Mark Twain, giving advice to novice writers, said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter — ’tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.” Translated exactly from French, “mot juste” means “right word,” and in English, it refers to the idea of the exact right word for the appropriate situation. Perhaps you’re a writer who needs an adjective that will describe an emotionally charged desire, or maybe you’re an advertising copywriter who has used the same word one too many times and you need a snappier synonym. There’s nothing more satisfying for a writer than coming up with the mot juste that fits the mood and tone perfectly.