belle
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 /bɛl/

belle

belle femme
Meaning
A beautiful woman, especially the most attractive woman at a gathering.
Example
She was the belle of the ball that evening.
Elle était la belle du bal ce soir-là.
C2 noun ˈtɛlɪˌmɛtri

telemetry

télémétrie
Meaning
The process of recording and transmitting the readings of an instrument.
Example
The spacecraft transmitted telemetry data back to Earth.
Le vaisseau spatial a transmis les données de télémétrie à la Terre.
C2 adjective /ˈmiː.di.əl/

medial

médial
Meaning
Situated in or pertaining to the middle; located toward the midline of the body or structure.
Example
The medial side of the knee is more prone to injury.
Le côté médial du genou est plus sujet aux blessures.
C2 adjective /ɪˈrɛzəluːt/

irresolute

indécis
Meaning
uncertain or indecisive; lacking determination
Example
He stood irresolute at the crossroads, unsure which path to take.
Il resta indécis au carrefour, ne sachant quel chemin prendre.
C2 verb /ɪˈluːmɪn/

illumine

illuminer
Meaning
to light up or make clear
Example
The rising sun illumined the mountain peaks.
Le soleil levant illumina les cimes des montagnes.
C2 verb /ˈtɛmpəˌraɪz/

temporize

temporiser
Meaning
To delay making a decision or taking action in order to gain time.
Example
The politician temporized when asked about the controversial issue.
Le politicien a temporisé lorsqu'on lui a demandé à propos de la question controversée.
C2 noun /miːn/

mien

mine
Meaning
A person's appearance or manner, especially as an indication of their character or mood.
Example
His serious mien made everyone fall silent.
Son air sérieux fit taire tout le monde.
C2 noun /əˈsɜːrbəti/

acerbity

acerbité
Meaning
bitterness or sharpness of tone, manner, or taste
Example
The acerbity of his remarks left everyone silent.
L'acerbité de ses remarques a laissé tout le monde en silence.
C2 verb /ˈmɒtl/

mottle

moucheté
Meaning
To mark with spots or patches of color.
Example
The leaves were mottled with shades of yellow and brown.
Les feuilles étaient marquées de taches jaunes et brunes.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.kən/

oaken

fait de chêne
Meaning
made of or resembling oak wood
Example
The villagers gathered around the oaken table in the hall.
Les villageois se sont rassemblés autour de la table en chêne dans la salle.
C2 adjective /ˈmjuːlɪʃ/

mulish

têtu
Meaning
extremely stubborn or unwilling to change
Example
She remained mulish despite all the convincing arguments.
Elle resta obstinée malgré tous les arguments convaincants.
C2 noun /ˈkaʊntɪŋˌhaʊs/

counting-house

bureau de comptabilité
Meaning
a business office where accounts are kept and financial transactions are managed
Example
The merchant spent most of his day in the counting-house reviewing ledgers.
Le marchand passait la majeure partie de sa journée dans le bureau de comptabilité à examiner les livres de comptes.
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 verb /ˈɪmprɛɡneɪt/

impregnate

imprégner / rendre enceinte
Meaning
To make pregnant; to fill or saturate with something.
Example
The scientist used a method to impregnate the material with resin.
Le scientifique a utilisé une méthode pour imprégner le matériau de résine.
C2 adjective /ˌoʊpəˈlɛsənt/

opalescent

opalescent
Meaning
showing or reflecting a milky, iridescent light like an opal
Example
The opalescent sky glowed with shades of pink and blue.
Le ciel opalescent brillait avec des nuances de rose et de bleu.
C2 noun /ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪtənɪzəm/

cosmopolitanism

cosmopolitisme
Meaning
the ideology that all human beings belong to a single community
Example
Cosmopolitanism promotes respect and understanding across cultures.
Le cosmopolitisme favorise le respect et la compréhension entre les cultures.
C2 adjective /vəˈreɪʃəs/

veracious

véridique
Meaning
Truthful, honest; habitually speaking the truth.
Example
She gave a veracious account of what happened that day.
Elle a donné un récit véridique de ce qui s'est passé ce jour-là.
C2 noun /ˌkɛəriˈætɪd/

caryatid

colonne avec une figure féminine sculptée
Meaning
A stone carving of a draped female figure, used as a supporting column in architecture.
Example
The ancient temple featured a caryatid holding up the roof.
Le temple antique comportait une caryatide soutenant le toit.
C2 noun /loʊm/

loam

sol argileux fertile
Meaning
Fertile soil mixture of sand, clay, and organic matter.
Example
Loam soil is ideal for agriculture due to its nutrient content.
Le sol loameux est idéal pour l'agriculture en raison de sa teneur en nutriments.
C2 verb /ɪnˈhjuːm/

inhume

inhumer
Meaning
to bury a dead body in the ground
Example
They inhumed the warrior with full honors.
Ils ont inhumé le guerrier avec tous les honneurs.
C2 adjective /ˌoʊvərˈwiːnɪŋ/

overweening

arrogant excessif
Meaning
excessively arrogant or prideful
Example
His overweening pride cost him many friends.
Son excès de fierté lui a coûté de nombreux amis.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprəˈsɑːrioʊ/

impresario

impresario
Meaning
A person who organizes or finances concerts, plays, or operas.
Example
The impresario arranged a series of concerts for the rising star.
L'impresario a organisé une série de concerts pour la star montante.
C2 adjective /ˈpɪd.lɪŋ/

Piddling

insignifiant; trivial; petite quantité
Meaning
trivial; insignificant; small in amount
Example
He was annoyed by the piddling amount of money he received.
Il était contrarié par la petite quantité d'argent qu'il avait reçue.
C2 adjective /səˈluːtəˌtɔri/

salutatory

discours de salutation
Meaning
Relating to or expressing a greeting or an address, especially at the beginning of a speech.
Example
She delivered a salutatory address at the graduation ceremony.
Elle a prononcé un discours de salutation lors de la cérémonie de remise des diplômes.
C2 adjective /ˌkrɪp.təˈɡræf.ɪk/

cryptographic

cryptographique
Meaning
Relating to cryptography; involving or using secret codes or ciphers for security.
Example
Banks use cryptographic technology to protect transactions.
Les banques utilisent la technologie cryptographique pour sécuriser les transactions.
C2 noun /ˈfænˌtæzəm/

phantasm

fantôme
Meaning
an illusion, ghost, or figment of the imagination
Example
The child claimed to see a phantasm in the old house.
L'enfant prétendait avoir vu un fantôme dans la vieille maison.
C2 verb /miːt/

mete

distribuer
Meaning
To dispense or allot justice, punishment, or harsh treatment.
Example
The judge will mete out punishment according to the crime.
Le juge distribuera la punition en fonction du crime.
C2 noun /hæp/

hap

chance, fortune, hasard
Meaning
luck, fortune, or chance occurrence
Example
By sheer hap, he discovered the old letter hidden in the drawer.
Par pur hasard, il a découvert la vieille lettre cachée dans le tiroir.
C2 noun /ˌæɡ.rəˈdeɪ.ʃən/

aggradation

processus de construction de la terre par dépôt de sédiments
Meaning
The process of land being built up by sediment deposition.
Example
Aggradation helps in the natural expansion of riverbanks.
L'aggradation aide à l'expansion naturelle des rives des rivières.
C2 noun /kɒɡˈnoʊmən/

cognomen

nom de famille / surnom
Meaning
A family name or surname; an additional name or nickname.
Example
His cognomen became widely known in literary circles.
Son nom de famille est devenu largement connu dans les cercles littéraires.
C2 adjective /ˈbrækɪʃ/

brackish

salé
Meaning
Slightly salty, often describing water that is a mix of fresh and seawater.
Example
The river estuary contained brackish water.
L'estuaire du fleuve contenait de l'eau salée.
C2 adjective /əˈrækjələr/

oracular

oraculaire
Meaning
Resembling an oracle; giving wise, mysterious, or prophetic statements
Example
Her oracular words left the audience deep in thought.
Ses paroles oraculaires ont laissé l'audience profondément pensive.
C2 verb /ɪkˈspʌndʒ/

expunge

effacer
Meaning
To erase or remove completely, often something unwanted.
Example
He managed to expunge the embarrassing memory from his mind.
Il a réussi à effacer le souvenir embarrassant de son esprit.
C2 noun /ˈvɛləm/

vellum

parchemin
Meaning
a fine parchment made originally from the skin of a calf, used for writing or printing
Example
The ancient manuscript was written on vellum.
Le manuscrit ancien a été écrit sur du parchemin.
C2 noun /məˈbɒkrəsi/

mobocracy

gouvernance par la foule
Meaning
Rule or control by a mob or mass of people, often disorderly.
Example
The protest turned into mobocracy when the crowd started destroying property.
La protestation s'est transformée en mobocratie lorsque la foule a commencé à détruire des biens.
C2 adjective /daɪˈæfənəs/

diaphanous

diaphane
Meaning
Light, delicate, and translucent.
Example
She wore a diaphanous dress that shimmered in the sunlight.
Elle portait une robe diaphane qui scintillait sous la lumière du soleil.
C2 adjective /ˈkɪŋ.ki/

Kinky

pratiques sexuelles non conventionnelles; cheveux frisés ou bouclés
Meaning
having or involving unconventional sexual practices; having tight curls or bends
Example
His kinky hair made him look unique.
Ses cheveux frisés le rendaient unique.
C2 noun ˈoʊʃən ˌstrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən

ocean stratification

stratification océanique
Meaning
The formation of layers in ocean water due to differences in density.
Example
Ocean stratification affects marine biodiversity.
La stratification océanique affecte la biodiversité marine.
C2 noun /ˈtɛsteɪtər/

testator

testateur
Meaning
a person who has made a will
Example
The lawyer read the will of the deceased testator.
L'avocat a lu le testament du testateur décédé.
C2 adjective /kəˈnjuːbiəl/

connubial

conjugal
Meaning
Relating to marriage or the relationship of a married couple.
Example
They celebrated their connubial bliss with a honeymoon trip.
Ils ont célébré leur bonheur conjugal avec un voyage de noces.
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 verb, noun /blæb/

blab

bavarder; divulguer un secret
Meaning
to talk too much or reveal secrets carelessly; excessive or foolish talk
Example
He accidentally blabbed the surprise to everyone.
Il a révélé la surprise par erreur.
C2 noun /ɪˈbʊliəns/

ebullience

exubérance
Meaning
the quality of being cheerful, enthusiastic, and full of energy
Example
The teacher's ebullience inspired her students.
L'enthousiasme de l'enseignante a inspiré ses élèves.
C2 verb /aʊtˈraɪd/

outride

dépasser
Meaning
to ride faster, farther, or better than someone else
Example
The young rider managed to outride his competitors in the race.
Le jeune cavalier a réussi à dépasser ses concurrents dans la course.
C2 noun /ˌɔːskʌlˈteɪʃən/

auscultation

auscultation
Meaning
The act of listening to internal sounds of the body, typically using a stethoscope.
Example
The doctor performed auscultation to check the patient’s lungs.
Le médecin a effectué une auscultation pour vérifier les poumons du patient.
C2 verb /ˈnuːkliˌeɪt/

nucleate

nucléaire
Meaning
to form into a nucleus or bring together into a central part
Example
The droplets began to nucleate around tiny particles in the air.
Les gouttes ont commencé à se nucléer autour des petites particules dans l'air.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪtriəs/

vitreous

vitreux
Meaning
having a glass-like appearance or quality
Example
The mineral has a vitreous shine.
Le minéral a un éclat vitreux.
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 noun /ˈreɪmənt/

raiment

vêtements
Meaning
clothing, especially fine or formal wear
Example
The king wore royal raiment during the ceremony.
Le roi portait des vêtements royaux pendant la cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːrtərər/

barterer

barteur
Meaning
A person who trades goods or services without using money.
Example
The barterer exchanged fruits for some pottery.
Le barteur a échangé des fruits contre des pots.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprɪˈmɑːtər/

imprimatur

imprimatur
Meaning
An official license or approval, especially to publish a book.
Example
The book was released with the official imprimatur of the church.
Le livre a été publié avec l'imprimatur officiel de l'église.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈkɒnsɪləbl/

irreconcilable

irréconciliable
Meaning
impossible to make compatible or bring into harmony; unable to resolve differences
Example
The couple separated due to irreconcilable differences.
Le couple s'est séparé en raison de différences irréconciliables.
C2 noun /ˈɔː.rɪ.fɪs/

orifice

orifice
Meaning
an opening or hole, especially in the body or a device
Example
The medicine was applied through a small orifice in the device.
Le médicament a été appliqué par un petit orifice dans l'appareil.
C2 verb /ˈɛksplɪkeɪt/

explicate

expliquer
Meaning
to make an idea or principle clear by explaining it in detail
Example
The professor tried to explicate the theory of relativity for his students.
Le professeur a essayé d'expliquer la théorie de la relativité à ses étudiants.
C2 noun /biˈætɪtjuːd/

beatitude

béatitude, une grande bénédiction ou bonheur, souvent en référence aux paroles de Jésus dans le Sermon sur la Montagne
Meaning
supreme blessedness or happiness, often used in reference to the sayings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount
Example
She felt a state of beatitude after receiving the good news.
Elle se sentait dans un état de béatitude après avoir reçu la bonne nouvelle.
C2 noun /ˈθɝː.moʊ.klaɪn/

thermocline

thermocline
Meaning
A layer in a body of water in which temperature changes rapidly with depth.
Example
The thermocline separates warm surface water from cold deep water.
La thermocline sépare l'eau chaude de la surface de l'eau froide en profondeur.
C2 noun /naɪt kwiːn/

Night queen

reine de la nuit
Meaning
a fragrant white flower that blooms at night and releases strong sweet scent
Example
The night queen flowers filled the garden with their sweet fragrance.
Les fleurs de la reine de la nuit ont rempli le jardin de leur douce fragrance.
C2 noun /ˌpɛrəɡrɪˈneɪʃən/

peregrination

pérégrination
Meaning
A long journey or wandering, especially on foot.
Example
Their peregrination across Asia lasted two years.
Leurs pérégrinations à travers l'Asie ont duré deux ans.
C2 verb /ˈreə.rɪ.faɪ/

rarefy

raréfier, affiner
Meaning
To make something less dense or more refined.
Example
The air rarefies as you climb higher into the mountains.
L'air se raréfie à mesure que vous montez plus haut dans les montagnes.
C2 adverb /ˈaɪsɪli/

icily

glacialement
Meaning
In a very cold, unfriendly, or hostile manner.
Example
She replied icily to his question.
Elle a répondu glaciellement à sa question.
C2 noun /ˈflɛkʃən/

flection

flexion
Meaning
The act of bending or the state of being bent, especially of a limb or joint.
Example
The doctor tested the patient's knee flection during the examination.
Le médecin a testé la flexion du genou du patient lors de l'examen.
C2 noun /ˌɛksaɪˈteɪʃən/

excitation

excitation
Meaning
a state of great excitement or the process of stimulating activity
Example
The news created great excitation among the fans.
Les nouvelles ont créé une grande excitation parmi les fans.
C2 noun /ɪkˌsprəʊ.priˈeɪ.ʃən/

expropriation

expropriation
Meaning
The act of government taking private property, also known as confiscation, nationalization, or seizure.
Example
The land expropriation led to disputes among landowners.
L'expropriation des terres a entraîné des disputes entre les propriétaires fonciers.
C2 noun /ˈsuːθˌseɪər/

soothsayer

devin
Meaning
a person who claims to predict the future
Example
The king consulted a soothsayer before going to war.
Le roi a consulté un devin avant d'aller à la guerre.
C2 noun /bleɪn/

Blain

cloque
Meaning
an inflammatory swelling or sore on the skin; a blister or pustule
Example
The doctor examined the blain on his arm.
Le médecin a examiné la cloque sur son bras.
C2 adjective /ˌluː.mɪˈnɛs.ənt/

luminescent

lumineux
Meaning
Emitting light without heat, glowing softly.
Example
The luminescent watch dial was visible in the dark.
Le cadran lumineux de la montre était visible dans l'obscurité.
C2 noun /ˈpɒntɪf/

pontiff

pape ou un évêque de haut rang
Meaning
the pope or a high-ranking bishop in the Christian church
Example
The pontiff addressed the nation in a televised speech.
Le pape a adressé la nation dans un discours télévisé.
C2 adjective /dɪˈluːsəri/

delusory

illusoires
Meaning
Based on illusion; not real.
Example
He was filled with delusory hopes of becoming famous overnight.
Il était rempli de faux espoirs de devenir célèbre du jour au lendemain.
C2 adjective /fjuːˈnɪəriəl/

funereal

funéraire
Meaning
having the mournful, somber character of a funeral
Example
The room was filled with a funereal silence after the announcement.
La pièce était remplie d'un silence funéraire après l'annonce.
C2 noun /ˈbælæst/

ballast

ballast
Meaning
heavy material used to stabilize a ship or vehicle
Example
The ship was loaded with ballast to remain steady in the storm.
Le navire a été chargé de ballast pour rester stable dans la tempête.
C2 noun /rɪˈpʌɡ.nəns/

repugnance

répulsion
Meaning
intense disgust or strong aversion towards something
Example
She felt deep repugnance at the cruelty of the act.
Elle ressentit une profonde répulsion envers la cruauté de l'acte.
C2 adjective /ˌaɪdəˈlɑːtrɪəs/

idolatrious

idolâtre
Meaning
Excessively devoted or reverent towards idols or false gods.
Example
The ancient tribe was known for its idolatrious practices.
La tribu ancienne était connue pour ses pratiques idolâtres.
C2 noun /ˈspuːnərɪzəm/

spoonerism

spounérisme
Meaning
A verbal error in which the initial sounds of words are swapped to create a humorous effect.
Example
He made a spoonerism by saying 'queer old dean' instead of 'dear old queen'.
Il a fait un spounérisme en disant 'vieux doyen bizarre' au lieu de 'vieille reine chère'.
C2 adjective /ˈveɪpərəs/

Vaporous

vaporeux; vague
Meaning
consisting of vapor; vague or insubstantial
Example
The morning air was filled with vaporous mist.
L'air du matin était rempli de brume vaporeuse.
C2 adjective /ˌævəˈrɪʃəs/

avaricious

avide
Meaning
having or showing extreme greed for wealth or material gain
Example
The avaricious landlord increased the rent unfairly.
Le propriétaire avide a augmenté le loyer de manière injuste.
C2 adjective /ˈɡɛə.rɪʃ/

garish

excessivement brillant et voyant
Meaning
Excessively bright and showy, often in a tasteless or unattractive way.
Example
The room was decorated with garish neon lights.
La pièce était décorée avec des lumières néon excessivement brillantes.
C2 verb /ˈnɪɡəl/

niggle

causer une légère mais persistante gêne
Meaning
to cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or worry
Example
A small doubt niggled at her mind.
Un petit doute la perturbait dans son esprit.
C2 verb /ˈhɛktər/

hector

parler de manière intimidante
Meaning
To talk to someone in a bullying or intimidating way.
Example
The manager hectored the staff into working overtime.
Le manager a menacé le personnel de faire des heures supplémentaires.
C2 verb /ˌriːkruːˈdɛs/

recrudesce

récruder
Meaning
to break out or appear again after a period of dormancy or decline
Example
After months of calm, violence recrudesced in the region.
Après des mois de calme, la violence a recrudé dans la région.
C2 noun /ˈɡæliən/

galleon

galeón
Meaning
A large sailing ship used mainly by Europeans from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Example
The Spanish galleon carried treasures across the Atlantic.
Le galeón espagnol a transporté des trésors à travers l'Atlantique.
C2 noun /oʊliˈændər/

Oleander

oléandre
Meaning
a poisonous evergreen shrub with clusters of white, pink, or red flowers
Example
The beautiful oleander flowers bloomed in the garden despite their toxic nature.
Les belles fleurs d'oléanre ont fleuri dans le jardin malgré leur nature toxique.
C2 noun /kərˈmʌdʒən/

curmudgeon

râleur
Meaning
a bad-tempered, cranky, or irritable person, usually old
Example
The old curmudgeon complained about everything in the neighborhood.
Le vieux râleur se plaignait de tout dans le quartier.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈspɛərɪŋ/

unsparing

implacable
Meaning
Showing no mercy or generosity; harsh or severe.
Example
The critic was unsparing in his review of the play.
Le critique était implacable dans sa critique de la pièce.
C2 adjective/noun /ˌhaɪərəˈɡlɪfɪk/

hieroglyphic

hiéroglyphique
Meaning
Relating to or written in hieroglyphs; symbols or writing that is difficult to understand.
Example
The archaeologists studied the hieroglyphic inscriptions carefully.
Les archéologues ont étudié les inscriptions hiéroglyphiques avec soin.
C2 adverb /hərˈmɛtɪkli/

hermetically

hermétiquement
Meaning
In a way that is completely airtight or sealed off.
Example
The jars were hermetically sealed to preserve freshness.
Les bocaux ont été hermétiquement scellés pour préserver la fraîcheur.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərˈæd/

superadd

superajouter
Meaning
to add something to what has already been added
Example
The author chose to superadd a new chapter to the revised edition.
L'auteur a choisi de superajouter un nouveau chapitre à l'édition révisée.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪz.mə.ɡræf/

seismograph

sismographe
Meaning
An instrument that measures and records details of earthquakes, such as force and duration.
Example
The seismograph detected a strong tremor in the area.
Le sismographe a détecté une forte secousse dans la région.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪt.ləs/

Witless

imbécile; stupide; sans intelligence
Meaning
lacking intelligence or wisdom; foolish
Example
His witless remarks during the meeting embarrassed everyone present.
Ses remarques stupides pendant la réunion ont embarrassé tous les présents.
C2 verb /ˌɪntərˈpoʊz/

interpose

interposer
Meaning
To place or insert between one thing and another; to intervene in a situation.
Example
He quickly interposed himself between the fighters to stop the quarrel.
Il s'est rapidement interposé entre les combattants pour arrêter la querelle.
C2 noun /rɪˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/

renunciation

renonciation
Meaning
the formal rejection or giving up of something, usually a belief, claim, or way of life
Example
His renunciation of worldly pleasures impressed the monks.
Sa renonciation aux plaisirs mondains a impressionné les moines.
C2 noun /luːn/

lune

croissant
Meaning
A crescent-shaped figure formed by two intersecting arcs; also means 'moon' in French.
Example
The mathematician studied the properties of the lune.
Le mathématicien a étudié les propriétés du croissant.
C2 adjective /ˈluː.ni/

Loony

fou; idiot; mentalement instable
Meaning
crazy; silly; mentally unstable
Example
His loony behavior made everyone laugh.
Son comportement fou a fait rire tout le monde.
C2 noun /əkˈsɛʃən/

accession

accession au trône / acceptation d'un traité
Meaning
the attainment of a position of rank or power, especially a monarch or president; the formal acceptance of an agreement or treaty
Example
The king's accession to the throne was celebrated with great ceremony.
L'accession du roi au trône a été célébrée avec grande cérémonie.
C2 adjective /ˈvɜːrnəl/

vernal

printanier
Meaning
related to spring; fresh, youthful
Example
The garden was filled with vernal beauty after the long winter.
Le jardin était rempli de beauté printanière après le long hiver.
C2 verb /ˌkaʊntərˈveɪl/

countervail

contrebalancer
Meaning
to offset or counteract the effect of something
Example
The benefits of the new policy countervail its drawbacks.
Les avantages de la nouvelle politique contrebalancent ses inconvénients.
C2 noun /ˈpɒm.əl/

pommel

le bouton arrondi sur le pommeau d'une épée ou d'une selle
Meaning
the rounded knob on the handle of a sword or saddle
Example
He gripped the sword firmly by the pommel.
Il saisit fermement l'épée par le pommel.
C2 noun /ˈbɜːrsər/

bursar

trésorier
Meaning
An official in a school or college responsible for financial affairs.
Example
The bursar approved the budget for the new library.
Le trésorier a approuvé le budget pour la nouvelle bibliothèque.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈdjuːbɪtəbl/

indubitable

indubitable
Meaning
Impossible to doubt; unquestionable.
Example
It is indubitable that hard work leads to success.
Il est indubitable que le travail acharné mène au succès.
C2 verb /dɪˈskraɪ/

descry

apercevoir au loin
Meaning
to catch sight of something, especially something distant or obscure
Example
From the hilltop, they descried a small village in the distance.
Depuis le sommet de la colline, ils ont aperçu un petit village au loin.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊmaɪd/

bromide

idée banale
Meaning
A trite or unoriginal idea or remark; also a chemical compound of bromine.
Example
His speech was full of old bromides about hard work.
Son discours était rempli de vieilles idées banales sur le travail acharné.
C2 noun /ˈtrɪbjuːn/

tribune

tribune / tribun
Meaning
a person or platform representing the people; historically, a Roman official elected to protect citizens' rights
Example
He was seen as a tribune of the common people.
Il était considéré comme un tribun du peuple.
C2 noun /kəˈtæb.ə.lɪ.zəm/

catabolism

catabolisme
Meaning
The breakdown of complex molecules in living organisms to form simpler ones together with the release of energy; destructive metabolism.
Example
Catabolism plays a crucial role in cellular energy production.
Le catabolisme joue un rôle crucial dans la production d'énergie cellulaire.
C2 noun /ˈhaɪərəˌɡlɪf/

hieroglyph

hiéroglyphe
Meaning
A picture or symbol used in ancient writing systems, especially Egyptian writing.
Example
The walls of the temple were covered in hieroglyphs.
Les murs du temple étaient recouverts de hiéroglyphes.
C2 noun /ˈaɪdɪl/

idyll

scène idyllique
Meaning
An extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque episode or scene, often idealized.
Example
Their honeymoon was an idyll on a tropical island.
Leur lune de miel était une scène idyllique sur une île tropicale.
C2 adjective /ɔːˈrɪfərəs/

auriferous

aurifère
Meaning
Containing or producing gold.
Example
The miners discovered an auriferous vein in the mountains.
Les mineurs ont découvert un filon aurifère dans les montagnes.
C2 noun /rɪˈpruːf/

reproof

réprobation, censure
Meaning
An expression of blame or disapproval.
Example
His careless words drew a sharp reproof from his mother.
Ses paroles imprudentes ont provoqué une vive réprobation de sa mère.
C2 verb /ˈkrɪŋ.kəl/

crinkle

froncer
Meaning
To form small creases or wrinkles.
Example
She crinkled her nose at the strange smell.
Elle a froncé son nez à l'odeur étrange.
C2 noun /ˈkɒn.kɔːd/

concord

accord ou harmonie
Meaning
Agreement or harmony between people or groups.
Example
The leaders worked towards international concord.
Les dirigeants ont travaillé pour la concorde internationale.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsɛnʃənt/

insentient

insensible
Meaning
Lacking perception, consciousness, or sensation.
Example
The rock is an insentient object with no awareness.
Le rocher est un objet insensible sans conscience.
C2 noun /ˈɡlæsi fɪʃ/

Glassy fish

poisson de verre
Meaning
a transparent freshwater fish with a glassy appearance, popular in aquariums
Example
The glassy fish is known for its transparent body and peaceful nature.
Le poisson de verre est connu pour son corps transparent et sa nature paisible.
C2 noun /ˈbuːbi/

booby

idiot
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person; a silly individual
Example
He felt like a booby after making such a simple mistake.
Il s'est senti idiot après avoir fait une erreur si simple.
C2 adjective /ˈkreɪvən/

craven

lâche
Meaning
cowardly; lacking courage
Example
He was too craven to stand up for his beliefs.
Il était trop lâche pour défendre ses croyances.
C2 adjective /ˈfɪt.fəl/

fitful

par intermittence
Meaning
occurring in irregular bursts; not continuous or steady
Example
He had a fitful sleep due to the storm.
Il a eu un sommeil par intermittence à cause de la tempête.
C2 noun /ˈnɪk.næk/

knickknack

bonheur
Meaning
A small decorative object, especially in a house.
Example
The shelf was full of little knickknacks collected from their travels.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /həˈrɛtɪkəl/

heretical

hérétique
Meaning
Relating to or characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards, especially in religion.
Example
The priest condemned the book as heretical.
Le prêtre a condamné le livre comme hérétique.
C2 adjective /ˈblɪŋkəd/

blinkered

borné
Meaning
Having a limited or narrow outlook; unable or unwilling to consider other perspectives.
Example
His blinkered attitude stopped him from seeing the bigger picture.
Son attitude bornée l'a empêché de voir le tableau d'ensemble.
C2 noun /əˈblɪkwɪti/

obliquity

obliquité
Meaning
Deviation from moral or usual conduct; indirectness or lack of straightforwardness.
Example
The politician was criticized for the obliquity of his answers.
Le politicien a été critiqué pour l'obliquité de ses réponses.
C2 verb /dɪsˈbɜːrs/

disburse

distribuer
Meaning
to pay out money, especially from a fund
Example
The organization will disburse the funds to the affected families.
L'organisation va distribuer les fonds aux familles affectées.
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 adjective /ˈliːwərd/

leeward

côté abrité du vent
Meaning
On or toward the sheltered side away from the wind.
Example
They built their camp on the leeward side of the hill.
Ils ont installé leur camp du côté abrité du vent de la colline.
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.