nonchalant — appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌnɑːnʃəˈlɑːnt/
Example Sentences
- Despite winning the lottery, he remained surprisingly nonchalant about his newfound wealth.
- She walked into the interview with a nonchalant air, as if she was just dropping by to say hello.
- When the teacher announced a pop quiz, Mark's nonchalant reaction made everyone wonder if he had studied.
nonchalant
ADJECTIVE[/ˌnɑːnʃəˈlɑːnt/]
appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
While the other passengers panicked over the sudden turbulence, the woman read her magazine with a completely nonchalant expression.
NON(not) + CHALANT(concerned) — showing it was NON(not) at all CHALANT(concerned) about the massive fire, the cat casually groomed itself in a nonchalant way.
When the seagull suddenly snatched his expensive croissant, the man just gave a completely nonchalant shrug instead of getting angry.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From French nonchalant, derived from the prefix non- (not) combined with chalant, the present participle of the verb chaloir (to care or be concerned). The French term ultimately traces to Latin calere (to be warm, to care).
Breakdown
non- (not) + chalant (caring, from French chaloir meaning to care) = nonchalant (not caring, appearing unconcerned)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Despite winning the lottery, he remained surprisingly nonchalant about his newfound wealth.”
“She walked into the interview with a nonchalant air, as if she was just dropping by to say hello.”
“When the teacher announced a pop quiz, Mark's nonchalant reaction made everyone wonder if he had studied.”
“His nonchalant dismissal of the criticism showed remarkable confidence.”
📚Related Words
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