nonchalant

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌnɑn.ʃəˈlɑnt/ UK /ˈnɒn.ʃəl.ənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #36674

Meanings

1

adj
Calm and relaxed, showing that you are not worried or interested.

He gave a nonchalant shrug when I asked if he was nervous about the exam.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · calm and relaxed, showing... carefree casual blasé

More apathetic calm cool easygoing mellow unconcerned

Opposites

attentive carefulchalantconcerned

Word family

Forms nonchalance

Derived forms nonchalantismnonchalantlynonchalantness

Related forms nonchalance

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

nonchalant manner
a calm, casual way of behaving that shows little apparent concern

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Nonchalant was adopted into English in the mid-18th century from French, where it literally meant “not being concerned.” It derives from the French verb nonchaloir; its chaloir element goes back to Latin calere “be warm” or “be roused with zeal.”

Etymology

Borrowed from French nonchalant, from Old French nonchaloir (“to be unconcerned”), from non- (“not”) + chaloir (“to have concern for”), from Latin non (“not”) + calēre (“to be warm”).

nonchaloir Old French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# nonchalant

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌnɑn.ʃəˈlɑnt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈnɒn.ʃəl.ənt/
**Frequency rank:** 36674

## Meanings
1. Calm and relaxed, showing that you are not worried or interested.

## Examples
- He gave a nonchalant shrug when I asked if he was nervous about the exam.

## Synonyms
- apathetic
- calm
- carefree
- cool
- easygoing
- mellow
- unconcerned

## Antonyms
- attentive
- careful
- chalant
- concerned

## Derived Forms
- nonchalantism
- nonchalantly
- nonchalantness

## Related Forms
- nonchalance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: nonchaloir

## Etymology
Borrowed from French nonchalant, from Old French nonchaloir (“to be unconcerned”), from non- (“not”) + chaloir (“to have concern for”), from Latin non (“not”) + calēre (“to be warm”).

## AI Etymology
Nonchalant is borrowed from French nonchalant, from Old French nonchaloir (“to be unconcerned”), from non- (“not”) + chaloir (“to have concern for”), from Latin non (“not”) + calēre (“to be warm”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include nonchaloir (Old French). Current senses include calm and relaxed, showing that you are not worried or interested. The wider family includes derived forms such as nonchalantism, nonchalantly, and nonchalantness; related words such as nonchalance.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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