different between insensitive vs nonchalant

English

Etymology

in- +? sensitive

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?s?ns?t?v/

Adjective

insensitive (comparative more insensitive, superlative most insensitive)

1. Expressing or feeling little or no concern, care, compassion, or consideration for the feelings, emotions, sentiments, or concerns of other people; inconsiderate or incompassionate
2. Not expressing normal physical feeling;
   • 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula

     It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact.

3. Not expressing normal emotional feelings; cold; tactless; undiplomatic
   • 1895, Grant Allen, The British Barbarians

     Somehow, when Bertram Ingledew let it once be felt he did not wish to be questioned on any particular point, even women managed to restrain their curiosity: and he would have been either a very bold or a very insensitive man who would have ventured to continue questioning him any further.

   • 1994, Jann Arden, "Insensitive" (song)

     Oh I really should have known by the time you drove me home, / By the vagueness in your eyes, your casual good-byes, / By the chill in your embrace and the expression on your face, / That told me you might have some advice to give / On how to be insensitive.

Synonyms

• unaffected
• unsensitive

Antonyms

• sensitive

Derived terms

Translations

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?n?n.??l.?nt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?n.???l?nt/

Adjective

nonchalant (comparative more nonchalant, superlative most nonchalant)

1. Casually calm and relaxed.

   We handled the whole frenetic situation with a nonchalant attitude.

2. Indifferent; unconcerned; behaving as if detached.

   He is far too nonchalant about such a serious matter.

Synonyms

• (casually calm): carefree, cool, mellow, easygoing
• (indifferent): blasé, unconcerned
• See also Thesaurus:calm

Derived terms

• nonchalantly
• nonchalantness

Related terms

• nonchalance

Translations

Danish

Etymology

From French nonchalant.

Adjective

nonchalant

1. nonchalant, offhand

Inflection

Adverb

nonchalant

1. nonchalantly, offhandedly

Further reading

• “nonchalant” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French nonchalant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?n.?a??l?nt/
• Hyphenation: non?cha?lant
• Rhymes: -?nt

Adjective

nonchalant (comparative nonchalanter, superlative nonchalantst)

1. careless, showing no interest or effort

Inflection

Related terms

• nonchalance

French

Etymology

Present participle of Old French nonchaloir (“to have no importance”), from non + chaloir, equivalent to Latin non (“not”) + cal?re (“to be warm”).

Adjective

nonchalant (feminine singular nonchalante, masculine plural nonchalants, feminine plural nonchalantes)

1. Marked by a lack of vivacity, vigour, liveliness; slow-moving; indolent.
2. Cool, relaxed

Usage notes

• Although French nonchalant is usually appropriate where the English one is used, its meaning is different.

Related terms

• nonchaloir
• chaloir

Descendants

• ? Danish: nonchalant
• ? Dutch: nonchalant
• ? English: nonchalant
• ? German: nonchalant

Further reading

• “nonchalant” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French nonchalant, from Old French nonchaloir, from Latin non (“not”) + cal?re (“to be warm”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

nonchalant (comparative nonchalanter, superlative am nonchalantesten)

1. nonchalant

Declension

Further reading

• “nonchalant” in Duden online

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• nonsjalant

Etymology

From French nonchalant.

Adjective

nonchalant (indefinite singular nonchalant, definite singular and plural nonchalante)

1. nonchalant

References

• “nonchalant” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

• nonsjalant

Etymology

From French nonchalant.

Noun

nonchalant (indefinite singular nonchalant, definite singular and plural nonchalante)

1. nonchalant

References

• “nonchalant” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.