICITY
Amphibolicity is the ambiguity of a concept, its contradictory interpretation. As a rule, this word is used rarely - in dissertations, in court hearings or in biochemical work. But it’s not bad to understand if someone says “this is amphibolic” or “the amphibolic nature of this concept baffles me, because I adhered strictly to one line,” but you understand that it’s all about the ambiguity of the concept you are discussing.
VIS.
“French” vis-a-vis in Russian can be both an adverb (“sit vis-a-vis”, that is, opposite each other), and a noun, both masculine and female(“my smart counterpart”, “your beautiful counterpart”). You have every right to call your counterpart the one who is opposite you, with whom you are sitting face to face.
IDIOSYNCRASY
What did Stirlitz mean when he said: “I have an idiosyncrasy for rhyme”? The fact that he is completely devoid of poetic gift. He was modest, of course... The word with ancient Greek roots (idos - “separate, special”; synkrasis - “mixing”) was familiar only to doctors for a long time, but came into wide use as a synonym for the words “allergy”, “rejection”: “Yes, he has idiosyncrasy for everything new!”, “I have idiosyncrasy for empty talk.”
INSIGHT
Translated from English, “insight” literally means insight, insight. This concept is used in philosophy and psychology to convey insight, a sudden understanding of something that is not inferred from past experience. So someone will say: “And then it dawned on me!” - and someone will proudly declare: “I had an insight!”
COLLABORATION
The unification of several equal, independent participants to achieve common goals in fashion, art, business, science and education is called (from the English collaboration - cooperation). For example, at the end of March, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the science fiction franchise “Star Trek,” the cosmetics company MAC announced the release of a Star Trek beauty collection. Makeup options will be borrowed from the movie heroines of the franchise and implemented using 25 limited-edition products for lips, eyes and face. Sales start in August 2016.
CARRILLISM
A phenomenon in which the interlocutor asks you a question again, although he heard it perfectly well. Why is he doing this? Scientists say that a person does this consciously or subconsciously in order to have more time to formulate an answer. They (or their colleagues) are still arguing about the origin of the word. Many associate him with American politician John Kerry, who at the end of 2015 could not immediately answer a question from a Russian schoolboy and asked him again several times. If anyone wants to accuse you of being slow to respond, tell them that this is nothing more than Carrilism, and you need a couple of seconds to formulate an answer.
LIPOPHRENIC
Remember this: “Don’t touch me, old woman, I’m sad.” It was not Ivan the Terrible who said this, but a lipophrenic. In more detail, a lipophrenic is a person who feels irresistible sadness, melancholy and does not know the reasons for the appearance of this condition. Lipophrenia, which is also called apathy, depression, melancholy, usually appears from being alone for a long time, from routine activities or insufficient activity (which is important for modern youth), as well as from a lack of positive emotions. If you don’t want to bear the not-so-proud name “lipophrenic,” do your favorite things more often, prefer live communication to virtual communication, and walk more in the fresh air.
NATIFORMA
Have you ever seen heart-shaped stones or a tomato with a nose? If yes, then you are halfway to understanding the word “natiform”. But here is a more special case, because natiform is a natural formation that resembles the outlines of a woman’s body or part of it. It could be a tree that you looked at from a certain angle and saw shoulders, chest, waist, hips... Or stones in a rock that look so bizarre that they reminded you of your ex. These are all natiforms.
PALINFRASIA
Have you noticed that some people repeat one word or phrase in almost every sentence? If not, you are lucky, and if you have encountered this, congratulate your friend: he has palinphrasia. It’s not contagious, but it’s absolutely unpleasant when in every sentence they say “sir” or “I told you that...”. And so on in a circle. As a result, you will not hear other words, you will lose the essence of the story and generally lose all interest in the conversation.
SYNERGY
When this word is mentioned, one usually remembers its arithmetic “formula”: 1 + 1 = 3. The ancient Greek synergeia is translated as “cooperation, commonwealth.” It means an amazing effect that occurs when several subjects or objects interact. This cumulative effect exceeds the return from the actions of each participant in the process individually. An example of synergy: you've mastered a few secrets of applying concealer, and your friend knows the ins and outs of mascara. By sharing life hacks, both of you, without losing your previous experience, will gain new ones, that is, you will grow in the art of makeup.
SOPHISTRY
A philosophical movement in Ancient Greece, whose followers were famous for their ability to cleverly conduct scientific disputes, gave its name to verbal statements based on juggling facts, simplifications, and violations of logic. Another sophist (from the ancient Greek sophia - “skill, skill, cunning invention, trick, wisdom, knowledge”) is brilliantly able to prove obvious absurdity: “Half-empty is the same as half-full. If the halves are equal, then the wholes are equal. Therefore, the empty is the same as the full.” Therefore, sophistry in a figurative sense refers to any speech that is built on false conclusions, but disguises itself as correct, logical.
TOUCHET
The word "touché" (touchér in French - touch), borrowed from the sports sphere, brings an end to a certain dispute when one of the interlocutors admits the rightness, the superiority of the other after a decisive argument or a verbal jab - what if you competed not in knowledge of the topic, but in wit? Touché, the argument is valid, just as fencing touches or throws on the back of wrestlers, performed according to all the rules, are counted.
FRUSTRATION
To fall into a state of frustration (Latin frustratio - deception, failure, futile expectation) means to experience a whole range of negative feelings due to the inability to achieve what you want. For example, you were planning a vacation at the seaside, had already packed your suitcase, and suddenly your bosses, using carrots and sticks, postpone your vacation a month later because of an important project that cannot be done without you. Naturally, you feel anger, despair, anxiety, irritation, disappointment and hopelessness... Frequent experiences of such states, psychologists note, spoil your character and damage your self-esteem.
EGOCENTRIC
The egoist's namesake, egocentric (from the Latin words ego - “I” - and centrum - “center”) is still not similar to him. An egocentric person is focused on his own inner world, point of view, his own interests, needs and does not notice others, but is able to “move”, help others, hear them if asked for support. Egocentrism is inherent in everyone to one degree or another. An egoist sees other people's interests, but deliberately ignores them, opposes himself to others, always putting his own person first.
EXCESS
The Latin excessus means “exit, evasion.” In Russian, the word consonant with “process” has two meanings. The first is an extreme manifestation of something: “This is not literature, but a graphomaniac excess!” The second is an emergency, a disruption to the normal course of events: “Her gossip caused a real excess in the team.”
ESCAPADE
A daring, shocking, provocative, willful trick in the style of Salvador Dali, Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus, for example, a rotten herring on a hat or a dress made of raw meat, is an escapade. The French word escapade also has a second meaning - an adventure trip - which is not in demand in our language.
Smart adjectives
After nouns, it’s time to see a dictionary of smart adjectives for every day and their meanings, because it is the presence of adjectives in your speech that will distinguish you favorably from other interlocutors. Decorate your speech with little-known smart words, believe me: it will help you in all areas of life. These unfamiliar intelligent words (and their meanings) will help increase your status among both friends and colleagues.
UPSCALE
Derived from the English adjective upscale - “high-quality, first-class, exclusive.” Characterizes the absolute embodiment of the desired properties in any subject or object: upscale interior design, upscale sound, upscale image.
VERBAL
This adjective has nothing to do with a tree with fluffy buds, but it has very much to do with our speech. The Latin verbum is translated as “word,” so “verbal” is verbal, oral. For example, verbal thinking, verbal intelligence, verbal method. There is also an adjective “non-verbal” - not having a verbal expression: non-verbal communication, non-verbal signals.
DEVIANT
What do they mean when they talk about deviant behavior? The French word deviation characterizes a deviation from the norm, be it the position of a compass needle, the heading of an airplane or a sea vessel, as well as a feature of the human psyche. In other words, deviant behavior destroys the personality and health of someone who prefers an asocial lifestyle, and also causes moral and material harm to others.
COGNITIVE
Translated from Latin, cognitio is knowledge, cognition. The adjective “cognitive” describes a person’s ability to acquire knowledge, to cognize the world and himself. This psychological term would not be so popular without its “French” companion: dissonance means “discord, disharmony, inconsistency.”
It turns out to be a kind of “mine is yours, don’t understand” situation, when previous experience, already accumulated knowledge, conflicts with new information, new circumstances. There are two opposing ideas about the same thing in your head at once. Let’s say your friend emphasizes that he values punctuality very much, you like it, and at the same time you don’t remember a single meeting when he was not late. So should we consider him punctual, organized, true to his word and justify his behavior as accidents or not? The need to choose one thing, evaluate and interpret the newly received picture becomes a cause of mental discomfort.
Another stable phrase, the meaning of which not everyone knows, can be called a synonym for “cognitive dissonance”. This is a “break of the pattern.” This is a broader concept, but the essence is the same: you had some kind of scheme in your head regarding a person, concept, phenomenon, and overnight this scheme collapses due to new knowledge. It turns out that two and two are not always four. Like this?..
SMART
From English the word “smart” is translated as “intelligent”, “savvy”. This is precisely the meaning of the word “smart” that is now used in Russia. It cannot be said that it is firmly entrenched in the minds of Russians, but if you do not know what a “smart watch” or “smart television” is, and even more so a “smartphone”, shame on you. To put it simply, the prefix (or part in the word) “smart” means “smart”: smartphone = smart phone, smart watch = smart watch, etc. As you probably noticed, the word “smart” is used specifically with high-tech items, so when using it, pay attention to the context.
TRANSPARENT
An adjective with English roots (transparent) is held in high regard by politicians, bloggers and even cosmetologists. The former enter into transparent agreements and voice transparent positions without secrets or omissions, while the latter vow to be as open and sincere as possible with the audience. And transparent, that is, transparent powder does not look like a mask on the face and at the same time mattifies it perfectly. Yes, she is unable to hide skin imperfections, but that’s another topic for discussion.
TRANSCENDENTAL
There is a good understandable word “incomprehensible”. And when, outside of a philosophical debate, one wants to add intellectual depth to speeches, some flaunt the Latin “transcendent” (transcendentis) with the same meaning. And now the speaker or writer and his audience begin to look for and discuss transcendental meanings, connections, feelings...
TRIVIAL
Banal, boring, ordinary, primitive, ordinary - that’s how many synonyms the adjective “trivial” has. It has French origins, and in the native language trivial means the same thing - something ordinary. Fewer interlocutors with trivial thoughts and anecdotes, theater productions and film premieres with a trivial plot!
EXISTENTIAL
Another philosophical concept related to existence, human life. The Latin word existentia is translated as “existence”. There are many things that influence our days, but the use of the epithet “existential” adds a universal dimension to these “agents of influence.” Existential problems, crises, experiences are phenomena that exist at the core of the world, manifest themselves in reality and are often beyond the control of human will.
Conclusion
In general, if not all the new words were able to immediately fit into your head, we advise you to compile a dictionary of complex intellectual words for conversation, which few people know, with their meaning, of course, and use them as often as possible - in correspondence, when writing in a diary, in conversation . This is the only way it won’t become empty information that you will forget about when you close this page. And by the way: don’t think that this is shameful or feigned. There is no shame in looking for and memorizing tricky words with definitions in order to appear smart. After all, the request “complex words with explanations for smart people” is found very often on the RuNet. Note that for already “smart people”, stupid people won’t even look for this.
What we wouldn’t advise you to look for on the Internet are smart words for a girl’s status that no one knows. If no one knows them, why write them in the status? By the way, there is also a list with very clever synonyms for simple words that you need to know in order to shine in a conversation, but more on that some other time.
In the first grade, the average student knows about two thousand words and further learns up to ten words a day while studying at school. Thus, upon graduation, the average citizen we are considering knows tens of thousands of words. At the same time, we use an average of five thousand words, which make up our permanent vocabulary.
Importance
It is useful to know buzzwords and their meaning for conversation with other people. Rich speech helps to attract attention, interest a person, look better, clearly express thoughts, control the opinion of the interlocutor and gives many other pleasant bonuses. You can also find those who study smart words and their meaning to humiliate an opponent and gain a feeling of superiority. However, such motivation is not ideal, although a dictionary of buzzwords can indeed help you feel better and superior to those who do not know such words.
If we talk about the function that smart words have for communication in everyday life, then rich speech, knowledge of certain quantities and their meanings attract attention. The interlocutor’s brain focuses on expressions that are atypical for everyday speech. Therefore, they begin to listen to you more carefully. As a result, your words are better remembered, and you become an interesting, sharp-tongued, interlocutor with whom it is pleasant to communicate.
In addition, knowing a list of smart words is a status norm for people who communicate with intellectuals, are interested in creativity and use mental work. If you communicate in this area, you must have the appropriate skills. Among other things, it is important to learn to speak reasonedly and to the point, to add interesting accents and tones to your own speech, which the following words will help you achieve.
Examples
A priori. It does not require proof, is understandable and has been obtained experimentally.
Biennale. Originally an art exhibition, in our time this is also called simply a get-together related to art. The peculiarity is that it is held every two years.
Vesicular. Originally a medical term that refers to vesicles found in the lungs.
Gesheft. The German word originally refers to trade and profit, and is still used in a similar meaning, but it can also be used in another, figurative sense.
Dissonance. Originally a musical term that indicates an inharmonious combination of sounds. Now it is used quite often, including in combination with cognitive dissonance, which everyone wants to plunge each other into. Example of use: “Your illiterate use of smart words introduces dissonance into your speech.”
Endova. Utensils for drinking and eating, but also a valley means a kind of gutter between two roof slopes. If the roof has a complex structure, then where two differently directed slopes connect, a valley is formed. Not often used in modern speech.
Jamevu. A term close to psychiatry, the antonym of déjà vu. With jamevu, you are in familiar surroundings or circumstances that you have been in many times before, but you feel as if you are here for the first time.
It is being built. To understand, just associate given word with the word based.
Indulgence. Previously, the Catholic Church sold documents for the atonement of sins, retail, wholesale and by weight. Such a product was called indulgence. Now used figuratively.
Incident. Originally a Latin word, relatively recently it was often used in jurisprudence. In general, it indicates a strange situation, a combination of circumstances that does not depend on the characters involved, and can have both positive and negative meanings. Not noticing and stepping into a puddle is an incident, but meeting a good friend is also an incident.
Liquidity. An economic term, but now used in everyday life. Indicates your ability to convert assets or private property into money.
Skimping. Disdainful attitude. For example: “At work, Ivan skimped on his direct responsibilities.”
Neologism. Literally translated from Latin - “new word”. It can be a new word created or a word used with a new meaning. An example from the Internet: like is a completely new neologism.
Orthodox. Greek word, antonym of heretic. In the original meaning - a person who is faithful to the teaching, who does not deviate from the original postulates. Now it can be used in other contexts.
Puritanism. A unique understanding of purity of views and behavior in society. Characteristic features are moderation, conservatism of views, minimization of pleasures, claims, and needs.
Radicalism. Extreme adherence to views, the use of crude methods to create change, often in social structures.
Maxim. A moral or wise saying. For example, “afterwards Ivan spent the whole evening bursting out in the company of friends with deep maxims on the topic of education.”
Interpretation. A similar word is interpretation. In general, we are talking about some kind of comment, explanation, view of a certain phenomenon. For example, “his interpretation of Lars von Trier’s film differs from the generally accepted one.”
Union. A form of association or generalization. Originally a political-economic term, but it can be used in other contexts.
Frustration. The feeling when you want to get what you want, but cannot achieve the goal.
Hypocrisy. Creating a positive image of one’s own personality, a deliberately strong negative attitude towards free views, flaunted virtue, modesty (sometimes religiosity). Although in reality the hypocrite is far from the ideals declared out loud.
Time trouble. Lack of time.
Swaggering. Arrogant and dismissive attitude. For example, “The boss, although he kept his distance, was not arrogant, he could communicate normally and joke.”
Chauvinism. Initially refers to nationalism and represents its radical form. Chauvinists considered their own nation to be exceptional and the best. The term can be used in other contexts, but the meaning of the understanding of exclusivity remains.
Scrupulousness. Following to each “chip”. Behaving according to standards or treating something with care and rigor.
Etymology. The field of knowledge about the origin and meaning of words. In order to expand your own vocabulary, it is useful to study etymology.
Jurisdiction. The range of powers that a government body or structure has.
Jagdtash. Hunting bag. Now the term is used as a name for a convenient, stylish bag.
Now that you know some smart Russian words and their meanings, here's some additional advice. These terms should not be used everywhere, just as different clothes are worn for different situations, and appropriate communication styles are used for different circumstances.
Otherwise, you will look ridiculous, throwing terms everywhere and inserting them indiscriminately into all phrases. The beauty of speech lies in the harmonious combination of words, weaving a pattern of their sound and meaning.
Mastering the art of competent communication is not difficult if you wish. However, it will be equally important to pay attention to such aspects as correct diction, a well-trained voice and the appropriateness of using certain words.
There are situations when simply using smart words and terms is not enough, especially if they are used completely out of place and off topic. To avoid ridiculous attempts to attract the attention of your interlocutor only by inserting clever words, you should definitely study not only the meaning of these words, but also their synonyms and antonyms, the correct placement of stress, declension and gender. For example, it is a common mistake to use the neuter word “coffee” or to try to make the word “coat” plural.
Another opportunity to show yourself as a competent interlocutor is the ability to avoid banal, hackneyed and “hackneyed” expressions. Instead of “good” you can say “smart” if you are talking about an employee or colleague as a specialist, instead of “beautiful” you can say “spectacular”, “catchy” if you are discussing the appearance of anyone, even an acquaintance, even a celebrity. Using a dictionary, you can find a synonym for almost every word that is both understandable to everyone and at the same time quite unusual. This approach will undoubtedly attract attention to you during communication.
The Russian language is rich and powerful, and this very wealth is constantly growing. Moreover, new words often come from other languages. Today we will tell you about the most frequently used words of English origin in the Russian language. You will find that you already know more than a hundred words in English without even studying them specifically.
Let's see what concepts regarding the names of clothing items and the world of fashion came to us from in English.
| Russian word | English word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ivory | ivory - ivory | Ivory. |
| bodysuit | a body - body | Apparently the word comes from the fact that this type of clothing fits the body. |
| windproof | a wind - wind; proof - impenetrable | Windproof clothing, usually a jacket. |
| jeans | jeans - trousers made of thick cotton fabric (denim) | They were once the clothing of gold miners, but today they find a place in the wardrobe of almost every person. |
| clutch | to clutch - grab, squeeze, squeeze | A small handbag, which is squeezed in the hands. |
| leggings/leggings | leggings - leggings, gaiters; a leg - leg | Fashionable glamorous leggings are now called leggings :-) |
| long sleeve | long - long; a sleeve - sleeve | T-shirt with long sleeves. |
| sweater | to sweat - to sweat | It really can be hot in a sweater, so the origin of the word is quite logical. |
| the tuxedo | a smoking jacket - “a jacket in which they smoke” | This word has an interesting origin. Previously, “jackets in which people smoke” were home clothes. When a gentleman was going to smoke, he put on a thick jacket (a smoking jacket), which was designed to protect his clothes from the smell of smoke and falling ash. By the way, in English a tuxedo is a tuxedo or a dinner jacket, and smoking is “smoking.” |
| stretch | to stretch - to stretch | This is the name for elastic fabrics that stretch well. In Russian, there is also a common incorrect pronunciation of this word - stretch. |
| chylis | a heel - heel | Sneakers with a wheel on the heel. |
| hoodie | a hood - hood | Hoodie. |
| shorts | short - short | Borrowed from English short trousers (short trousers). |
| shoes | shoes - shoes | This is what shoes are called in slang. |
The cuisine of English-speaking people contains hundreds of delicious and healthy dishes, which is why our domestic hostesses also prepare all kinds of overseas dishes. These are the words and dishes that have enriched the Russian language thanks to English:
| Russian word | English word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| jam | to jam - squeeze, crush | An analogue of our jam, only the fruit is crushed and mixed so that the dish has a jelly-like consistency. |
| crumble | to crumble - crumble | A pie whose base consists of butter and flour crumbs. |
| cracker | to crack - to break | Crispy cookies that break easily. |
| pancake | a pan - frying pan; a cake - cake, flatbread, pancake | American version of our pancakes. |
| roast beef | roast - fried; beef - beef | A cut of beef, usually grilled. |
| Hot Dog | hot - hot; a dog - a dog | Let's figure out why this favorite dish was named so strangely. The fact is that hot dogs came to the USA from Germany, where they were called Dachshund sandwiches (sandwich dachshund). This name was difficult to pronounce and was replaced by hot dogs. But why was the dish associated with dogs in Germany? There is a version, defended by many historians, that in Germany, until the middle of the 20th century, dog meat was often added to sausages, so long sausages began to be called “dachshunds”. |
| chips | chips - fried crispy potatoes | This word is interesting because in American English chips are chips, and in British English they are French fries, which in American English are called French fries. |
| shortbred | short - fragile; bread - bread | This is what they call crumbly shortbread cookies. The word short is used to mean “fragile, brittle” for dough products that have a high ratio of butter to flour. |
English is the international language most often used in high-level business negotiations. The terminology of the business world is based on words of English origin, so if you work in the field of economics, management, marketing and finance, you already know hundreds English words. Let's present the most frequently used of them:
| Russian word | English word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| outsourcing | outsourcing - attracting resources from external sources | Transfer of certain types of work to third-party specialists on a contractual basis. |
| brand | a brand - brand, name | A brand of goods that is extremely popular among customers. |
| broker | a broker - intermediary, agent | Physical or entity, which acts as an intermediary in concluding transactions on the stock exchange, and also acts on behalf of its clients. |
| deadline | a deadline - deadline, final date | Deadline for submitting work. |
| default | default - non-payment, negligence, defect | Failure to fulfill obligations to repay borrowed funds or pay interest on securities. |
| diversification | diverse - different, varied | Development of new (different) types of activities by the enterprise. As well as the distribution of investments between various objects. |
| dealer | a dealer - merchant, sales agent | A company that engages in wholesale purchasing of goods and selling them to consumers. Also a professional participant in the securities market. |
| distributor | to distribute - distribute | A representative of a manufacturing company who purchases goods from it and sells them either to retailers and dealers, or directly to the buyer. |
| investor | an investor - investor | A person or organization that invests money in projects in order to increase its capital. |
| crowdfunding | a crowd - a crowd; funding - financing | Financing new interesting ideas funds or other resources by a large number of people on a voluntary basis, usually carried out via the Internet. |
| leasing | to lease - to lease | A form of lending for the acquisition of fixed assets of an enterprise, in essence it is a long-term lease with a subsequent right of purchase. |
| marketing | marketing - market promotion, market activities | Organization of production and marketing of goods/services, which is based on the study of market needs. A marketing specialist is called a marketer or marketer. |
| management | management - management | Management of socio-economic organizations. |
| networking | a net - network; work - work | Establishing business contacts, creating a network of useful acquaintances for work. |
| know-how | to know - to know; how - how | Technology, a production secret that allows you to create a product/service in a unique way. |
| PR | public relations - public relations | Activities to create an attractive image of someone/something, including through the media. |
| prime time | prime - the best part; time - time | The time when the largest audience gathers near screens or near the radio |
| price list | a price - price; a list - list | Price list, a list of prices for goods and services of a particular company. |
| promoter | to promote - promote | A person who promotes a product/service on the market. |
| release | to release - release, publish | Release of a new product, for example, a film, music album, book, program, etc. |
| retailer | retail - retail sales | A legal entity that purchases goods wholesale and sells them at retail. |
| realtor | realty - real estate | Real estate sales specialist, intermediary between buyer and seller. |
| startup | to start up - start the project | A newly emerged company that builds its business on the basis of innovative ideas or technologies. |
| freelancer | a freelancer is a self-employed employee who provides his services to various companies | A person performing temporary work (work to order). |
| holding | to hold - hold, own | A company that owns controlling stakes in several enterprises and thereby exercises control over them. |
The vocabulary of sports fans consists almost entirely of English loanwords, so it can be said that fans not only learn sports terms, but also expand their English vocabulary. Look at what words English has given us from the world of sports.
| Russian word | English word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| arm wrestling | an arm - hand; wrestling - wrestling | Arm wrestling. |
| basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, handball | a ball - ball; a basket - basket; a volley - volley, receiving the ball on the fly; a foot - leg; a base - base; a hand - hand | Ball sports. |
| body-building | a body - body; to build - build | Exercise with machines or heavy weights to build muscle mass. |
| scuba diving | to dive - dive; scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) - scuba gear | Scuba diving. |
| doping | dope - drug | Prohibited drugs that invigorate the body for a short period of time. |
| curling | to curl - twist | A game in which you need to hit a target with a stone sliding on ice. At the same time, the round-shaped stone rotates. |
| kickboxing | a kick - kick; to box - to box | A type of boxing that allows kicks. |
| cross | to cross - to cross | Running or racing over rough terrain. |
| penalty | a penalty - punishment, fine | Free kick at the opponent's goal. |
| rope jumping | a rope - rope; to jump - jump | Jumping with a climbing rope from a height. |
| surfing | surf - surf wave | Riding the waves on a board. |
| skateboard | to skate - to ride; a board - board | Roller board. |
| sport | sport - sport | The word originally came from disport, meaning “entertainment, distraction from work.” |
| start | start - departure, start | The beginning of something. |
| half | time - time, period | Sports game time period. |
| fitness | fitness - endurance, Physical Culture, form | A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise to stay in good shape. |
| forward | a forward - one who goes ahead of others | Attack. |
In the IT field, almost all words are taken from English. We will present here the most frequently used ones, and you can read about the rest in the articles of our teachers “Ok, Google, or All about gadgets and devices in English” and “Computer basics or how to survive in cyberspace. Basic computer concepts in English."
| Russian word | English word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| browser | to browse - browse | A program for searching and viewing Internet resources. |
| viral | viral - viral | Popular, spreading among Internet users like a virus. |
| gamer | a game - game | A person who is interested in computer games. |
| display | a display - demonstration, display | A device for visually displaying information. |
| driver | to drive - manage, lead | A program that provides interaction between a computer's operating system and its hardware components. |
| click | a click - click | Press the mouse button, click on a button or link on the site. |
| community | a community - community | A group of people with the same interests. |
| login | to log in - log in | Login name. |
| laptop | a notebook - notepad, notebook | Laptop. |
| fast | to post - publish information | Post on a blog or forum. |
| provider | to provide - to supply, provide | A company that provides access to the Internet and mobile communications. |
| traffic | traffic - movement, flow of information | Amount of data that passes through the server |
| hacker | to hack - to hack, chop | A person who is good with computers and can hack various systems. |
| user | a user - user | Computer user. |
Of course, it is difficult to place in one article all the words we took from the English language. Below we present some of the most frequently used borrowed concepts. We think that every person has used these words at least once in their life.
| Russian word | English word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| animalistics | an animal - animal | A genre of art that uses images of animals. You'll often hear "animal print" referred to as a leopard print blouse. |
| outsider | outsider - outsider, extreme | A non-specialist in any field or a loser, as well as a team or athlete who has virtually no chance of winning. |
| best-seller | best - the best; a seller - a sold, hot commodity | Product that sells best. |
| blender | to blend - mix | A device for chopping and mixing products. |
| blockbuster | a block - quarter; to bust - explode | A popular film that has the effect of an exploding bomb. |
| boiler | to boil - to boil | Device for heating water. |
| briefing | brief - short | Short conference. |
| backing vocal | backing - support; vocal - vocals | Singers who sing along with the performer. |
| glamor | glamor - charm, charm | Demonstrative luxury. |
| grant | a grant - gift, subsidy, subsidy | Funds used to support the arts, science, etc. |
| destructive | to destruct - destroy | Devastating, unfruitful, destructive. |
| image maker | image - image; to make - to do | A person who creates an image, an external image. |
| impeachment | impeachment - distrust, condemnation | Removal of the head of state from power due to any violations of the law. |
| camping | a camp - camp | A recreation center equipped for tourists with tents or small houses. |
| cool | clever - smart, dexterous, gifted | According to some sources, this slang word also has English roots. |
| clown | a clown - uncouth guy, jester, clown | A favorite of children in the circus (circus comedian). |
| crossword | cross - intersecting; a word - a word | Everyone's favorite puzzle where words intersect each other. |
| loser | to lose - to lose, miss, fall behind | Jonah. |
| mainstream | the mainstream - main line, main direction | The predominant direction in any field. |
| parking | to park - park, park | Car parking. |
| Puzzle | a puzzle - a puzzle | A puzzle consisting of many pieces. |
| playlist | to play - to play; a list - list | List of songs to play. |
| pressing | to press - press | Pressure, pressure. Often used to mean “psychological pressure.” |
| rating | to rate - to rate | Rating of something, degree of popularity. |
| remake | a remake - remake | Updated version of an old product. |
| reportage | to report - report | A report in the press about some events. |
| summit | a summit - the top | A meeting of heads of state or government at the highest level. |
| soundtrack | a sound - sound; a track - track | Sound track, usually music from a film. |
| second hand | second - second; a hand - hand | Used items. |
| security | security - safety, security | Security service, security guard. |
| selfie | self - self- | Self-portrait created using a camera. |
| square | a square - area | Green area in the city. |
| speaker | to speak - to speak | Someone who speaks at a conference, webinar, meeting, etc. |
| Test Drive | test - trial; a drive - a trip | Test drive to evaluate the qualities of the car. |
| talk show | to talk - to talk; a show - presentation | A show during which participants express their opinions on any issue. |
| tram | a tram - carriage; a way - way | Type of public transport. |
| thriller | a thrill - nervous trembling | A work of art that makes you feel nervous trembling and goosebumps running down your spine. |
| trolleybus | a trolley - roller current collector; a bus - bus, omnibus | The name appeared because trolleybuses used to have roller current collectors. |
| tuning | tuning - setting, adjustment | Remodeling and improvement of the car. |
| handmade | a hand - hand; made - done | Things made by hand. |
| shampoo | a shampoo - washing your hair | Hair wash. |
| escalation | to escalate - rise, escalate | Increasing, strengthening of something. For example, conflict escalation is an aggravation of the conflict. |
We also invite you to watch a video about words that came into Russian from English.
These are the words of English origin in Russian that we often use in our speech. Now you know their origin and also understand their true meaning. However, there are many more similar borrowings from English in the Russian language. Do you know any words that came to us from English? Share your observations in the comments.