Pronounced swah-dee-ZAHNG (the NG is not pronounced, but the vowel is nasalized)
Definition: Self-proclaimed, so-called
Example Sentence:
Sherry realized she must have left her cookies in the oven a bit too long when she had to scrape furiously to get their charred remains off of her soi-disant nonstick baking sheet.
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Toast. Braids. Fries. Shall we say kissing?
It all sounds more intriguing when you add a little French.
According to Merriam-Webster, “Soi-disant,” which is literally translated, “saying oneself,” is one of hundreds of French terms that entered English in the 17th and 18th centuries, during the period known as the Enlightenment.
Other examples of French words that became English staples during that time frame include, “crepe," "vis-a-vis," "etiquette," and "sang-froid."
Perhaps then, like now, people believed they could sound more sophisticated just by adding a little French twist.
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