attenuate
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 verb əˈtɛn.ju.eɪt

attenuate

atténuer
Meaning
To reduce the force, effect, or value of something; to make weak or thin.
Example
The medicine helps attenuate the pain.
Le médicament aide à atténuer la douleur.
C2 noun /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃə/

differentia

caractéristique distincte
Meaning
A distinguishing characteristic that sets one thing apart from another.
Example
The differentia of humans is their ability to reason abstractly.
La caractéristique distincte des humains est leur capacité à raisonner de manière abstraite.
C2 adjective /ˈɛksplɪkəbəl/

explicable

explicable
Meaning
able to be explained or understood
Example
His sudden anger was explicable given the stressful situation.
Sa colère soudaine était explicable compte tenu de la situation stressante.
C2 noun /ˈbaɪpɛd/

biped

bipède
Meaning
An animal that walks on two feet.
Example
Humans are examples of biped creatures.
Les humains sont des exemples d'êtres bipèdes.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪzəm/

sophism

sophisme
Meaning
a clever but misleading argument; fallacious reasoning
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophism designed to mislead voters.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophisme conçu pour tromper les électeurs.
C2 noun /ˈɔːspɪs/

auspice

augure, patronage
Meaning
A sign, omen, or divine token; also refers to protection or support.
Example
The project was launched under the auspice of the government.
Le projet a été lancé sous l'auspice du gouvernement.
C2 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mɪst/

bigamist

bigame
Meaning
A person who commits the crime of marrying someone while already married to another.
Example
The man was arrested for being a bigamist.
L'homme a été arrêté pour être un bigame.
C2 verb /əˈvɜːr/

aver

affirmer
Meaning
to state or assert something confidently and strongly
Example
She averred that she was innocent.
Elle affirmait qu'elle était innocente.
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 /ˈɡɔːntlɪt/

gauntlet

gant / défi
Meaning
a protective glove; a challenge or trial; to 'throw down the gauntlet' means to issue a challenge
Example
The knight threw down his gauntlet as a sign of challenge.
Le chevalier jeta son gant comme signe de défi.
C2 adjective /fəˈloʊniəs/

felonious

relatif à un crime grave
Meaning
relating to or involved in serious criminal activity
Example
He was charged with felonious assault after the incident.
Il a été accusé d'agression grave après l'incident.
C2 noun /ˈweɪstrəl/

wastrel

dépensier, fainéant
Meaning
A person who wastes time, money, or resources; an idler or spendthrift.
Example
The young man was dismissed as a wastrel by his family.
Le jeune homme a été rejeté comme un gaspilleur par sa famille.
C2 noun /ˈkærəm/

Carom

carvi
Meaning
aromatic seeds of a plant used as a spice, especially in Indian cooking
Example
Carom seeds are often used in traditional Indian bread recipes.
Les graines de carvi sont souvent utilisées dans les recettes traditionnelles de pain indien.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnsəˈluːbriəs/

insalubrious

insalubre
Meaning
Unhealthy or not conducive to well-being.
Example
They moved out of the insalubrious neighborhood for the sake of their health.
Ils ont déménagé du quartier insalubre pour leur santé
C2 noun /ˈsɪɡnət/

cygnet

cygneon
Meaning
a young swan
Example
The cygnet swam closely behind its mother.
Le cygneon nageait juste derrière sa mère.
C2 noun ˈhɑːrbərɪdʒ

harborage

refuge
Meaning
A place of shelter or refuge for pests or animals.
Example
Pests need a harborage site to survive and breed.
Les nuisibles ont besoin d'un refuge pour survivre et se reproduire.
C2 adjective /pɪˈskætɔːrɪəl/

piscatorial

relatif à la pêche
Meaning
relating to fishing or fishermen
Example
He has a deep knowledge of piscatorial techniques and fish species.
Il a une connaissance approfondie des techniques piscatoires et des espèces de poissons.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪpərˈbɔːriən/

hyperborean

hyperboréen
Meaning
Relating to the extreme north; very cold or frigid.
Example
The explorers prepared for the hyperborean climate of the Arctic.
Les explorateurs se sont préparés pour le climat hyperboréen de l'Arctique.
C2 noun /prəˈpɪŋkwɪti/

propinquity

proximité
Meaning
the state of being close to someone or something; proximity
Example
The propinquity of their houses made them close friends.
La proximité de leurs maisons les a rendus amis proches.
C2 adjective /ˈɪndələnt/

indolent

paresseux
Meaning
Wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.
Example
The indolent cat slept in the sun all afternoon.
Le chat paresseux a dormi au soleil toute l'après-midi.
C2 noun /ˈvɜːrbiɪdʒ/

verbiage

verbosité
Meaning
Excessive use of words, often with little content or meaning; wordiness.
Example
The contract was filled with unnecessary legal verbiage.
Le contrat était rempli de verbosité juridique inutile.
C2 noun/verb /dɪsˈfeɪvər/

disfavor

désapprobation / aversion
Meaning
disapproval or dislike; to regard with disapproval
Example
The new policy fell into disfavor with the public.
La nouvelle politique est tombée en disgrâce auprès du public.
C2 noun /ˌsɪɡnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

signification

signification
Meaning
the meaning or sense conveyed by a word, action, or symbol
Example
The signification of the gesture was misunderstood.
La signification du geste a été mal comprise.
C2 adjective /ˈkæp.ʃəs/

Captious

captieux; critique
Meaning
tending to find fault or raise petty objections; fault-finding; critical
Example
His captious remarks about every small detail made the meeting very unpleasant.
Ses remarques captieuses sur chaque petit détail ont rendu la réunion très désagréable.
C2 noun /sɛnˈtjʊəriən/

centurion

centurion
Meaning
A commander of a unit of one hundred soldiers in the ancient Roman army.
Example
The centurion led his men into battle with courage.
Le centurion a mené ses hommes au combat avec courage.
C2 noun /ˌpæliˈeɪʃən/

palliation

soulagement
Meaning
relief of symptoms without curing the underlying disease or problem
Example
Palliation is often the focus of care for terminally ill patients.
Le soulagement est souvent l'objectif principal des soins pour les patients en phase terminale.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.ɪˈbraɪ.ə.ti/

inebriety

ivresse
Meaning
the state of being drunk or intoxicated
Example
His frequent inebriety led to the loss of his job.
Son inconstance dans l'ivresse l'a conduit à perdre son travail.
C2 adjective /ˈstɪdʒiən/

stygian

sombre
Meaning
extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding
Example
They walked through the stygian cave with torches.
Ils marchaient à travers la grotte sombre avec des torches.
C2 adjective /ˌɪməˈmɔːriəl/

immemorial

immémorial
Meaning
Extending back beyond memory or record; ancient.
Example
The tradition has been followed since time immemorial.
La tradition est suivie depuis des temps immémoriaux.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛneɪt/

pennate

en forme de plume
Meaning
Having parts or structures arranged like a feather; feather-shaped.
Example
The fern has a pennate leaf structure.
La structure de la feuille de fougère est en forme de plume.
C2 noun /ˈskɔːrpiən fɪʃ/

Scorpion fish

poisson-scorpion
Meaning
a type of fish with venomous spines that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae
Example
The scorpion fish has dangerous spines that can inject venom.
Le poisson-scorpion a des épines dangereuses qui peuvent injecter du venin.
C2 noun /ˈsɛrəf/

seraph

séraphin
Meaning
An angelic being associated with light and purity, often depicted as a high-ranking angel in Christian theology.
Example
The stained-glass window depicted a seraph with outstretched wings.
Le vitrail représentait un séraphin avec des ailes déployées.
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 /ˈpɛnɪtrəbl/

penetrable

pénétrable
Meaning
Capable of being passed through or entered.
Example
The thin wall was easily penetrable.
Le mur mince était facilement pénétrable.
C2 verb /ˈsʌk.əl/

suckle

allaiter
Meaning
to feed a baby or young animal with milk from the breast or udder
Example
The mother cat suckled her kittens in the basket.
La mère chat a allaité ses chatons dans le panier.
C2 adjective /əˈskjuː/

askew

de travers
Meaning
Not in a straight or level position; crooked or tilted.
Example
The picture on the wall hung slightly askew.
Le tableau sur le mur était légèrement de travers.
C2 noun /vɛkˈseɪʃən/

vexation

vexation
Meaning
the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried
Example
She could not hide her vexation after the repeated delays.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher sa vexation après les retards répétés.
C2 noun /lɔːŋ ɡɔːrd/

Long gourd

courge longue
Meaning
an elongated green vegetable belonging to the cucumber family, used in cooking
Example
She sliced the long gourd thinly for the stir-fry dish.
Elle a coupé la courge longue en tranches fines pour le plat sauté.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːldrən/

caldron

grand chaudron en métal
Meaning
A large metal pot used for boiling liquids or cooking over an open fire.
Example
The witch stirred her potion in a bubbling caldron.
La sorcière remuait sa potion dans un chaudron bouillonnant.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrʃɔːr/

foreshore

rivage
Meaning
The part of the shore between the high and low tide marks
Example
Children were playing on the foreshore, collecting shells.
Les enfants jouaient sur le rivage, ramassant des coquillages.
C2 adjective /ˈsæ.loʊ/

sallow

jaunâtre
Meaning
Of an unhealthy yellow or pale brown color, often referring to skin.
Example
His sallow complexion made him look tired and sickly.
Son teint jaunâtre le faisait paraître fatigué et malade.
C2 noun /ˈfoʊ.nə.ɡræm/

phonogram

symbole phonétique
Meaning
a written symbol representing a speech sound
Example
The teacher showed how each phonogram represents a particular sound.
L'enseignant a montré comment chaque phonogramme représente un son particulier.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒlərɪk/

choleric

colérique
Meaning
Easily angered; irritable and hot-tempered.
Example
His choleric nature often got him into arguments.
Sa nature colérique le mettait souvent dans des disputes.
C2 noun /ˌkɒnvəˈluːʃən/

convolution

convolution, courbe complexe ou structure
Meaning
a twist, coil, or a complex and intricate shape or arrangement
Example
The brain has many convolutions that increase its surface area.
Le cerveau a de nombreuses convolutions qui augmentent sa surface.
C2 verb /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛs/

convalesce

se rétablir, récupérer la santé et la force après une maladie ou un traitement médical
Meaning
to recover health and strength after illness or medical treatment
Example
After the surgery, she spent several weeks convalescing at home.
Après l'opération, elle a passé plusieurs semaines à récupérer chez elle.
C2 adjective /ˈbeɪnfəl/

baneful

nuisible
Meaning
Causing harm, ruin, or destruction; deadly or poisonous.
Example
His baneful influence ruined the community.
Son influence nuisible a ruiné la communauté.
C2 adjective /aɪˈdɒlətrəs/

idolatrous

idolatrique
Meaning
Excessively admiring or worshipping someone or something as an idol.
Example
The king was criticized for his idolatrous devotion to wealth.
Le roi a été critiqué pour sa dévotion idolâtrique à la richesse.
C2 verb /kəˈmɪŋɡəl/

commingle

mélanger
Meaning
To mix or blend different things together.
Example
The charity does not commingle donations with operational funds.
La charité ne mélange pas les dons avec les fonds opérationnels.
C2 adjective /pjuːˈtrɛsənt/

putrescent

en décomposition
Meaning
undergoing the process of decay; rotting
Example
The putrescent odor made everyone leave the room.
L'odeur en décomposition fit fuir tout le monde hors de la pièce.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪdeɪtɪd/

antedated

daté antérieurement
Meaning
assigned to an earlier date than the actual one; happened earlier
Example
The letter was antedated to appear more official.
La lettre a été antidatée pour paraître plus officielle.
C2 noun /ˈdeb.juː.tɑːnt/

debutante

jeune femme faisant sa première apparition formelle dans la société
Meaning
A young woman making her first formal appearance in society.
Example
The debutante wore a white gown at the ball.
La debutante portait une robe blanche au bal.
C2 noun /oʊˈbeɪsəns/

obeisance

révérence
Meaning
A gesture of respect such as a bow or curtsy.
Example
They bowed in obeisance to the king.
Ils se sont inclinés en révérence au roi.
C2 noun /fez/

Fez

fèze
Meaning
a cone-shaped red hat with a tassel, traditionally worn by men in some Middle Eastern countries
Example
The traditional costume included a red fez with a black tassel.
Le costume traditionnel comprenait un fez rouge avec un gland noir.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/

sententious

moraliste; qui donne des leçons
Meaning
Given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.
Example
His sententious remarks annoyed the audience.
Ses remarques moralisatrices ont agacé le public.
C2 noun /ˈtraɪdənt/

trident

trident
Meaning
A three-pronged spear, often associated with Neptune or Poseidon.
Example
The statue of Poseidon holds a mighty trident.
La statue de Poséidon tient un puissant trident.
C2 adverb /əˈsʌndər/

asunder

en morceaux
Meaning
into separate parts; apart
Example
The ancient empire was torn asunder by war.
L'empire ancien a été déchiré en morceaux par la guerre.
C2 adjective /pəˈlædʒ.ɪk/

pelagic

relatif à l'océan ouvert
Meaning
Relating to the open sea or ocean water column, away from the shore.
Example
Pelagic fish like tuna are found far from the coast.
Les poissons pélagiques comme le thon se trouvent loin de la côte.
C2 verb /ˈvɪlɪfaɪ/

vilify

bonheur
Meaning
to speak or write about someone in an abusive or disparaging manner
Example
The politician was vilified in the media for his controversial remarks.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adverb /ˈɡeɪmli/

gamely

avec courage
Meaning
in a brave, spirited, or determined manner
Example
She gamely accepted the challenge despite the difficulties.
Elle a accepté courageusement le défi malgré les difficultés.
C2 verb /ˈvɛdʒɪteɪt/

vegetate

végéter
Meaning
to live in a dull, inactive, or unchallenging way, often with little physical or mental effort
Example
He spent his vacation vegetating on the couch in front of the TV.
Il a passé ses vacances à végéter sur le canapé devant la télévision.
C2 noun /ˈræpsədi/

rhapsody

chanson exaltée/éloge
Meaning
an expression of great enthusiasm or an epic musical composition
Example
The singer’s performance was a rhapsody of emotions.
La performance du chanteur était une rhapsodie d'émotions.
C2 verb /əˈpraɪz/

apprise

informer
Meaning
to inform or notify someone
Example
The manager will apprise the staff of the new policies.
Le responsable informera le personnel des nouvelles politiques.
C2 noun /ˈluː.mən/

lumen

lumen
Meaning
A unit of luminous flux, measuring the amount of visible light emitted by a source.
Example
The bulb produces 800 lumens of light.
L'ampoule produit 800 lumens de lumière.
C2 verb /ɪmˈpɛnd/

impend

se profiler
Meaning
to be about to happen; to loom threateningly
Example
Dark clouds suggested that a storm was impeding.
Les nuages sombres suggéraient qu'une tempête était imminente.
C2 adjective /ˌʌn.rɪˈdʒɛn.ər.ət/

unregenerate

intransigeant
Meaning
Not reformed or showing no signs of change; stubbornly refusing to reform or repent.
Example
He remained an unregenerate opponent of progress.
Il est resté un opposant intransigeant du progrès.
C2 noun /ˈprɒsɪlaɪt/

proselyte

prosélyte
Meaning
A person who has converted from one belief, opinion, or religion to another.
Example
She became a proselyte after converting to a new faith.
Elle est devenue un prosélyte après s'être convertie à une nouvelle foi.
C2 noun /ˌɛksɪˈkreɪʃən/

execration

malédiction
Meaning
An act of cursing or denouncing someone or something with hatred.
Example
The dictator’s name was spoken with execration after his fall.
Le nom du dictateur a été prononcé avec malédiction après sa chute.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsteɪt/

instate

installer
Meaning
To set up in position, office, or authority.
Example
The board decided to instate her as the new director.
Le conseil a décidé de l'instaurer en tant que nouveau directeur.
C2 noun /ˈdʒaɪər/

gyre

tourbillon, courant océanique circulaire
Meaning
A circular or spiral motion or form, especially a giant circular oceanic surface current.
Example
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is trapped in a gyre.
Le grand patch de déchets du Pacifique est coincé dans un tourbillon.
C2 noun /ˈklæpər/

clapper

pièce métallique à l'intérieur d'une cloche qui la frappe pour produire un son
Meaning
The free-swinging metal piece inside a bell that strikes it to produce sound.
Example
The clapper inside the bell was broken.
La pièce métallique à l'intérieur de la cloche était cassée.
C2 adjective kaɪˈmɛr.ɪ.kəl

chimerical

chimérique, irréalisable
Meaning
Illusory or impossible to achieve; existing only in imagination.
Example
His chimerical ideas often baffled realists.
Ses idées chimériques déconcertent souvent les réalistes.
C2 verb /blæsˈfiːm/

blaspheme

blasphémer
Meaning
to speak irreverently about God or sacred things
Example
He was accused of blaspheming during the heated argument.
Il a été accusé de blasphémer pendant la dispute intense.
C2 adjective /ˈmʌski/

musky

musqué
Meaning
having a strong, sweet, earthy smell like musk
Example
The perfume had a musky fragrance.
Le parfum avait une fragrance musquée.
C2 adjective /kənˈdʒɛktʃərəl/

conjectural

conjectural
Meaning
based on guesswork or incomplete evidence rather than certain knowledge
Example
His explanation was purely conjectural and lacked proof.
Son explication était purement conjecturale et manquait de preuves.
C2 noun /ˈlɒdʒ.mənt/

lodgment

hébergement temporaire
Meaning
The act of lodging or a place of temporary stay; also a deposit of something.
Example
The soldiers found lodgment in the abandoned house.
Les soldats ont trouvé un hébergement temporaire dans la maison abandonnée.
C2 adjective /ˈleɪ.tɪʃ/

latish

un peu en retard
Meaning
Somewhat late; occurring or arriving later than usual but not very late.
Example
We arrived latish to the party but still caught most of the fun.
Nous sommes arrivés un peu en retard à la fête, mais nous avons quand même profité de la plupart du plaisir.
C2 noun /ʃəˈɡrɪn/

chagrin

chagrin
Meaning
Distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated.
Example
She left the room in chagrin after forgetting her lines.
Elle a quitté la pièce dans le chagrin après avoir oublié ses répliques.
C2 adverb /ˌfɔːrθˈwɪθ/

Forthwith

immédiatement; sans retard; sur-le-champ
Meaning
immediately; without delay; at once
Example
The manager ordered the employee to stop the unsafe practice forthwith.
Le directeur a ordonné à l'employé d'arrêter immédiatement la pratique dangereuse.
C2 noun /ˈɛmɪsɛri/

emissary

émissaire
Meaning
A person sent on a special mission, usually as a diplomatic representative.
Example
The king sent an emissary to negotiate peace.
Le roi a envoyé un émissaire pour négocier la paix.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒtld/

mottled

tacheté
Meaning
Marked with spots, streaks, or blotches of different shades or colors.
Example
The snake's mottled skin helped it blend into the forest floor.
La peau tachetée du serpent l'a aidé à se fondre dans le sol de la forêt.
C2 adjective /ˈleɪ.baɪl/ or /ˈlæb.aɪl/

labile

instable
Meaning
easily altered or unstable; prone to change
Example
Her mood was so labile that it changed several times in an hour.
Son humeur était tellement instable qu'elle a changé plusieurs fois en une heure.
C2 adjective /ɪˈrɛfrəɡəbəl/

irrefragable

irréfutable
Meaning
Impossible to refute, deny, or break
Example
The lawyer presented irrefragable evidence that proved his client’s innocence.
L'avocat a présenté des preuves irréfutables qui ont prouvé l'innocence de son client.
C2 noun /mɛnˈdæsəti/

mendacity

faux
Meaning
the tendency to be untruthful; dishonesty
Example
The journalist exposed the mendacity of the officials.
Le journaliste a exposé la fausseté des responsables.
C2 adjective /ˈbæti/

batty

fou
Meaning
crazy or eccentric in behavior
Example
The old man down the street is a bit batty but harmless.
Le vieil homme dans la rue est un peu fou mais inoffensif.
C2 noun /θiˈɒsəfi/

theosophy

théosophie
Meaning
A religious or philosophical belief system that seeks direct knowledge of the mysteries of life and the divine.
Example
Theosophy attracted people interested in mysticism and spiritual growth.
La théosophie a attiré des personnes intéressées par le mysticisme et la croissance spirituelle.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɪkˈstrɪkəbl/

inextricable

inextricable
Meaning
Impossible to separate or escape from.
Example
The two friends shared an inextricable bond.
Les deux amis partageaient un lien inextricable.
C2 noun /lækˈteɪʃən/

lactation

production de lait
Meaning
the secretion of milk by the mammary glands of female mammals
Example
The doctor explained that lactation is a natural process after childbirth.
Le médecin a expliqué que la lactation est un processus naturel après l'accouchement.
C2 adjective /splɪˈnɛtɪk/

splenetic

irritable, colérique
Meaning
bad-tempered, irritable, spiteful
Example
His splenetic remarks offended everyone in the room.
Ses remarques colériques ont offensé tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɒlɪti/

jollity

allégresse
Meaning
lively and cheerful activity or celebration
Example
The wedding was full of jollity and laughter.
Le mariage était plein de joie et de rires.
C2 noun /ˈræŋɡlər/

wrangler

gardien de bétail
Meaning
a person who argues noisily; or someone who takes care of livestock on a ranch
Example
The cowboy worked as a wrangler on the ranch.
Le cowboy a travaillé comme un rángler dans le ranch.
C2 noun /ˌrɛtəˈrɪʃən/

rhetorician

rhéteur
Meaning
A person who is skilled in the art of rhetoric or persuasive speaking/writing.
Example
The rhetorician captivated the audience with his eloquence.
Le rhéteur a captivé l'auditoire avec son éloquence.
C2 noun /əˈkʌmpənɪst/

accompanist

accompagnateur
Meaning
A person who plays a musical instrument to support a singer or another musician.
Example
The pianist served as the accompanist for the singer during the concert.
Le pianiste a joué le rôle d'accompagnateur pour le chanteur pendant le concert.
C2 verb /læmˈpuːn/

lampoon

ridiculiser
Meaning
to publicly criticize or ridicule someone or something with humor, irony, or sarcasm
Example
The cartoonist lampooned the politician for his contradictory statements.
Le caricaturiste a ridiculisé le politicien pour ses déclarations contradictoires.
C2 noun /ˈhæknɪ/

hackney

cheval de location, usé
Meaning
a horse kept for ordinary riding or hire; also used for something overused or trite
Example
The old hackney was still pulling the carriage.
Le vieux cheval de location tirait encore la carriole.
C2 adjective /stəˈkɑː.təʊ/

staccato

détaché
Meaning
short and detached in sound or style, often used in music
Example
The pianist played the notes in a staccato rhythm.
Le pianiste a joué les notes dans un rythme détaché.
C2 noun /mɪˈsænθrəpi/

misanthropy

misanthropie
Meaning
a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of humankind
Example
His misanthropy was evident in the way he avoided people.
Sa misanthropie était évidente dans la façon dont il évitait les gens.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪtərəl/

littoral

littoral
Meaning
Related to or situated on the shore of the sea or a lake.
Example
The littoral zone is home to many unique marine species.
La zone littorale est le domicile de nombreuses espèces marines uniques.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊltɪs/

poultice

cataplasme chaud aux herbes
Meaning
a soft, moist mass of material applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation
Example
The nurse applied a warm poultice to his injured leg.
L'infirmière a appliqué un cataplasme chaud sur sa jambe blessée.
C2 noun /ˌspoʊliˈeɪʃən/

spoliation

destruction
Meaning
The act of destroying or ruining something, often evidence or property.
Example
The court punished the company for the spoliation of evidence.
Le tribunal a puni l'entreprise pour la spoliation des preuves.
C2 noun /ˌkæstɪˈɡeɪʃən/

castigation

critique sévère ou punition
Meaning
Severe criticism or punishment for wrongdoing.
Example
The manager’s harsh castigation shocked the entire team.
La sévère castigation du manager a choqué toute l'équipe.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈprɛɡnəbl̩/

impregnable

imprenable
Meaning
Unable to be captured, broken into, or defeated.
Example
The fortress was considered impregnable by the enemy.
La forteresse était considérée comme imprenable par l'ennemi.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈsaɪklɔɪd/

cycloid

courbe cycloïdienne
Meaning
a curve traced by a point on the rim of a circle as it rolls along a straight line
Example
The cycloid is often studied in mathematics and physics.
La cycloïde est souvent étudiée en mathématiques et en physique.
C2 adjective /ˈfuːlˌhɑːrdi/

foolhardy

audacieux imprudent
Meaning
Recklessly bold or rash; taking foolish risks.
Example
It was foolhardy of him to climb the mountain without proper gear.
C'était audacieux de sa part de gravir la montagne sans l'équipement approprié.
C2 adjective /ˈpʌkɪʃ/

puckish

espiègle
Meaning
playfully mischievous
Example
The child gave a puckish grin before hiding the toy.
L'enfant a donné un sourire espiègle avant de cacher le jouet.
C2 noun /ɪˌluːmɪˈnɑːti/

illuminati

illuminati
Meaning
a group of people claiming to have special enlightenment or secret knowledge, often linked to conspiracies
Example
Many conspiracy theories involve the Illuminati as a secret world-controlling group.
De nombreuses théories du complot impliquent les Illuminati comme un groupe secret contrôlant le monde.
C2 noun /kəˈlɒsəti/

callosity

peau épaissie
Meaning
A thickened or hardened area of skin; insensitivity or hardness of character.
Example
Years of manual labor left callosity on his hands.
Des années de travail manuel ont laissé de la callosité sur ses mains.
C2 noun /ˈhʌk.stər/

huckster

vendeur ambulant
Meaning
A person who sells small items aggressively, often in a showy or dishonest way.
Example
The huckster loudly promoted his goods in the busy marketplace.
Le vendeur ambulant a bruyamment promu ses marchandises dans le marché bondé.
C2 noun dʒʊˈdɪʃəsnɪs

judiciousness

jugement judicieux, sagesse
Meaning
Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense.
Example
Her judiciousness in making decisions was appreciated.
Sa sagesse dans la prise de décision a été appréciée.
C2 noun /naɪt ˈdʒæz.mɪn/

Night-jesmine

jasmin de nuit
Meaning
a fragrant flowering tree that blooms at night with small white flowers
Example
The night-jasmine tree blooms only after sunset with its tiny white flowers.
Le jasmin de nuit fleurit seulement après le coucher du soleil avec ses petites fleurs blanches.
C2 adjective /ˈɛdɪfaɪɪŋ/

edifying

édifiant
Meaning
Providing moral or intellectual instruction or enlightenment.
Example
The documentary was both entertaining and edifying.
Le documentaire était à la fois divertissant et édifiant.
C2 noun /ˈɛkwɪpɪdʒ/

equipage

Équipement ou un carrosse avec ses accessoires
Meaning
Equipment or a carriage with its accessories.
Example
The nobleman arrived in a grand equipage.
Le noble est arrivé dans un grand carrosse.
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 /ˌɪnjuːˈɛndəʊ/

innuendo

sous-entendu
Meaning
An allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one.
Example
The manager's innuendo was directed towards his competitor.
L'allusion du directeur était dirigée vers son concurrent.
C2 noun /dɪˈstɪlər/

distiller

distillateur
Meaning
A person or company that makes alcoholic drinks or purified liquids by distillation.
Example
The distiller introduced a new brand of whiskey last year.
Le distillateur a lancé une nouvelle marque de whisky l'année dernière.
C2 verb /pərˈlɔɪn/

purloin

voler
Meaning
to steal something, often in a sneaky or dishonest way
Example
He tried to purloin a book from the library without being noticed.
Il a essayé de voler un livre à la bibliothèque sans être remarqué.
C2 noun /brəˈvjʊrə/

bravura

virtuosité
Meaning
a display of great skill and brilliance, especially in music or performance
Example
The pianist delivered a bravura performance that left the audience spellbound.
Le pianiste a offert une prestation virtuose qui a laissé le public ébloui.
C2 adjective /səˈprɛsəbl̩/

suppressible

réprimable
Meaning
capable of being restrained, controlled, or prevented
Example
The symptoms of the disease are suppressible with medication.
Les symptômes de la maladie sont supprimables avec des médicaments.
C2 noun /ˌnɒvəˈlɛt/

novellette

novellette
Meaning
A short novel or long short story.
Example
The author published a novellette as a preview of her upcoming series.
L'auteur a publié une novellette en avant-première de sa prochaine série.
C2 verb /əˈleɪ/

allay

apaiser
Meaning
to reduce the intensity of fear, worry, or pain; to calm
Example
The teacher tried to allay the students’ fears before the exam.
L'enseignant a essayé de calmer les peurs des élèves avant l'examen.
C2 adjective /ˈmɜːrkəntaɪl/

mercantile

commercial
Meaning
related to trade or commerce
Example
The city grew rapidly due to its mercantile activities.
La ville a rapidement prospéré grâce à ses activités mercantiles.
C2 verb /fleɪl/

flail

agiter ou balancer quelque chose sauvagement; se débattre
Meaning
to wave or swing something about wildly; to thrash about
Example
He flailed his arms to keep afloat in the water.
Il agitait ses bras pour rester à flot dans l'eau.