Aplomb
[ə-PLAM]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, late 18th century
1.
Self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation.
Examples of Aplomb in a sentence
"The lead actor recovered with such aplomb that the audience forgot he had tripped onstage moments before."
"I think I could pull off that outfit with aplomb."
About Aplomb
Aplomb meant "perpendicularity, steadiness" in a physical sense, coming from the French term "à plomb," or "according to a plumb line." This early definition evolved into the modern usage of "self-confidence and assuredness."
Did you Know?
Aplomb comes from the French word "à plomb," meaning "according to a plumb line" — but what is a plumb line? With origins that can be traced back to ancient Egypt, a plumb bob is a line with a weight affixed to the end. When the weight is dangled, it creates a vertical line known as a plumb line, which was used by architects, builders, and engineers as a vertical reference point. While plumb bobs are still used in their original form, more efficient and technologically advanced updates are often used in their place. A laser level, for example, can project both vertical and horizontal lines hands-free.
