Aplomb

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈplÊŒm/, /əˈplÉ’m/

Origin

Borrowing from fr aplomb

Noun

noun

1. self-confidence; poise; composure.His nonchalance and aplomb during hard times have always been his best character trait.
• Wodehouse Offing|XV|“Oh, Wooster,” he said, “I was talking to my mother a night or two ago.” “Oh, yes?” I said, with a slight wave of the hand intended to indicate that if he liked to talk to his mother anywhere, all over the house, he had my approval. “She tells me you are interested in mice.” I didn't like the trend the conversation was taking, but I preserved my aplomb. “Why, yes, fairly interested.” “She says she found you trying to catch one in my bedroom!”
• 2000, Elizabeth Berg, Range of MotionThey have a seven-year-old son named Timothy, never called Timmy or Tim; a little scrawny guy who wears thick glasses already, and who tucks his striped T-shirts into his pants with the aplomb of a silver-templed CEO.
• 2011, Septembe 24, Ben Dirs, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania, Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson put his below-par performance against Argentina behind him with a fine first-half showing, slotting four kicks from six and controlling his back-line with aplomb, while England's three-quarters were brimming with life and clinical with their execution.
2. (ballet) stability; the basic law of ballet.