French word meaning 'me' or 'I', often used humorously in English to refer to oneself with mock pretension. It serves as the stressed form of the first person singular pronoun in French.
From Old French 'moi', derived from Latin 'me', the accusative case of 'ego' meaning 'I'. The word entered English as a borrowing, often used ironically to sound sophisticated or theatrical.
When English speakers use 'moi' instead of 'me', they're typically being playfully pretentious, mimicking the perceived sophistication of French culture. This borrowing reflects the long-standing English fascination with French as the language of refinement and high culture.
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