nonchalant

English

WOTD - 10 March 2009    

Etymology

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'

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈnɒn.tʃəl.ənt/
• (US) IPA: /ˌnɑn.ʃəˈlɑnt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

nonchalant (comparative more nonchalant, superlative most nonchalant)

1. Casually calm and relaxed.

   We handled the whole frenetic situation with a nonchalant attitude.

2. Indifferent; unconcerned; behaving as if detached.

   He is far too nonchalant about such a serious matter.

Synonyms

• (casually calm): carefree, cool, mellow, easygoing
• (indifferent): blasé, unconcerned
• See also Wikisaurus:calm

Translations

casually calm and relaxed

Armenian: անհոգ (hy) (anhog) Czech: nonšalantní (cs), nenucený (cs) Finnish: huoleton (fi) French: décontracté (fr) German: nonchalant (de), lässig (de)

Irish: neamhchúiseach (ga), neamhchorrbhuaiseach (ga) Russian: невозмутимый (ru) (nevozmutímyj), беспечный (ru) (bespéčnyj), небрежный (ru) (nebréžnyj) Scottish Gaelic: gun chùram (gd)

indifferent; unconcerned; behaving as if detached

Armenian: անտարբեր (hy) (antarber) Czech: lhostejný (cs) Finnish: välinpitämätön (fi), piittaamaton (fi) French: désinvolte (usually negative) German: nonchalant (de), gleichgültig (de)

Irish: fuarbhruite (ga) Russian: равнодушный (ru) (ravnodúšnyj), безразличный (ru) (bezrazlíčnyj), небрежный (ru) (nebréžnyj) Scottish Gaelic: gun chùram (gd) Spanish: indiferente (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Swedish: nonchalant

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Danish

Etymology

From French nonchalant.

Adjective

nonchalant (neuter nonchalant, definite and plural nonchalante)

1. nonchalant, offhand

Adverb

nonchalant

1. nonchalantly, offhandedly

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Dutch

Etymology

From French nonchalance, from Old French nonchaloir, from Latin non 'not' + calere 'to be warm'

Pronunciation

• nonchalant

  (file)

Adjective

nonchalant (comparative nonchalanter, superlative nonchalantst)

1. careless, showing no interest or effort

Related terms

• nonchalance

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French

Etymology

Present participle of Old French nonchaloir (“to have no importance”), from Latin non 'not' + calere 'to be warm'.

Adjective

nonchalant m. (f. nonchalante, m. plural nonchalants, f. plural nonchalantes)

1. Marked by a lack of vivacity, vigour, liveliness; slow-moving; indolent.
2. Cool, relaxed

Usage notes

• Although French nonchalant is usually appropriate where the English one is used, its meaning is different.

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German

Etymology

From French nonchalant, from Old French nonchaloir, from Latin non 'not' + calere 'to be warm'

Adjective

nonchalant (comparative nonchalanter, superlative am nonchalantesten)

1. nonchalant