éclat
noun

- praise or applause

- brilliant or conspicuous success

- dazzling effect or brilliance

- ostentatious display or publicity

Collins Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

"Eclat" has an interesting path into English. The story starts in 12th century France with the verb esclater which meant "to burst" or "to break with force." Think of something shattering dramatically. From this verb came the noun esclat - meaning a splinter or fragment from such a burst.

By the time this word evolved into French éclat, it had picked up additional meanings. It still meant "splinter," but it also captured the flash and brilliance of things breaking apart - (like sunlight catching glass as it shatters). This broader sense of brilliant display or flashy effect is what caught English speakers' attention.

When English borrowed the word in the late 1600s, it focused on this sense of brilliant display rather than the original meaning of fragments. We took the sparkle but left behind the breaking. Today in English, "eclat" suggests doing something with flash and brilliance - with style that draws attention and applause.

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FOREIGN WORDS IN ENGLISH

Je ne sais quoi is one of those French expressions that's been so thoroughly absorbed into English that it's used naturally even by people who don't speak French. We use it precisely because it fills a gap - it's the perfect phrase for describing something appealing that defies easy description.

French words in English can also serve as "softeners”, making direct statements feel more diplomatic — faux pas, for example, lands less heavily than “error”, “mistake”, or “blunder”.

It’s interesting how foreign words can “brighten” our language with their cultural stereotype:

- French suggests high culture, fashion, fine cuisine, and romance.
- Italian suggests fine music, art, food, and passion.
- German = suggests precision, efficiency, technical expertise, and intellectual rigour.
- Latin = suggests formality and erudition in academic, legal, and scientific contexts.
- Ancient Greek = suggests classical education and intellectual depth in mythology and philosophy.

While foreign words can illuminate language, overuse can be blinding. The art lies in finding just enough brilliance to make language sparkle, with true eclat.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

acclaim, acclamation, accolade, admiration, adulation, applause, approbation, approval, big hand, bouquet, brilliance, brilliant performance, celebration, cheer, cheering, cheers, commendation, compliment, compliments, credit, distinction, ECLAT, encomium, esteem, eulogy, fame, fanfare, feather in one's cap, flair, glamour, glory, great press, hat tip, homage, honour, kudos, laudation, laurels, lustre, making a splash, moment in the sun, ovation, panache, pat on the back, plaudit(s), pomp, praise, recognition, regard, renown, respect, round of applause, seal of approval, shining moment, splendour, standing ovation, star turn, thunder of applause, tip of the hat, tribute, triumph, vote of confidence

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