Brickbat
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 /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 noun /ˌkɔːrnjuˈkoʊpiə/

cornucopia

une abondance ou un approvisionnement débordant de quelque chose
Meaning
an abundance or overflowing supply of something
Example
The festival offered a cornucopia of fruits and sweets.
Le festival a offert une cornucopia de fruits et de bonbons.
C2 verb /haɪ/

hie

se hâter
Meaning
to go quickly; hasten
Example
He hied to the station to catch the train.
Il se hâta à la gare pour attraper le train.
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 /kəˌmɒd.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

commodification

marchandisation
Meaning
The transformation of goods, services, ideas, or social relations into market commodities.
Example
The commodification of education has increased tuition costs.
La marchandisation de l'éducation a augmenté les frais de scolarité.
C2 noun /ˌɔːrnɪˈθɑːlədʒi/

ornithology

ornithologie
Meaning
the scientific study of birds
Example
She pursued ornithology to understand the migration patterns of birds.
Elle a poursuivi l'ornithologie pour comprendre les schémas de migration des oiseaux.
C2 noun /vərˈmɪl.jən/

Vermillion

couleur rouge-orangée brillante; un pigment de cette couleur
Meaning
a bright red-orange color; a pigment of this color
Example
The artist used vermillion paint for the sunset.
L'artiste a utilisé de la peinture vermillon pour le coucher du soleil.
C2 verb /ɪkˈstɛnjueɪt/

extenuate

excuser
Meaning
to make an offense, fault, or situation seem less serious by providing an excuse or explanation
Example
The lawyer tried to extenuate his client's actions by highlighting his difficult childhood.
L'avocat a essayé d'excuser les actions de son client en mettant en lumière son enfance difficile.
C2 noun /ˈɒb.stɪ.nə.si/

obstinacy

obstination
Meaning
Stubborn refusal to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
Example
His obstinacy made negotiations difficult.
Son obstination a rendu les négociations difficiles.
C2 noun /ˈmeɪsə/

mesa

mesa
Meaning
An isolated flat-topped hill with steep sides, found in arid regions.
Example
The hikers stopped to admire the mesa rising above the desert floor.
Les randonneurs se sont arrêtés pour admirer la méssa qui s'élevait au-dessus du sol du désert.
C2 adjective /ˈfɪliəl/

filial

relatif à un fils ou une fille ; montrer du respect ou de l'affection envers les parents
Meaning
relating to a son or daughter; showing respect or affection toward parents
Example
He showed filial respect by caring for his aging parents.
Il a montré du respect filial en prenant soin de ses parents âgés.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.sɔːr/

Eyesore

un vrai casse-pied; une horreur visuelle
Meaning
something that is very ugly and unpleasant to look at
Example
The abandoned building has become an eyesore in the neighborhood.
Le bâtiment abandonné est devenu un vrai casse-pied dans le quartier.
C2 noun /ɪˈnɪkwɪti/

iniquity

iniquité
Meaning
Immoral or grossly unfair behavior.
Example
The dictator's regime was marked by corruption and iniquity.
Le régime du dictateur était marqué par la corruption et l'iniquité.
C2 noun /maɪˈnjuːʃə/

minutia

détails insignifiants
Meaning
a small or trivial detail of something
Example
He was bored by the minutia of office paperwork.
Il était ennuyé par les détails insignifiants des papiers de bureau.
C2 noun /fəˈlɪsɪti/

felicity

félicité
Meaning
intense happiness; the ability to find appropriate expression for one's thoughts
Example
She was known for her felicity in conversation and cheerful nature.
Elle était connue pour sa félicité dans les conversations et sa nature joyeuse.
C2 noun /ˈsɒlɪˌsɪzəm/

solecism

solécisme
Meaning
a grammatical mistake in speech or writing; a breach of good manners or etiquette
Example
His speech was full of solecisms and awkward phrases.
Son discours était plein de solécismes et de phrases maladroites.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.səˌbɑːr/

isobar

isobare
Meaning
A line on a weather map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure.
Example
The meteorologist explained how isobars indicate wind speed and direction.
Le météorologue a expliqué comment les isobares indiquent la vitesse et la direction du vent.
C2 noun /ˈlaɪər/

lier

menteur
Meaning
a person who tells lies; an alternative spelling of liar
Example
No one trusted him because he was known as a habitual lier.
Personne ne lui faisait confiance parce qu’il était un menteur habituel.
C2 adjective /ˈtɛsəleɪtɪd/

tessellated

carrelé
Meaning
arranged in a pattern of repeated shapes fitting together without gaps
Example
The tessellated floor was made of colorful tiles arranged in perfect symmetry.
Le sol carrelé était composé de carreaux colorés disposés en parfaite symétrie.
C2 verb /ˈrɔɪstər/

roister

réjouir bruyamment
Meaning
to revel noisily; to engage in loud, boisterous celebration
Example
The fans roistered in the streets after the victory.
Les fans ont fait la fête dans les rues après la victoire.
C2 noun /ˈsɪŋ.krə.ni/

synchrony

synchronie
Meaning
Coordination in time, harmony in action or movement.
Example
Their dance performance showed perfect synchrony.
Leurs performances de danse ont montré une synchronie parfaite.
C2 noun /əbˈhɒrəns/

abhorrence

abhorrence
Meaning
a feeling of strong disgust or hatred
Example
He expressed his abhorrence of racial discrimination.
Il a exprimé son abhorrence de la discrimination raciale.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsuːsiənt/

insouciant

insouciant
Meaning
Showing a casual lack of concern; carefree.
Example
He gave an insouciant shrug and walked away.
Il a haussé les épaules de manière insouciante et est parti.
C2 noun ˈtɪl.ɪdʒ

tillage

labours agricoles
Meaning
The preparation of land for growing crops.
Example
Excessive tillage can lead to soil erosion.
Un excès de travail du sol peut entraîner de l'érosion.
C2 noun /ˈeə.rəm/

Arum

arum
Meaning
a plant with large arrow-shaped leaves and a white spathe, also known as taro
Example
Arum leaves are commonly used in Bengali cuisine for cooking.
Les feuilles d'Arum sont couramment utilisées dans la cuisine indienne pour la cuisson.
C2 adjective/verb /ɪnˈkɑːrneɪt/

incarnate

incarné
Meaning
to embody or represent in human form; in flesh
Example
She is kindness incarnate.
Elle est la bonté incarnée.
C2 verb /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/

debauch

corrompre
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to lead into excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
Example
The novel shows how wealth can debauch a person's character.
Le roman montre comment la richesse peut débaucher le caractère d'une personne.
C2 noun /ˈwɛlkɪn/

welkin

ciel
Meaning
The sky, the heavens, or the upper air.
Example
The eagle soared high into the welkin.
L'aigle a volé haut dans le ciel.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪŋɡoʊˌɪzəm/

jingoism

nationalisme extrême
Meaning
extreme patriotism expressed in aggressive foreign policy
Example
The politician's speech was filled with jingoism.
Le discours du politicien était rempli de jingoïsme.
C2 adjective /sɪmˈfoʊniəs/

symphonious

harmonieux
Meaning
Harmonious; producing a pleasant sound or agreement of sound.
Example
The choir's voices were symphonious and filled the hall with beauty.
Les voix du chœur étaient harmonieuses et remplissaient la salle de beauté.
C2 noun /ˌpɛkjʊˈleɪʃən/

peculation

détournement
Meaning
The act of embezzling or stealing money, especially from public funds.
Example
The minister resigned after being accused of peculation.
Le ministre a démissionné après avoir été accusé de détournement.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.pən ˈhæn.dɪd/

Open-handed

généreux; libéral
Meaning
Generous; liberal; giving freely;
Example
He is very open-handed with his money and always helps those in need.
Il est très généreux avec son argent et aide toujours ceux qui en ont besoin.
C2 adjective /əˈdʌltəreɪtɪd/

adulterated

Meaning
describes food, drink, or medicine made weaker or impure by the addition of another substance
Example
Authorities seized adulterated drugs from the warehouse.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈtɛsteɪt/

intestate

décédé sans testament
Meaning
Having died without leaving a valid will.
Example
She died intestate, so her assets were distributed by law.
Elle est décédée sans testament, donc ses biens ont été répartis par la loi.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪmpɪd/

limpid

limpide
Meaning
Clear and transparent, easily understood.
Example
The limpid water of the lake reflected the sky perfectly.
L'eau limpide du lac reflétait parfaitement le ciel.
C2 adjective /məˈnaɪəkəl/

maniacal

maniaque
Meaning
behaving like a maniac; showing excessive enthusiasm or madness
Example
He gave a maniacal laugh during the movie.
Il a éclaté d'un rire maniaque pendant le film.
C2 noun /ˈoʊdiəm/

odium

odium
Meaning
general or widespread hatred or disgust directed toward someone as a result of their actions
Example
The scandal brought public odium on the corrupt minister.
Le scandale a attiré l'odium public sur le ministre corrompu.
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 /ˈflæs.ɪd/

Flaccid

flasque; mou; tombant;
Meaning
soft and limp; lacking firmness; drooping
Example
The plant's leaves became flaccid after days without water.
Les feuilles de la plante sont devenues flasques après plusieurs jours sans eau.
C2 noun /rɪˈfɛktəri/

refectory

réfectoire
Meaning
a dining hall, especially in a monastery, convent, or school
Example
Students had lunch in the refectory.
Les étudiants ont déjeuné dans le réfectoire.
C2 adjective /ˌfoʊtoʊɪˈlɛktrɪk/

photoelectric

photoélectrique
Meaning
relating to the emission of electrons or other free carriers when light shines on a material
Example
The photoelectric effect is fundamental in solar panels.
L'effet photoélectrique est fondamental dans les panneaux solaires.
C2 noun /ˈdændi/

dandy

homme qui accorde trop d'attention à son apparence et à ses vêtements
Meaning
a man who gives too much attention to his appearance and clothes
Example
The young dandy spent hours grooming himself before the party.
Le jeune dandy a passé des heures à se préparer avant la fête.
C2 noun /ˈpaʊ.waʊ/

powwow

réunion informelle
Meaning
an informal meeting or conference to discuss something
Example
The team held a quick powwow before the presentation.
L'équipe a tenu une réunion rapide avant la présentation.
C2 noun /prəˈlɪksɪti/

prolixity

prolixité
Meaning
the quality of being tediously wordy and long
Example
The book’s prolixity made it difficult to read in one sitting.
La prolixité du livre rendait difficile de le lire en une seule séance.
C2 adjective /lɪˈbɪdənəs/

libidinous

lubrique
Meaning
Showing excessive sexual drive; lustful.
Example
The play was criticized for its libidinous characters.
La pièce a été critiquée pour ses personnages lubriques.
C2 noun /ˈplænɪsfɪr/

planisphere

planisphère
Meaning
a rotating star chart used to display the visible stars for any time and date
Example
The astronomer used a planisphere to identify the constellations.
L'astronome a utilisé un planisphère pour identifier les constellations.
C2 adjective /trænzˈmɪsəbl/

transmissible

transmissible
Meaning
able to be passed or spread from one person or thing to another
Example
COVID-19 is a highly transmissible disease.
COVID-19 est une maladie hautement transmissible.
C2 noun /flɔːˈrɛsəns/

florescence

floraison
Meaning
The process, state, or period of flowering.
Example
The garden reached its peak florescence in spring.
Le jardin a atteint son apogée de floraison au printemps.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪliəs/

bilious

bilieux
Meaning
Relating to bile or an ill-tempered, irritable disposition.
Example
He became bilious after hearing the unfair criticism.
Il est devenu bilieux après avoir entendu la critique injuste.
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 noun /dəˈɡerəˌtaɪp/

daguerreotype

photographie ancienne
Meaning
An early type of photograph produced on a silver or silver-covered copper plate.
Example
The museum displayed a rare daguerreotype of Abraham Lincoln.
Le musée a exposé un daguérotype rare d'Abraham Lincoln.
C2 noun /tiːˈtoʊtəlɪzəm/

teetotalism

abstinence totale d'alcool
Meaning
the practice or principle of abstaining completely from alcoholic drinks
Example
He practiced teetotalism throughout his life.
Il a pratiqué le teetotalisme toute sa vie.
C2 noun /əˈmæl.ɡəm/

amalgam

mélange
Meaning
a mixture or blend of different things
Example
The new policy is an amalgam of several previous laws.
La nouvelle politique est un mélange de plusieurs lois antérieures.
C2 noun /ˌɪntərpəˈzɪʃən/

interposition

intervention
Meaning
The act of intervening or coming between two things, often to influence or prevent an outcome.
Example
The manager’s interposition prevented a heated argument from escalating.
L'intervention du manager a empêché une dispute animée de s'intensifier.
C2 noun /ræpˈskæliən/

rapscallion

personne espiègle
Meaning
A mischievous or cheeky person; a rascal.
Example
The little rapscallion hid his brother’s shoes as a prank.
Le petit rapscallion a caché les chaussures de son frère pour une farce.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːrsɪmoʊni/

parsimony

avarice
Meaning
extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources
Example
His parsimony was evident in the way he avoided any unnecessary expenses.
Son avarice était évidente dans la façon dont il évitait toute dépense inutile.
C2 noun /bəˈlɛəroʊ/

bolero

boléro (une danse espagnole ou une veste courte ouverte à l'avant)
Meaning
A Spanish dance in slow triple time, or a short jacket open at the front.
Example
The dancers performed a passionate bolero at the festival.
Les danseurs ont exécuté un boléro passionné lors du festival.
C2 noun /ruːˈeɪ/

roue

un homme dédié à une vie de plaisirs sensuels
Meaning
A man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure; a debauched man.
Example
The old roue squandered his fortune on gambling and women.
Le vieux roue a gaspillé sa fortune dans les jeux d'argent et les femmes.
C2 noun /ˈhæŋ.kər.ɪŋ/

hankering

désir ardent
Meaning
a strong desire or craving for something.
Example
She had a hankering for chocolate late at night.
Elle avait un désir ardent de chocolat tard dans la nuit.
C2 adjective /ˌpaɪroʊˈtɛknɪk/

pyrotechnic

pyrotechnique
Meaning
Relating to fireworks or spectacular displays involving fire.
Example
The city celebrated with a grand pyrotechnic display on New Year's Eve.
La ville a célébré avec un grand spectacle pyrotechnique lors de la veille du Nouvel An.
C2 noun /ˈrɛdʒɪsaɪd/

regicide

régicide
Meaning
the act of killing a king
Example
The conspirators were executed for committing regicide.
Les conspirateurs ont été exécutés pour avoir commis un régicide.
C2 adjective, noun /pləˈbiːən/

plebeian

personne commune
Meaning
common, ordinary, or belonging to the lower social classes
Example
The festival was enjoyed by both plebeian and noble citizens.
Le festival a été apprécié tant par les plébéiens que par les citoyens nobles.
C2 noun (compound/erroneous entry) /ɪnˈɛksərəbl ɑːrmi/

inexorableinexorablearmy

armée imparable
Meaning
This appears to be a corrupted or concatenated form; interpreted as 'inexorable army' — an unstoppable or relentless force.
Example
The rebels feared the inexorable army approaching their stronghold.
Les rebelles craignaient l'armée imparable qui approchait de leur bastion.
C2 noun /ˌɪnkənˈɡruːəti/

incongruity

incongruité
Meaning
The state of being inconsistent or out of place.
Example
The incongruity of his cheerful mood during the funeral shocked everyone.
L'incongruité de son humeur joyeuse pendant les funérailles a choqué tout le monde.
C2 adjective /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/

ubiquitious

omniprésent
Meaning
Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
Example
Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern society.
Les smartphones sont devenus omniprésents dans la société moderne.
C2 noun /meɪs/

Mase

muscade
Meaning
spice obtained from the reddish seed covering of the nutmeg seed
Example
A pinch of mace adds warmth to the dessert.
Une pincée de muscade ajoute de la chaleur au dessert.
C2 adjective /ˈɒfɪʃ/

offish

distant
Meaning
Unfriendly, distant, or reserved in manner.
Example
He seemed offish at the party and avoided most conversations.
Il semblait distant à la fête et évitait la plupart des conversations.
C2 adjective /ˈæb.ə.rənt/

aberrant

aberrant
Meaning
deviating from what is normal or expected; abnormal
Example
His aberrant behavior shocked everyone at the meeting.
Son comportement aberrant a choqué tout le monde à la réunion.
C2 noun /koʊˈæɡjələnt/

coagulant

coagulant
Meaning
a substance that causes blood or another liquid to clot
Example
The doctor applied a coagulant to stop the bleeding quickly.
Le médecin a appliqué un coagulant pour arrêter rapidement le saignement.
C2 noun /ˈmɒrəlɪst/

moralist

moraliste
Meaning
A person who teaches or promotes moral principles and values.
Example
The author was known as a strict moralist in his writings.
L'auteur était connu comme un moraliste strict dans ses écrits.
C2 noun /ˈaɪdlər/

idler

fainéant
Meaning
A person who avoids work or spends time lazily.
Example
He was known as an idler who wasted his days.
Il était connu comme un fainéant qui gâchait ses journées.
C2 noun /hɜːrˈbɛəriəm/

herbarium

herbier
Meaning
A collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study.
Example
The university maintains a large herbarium for research and education.
L'université maintient un grand herbier pour la recherche et l'éducation.
C2 noun /ˈpɛrɪstaɪl/

peristyle

perronne entourée de colonnes
Meaning
A continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or courtyard.
Example
The Roman villa featured a beautiful peristyle garden.
La villa romaine présentait un beau jardin péristyle.
C2 adjective /ˈpɑːmi/

palmy

prospère / glorieux
Meaning
prosperous, flourishing, or relating to palm trees
Example
He often reminisced about the palmy days of his youth.
Il se souvenait souvent des jours prospères de sa jeunesse.
C2 adjective /ˈpæsɪbəl/

passible

capable de ressentir; susceptible à la souffrance
Meaning
capable of feeling or suffering; susceptible to sensation or emotion (often theological)
Example
In some traditions, deities are described as passible, sharing human emotions.
Dans certaines traditions, les divinités sont décrites comme passibles, partageant des émotions humaines.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɛriˌmændər/

gerrymander

manipuler les limites des circonscriptions électorales
Meaning
to manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constituency to favor one party or class
Example
The ruling party was accused of trying to gerrymander the districts to secure more seats.
Le parti au pouvoir a été accusé de manipuler les districts pour obtenir plus de sièges.
C2 verb /ɪkˈspɛktəreɪt/

expectorate

expectoré
Meaning
to cough up and spit out mucus from the throat or lungs
Example
The patient began to expectorate thick mucus.
Le patient a commencé à expectorer des mucosités épaisses.
C2 verb /drɔːl/

drawl

parler lentement de manière paresseuse
Meaning
to speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds
Example
He tends to drawl when he is tired.
Il a tendance à parler lentement quand il est fatigué.
C2 adjective /ˈɔːrnəri/

ornery

irritable
Meaning
bad-tempered and combative; stubborn
Example
The ornery old man refused to leave his chair.
Le vieil homme irritable a refusé de quitter sa chaise.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪt/

belate

retarder
Meaning
to delay or make late
Example
Heavy traffic belated our arrival at the party.
Le trafic lourd a retardé notre arrivée à la fête.
C2 noun /tɔːˈtɒlədʒi/

tautology

répétition inutile
Meaning
the unnecessary repetition of the same idea in different words
Example
The phrase 'it will happen or it won’t' is a tautology.
L'expression 'ça va arriver ou ça n'arrivera pas' est une tautologie.
C2 noun ˌsɜːkəmˈspekʃən

circumspection

prudence, éviter les risques
Meaning
The quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence.
Example
His circumspection ensured no mistakes were made.
Sa prudence a garanti qu'aucune erreur n'a été commise.
C2 noun /ɪmˈpʌlʃən/

impulsion

impulsion
Meaning
a strong urge or drive to act; the act of impelling
Example
His impulsion to travel made him leave his job suddenly.
Son impulsion de voyager l'a poussé à quitter son travail soudainement.
C2 noun ˈtræn.zi.əns

transience

éphémérité
Meaning
The state or fact of lasting only for a short time; impermanence.
Example
The transience of youth makes it more precious.
La transience de la jeunesse la rend plus précieuse.
C2 adjective /ˈfiːtɪd/

foetid

fétide
Meaning
having an offensive, unpleasant smell
Example
The foetid smell from the garbage made it hard to breathe.
L'odeur fétide des ordures rendait la respiration difficile.
C2 noun /ˈdʒuː.dɪˌkeɪ.tʃər/

judicature

système judiciaire
Meaning
the administration of justice or the system of courts
Example
The judicature ensures that laws are fairly applied.
Le système judiciaire veille à ce que les lois soient appliquées de manière équitable.
C2 noun /ɪˌkwɪvəˈkeɪʃən/

equivocation

utilisation de langage ambigu
Meaning
The use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself.
Example
The politician’s equivocation frustrated voters who wanted a clear answer.
L'équivocation du politicien a frustré les électeurs qui voulaient une réponse claire.
C2 noun /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/

grotto

grotte
Meaning
a small picturesque cave, often artificial
Example
Tourists visited the grotto hidden behind the waterfall.
Les touristes ont visité la grotte cachée derrière la cascade.
C2 noun /ˌhoʊmə.dʒəˈniːəti/

homogeneity

homogénéité
Meaning
The quality or state of being all the same or all of the same kind.
Example
The cultural homogeneity of the village made it feel unified.
L'homogénéité culturelle du village donnait l'impression qu'il était uni.
C2 noun /ˈtændʒənsi/

tangency

tangence
Meaning
the condition of touching but not intersecting, especially in geometry
Example
The circle and the line are in a state of tangency at one point.
Le cercle et la ligne sont en état de tangence en un point.
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 adjective /ˌhɑːrdˈbɪtn̩/

hard-bitten

endurci et expérimenté
Meaning
tough and experienced, not easily affected by emotions or hardship
Example
The hard-bitten detective showed no sign of surprise at the crime scene.
Le détective expérimenté n'a montré aucun signe de surprise sur la scène du crime.
C2 noun /lɔːŋ ˈpepər/

Long pepper

poivre long
Meaning
a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit which is used as a spice
Example
Long pepper was more valuable than black pepper in ancient times.
Le poivre long était plus précieux que le poivre noir dans les temps anciens.
C2 verb /ˈmjuːtɪleɪt/

mutilate

mutiler
Meaning
to inflict serious damage on something, often by cutting or tearing
Example
The ancient manuscript was mutilated by careless handling.
Le manuscrit ancien a été mutilé par une manipulation négligente.
C2 verb /ɪˈmɛnd/

emend

corriger
Meaning
to correct or revise a text, especially for errors
Example
The editor emended the manuscript before publication.
L'éditeur a corrigé le manuscrit avant la publication.
C2 noun /ˈhæbɪtənt/

habitant

habitant
Meaning
An inhabitant; a person or animal that lives in a particular place.
Example
The habitants of the village were friendly and welcoming.
Les habitants du village étaient amicaux et accueillants.
C2 noun /ˌiː.mɛnˈdeɪ.ʃən/

emendation

rectification
Meaning
a correction or improvement made to a text
Example
The article required several emendations before it was ready for print.
L'article a nécessité plusieurs rectifications avant d'être prêt pour l'impression.
C2 noun ˈɒpjʊləns

opulence

opulence
Meaning
Great wealth or luxuriousness.
Example
The opulence of the mansion was evident in its ornate furnishings.
L'opulence du manoir était évidente dans ses meubles ornés.
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 noun /ˈkɒkskoʊm/

Cockscomb

fleur de crête de coq
Meaning
a tropical plant with bright, velvety flowers that resemble a rooster's comb
Example
The bright red cockscomb flowers added vibrant color to the garden bed.
Les fleurs rouges de crête de coq ont ajouté une couleur vibrante au parterre de jardin.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrˌseɪl/

foresail

voile de proue
Meaning
The principal sail set on the foremast of a sailing vessel.
Example
The crew adjusted the foresail to catch the wind.
L'équipage a ajusté la voile de proue pour attraper le vent.
C2 noun /ˌpɪəriəˈdɪsɪti/

periodicity

périodicité
Meaning
The quality or state of being regular or recurring at intervals.
Example
The periodicity of the moon’s phases has fascinated humans for centuries.
La périodicité des phases de la lune fascine les humains depuis des siècles.
C2 verb /ˈek.stər.peɪt/

extirpate

extirper
Meaning
to completely remove or destroy something unwanted
Example
The government launched a program to extirpate corruption from public offices.
Le gouvernement a lancé un programme pour extirper la corruption des bureaux publics.
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 adjective /ɪnˈeɪliənəbl/

inalienable

inaliénable
Meaning
Unable to be taken away or transferred; absolute and permanent.
Example
Freedom of speech is an inalienable right.
La liberté d'expression est un droit inaliénable.
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 adjective /pərˈsɪpiənt/

percipient

perspicace
Meaning
Having good understanding or insight; able to perceive things clearly.
Example
As a percipient critic, she recognized the deeper meaning of the play.
En tant que critique perspicace, elle a reconnu la signification plus profonde de la pièce.
C2 noun /bɜːrˈlɛsk/

burlesque

burlesque
Meaning
A humorous and exaggerated imitation of a serious work; a type of theatrical entertainment involving comedy and parody.
Example
The play was a clever burlesque of traditional opera.
La pièce était une burlesque ingénieuse de l'opéra traditionnel.
C2 noun /ˌhæŋ.ki ˈpæŋ.ki/

Hanky-Panky

escroquerie; activité suspecte; comportement malhonnête; tromperie
Meaning
dishonest or suspicious activity; unethical behavior; trickery or deception
Example
The audit revealed some hanky-panky in the company's financial records.
L'audit a révélé de la fraude dans les registres financiers de l'entreprise.
C2 noun /ˈrɛd.ə.ləns/

redolence

parfum
Meaning
a pleasant smell or the quality of suggesting something strongly
Example
The redolence of jasmine filled the evening air.
Le parfum du jasmin a rempli l'air du soir.
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 verb /ˈdʒɛn.juˌflɛkt/

genuflect

se prosterner en signe de révérence
Meaning
to bend one or both knees as a sign of reverence or worship
Example
The worshippers genuflect before the altar.
Les adorateurs se prosternent devant l'autel.
C2 adjective /ˈɛksɪdʒənt/

exigent

urgent
Meaning
demanding immediate action or attention; urgent
Example
The patient’s exigent condition required immediate surgery.
L'état exigent du patient a nécessité une chirurgie immédiate.
C2 noun /laʊt/

lout

vulgaire
Meaning
An uncouth or aggressive man or boy.
Example
The drunken lout caused a scene at the party.
Le loubard ivre a causé une scène à la fête.
C2 adjective /tʃəˈruːbɪk/

cherubic

angélique
Meaning
Innocent, sweet, and angelic, like a cherub.
Example
The baby had a cherubic smile that melted everyone’s heart.
Le bébé avait un sourire angélique qui faisait fondre le cœur de tout le monde.
C2 adjective /ɪˈræsɪbl/

irascible

irritable
Meaning
Easily angered; quick-tempered.
Example
His irascible nature often got him into trouble.
Sa nature irritable le mettait souvent dans des situations difficiles.
C2 noun /ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

Machination

machination; intrigue;
Meaning
a clever scheme or artful plot, usually with evil intent; crafty designing or plotting
Example
The villain's machinations were finally exposed.
Les machinations du méchant ont finalement été exposées.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnsəˈpɔːrtəbl̩/

insupportable

insupportable
Meaning
Too extreme or difficult to be endured.
Example
The heat was insupportable during the long journey.
La chaleur était insupportable pendant le long voyage.
C2 noun ˌhiː.məˈfɪl.i.ə

hemophilia

hémophilie
Meaning
A medical condition in which the ability of the blood to clot is severely reduced, causing the sufferer to bleed severely from even a slight injury.
Example
Hemophilia treatment benefits from genetic editing.
Le traitement de l'hémophilie bénéficie de l'édition génétique.
C2 noun /ˈlɪŋ.ɡwə/

lingua

langue
Meaning
A language, especially one used for communication among people.
Example
English has become a global lingua for business and science.
L'anglais est devenu une langue mondiale pour les affaires et la science.
C2 noun /ɪˈmɒdəsti/

immodesty

immodestie
Meaning
lack of modesty or decency; behavior or attitude that is overly bold or improper
Example
The article was criticized for its tone of immodesty.
L’article a été critiqué pour son ton d’immodestie.