brogue
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C2 noun /broʊɡ/

brogue

chaussure robuste; accent
Meaning
A strong outdoor shoe; also a marked accent, especially Irish or Scottish.
Example
He bought a pair of stylish brogues for the wedding.
Il a acheté une paire de brogues élégantes pour le mariage.
C2 noun /ˈɛmbəˌlɪzəm/

embolism

embolie
Meaning
the sudden blockage of a blood vessel by a clot or other foreign matter
Example
The patient suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism.
Le patient a souffert d'une embolie pulmonaire fatale.
C2 adjective /prəˈpɪʃəs/

propitious

propice
Meaning
giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
Example
The sunny weather was a propitious start to the picnic.
Le temps ensoleillé était un début propice pour le pique-nique.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪnəri/

finery

vêtements ou décorations luxueux
Meaning
expensive or elaborate clothes, decorations, or accessories
Example
She attended the party in her finest finery.
Elle est allée à la fête vêtue de sa plus belle tenue.
C2 noun /proʊˈdʒɛnɪtər/

progenitor

ancêtre
Meaning
a direct ancestor; a person or thing that originates something
Example
Researchers traced the custom back to a common progenitor.
Les chercheurs ont retracé la coutume jusqu'à un ancêtre commun.
C2 noun /moʊˈtɪləti/

motility

motilité
Meaning
The ability of an organism or cell to move independently.
Example
The motility of sperm is crucial for successful fertilization.
La motilité des spermatozoïdes est cruciale pour la fertilisation réussie.
C2 adjective /fluːˈɛnʃəl/

fluential

influent
Meaning
Having the power to influence or flowing freely (rare/archaic usage).
Example
The fluential speaker captivated the entire audience.
Le locuteur influent a captivé toute l'audience.
C2 noun /ˈɛkwɪpɔɪz/

equipoise

équilibre
Meaning
A state of balance or equilibrium.
Example
Her calmness created an equipoise in the heated debate.
Sa calme a créé un équilibre dans le débat animé.
C2 noun /ˌrɛtroʊˈɡrɛʃən/

retrogression

rétrogradation
Meaning
a return to a worse or less developed state
Example
The country experienced economic retrogression after the crisis.
Le pays a connu une rétrogradation économique après la crise.
C2 adjective /ɪˈlɪbərəl/

illiberal

illibéral
Meaning
Opposed to liberal principles; restricting freedom of thought or behavior.
Example
The government was criticized for its illiberal policies.
Le gouvernement a été critiqué pour ses politiques illibérales.
C2 verb /ˈfrʌktɪˌfaɪ/

fructify

fructifier
Meaning
To make fruitful or productive; to bear fruit.
Example
The new policies will help fructify the economic potential of the region.
Les nouvelles politiques aideront à fructifier le potentiel économique de la région.
C2 noun /ˈɡɪni/

guinea

guinée (ancienne monnaie britannique en or)
Meaning
A former British gold coin; also refers to Guinea, a country in West Africa
Example
The antique coin was worth one guinea.
La pièce antique valait une guinée.
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 verb (past tense, past participle), adjective /ˈhæmstrʌŋ/

hamstrung

paralysé ou limité
Meaning
crippled or severely restricted in movement or progress.
Example
The team was hamstrung by lack of resources.
L'équipe était limitée par un manque de ressources.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsæprəˈbeɪʃən/

disapprobation

désapprobation
Meaning
strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds
Example
The policy was met with widespread disapprobation.
La politique a été accueillie par une désapprobation généralisée.
C2 noun /ˌfoʊˈtɑːmɪtər/

photometer

photomètre
Meaning
an instrument for measuring the intensity of light
Example
The scientist used a photometer to measure the light in the laboratory.
Le scientifique a utilisé un photomètre pour mesurer la lumière dans le laboratoire.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːdʒɪlɪzəm/

pugilism

boxe
Meaning
The practice or sport of boxing.
Example
He studied the art of pugilism in his youth.
Il a étudié l'art de la boxe dans sa jeunesse.
C2 noun /ɪˌpɪstəˈmɒlədʒi/

epistemology

épistémologie
Meaning
The branch of philosophy that studies the nature, origin, and scope of knowledge.
Example
Epistemology explores the difference between justified belief and opinion.
L'épistémologie explore la différence entre la croyance justifiée et l'opinion.
C2 noun /kɔːrˈteɪʒ/

cortege

cortège funèbre
Meaning
a solemn procession, especially for a funeral
Example
A cortege of mourners followed the hearse to the cemetery.
Un cortège de pleureurs a suivi le corbillard jusqu'au cimetière.
C2 verb /ˈræm.ɪ.faɪ/

ramify

se ramifier
Meaning
to spread or branch out into divisions or subdivisions.
Example
The river ramifies into several smaller streams.
Le fleuve se ramifie en plusieurs petits ruisseaux.
C2 noun /wiːl/

weal

bonheur
Meaning
A raised mark on the skin left after a blow; or general well-being and prosperity.
Example
The charity worked for the common weal of the community.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /ˈskæb.ərd/

scabbard

fourreau
Meaning
A sheath for the blade of a sword or dagger, typically made of leather or metal.
Example
The knight drew his sword from the scabbard.
Le chevalier a sorti son épée du fourreau.
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 /dɪˈkrɛpɪˌtjuːd/

decrepitude

décadence
Meaning
the state of being old, weak, and worn out
Example
The once-great empire fell into decrepitude.
L'autrefois grand empire est tombé dans la décadence.
C2 verb /bɪˈkɑːm/

becalm

calmer
Meaning
to make calm or still; to deprive a sailing vessel of wind
Example
The captain tried to becalm the anxious crew.
Le capitaine a essayé de calmer l'équipage anxieux.
C2 verb /ˌoʊvərˈliːp/

overleap

sauter par-dessus
Meaning
To jump over something; to omit or disregard something.
Example
He managed to overleap the fence easily.
Il a réussi à sauter la clôture facilement.
C2 verb /kəˈraʊz/

carouse

faire la fête bruyamment
Meaning
to drink and enjoy oneself noisily, often with others
Example
They stayed up all night to carouse after the victory.
Ils sont restés éveillés toute la nuit pour faire la fête après la victoire.
C2 noun /ɪnˈsaɪzər/

incisor

incisive
Meaning
a narrow-edged tooth at the front of the mouth, adapted for cutting
Example
The dentist noted that his upper left incisor was chipped.
Le dentiste a remarqué que son incisif supérieur gauche était fissuré.
C2 adjective /sɒmˈnɪfərəs/

somniferous

somnifère
Meaning
Tending to induce sleep; soporific.
Example
The professor's somniferous lecture put half the class to sleep.
Le cours somnifère du professeur a endormi la moitié de la classe.
C2 noun /ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/

nosegay

bouquet de fleurs
Meaning
a small bunch of flowers, typically given as a gift or carried for decoration
Example
She carried a nosegay of fresh roses to the ceremony.
Elle a porté un bouquet de roses fraîches à la cérémonie.
C2 verb /ˈnɔːzieɪt/

nauseate

provoquer des nausées
Meaning
To make someone feel sick, with an inclination to vomit.
Example
The spoiled food nauseated him quickly.
La nourriture avariée l'a rendu nauséeux rapidement.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæpɪteɪt/

decapitate

bonheur
Meaning
To cut off the head of a person or animal.
Example
The ancient executioner decapitated the criminal.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur quand elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /ˈhæŋ.kər/

Hanker

désir ardent, envie
Meaning
a feeling of yearning or craving; a strong desire for something
Example
After years abroad, she developed a deep hanker for her homeland's traditional cuisine.
Après des années à l'étranger, elle a développé un profond désir pour la cuisine traditionnelle de sa patrie.
C2 noun /ˈjoʊmən/

yeoman

paysan / employé loyal
Meaning
A farmer who cultivates his own land; also used to describe someone performing loyal, useful service.
Example
He did yeoman service in completing the project on time.
Il a rendu un service loyal en terminant le projet à temps.
C2 noun /ˈɪndɪkənt/

indicant

indicateur
Meaning
Something that indicates or points to a fact or condition.
Example
High fever is often an indicant of infection.
La fièvre élevée est souvent un indicateur d'infection.
C2 noun /ˈhelmz.mən/

Helmsman

barreur; capitaine
Meaning
a person who steers a ship or boat; the person at the helm of a vessel
Example
The experienced helmsman skillfully guided the yacht through the narrow channel during the storm.
Le barreur expérimenté a habilement guidé le yacht à travers le canal étroit pendant la tempête.
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 adjective /ˌɪndɪˈsɜːrnəbl/

indiscernible

indiscernable
Meaning
Impossible or difficult to see, notice, or distinguish.
Example
The difference between the two shades was almost indiscernible.
La différence entre les deux teintes était presque indiscernable.
C2 noun /kɒˈkeɪd/

cockade

rosette en ruban
Meaning
a rosette or knot of ribbon, usually worn on a hat as a badge of office or party
Example
The soldier wore a red cockade on his cap.
Le soldat portait une rosette en ruban rouge sur son chapeau.
C2 noun /ˈkæn.toʊ/

canto

canto
Meaning
A main division of a long poem, especially in epic poetry.
Example
The Divine Comedy is divided into several cantos.
La Divine Comédie est divisée en plusieurs cantos.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːr.kə.tri/

parquetry

l'art de poser des planchers en parquet
Meaning
The art or technique of laying parquet floors.
Example
The craftsman specialized in parquetry for luxury homes.
L'artisan s'est spécialisé dans la parqueterie pour les maisons de luxe.
C2 noun /pəˈveɪʒən/

pervasion

pervasion
Meaning
the act of spreading through or being present everywhere in something
Example
There was a pervasion of hope throughout the community.
Il y avait une pervasion d'espoir dans toute la communauté.
C2 noun /ˈɔːldərmənʃɪp/

aldermanship

poste de conseiller
Meaning
The office, position, or dignity of an alderman.
Example
He was honored with aldermanship after years of service.
Il a été honoré du poste de conseiller après des années de service.
C2 noun /ˈjoʊkəl/

yokel

paysan
Meaning
An uneducated and unsophisticated person from the countryside; a bumpkin.
Example
The city folks laughed at the yokel's simple ways.
Les citadins se sont moqués des manières simples du paysan.
C2 verb /səbˈsjuːm/

subsume

inclure
Meaning
To include or absorb something into a larger group or category.
Example
Minor details were subsumed under the main topic.
Les détails mineurs ont été subsumés sous le sujet principal.
C2 adjective/noun /haɪˈbɜːrniən/

hibernian

hibernien
Meaning
Relating to Ireland or the Irish.
Example
He enjoyed reading about Hibernian culture and history.
Il a aimé lire sur la culture et l'histoire hibernienne.
C2 noun, verb /ˈmaɪər/

mire

marécage / enchevêtrement
Meaning
A stretch of swampy or boggy ground; as a verb, to entangle or involve someone in a difficult situation.
Example
The car was stuck in the mire after the heavy rain.
La voiture est restée coincée dans la boue après la forte pluie.
C2 adjective /ˈsuːpaɪn/

supine

couché sur le dos
Meaning
Lying on the back, face upward; failing to act due to laziness or weakness.
Example
He lay supine on the grass, staring at the stars.
Il était allongé sur l'herbe, regardant les étoiles.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɔːrˈdeɪn/

preordain

prédéterminer
Meaning
To decide or determine an outcome in advance, especially by fate or divine will.
Example
They believed their meeting was preordained by destiny.
Ils croyaient que leur rencontre était prédestinée par le destin.
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 adjective /ˈrɛpərəbəl/

reparable

réparable
Meaning
able to be repaired or fixed
Example
The damage to the car was serious but still reparable.
Les dommages à la voiture étaient graves mais encore réparables.
C2 noun /ˈkæm.fər/

Camphor

camphre
Meaning
a white crystalline substance with a strong aromatic smell, used in medicine and religious ceremonies
Example
The temple was filled with the fragrant smoke of burning camphor.
Le temple était rempli de la fumée parfumée du camphre en combustion.
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 /bəˈnæləti/

banality

banalité
Meaning
The condition of being unoriginal, boring, or obvious; trite remark or quality.
Example
The speech was criticized for its banality and lack of originality.
Le discours a été critiqué pour sa banalité et son manque d'originalité.
C2 noun /ˈsaʊər wʊd ˈæp.əl/

Sour wood apple

pomme d'éléphant
Meaning
a tropical fruit with hard shell and tangy flesh; elephant apple
Example
The sour wood apple has a unique taste that many people enjoy.
La pomme d'éléphant a un goût unique que beaucoup de gens apprécient.
C2 noun /feɪt/

fete

fête, célébration
Meaning
a celebration or festival, often in honor of someone
Example
The village held a grand fete to celebrate the harvest.
Le village a organisé une grande fête pour célébrer la récolte.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈwiːldi/

unwieldy

difficile à manipuler
Meaning
Difficult to carry or move because of its size, shape, or weight.
Example
The box was too unwieldy to carry up the stairs.
La boîte était trop difficile à manipuler pour être montée dans les escaliers.
C2 adjective /læŋk/

lank

grand et maigre
Meaning
Tall, thin, and often awkward in appearance.
Example
The lank teenager towered over his classmates.
Le jeune grand et maigre dominait ses camarades de classe.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪəl/

viol

un type d'instrument à cordes ancien
Meaning
A stringed musical instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, played with a bow and similar to but distinct from the violin family.
Example
The musician played an old viol in the chamber music concert.
Le musicien a joué un vieux viall dans le concert de musique de chambre.
C2 noun, verb /ɡɔːl/

gall

audace, déranger
Meaning
Annoyance, boldness, or to irritate.
Example
She had the gall to question his decision.
Elle avait l'audace de remettre en question sa décision.
C2 noun

Kinsfolk

famille, proches
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 /ˈrɛkwiəm/

requiem

messe de requiem
Meaning
A mass, music, or ceremony for the repose of the souls of the dead.
Example
The choir performed a requiem in memory of the late leader.
Le chœur a interprété un requiem en mémoire du leader décédé.
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 /ˈkæʒuɪstri/

casuistry

casuistique
Meaning
The use of clever but false reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions.
Example
The lawyer’s argument was dismissed as mere casuistry.
L'argument de l'avocat a été rejeté comme étant une simple casuistique.
C2 adjective /ˌnjuːmɪzˈmætɪk/

numismatic

numismatique
Meaning
relating to the study or collection of coins, currency, and medals
Example
He has a numismatic collection of rare coins from around the world.
Il possède une collection numismatique de pièces rares provenant du monde entier.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪpəˈdɜːrmɪk/

hypodermic

hypodermique
Meaning
relating to the region immediately beneath the skin; also refers to a type of needle or syringe used to inject drugs beneath the skin.
Example
The doctor used a hypodermic needle to administer the vaccine.
Le médecin a utilisé une aiguille hypodermique pour administrer le vaccin.
C2 adjective /ˈkoʊltɪʃ/

coltish

fougueux
Meaning
Playful, energetic, and not fully mature or disciplined.
Example
The coltish boy ran around the field without a care.
Le garçon fougueux courait autour du champ sans souci.
C2 adjective /ˌæk.rɪˈmoʊ.ni.əs/

acrimonious

amer et en colère
Meaning
Bitter and angry, often involving harsh words.
Example
The debate turned acrimonious after the controversial remark.
Le débat est devenu acrimonieux après le commentaire controversé.
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 verb /ˈeksɪkreɪt/

execrate

détester
Meaning
To feel or express great loathing or hatred for something.
Example
The community execrated the corrupt politician.
La communauté a détesté le politicien corrompu.
C2 verb /həˈræŋ/

harangue

faire un long discours passionné et souvent en colère
Meaning
to deliver a long, passionate, and often angry speech
Example
The politician harangued the crowd for over an hour.
Le politicien a fait un discours à la foule pendant plus d'une heure.
C2 noun /næˈteɪʃən/

natation

natation
Meaning
The act or sport of swimming.
Example
She took lessons in natation to improve her swimming skills.
Elle a pris des cours de natation pour améliorer ses compétences en natation.
C2 noun /ˌpɜː.spɪˈkæs.ɪ.ti/

perspicacity

perspicacité
Meaning
Sharp insight, keen understanding and discernment.
Example
Her perspicacity in business decisions led to success.
Sa perspicacité dans les décisions commerciales a mené au succès.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈtriːvəbl/

irretrievable

irrécupérable
Meaning
impossible to recover or regain
Example
The documents were lost in an irretrievable way after the fire.
Les documents ont été perdus de manière irrécupérable après l'incendie.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈfeɪnd/

unfeigned

authentique
Meaning
genuine; not pretended or insincere
Example
She expressed unfeigned joy at her friend's success.
Elle a exprimé une joie authentique lors du succès de son amie.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsɛptɪv/

inceptive

initial
Meaning
Relating to or marking the beginning or initial stage of something.
Example
The inceptive phase of the project was marked by enthusiastic planning.
La phase inceptive du projet a été marquée par une planification enthousiaste.
C2 verb /ˈvaʊtʃ.seɪf/

vouchsafe

octroyer
Meaning
to grant or give something in a gracious or condescending manner
Example
He vouchsafed them a rare smile.
Il leur a octroyé un rare sourire.
C2 adjective /ˌɪmpəˈmɪsəbl/

impermissible

interdit
Meaning
Not permitted or allowed.
Example
Such behavior is impermissible in the workplace.
Un tel comportement est interdit sur le lieu de travail.
C2 adjective /ˈpɪrɪk/

pyrrhic

victoire pyrrhique
Meaning
A victory won at such a great cost that it is almost equivalent to defeat.
Example
The general declared the battle a pyrrhic victory due to heavy losses.
Le général a déclaré la bataille comme une victoire pyrrhique en raison des lourdes pertes.
C2 noun /ˈlɪnəmənt/

liniment

liniment / lotion
Meaning
A liquid or lotion applied to the skin to relieve pain or stiffness.
Example
He rubbed liniment on his sore muscles after the workout.
Il a frotté du liniment sur ses muscles endoloris après l'entraînement.
C2 noun /ˈslʌɡərd/

sluggard

paresseux
Meaning
A lazy, sluggish person.
Example
The sluggard refused to get out of bed even at noon.
Le paresseux a refusé de sortir du lit même à midi.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/

disinclination

désintérêt
Meaning
a lack of willingness or desire to do something
Example
She showed a clear disinclination to join the meeting.
Elle a montré un désintérêt évident à rejoindre la réunion.
C2 noun /mɔːrˈtɪʃən/

mortician

employé des pompes funèbres
Meaning
a person whose job is to prepare dead bodies for burial or cremation and to arrange funerals
Example
The mortician prepared the body for the funeral service.
L'employé des pompes funèbres a préparé le corps pour le service funéraire.
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 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 adjective ˈtɛnsaɪl

tensile

tensile
Meaning
Relating to tension; capable of being stretched.
Example
The tensile strength of the material is crucial for the construction project.
La résistance à la traction du matériau est cruciale pour le projet de construction.
C2 verb /ɛksˈproʊprieɪt/

expropriate

exproprier
Meaning
To take property from its owner, especially by authority or for public use.
Example
The government decided to expropriate the land for a new highway.
Le gouvernement a décidé d'exproprier la terre pour une nouvelle autoroute.
C2 adjective /ˈɪnˌbrɛd/

inbred

inné
Meaning
existing naturally in a person or animal; also related to reproduction within a limited community
Example
He has an inbred sense of loyalty.
Il a un sens inné de la loyauté.
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 adjective /suːˈpɜːrnəl/

supernal

céleste
Meaning
Relating to the heavens; celestial or divine.
Example
The painting captured a supernal beauty that felt otherworldly.
La peinture a capturé une beauté céleste qui semblait d'un autre monde.
C2 noun /jɔːr/

yore

passé
Meaning
Time long past; bygone days.
Example
Legends of yore still inspire people today.
Les légendes du passé continuent d'inspirer les gens aujourd'hui.
C2 noun /feɪnt/

feint

feinte, mouvement trompeur
Meaning
a deceptive or pretended movement, especially in fighting or sports
Example
The boxer made a feint to the left before striking to the right.
Le boxeur fit une feinte à gauche avant de frapper à droite.
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 verb /ʌnˈɑːrm/

unarm

désarmer
Meaning
to remove weapons from someone or to deprive of means of attack or defense
Example
The soldiers were ordered to unarm the prisoners.
Les soldats ont reçu l'ordre de désarmer les prisonniers.
C2 noun /ˈfiːəlti/

fealty

fidélité et allégeance
Meaning
loyalty or allegiance, especially to a sovereign or lord
Example
The knight swore fealty to his king.
Le chevalier prêta fidélité à son roi.
C2 noun, verb /ˈtræməl/

trammel

entrave
Meaning
A restriction or impediment to freedom of action; to restrict.
Example
The strict rules trammel the creativity of the students.
Les règles strictes entravent la créativité des étudiants.
C2 noun /ɪɡˈzækʃən/

exaction

exaction
Meaning
the act of demanding or obtaining something, especially unfairly
Example
The peasants suffered under the king's heavy exactions.
Les paysans ont souffert sous les lourdes exactions du roi.
C2 adjective /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/

punctilious

pointilleux
Meaning
Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
Example
She was punctilious in her attention to etiquette.
Elle était pointilleuse dans son attention à l'étiquette.
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 noun /ˈɪŋkjʊbəs/

incubus

esprit maléfique
Meaning
An oppressive or nightmarish burden; in folklore, an evil spirit that lies upon sleeping people.
Example
Debt became an incubus that weighed heavily on the family.
La dette est devenue un esprit maléfique qui pesait lourdement sur la famille.
C2 adjective /ˈsfɪŋks laɪk/

sphinx-like

mystérieux
Meaning
Mysterious, enigmatic, or difficult to interpret
Example
Her sphinx-like smile made it hard to guess what she was thinking.
Son sourire sphinx-like rendait difficile de deviner ce qu'elle pensait.
C2 verb /ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪb/

circumscribe

circonscrire
Meaning
to limit or restrict something within boundaries
Example
The rules circumscribe the powers of the committee.
Les règles circonscrivent les pouvoirs du comité.
C2 noun, verb /ˈkaʊntərˌtʃɑːrdʒ/

countercharge

contre-accusation
Meaning
an opposing charge or accusation; to make an opposing attack
Example
The lawyer filed a countercharge against the accuser.
L'avocat a déposé une contre-accusation contre l'accusateur.
C2 noun /kəˈræf/

carafe

carafe en verre
Meaning
a glass container without handles used for serving drinks like water or wine
Example
The waiter brought a carafe of water to the table.
Le serveur a apporté une carafe d'eau à la table.
C2 noun /lɒŋ ˈwɪskəd ˈkætfɪʃ/

Long whiskered catfish

poisson-chat à longues moustaches
Meaning
A type of freshwater fish with long whisker-like barbels around its mouth
Example
The fisherman caught a long whiskered catfish in the river.
Le pêcheur a attrapé un poisson-chat à longues moustaches dans la rivière.
C2 noun /ˈmæntl̩/

mantel

étagère au-dessus de la cheminée
Meaning
A shelf above a fireplace, often used for decoration.
Example
She placed family photos on the mantel above the fireplace.
Elle a posé des photos de famille sur l'étagère au-dessus de la cheminée.
C2 adjective /əˈkjuː.zəˌtɔːr.i/

accusatory

accusateur
Meaning
Suggesting blame or indicating someone has done wrong.
Example
He gave her an accusatory glance.
Il lui lança un regard accusateur.
C2 adjective /əˈkwɪzətɪv/

acquisitive

Meaning
excessively interested in acquiring money or material things
Example
The acquisitive businessman bought every piece of land he could find.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtəni/

litany

litanie
Meaning
a long, repetitive, or tedious account or list; originally a form of prayer
Example
The politician gave a litany of promises during the campaign.
Le politicien a donné une longue liste de promesses pendant la campagne.
C2 verb /ˈkænənaɪz/

canonize

canoniser
Meaning
To officially declare a dead person a saint; to regard as great or significant.
Example
The church canonized the martyr after years of investigation.
L'église a canonisé le martyr après des années d'enquête.
C2 adjective /ˈkjʊərətɪv/

curative

curatif
Meaning
Able to cure disease or restore health.
Example
The doctor prescribed a curative treatment for the illness.
Le médecin a prescrit un traitement curatif pour la maladie.
C2 adjective ˈɛr.jʊ.daɪt

erudite

érudit ou savant
Meaning
Having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarly and intellectual.
Example
The professor's erudite lecture fascinated the students.
Le discours érudit du professeur a fasciné les étudiants.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪfəni/

antiphony

antiphonie
Meaning
a form of music in which two or more groups or choirs sing alternately in response to each other
Example
The cathedral's architecture was designed to enhance the effect of antiphony.
L'architecture de la cathédrale a été conçue pour améliorer l'effet de l'antiphonie.
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 /taɪð/

tithe

dixième
Meaning
A tenth part of one’s income or produce, often given as a religious offering.
Example
He gave a tithe of his earnings to the church.
Il a donné un dixième de ses gains à l'église.
C2 noun /ˈeɪʒən swɒmp iːl/

Asian swamp eel

anguille des marais asiatique
Meaning
a snake-like freshwater fish that can survive in muddy waters and is considered a delicacy in South Asian cuisine
Example
Asian swamp eel can breathe air and survive in shallow muddy waters.
L’anguille des marais asiatique peut respirer de l’air et survivre dans des eaux peu profondes et boueuses.
C2 noun /ˈmɛndɪkənt/

mendicant

mendiant
Meaning
a beggar; a person who lives by asking for alms
Example
The mendicant asked for food at the monastery gate.
Le mendiant a demandé de la nourriture à la porte du monastère.
C2 adjective /ˌbækəˈneɪliən/

bacchanalian

relatif à la débauche
Meaning
Characterized by or involving drunken revelry.
Example
The students threw a bacchanalian party after the exams.
Les étudiants ont organisé une fête débauchée après les examens.
C2 adjective /ˈpɑːrtəbl/

partible

divisible
Meaning
capable of being divided or separated
Example
The estate was partible among the heirs.
Le bien était divisible entre les héritiers.
C2 adjective /kənˌtɛmpəˈreɪniəs/

contemporaneous

contemporané
Meaning
existing, happening, or occurring at the same time
Example
The two artists were contemporaneous and often influenced each other.
Les deux artistes étaient contemporains et se sont souvent influencés mutuellement.