10th
Fancy French Expressions - Aperitif Anyone?
When I was in 6th grade, my English teacher, Mr. Kaye, taught us “Fancy French Expressions” — that is, French expressions or words we use in English. I loved learning these words so I’ve decided to feature them here. Or at least one starting today.
First up, “aperitif”. I figured it’s a good word to start with given that it’s almost holiday time (with relatives visiting, it’ll come in handy – as a conversation piece, that is☺.)
We all know that aperitif means an alcoholic drink served before a meal as a sort of appetizer or, simply, a cocktail. But what I didn’t realize is that “aperitif” comes from the Latin word, apertivus, from aperir meaning “to open.” It’s fun to think of an aperitif as an opener – opening the meal, opening the conversation, opening your inhibitions. Well, OK, maybe I’ve gone a bit too far. ☺
Cheers!
