nonchalance

Nonchalance denotes a manner or state of calm, casual indifference to things that others might consider urgent or noteworthy. It describes a disposition, appearance, or stylistic effect in speech and behavior that conveys ease and emotional restraint. A person may be genuinely unflustered or intentionally perform nonchalance to project confidence, self-control, or social ease in demanding situations.

Etymology: The term is borrowed from French nonchalance, from nonchalant, ultimately from a phrase meaning not to care or not to mind; the sense is “not mattering” in the matter at hand. In English it entered usage in the 17th–18th centuries and evolved to denote both genuine ease and calculated coolness.

In literature and art, nonchalance has been linked with the dandy and the flâneur—figures who move with ease through social settings and observe without apparent concern. Beyond aesthetics, nonchalance can serve as a social signal of status, composure, or mastery of emotion, or as a rhetorical device to downplay anxiety.

Related terms include blasé, insouciance, and casualness. Nonchalance differs from indifference or apathy in suggesting intentional control or stylistic poise rather than a simple absence of concern. The adjective is nonchalant and the adverb nonchalantly.

Critics caution that excessive nonchalance can appear arrogant or dismissive, masking neglect of responsibility or genuine empathy. In professional settings, it may hinder accountability, while in creative discourse it can contribute to a distinctive voice or aesthetic savor.