acuity
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All CEFR A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Content locale
EN Anglais BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Espagnol FR Français DE Allemand RU Russe ZH Chinois JA Japonais
All Vocabulary Cards All Vocabularies
C2 noun əˈkjuː.ə.ti

acuity

acuité
Meaning
Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing.
Example
His intellectual acuity made him a brilliant scientist.
Son acuité intellectuelle faisait de lui un scientifique brillant.
C2 noun /əˈnæθəmə/

anathema

anathème / chose détestée
Meaning
something or someone intensely disliked or strongly condemned
Example
Violence is anathema to her peaceful nature.
La violence est un anathème pour sa nature pacifique.
C2 adjective /eɪˈsɛptɪk/

aseptic

sans germes
Meaning
Free from contamination caused by harmful microorganisms; sterile.
Example
Surgeons must work in an aseptic environment to prevent infection.
Les chirurgiens doivent travailler dans un environnement aseptique pour prévenir les infections.
C2 noun /kɒn.tɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/

contiguity

contiguïté
Meaning
the state of being in direct contact or next to each other
Example
The contiguity of the two countries facilitates trade.
La contiguïté des deux pays facilite le commerce.
C2 noun /ˌmɪsˈtʃæns/

mischance

malchance
Meaning
An unfortunate accident or event; bad luck.
Example
By mischance, he missed the last train home.
Par malchance, il a raté le dernier train pour rentrer chez lui.
C2 verb /ˈkæstɪˌɡeɪt/

castigate

châtier
Meaning
To criticize someone severely or to punish harshly.
Example
The teacher castigated the students for their poor behavior.
Le professeur a châtié les étudiants pour leur mauvais comportement.
C2 noun /ˌɛpɪzəʊˈɒtɪk/

epizootic

épizootie
Meaning
An outbreak of disease affecting many animals of one kind at the same time.
Example
The farmer feared an epizootic might wipe out his cattle.
L'agriculteur craignait qu'une épizootie n'élimine son bétail.
C2 adverb /əˈθwɔːrt/

athwart

en travers, en opposition
Meaning
Across or in opposition to something.
Example
A fallen tree lay athwart the road, blocking traffic.
Un arbre tombé était allongé en travers de la route, bloquant la circulation.
C2 noun /ˈtɪl.ər/

Tiller

paysan
Meaning
a person who tills or cultivates land; a farmer
Example
The tiller worked hard in the fields every morning.
Le paysan travaillait dur dans les champs chaque matin.
C2 noun /ˈɛpɪkjʊr/

epicure

épicurien
Meaning
A person who enjoys fine food and drink, often with refined taste.
Example
As an epicure, she always sought out the finest restaurants in the city.
En tant qu’épicurienne, elle recherchait toujours les meilleurs restaurants de la ville.
C2 noun /dɪˈpɔːrtmənt/

deportment

comportement
Meaning
A person's behavior or manners, especially in a formal situation.
Example
Her deportment during the ceremony impressed everyone.
Son comportement pendant la cérémonie a impressionné tout le monde.
C2 verb /ˈfɒn.dəl/

fondle

caresser
Meaning
To stroke or caress lovingly or gently.
Example
She fondled the kitten gently in her lap.
Elle caressait doucement le chaton dans ses bras.
C2 adjective /ˈviːnəl/

venal

vénal
Meaning
willing to do dishonest things in return for money; corrupt
Example
The politician was accused of being venal and corrupt.
Le politicien a été accusé d'être vénal et corrompu.
C2 noun /ˈʃʊərəti/

surety

caution
Meaning
a person who takes responsibility for another's performance of an undertaking, such as appearing in court or paying a debt
Example
The landlord required a surety before renting the apartment.
Le propriétaire a exigé une caution avant de louer l'appartement.
C2 adjective /ˈvækjuəs/

vacuous

vide
Meaning
Having or showing a lack of thought or intelligence; mindless.
Example
She gave a vacuous smile during the serious discussion.
Elle a souri de façon vide pendant la discussion sérieuse.
C2 verb /trænzˈmjuːt/

transmute

transmuter
Meaning
to change in form, nature, or substance
Example
Alchemy aimed to transmute lead into gold.
L'alchimie cherchait à transmuter le plomb en or.
C2 noun /ˈmælɪt fɪʃ/

Mallet fish

poisson à coquille
Meaning
A marine fish with a hard shell-like covering, found in coastal waters
Example
The mallet fish is known for its unique protective shell covering.
Le poisson à coquille est connu pour sa coque protectrice unique.
C2 noun /luːˈbrɪsɪti/

lubricity

lubrification
Meaning
the quality of being slippery or smooth; sometimes also refers to lewdness
Example
The lubricity of the surface made it difficult to walk on.
La lubrification de la surface rendait la marche difficile.
C2 noun /prɪˈsɛʃən/

precession

précession
Meaning
The slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis, often referring to Earth's rotation.
Example
Astronomers study the precession of the equinoxes.
Les astronomes étudient la précession des équinoxes.
C2 noun ˈɡoʊldən ˈbʌtərflaɪ

Golden Butterfly

papillon doré
Meaning
A beautiful species of butterfly with golden coloration, symbolizing beauty and nature.
Example
The Golden Butterfly is a symbol of beauty and nature.
Le papillon doré est un symbole de beauté et de nature.
C2 noun /ˈhʌstɪŋz/

hustings

campagne électorale
Meaning
the political campaigning and speeches before an election
Example
The candidate gained popularity during the hustings.
Le candidat a gagné en popularité pendant la campagne électorale.
C2 verb /ˈblændɪʃ/

blandish

flatter
Meaning
to flatter or coax someone with kind words or praise in order to influence them
Example
He blandished the officials with compliments to gain their support.
Il a flatté les responsables pour obtenir leur soutien.
C2 adjective /prɪˈmɒnɪtəri/ or /ˌpriːməˈnɪtəri/

premonitory

prémonitoire
Meaning
giving a warning or prediction about something, especially something unpleasant
Example
He ignored the premonitory signs of illness.
Il a ignoré les signes prémonitoires de la maladie.
C2 verb /ˌaʊtməˈnuːvər/

outmaneuver

surpasser habilement
Meaning
to gain an advantage over an opponent by skillful or clever action
Example
The smaller company managed to outmaneuver its larger rival.
La petite entreprise a réussi à surpasser habilement son grand concurrent.
C2 adjective /ˈhæm ˌhændɪd/

ham-handed

maladroit
Meaning
clumsy or inept in handling things or situations
Example
His ham-handed attempt to fix the computer made it worse.
Sa tentative maladroite de réparer l'ordinateur l'a empiré.
C2 noun /ˌækwəˈpɒnɪks/

aquaponics

aquaponie
Meaning
A system of aquaculture in which the waste produced by farmed fish or other aquatic animals supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically.
Example
Aquaponics efficiently utilizes water by integrating fish and plant farming.
L'aquaponie utilise l'eau efficacement en intégrant l'élevage de poissons et la culture de plantes.
C2 noun /riːm/

ream

rame
Meaning
A large quantity of paper (typically 500 sheets); informally, a large amount of something.
Example
The office ordered ten reams of paper.
Le bureau a commandé dix rames de papier.
C2 verb /ˈkɒr.ʌ.skeɪt/

coruscate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or flash brightly
Example
The fireworks coruscated across the night sky.
Les feux d'artifice scintillèrent à travers le ciel nocturne.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪk.bæt/

Brickbat

un morceau de brique; critique sévère ou censure
Meaning
a piece of brick, especially one used as a missile; harsh criticism or censure
Example
The angry protesters threw brickbats at the building windows.
Les manifestants en colère ont lancé des briques contre les fenêtres du bâtiment.
C2 verb /ɛnˈfiːbəl/

enfeeble

affaiblir
Meaning
To make weak or feeble; to deprive of strength.
Example
The long illness enfeebled the old man.
La longue maladie a affaibli le vieil homme.
C2 noun /ˈswɑːvɪti/

suavity

douceur et charme
Meaning
smoothness and charm in manner
Example
His suavity made him popular in social gatherings.
Sa douceur et son charme le rendaient populaire dans les rassemblements sociaux.
C2 adjective /ˈtrɛntʃənt/

trenchant

tranchant
Meaning
expressed strongly, effectively, and clearly; sharp or cutting in style or expression
Example
Her trenchant criticism of the policy left no room for misunderstanding.
Sa critique tranchante de la politique n'a laissé aucune place à des malentendus.
C2 adjective /kwəʊˈtɪdiən/

quotidian

quotidien, ordinaire
Meaning
Ordinary or everyday, especially when mundane.
Example
He focused on the quotidian details of family life.
Il s'est concentré sur les détails quotidiens de la vie familiale.
C2 adjective /ɪˈfiːt/

effete

efféminé
Meaning
Lacking vitality, strength, or effectiveness; weak and overrefined.
Example
The empire became effete after centuries of indulgence.
L'empire est devenu efféminé après des siècles de luxe.
C2 verb /əˈdʒʊər/

adjure

adjurer
Meaning
to urge or command someone solemnly, often under oath or a strong sense of duty
Example
The witness was adjured to tell the truth in court.
Le témoin a été adjuré de dire la vérité au tribunal.
C2 noun /ˈdeɪ.ɪs/

Dais

estrade
Meaning
a raised platform, typically at one end of a room or hall, for speakers or honored guests
Example
The principal stood on the dais to address the entire school assembly.
Le directeur s'est tenu sur l'estrade pour s'adresser à toute l'assemblée scolaire.
C2 noun /ˌrɛprəˈbeɪʃən/

reprobation

réprobation
Meaning
Strong disapproval or condemnation; rejection by God as beyond salvation.
Example
The teacher’s face showed clear reprobation at the student’s rude remark.
Le visage du professeur montrait une réprobation nette face à la remarque impolie de l'étudiant.
C2 verb /lɪm/

limn

décrire / représenter
Meaning
to depict or describe something vividly in words or art.
Example
The author limned the beauty of the countryside.
L'auteur a décrit la beauté de la campagne de manière vivante.
C2 verb /dɪˈmɜːr/

demur

objecter
Meaning
to raise doubts, objections, or show reluctance
Example
She agreed to help without demur.
Elle accepta d'aider sans objection.
C2 noun /ɪˈnænɪti/

inanity

ineptie, absurdité
Meaning
a nonsensical remark or action; silliness; emptiness
Example
The speech was full of inanities that bored the audience.
Le discours était rempli d'inepties qui ennuyaient le public.
C2 verb /əˈkluːd/

occlude

obstruer
Meaning
To block or close up an opening or passage.
Example
The pipe was occluded by mineral deposits.
Le tuyau était obstrué par des dépôts minéraux.
C2 noun /ˈdaɪəˌdɛm/

diadem

diadème
Meaning
A crown or headband worn as a symbol of royalty or authority.
Example
The queen wore a glittering diadem at the coronation.
La reine portait une diadème étincelante lors du couronnement.
C2 adjective /baɪˈɛniəl/

biennial

biannuel
Meaning
happening every two years
Example
The biennial festival attracts thousands of visitors.
Le festival biannuel attire des milliers de visiteurs.
C2 verb /əˈkuːtə/

accoutre

accoutrer
Meaning
to dress or equip, especially in something impressive or elaborate
Example
The knight was accoutred in shining armor.
Le chevalier était accoutré en armure brillante.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.pən ˈhɑrt.ɪd/

Open-hearted

chaleureux et généreux; sincère et honnête; réceptif chaleureusement;
Meaning
Kind and generous; sincere and honest; warmly receptive;
Example
She welcomed the strangers with an open-hearted smile and invited them for dinner.
Elle a accueilli les étrangers avec un sourire chaleureux et les a invités à dîner.
C2 noun /ˌlæs.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

laceration

coupure profonde
Meaning
a deep cut or tear in skin or flesh
Example
He needed stitches for a laceration on his leg.
Il avait besoin de points pour une coupure profonde à sa jambe.
C2 adjective /ˈdɛprɪkətɔːri/

deprecatory

désobligeant
Meaning
expressing disapproval or belittling
Example
He gave a deprecatory remark about their performance.
Il a fait une remarque désobligeante sur leur performance.
C2 noun /ˌluːkjʊˈbreɪʃən/

lucubration

étude nocturne
Meaning
study or meditation, especially at night
Example
His novel was the result of long lucubration.
Son roman était le résultat de longues études nocturnes.
C2 noun /ˈwɪtɪˌsɪzəm/

witticism

réplique spirituelle / plaisanterie
Meaning
a clever or funny remark
Example
Her witticism made everyone laugh during the meeting.
Sa réplique spirituelle a fait rire tout le monde pendant la réunion.
C2 noun /ˌænɪˈmɒmɪtər/

anemometer

anémomètre
Meaning
An instrument used to measure the speed and direction of wind.
Example
The scientist used an anemometer to record the wind speed during the storm.
Le scientifique a utilisé un anémomètre pour enregistrer la vitesse du vent pendant la tempête.
C2 verb /əˈvʌls/

avulse

arracher
Meaning
to tear away or separate forcibly, especially in medical or geological contexts
Example
The surgeon had to avulse the damaged tissue during the operation.
Le chirurgien a dû arracher le tissu endommagé pendant l'opération.
C2 adjective /ˈfɜːr.vɪd/

Fervid

passionné; intensément enthousiaste; brûlant d'émotion
Meaning
passionate; intensely enthusiastic; burning with emotion
Example
She gave a fervid speech about environmental protection.
Elle a prononcé un discours fervide sur la protection de l'environnement.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛrɪpəˈtɛtɪk/

peripatetic

nomade
Meaning
Traveling from place to place, especially for work or based on lifestyle.
Example
He led a peripatetic life as a traveling teacher.
Il menait une vie de nomade en tant qu'enseignant itinérant.
C2 adjective /ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪbd/

circumscribed

circonscrit
Meaning
restricted or limited in scope or freedom
Example
Her freedom of choice was circumscribed by social rules.
Sa liberté de choix était circonscrite par les règles sociales.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌb.æs.ɪd/

subacid

légèrement acide
Meaning
Slightly sour or acidic in taste or nature.
Example
The fruit had a subacid flavor that was refreshing on a hot day.
Le fruit avait une saveur légèrement acide qui était rafraîchissante lors d'une journée chaude.
C2 verb /ˈbaɪfərˌkeɪt/

bifurcate

diviser en deux parties
Meaning
to divide into two branches or parts
Example
The road bifurcates into two separate paths at the hill.
La route bifurque en deux chemins séparés au sommet de la colline.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈæl.əˌbæs.tər/

alabaster

albâtre (minéral blanc comme pierre)
Meaning
A fine-grained, usually white variety of gypsum, often used for carving; also describes something smooth and pale like alabaster.
Example
The statue was carved from pure alabaster.
La statue a été sculptée dans de l'albâtre pur.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːrvənuː/

parvenu

nouveau riche
Meaning
A person who has recently gained wealth or influence but is not yet accepted socially.
Example
He was seen as a parvenu who lacked refinement despite his riches.
Il a été vu comme un parvenu qui manquait de raffinement malgré sa richesse.
C2 noun /poʊˈzɜːr/

poseur

poseur
Meaning
A person who pretends to be something they are not, often to impress others.
Example
Many considered him a poseur because he exaggerated his accomplishments.
Beaucoup le considéraient comme un poseur parce qu'il exagérait ses réalisations.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊ.ɪˌtæs.tər/

poetaster

un poète inférieur ou trivial
Meaning
an inferior or trivial poet
Example
He was mocked as a poetaster by the literary critics.
Il a été moqué comme un poétasteur par les critiques littéraires.
C2 verb /prɪmp/

primp

bonheur
Meaning
To spend time making minor adjustments to one's appearance.
Example
She primped in front of the mirror before the party.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /əˈnɔɪnt.mənt/

anointment

onction
Meaning
The act of anointing, usually with oil, as part of a ritual or ceremony.
Example
The anointment of the new leader was a sacred ritual.
L'onction du nouveau leader était un rituel sacré.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkreɪt/

desecrate

désacraliser
Meaning
to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect or violation
Example
The vandals desecrated the ancient temple walls with graffiti.
Les vandales ont désacralisé les murs du temple ancien avec des graffitis.
C2 noun /ˈplɔːdɪt/

plaudit

éloge
Meaning
an expression of praise or approval
Example
The actor received plaudit for his outstanding performance.
L'acteur a reçu des éloges pour sa performance exceptionnelle.
C2 noun /sfɪˈrɒmɪtər/

spherometer

sphéromètre
Meaning
An instrument used for measuring the curvature of spherical surfaces.
Example
The scientist used a spherometer to measure the lens curvature.
Le scientifique a utilisé un sphéromètre pour mesurer la courbure de la lentille.
C2 adjective /ˈfækʃəs/

factious

factionnel
Meaning
causing disagreement or division within a group; inclined to form factions
Example
The debate became factious, splitting the committee into rival camps.
Le débat est devenu factionnel, divisant le comité en camps rivaux.
C2 noun /ˌfjuːzɪˈleɪd/

fusillade

rafale
Meaning
A series of shots fired or missiles thrown all at the same time or in quick succession.
Example
The soldiers advanced under a fusillade of bullets.
Les soldats ont avancé sous un rafale de balles.
C2 adjective /dʒərˈmeɪn/

germane

pertinent
Meaning
Relevant and appropriate to the subject being considered.
Example
Her comments were not germane to the discussion.
Ses commentaires n'étaient pas pertinents pour la discussion.
C2 verb /ˈtʃæfɪŋ/

chaffing

taquiner
Meaning
Teasing or joking in a lighthearted way.
Example
They were chaffing each other during lunch.
Ils se taquinaient pendant le déjeuner.
C2 noun /ˈrɛkluːsəri/

reclusory

lieu de retraite
Meaning
A place for seclusion or retreat, especially for a recluse or hermit.
Example
The monk spent years in the reclusory away from society.
Le moine a passé des années dans le lieu de retraite loin de la société.
C2 noun /məˈdɒn.ə/

madonna

madonna (Vierge Marie)
Meaning
An artistic representation of the Virgin Mary; also used as a respectful form of address for a woman in Italian culture.
Example
The Renaissance painting depicts a Madonna holding child Jesus.
La peinture de la Renaissance dépeint une Madonna tenant l'enfant Jésus.
C2 noun /ˈɛəri/

aerie

nid d'aigle
Meaning
A large nest of a bird of prey, especially an eagle, typically built high in a tree or on a cliff.
Example
The eagle built its aerie on the high cliff.
L'aigle a construit son nid sur la haute falaise
C2 verb /ˈvɛəriəˌɡeɪt/

variegate

diversifier
Meaning
To diversify or mark with different colors or patterns.
Example
The artist used different shades to variegate the design.
L'artiste a utilisé différentes nuances pour diversifier le design.
C2 adjective /ˈfʊl.dʒənt/

fulgent

éclatant
Meaning
Shining brightly; dazzling.
Example
The fulgent stars lit up the night sky.
Les étoiles éclatantes ont illuminé le ciel nocturne.
C2 verb /ɪnˈdɒktrɪˌneɪt/

indoctrinate

endoctriner
Meaning
To teach someone to fully accept a set of beliefs or ideas without question.
Example
The regime tried to indoctrinate the youth with propaganda.
Le régime a tenté d'endoctriner la jeunesse avec de la propagande.
C2 noun /ˈprɛləsi/

prelacy

prélature
Meaning
The office, dignity, or system of church government by prelates.
Example
The medieval church was dominated by prelacy and its traditions.
L'Église médiévale était dominée par la prélature et ses traditions.
C2 verb /ˈkæstreɪt/

castrate

castrer
Meaning
To remove the testicles of a male animal or human.
Example
The farmer castrated the young bulls to make them easier to manage.
L'agriculteur a castré les jeunes taureaux pour les rendre plus faciles à gérer.
C2 noun /ˈbuːt.leɪs/

Boot-lace

lacet de botte
Meaning
a cord or string used to fasten a boot or shoe
Example
I need to tie my boot-lace before going for a walk.
Je dois attacher mon lacet de botte avant de partir en promenade.
C2 adjective /ˈven.tʃər.əs/

Venturous

aventurier; audacieux
Meaning
willing to take risks; adventurous; bold
Example
The venturous explorer climbed the dangerous mountain.
L'explorateur audacieux a grimpé la montagne dangereuse.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɪˈstæblɪʃ/

preestablish

préalablement établir
Meaning
To establish or set up beforehand.
Example
Certain rules were preestablished before the meeting.
Certaines règles ont été préétablies avant la réunion.
C2 verb /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/

lionize

lioniser
Meaning
to treat someone as a celebrity or give a lot of public attention
Example
The press began to lionize the young scientist after his discovery.
La presse a commencé à lioniser le jeune scientifique après sa découverte.
C2 adjective /ˈɡɔːki/

gawky

maladroit
Meaning
Awkward and clumsy in appearance or behavior.
Example
The teenager felt gawky in his oversized suit.
L'adolescent se sentait maladroit dans son costume trop grand.
C2 adjective /ˈslɪpʃɒd/

slipshod

négligé, bâclé
Meaning
done in a careless, sloppy, or untidy way
Example
The project failed due to slipshod planning.
Le projet a échoué en raison d'une planification négligée.
C2 noun ˌsʌb.dʒʊˈɡeɪ.ʃən

subjugation

soumission ou domination
Meaning
The action of bringing someone or something under domination or control, especially by force.
Example
The subjugation of weaker nations by colonial powers shaped history.
La soumission des nations plus faibles par les puissances coloniales a façonné l'histoire.
C2 noun /ɪmˈbroʊlioʊ/

imbroglio

embrouille
Meaning
An extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation.
Example
The political imbroglio lasted for months without resolution.
L'embrouille politique a duré des mois sans résolution.
C2 adjective /ˌɛkjʊˈmɛnɪkəl/

ecumenical

unité religieuse œcuménique
Meaning
Promoting unity among different Christian churches or religions.
Example
The leaders gathered for an ecumenical conference to encourage dialogue.
Les dirigeants se sont réunis pour une conférence œcuménique afin de favoriser le dialogue.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsəˈvaʊəl/

disavowal

désaveu
Meaning
the denial of any responsibility, connection, or support
Example
The politician issued a firm disavowal of the controversial remarks.
Le politicien a émis un ferme désaveu des remarques controversées.
C2 noun /ˈɪntərˌloʊpər/

interloper

intrus
Meaning
A person who becomes involved in a situation or place where they are not wanted.
Example
He felt like an interloper at the private family gathering.
Il se sentait comme un intrus lors de la réunion familiale privée.
C2 noun /ˈdɛftnəs/

deftness

dextérité
Meaning
Skillfulness and quickness in action or thought.
Example
Her deftness with words impressed the audience.
Sa dextérité avec les mots a impressionné le public.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.vɔɪd/

ovoid

ovale
Meaning
egg-shaped; resembling an oval or ellipse
Example
The artist painted an ovoid shape in the center of the canvas.
L'artiste a peint une forme ovale au centre de la toile.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdɪmənt/

pediment

fronton triangulaire
Meaning
a triangular gable found above the horizontal structure of a building, often in classical architecture
Example
The ancient temple had a pediment decorated with sculptures.
Le temple antique avait un fronton décoré de sculptures.
C2 adjective, adverb /əˈbʌvˌbɔːrd/

aboveboard

Honnête et ouvert
Meaning
Open and honest; without deception or trickery.
Example
The business deal was completely aboveboard.
L'accord commercial était complètement honnête et ouvert.
C2 noun /ˈtrʌmpəri/

trumpery

nonsense sans valeur ou des choses ostentatoires mais sans valeur
Meaning
worthless nonsense or showy but worthless things
Example
The speech was full of political trumpery.
Le discours était plein de balivernes politiques.
C2 noun /məˈlɛvələns/

malevolence

malveillance
Meaning
The state or condition of being malevolent; having or showing a wish to do evil to others.
Example
His malevolence was clear in the cruel way he treated his rivals.
Sa malveillance était évidente dans la manière cruelle dont il traitait ses rivaux.
C2 adjective /tʃeɪst/

Chaste

chaste; vertueux
Meaning
pure and morally good; abstaining from sexual activity
Example
She lived a chaste and virtuous life.
Elle a vécu une vie chaste et vertueuse.
C2 noun /ˌdɪʃəˈbiːl/

dishabille

déshabillé
Meaning
The state of being only partly or loosely dressed; casual or careless attire.
Example
She answered the door in a state of dishabille, wearing just a robe.
Elle a répondu à la porte dans un état de déshabillé, portant seulement un peignoir.
C2 adjective /ˈræfɪʃ/

raffish

non conventionnel et légèrement discrédité mais attrayant
Meaning
unconventional and slightly disreputable but attractive
Example
He had a raffish charm that made him popular in the city.
Il avait un charme raffish qui le rendait populaire dans la ville.
C2 verb /ˈpɒntɪfɪkeɪt/

pontificate

parler ou agir de manière pompeuse ou dogmatique; officier en tant que pontife
Meaning
to speak or act in a pompous or dogmatic way; to officiate as a pontiff
Example
He pontificated on the importance of education for over an hour.
Il a pontifié pendant plus d'une heure sur l'importance de l'éducation.
C2 adjective /nɑːrld/

gnarled

tordu
Meaning
Twisted, rough, and knotted, especially with age.
Example
The old man had gnarled hands from years of hard work.
L'homme âgé avait les mains tordues à force d'années de travail acharné.
C2 noun /ˌdeɪnuːˈmɒ̃/

denouement

dénouement
Meaning
The final resolution or conclusion of a story, drama, or complicated situation.
Example
The novel's denouement was both surprising and satisfying.
Le dénouement du roman était à la fois surprenant et satisfaisant.
C2 noun /ˈɔɪl.mən/

Oilman

pétrolier
Meaning
a person who works in the oil industry; someone who sells oil or petroleum products
Example
The oilman discovered a new oil field in the desert.
Le pétrolier a découvert un nouveau champ pétrolier dans le désert.
C2 adjective /sɪˈdɪʃəs/

seditious

séditieux
Meaning
Encouraging rebellion against authority.
Example
The activist spread seditious pamphlets among the crowd.
L'activiste a distribué des tracts séditieux parmi la foule.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪstri/

sophistry

sophistique
Meaning
the use of clever but false arguments, often to deceive
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophistry.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophistique.
C2 noun /ˈjuːzjuːfrʌkt/

usufruct

usufruit
Meaning
The legal right to use and enjoy the benefits of someone else’s property without owning it.
Example
The tenant had the usufruct of the land but not its ownership.
Le locataire avait l'usufruit de la terre mais pas sa propriété.
C2 noun /ˈɔːrzmən/

Oarsman

rameur
Meaning
a person who rows a boat, especially as a member of a racing crew
Example
The experienced oarsman rowed the boat across the river.
Le rameur expérimenté a ramé le bateau à travers le fleuve.
C2 adjective /ˌmæləˈdrɔɪt/

maladroit

maladroit
Meaning
clumsy or awkward in movement or behavior
Example
His maladroit attempt at fixing the chair made it worse.
Sa tentative maladroite de réparer la chaise l'a empirée.
C2 noun /ˈbloʊˌhɑrd/

blowhard

personne prétentieuse
Meaning
a person who brags a lot or talks in a boastful way
Example
Everyone avoided the blowhard at the party because he wouldn't stop bragging.
Tout le monde évitait le prétentieux à la fête car il n'arrêtait pas de se vanter.
C2 verb /ˌɪntərˈsiːd/

intercede

intercéder
Meaning
to act or plead on behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble; to intervene between parties to help resolve a dispute
Example
She interceded with the teacher to give her brother another chance.
Elle a intercédé auprès du professeur pour donner une autre chance à son frère.
C2 adjective /pəˈlɛmɪkəl/

polemical

polemique
Meaning
relating to or involving strongly critical or controversial writing or speech
Example
She wrote a polemical article challenging traditional beliefs.
Elle a écrit un article polémique remettant en question les croyances traditionnelles.
C2 verb /bɪˈstruː/

bestrew

répandre
Meaning
To scatter or cover something with objects or substances.
Example
The ground was bestrewn with autumn leaves.
Le sol était couvert de feuilles d'automne.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

bucolique
Meaning
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example
They enjoyed a bucolic picnic by the river.
Ils ont apprécié un pique-nique bucolique au bord de la rivière.
C2 noun /ˌnjuːməˈreɪʃən/

numeration

numération
Meaning
the action or process of counting or assigning numbers
Example
The teacher explained the basics of numeration to the students.
L'enseignant a expliqué les bases de la numération aux étudiants.
C2 verb /ˈrʌstɪkeɪt/

rusticate

Aller à la campagne / exclusion temporaire de l'université
Meaning
To go to the countryside or to suspend someone from university.
Example
He decided to rusticate in the village to escape the busy city life.
Il a décidé de se rendre à la campagne dans le village pour échapper à la vie trépidante de la ville.
C2 adjective /ˈsɑːdn/

sodden

saturé
Meaning
thoroughly soaked or saturated with liquid
Example
His clothes were sodden after the heavy rain.
Ses vêtements étaient saturés après la forte pluie.
C2 adjective /ˈkæloʊ/

callow

immature
Meaning
Inexperienced and immature.
Example
The callow intern made several mistakes on his first day.
Le stagiaire immature a fait plusieurs erreurs lors de son premier jour.
C2 adjective /ˌæd.vɛnˈtɪʃ.əs/

adventitious

accidentel
Meaning
Happening by chance or accident, not planned.
Example
His success was partly due to adventitious circumstances.
Son succès était en partie dû à des circonstances accidentelles.
C2 adjective /ˌɪntəˈrɒɡətəri/

interrogatory

interrogatif
Meaning
expressed in the form of a question; relating to questioning
Example
The lawyer’s interrogatory tone made the witness uncomfortable.
Le ton interrogatif de l'avocat a rendu le témoin mal à l'aise.
C2 verb /ˈhæloʊ/

hallow

sanctifier
Meaning
to honor as holy; to make sacred or greatly respected
Example
The ancient temple was hallowed by centuries of worship.
L'ancien temple a été sanctifié par des siècles de dévotion.
C2 noun /ˈbʌɡəˌbuː/

bugaboo

fantôme / crainte
Meaning
An object of fear or worry; an imagined cause of anxiety.
Example
The threat of inflation became a political bugaboo.
La menace de l'inflation est devenue un bugaboo politique.
C2 noun /dɪˈsɛnʃən/

dissension

dissension
Meaning
Strong disagreement or difference of opinion, especially leading to discord within a group.
Example
The meeting ended in dissension among the committee members.
La réunion s'est terminée par une dissension parmi les membres du comité.
C2 verb /ˌnɒnˈplʌs/

nonplus

décontenancer
Meaning
To surprise and confuse someone so much that they are unsure how to react.
Example
The unexpected question seemed to nonplus the speaker.
La question inattendue sembla décontenancer l'orateur.