insouciance
noun (insouciant - adjective) (insouciantly - adverb)

- a relaxed and happy way of acting without worry or guilt

- lighthearted unconcern; nonchalance

The Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam-Webster

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WORD ORIGIN

“Insouciance” stems from the French insouciant (in = not + se soucier = to care or worry) and from the Latin solicitare “to agitate”.

English speakers already had words for "carelessness" or "unconcern," but insouciance captured something distinct:

- a sophisticated, almost elegant unconcern
- a deliberate, stylish nonchalance
- a Continental attitude that seemed quintessentially French

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INSOUCIANT CHURCHILL

During one of Churchill’s overnight stays at the White House, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt unexpectedly opened the door to his guest’s bedroom and found one of the 20th century’s most important statesmen standing in the middle of the room completely naked.

Unconcerned and apparently unembarrassed, Churchill calmly said,

“You see Mr. President, we British have nothing to hide.”

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SYNONYMS

absence of feeling, acceptance of the inevitable, aloofness, apathy towards, aplomb, blitheness, breeziness, brown study, carefreeness, casualness, casual unconcern, complacence, complacency, composedness, composure, cool-headedness, diffidence, easy-going attitude, equanimity, impassiveness, impassivity, imperturbability, indifference (to), INSOUCIANCE, lack of concern, languidness, languor, leisureliness, level-headedness, heedlessness, lightheartedness, loftiness, nonchalance, philosophicalness, placidity, placidness, poise, presence of mind, sangfroid, self-assurance, self-composedness, self-possession, serenity, tranquillity, unconcern (about), unflappability

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Even the great Winston Churchill had moments of INSOUCIANCE, guess what happened one night while Churchill was staying at the White House….”

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