Foreign Words and Phrases
Latin for the school, college, or university you attended.
What is alma mater?
Which Presidents appear on U.S. banknotes.
Who are Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant, and Franklin?
Another name for frosting.
What is icing?
Louisa May Alcott’s Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy in Little Women.
Who are the March Sisters?
Vivian Vance is the sidekick in more than one sitcom to this actress born August 6, 1911.
Who is Lucille Ball?
On August 29, 2005, the New Orleans area was hit with this natural disaster.
What is Hurricane Katrina?
It is the hottest planet in our solar system.
What is Venus?
Italian for “outside” or “open air”—most often used with dining.
What is alfresco?
This decreases the purchasing power of money.
What is inflation?
Individual little cakes.
What are cupcakes?
This is Agatha Christie’s amateur female detective.
Who is Miss Marple?
Born August 23, 1978, this former Los Angeles Laker NBA player died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
Who is Kobe Bryant?
On August 10, 1846, this museum complex in Washington, D.C., was granted a charter by the U.S. Congress.
What is the Smithsonian Institution?
Yiddish word for gutsy, brash, audacious.
What is chutzpah?
This U.S. law enforcement branch was created to stop counterfeiting.
What is Secret Service?
During the 19th century, yeast was replaced in cakes by two leavening agents. Name one of them.
What is baking soda or powder?
This heroine is the glue of the Harry Potter series.
Who is Hermione Granger?
Born August 26, 1980, Macaulay Culkin catapulted to stardom in this Christmas movie.
What is Home Alone?
On August 3, 1914, these two European countries kicked off World War I by declaring war.
What are France and Germany?
Three-word Latin phrase for an unwelcomed and/or unacceptable person.
What is persona non grata?
He appears on the U.S. $2 banknote, and Monticello appears on the back of older notes.
Who is Thomas Jefferson?
“Let them eat cake” is a bad translation. Cake really means this bread.
What is brioche?
This is Charlotte Brontë’s eponymous heroine whose life is full of trials and tribulations.
Who is Jane Eyre?
Born August 7, 1975, this former model turned award winning actress has starred in such diverse films as, Monster and Mad Max: Fury Road.
Who is Charlize Theron?
On August 22, 564, this monster was allegedly first sighted in Scotland.
What is Loch Ness?
Latin for “who benefits,” often used in a political context. For example, when something unpopular becomes a law or regulation, people often wonder, “Who benefits?”
What is cui bono?
This country debuted paper banknotes more than 1,000 years ago.
What is China?
The top tier of a wedding cake is most often saved for the first anniversary; however, it can also be saved for this occasion.
What is the christening of the first child?
From the imagination of Edward Stratemeyer, this iconic, teenage sleuth first appeared in the 1930s.
Who is Nancy Drew?
Born August 31, 1952, this Canadian-born designer is half of the HGTV hit show Love It or List It.
Who is Hillary Farr?
On August 31, 1980, this labor union, which led to the demise of Communism in the Eastern Bloc countries, was founded by Lech Walesa.
What is Solidarity?
German word you might use to describe taking delight in others’ troubles.
What is schadenfreude?
This country was the first to debut polymer notes.
What is Australia?
During ancient Roman times, cakes more closely resembled this food.
What is bread?
In Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, she knits the names of those who would be charged or executed during the French Revolution.
Who is Madame Defarge?
Born August 8, 1988, she is the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew.
Who is Princess Beatrice?
On August 1, 1907, a camping trip to an island off the coast of England set the stage for the creation of this international movement for children.
What is scouting?