Ever missed the perfect moment to say something witty or make a smart comeback? We all have at one time or another. Yes, it can be frustrating. We throw our hands in the air, lament the lost opportunity, and curse our brain for being slow. The French have a word for this: esprit d’escalier.
Meaning: a perfect reply or witty remark that comes too late to the mind, missing the perfect opportunity to say it.
Origin: French for “staircase mind”. The term was coined by eighteenth century philosopher Denis Diderot who recounted an incident during a dinner hosted by Genevan banker Jacques Necker. Diderot relates that a comment left him so speechless that he only thought of a suitable reply after he had left the party. Leaving the party was rather poetically described in French as “reaching the bottom of the stairs”, since parties in mansions at that time were usually held one floor above the ground floor. Descending the staircase meant a visitor had left the party, hence “staircase mind”.
