cadenza
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 /kəˈdɛnzə/

cadenza

un passage solo élaboré
Meaning
An elaborate solo passage in a piece of music, usually near the end.
Example
The pianist performed a brilliant cadenza before the final movement.
Le pianiste a exécuté une brillante cadenza avant le dernier mouvement.
C2 adjective /heɪl/

hale

vital
Meaning
strong and healthy, especially of an elderly person
Example
Despite his age, the man remained hale and active.
Malgré son âge, l'homme est resté en bonne santé et actif.
C2 noun /mjuːˈlætoʊ/

mulatto

personne de race mixte (terme ancien et offensant)
Meaning
an outdated and now offensive term historically used to describe a person of mixed white and Black ancestry
Example
The word 'mulatto' is now considered outdated and offensive.
Le mot 'mulâtre' est maintenant considéré comme dépassé et offensant.
C2 noun /ˈbʌskɪn/

buskin

botte épaisse
Meaning
A type of thick-soled boot that reaches halfway to the knee; also associated with tragic drama in ancient times.
Example
The actor wore a buskin as part of his classical costume.
L'acteur portait un buskin comme partie de son costume classique.
C2 verb /drəˈɡuːn/

dragoon

forcer
Meaning
to force someone to do something through coercion or intimidation
Example
The manager tried to dragoon the team into working overtime.
Le manager a essayé de forcer l'équipe à faire des heures supplémentaires.
C2 noun /ˈbriːtʃɪz/

Breeckes

pantalons jusqu'aux genoux
Meaning
knee-length trousers; short pants
Example
He wore riding breeches for the equestrian event.
Il portait des pantalons jusqu'aux genoux pour l'événement équestre.
C2 noun /ˈpruːdəri/

prudery

pruderie
Meaning
the behavior or attitude of people who are too easily shocked or offended by sexual matters
Example
His prudery often made others uncomfortable during open discussions.
Sa pruderie rendait souvent les autres mal à l'aise lors des discussions ouvertes.
C2 noun /nɪˈkrɒlədʒi/

necrology

nécrologie
Meaning
An obituary notice or a list of people who have recently died.
Example
The newspaper published a necrology of notable figures who passed away that year.
Le journal a publié une nécrologie des personnalités notables décédées cette année.
C2 noun /ˈæmjʊlət/

Amulet

amulette; talisman
Meaning
an ornament or small piece of jewelry thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease
Example
She wore a silver amulet around her neck for good luck.
Elle portait un amulette en argent autour du cou pour la chance.
C2 noun, adjective /ˌtætərdɪˈmeɪliən/

tatterdemalion

personne vêtue de haillons
Meaning
A person dressed in ragged clothes; ragged or dilapidated in appearance.
Example
A tatterdemalion wandered the streets in search of food.
Un tatterdemalion errait dans les rues à la recherche de nourriture.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈkʌmfɪtɪŋ/

discomfiting

gênant
Meaning
Causing unease, embarrassment, or discomfort.
Example
His discomfiting questions made everyone shift uncomfortably in their seats.
Ses questions gênantes ont fait en sorte que tout le monde se déplace mal à l'aise dans leurs sièges.
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 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 /ˈsɔː.dər/

Sawder

flatterie; discours flatteur
Meaning
flattering or wheedling talk; soft soap
Example
His sawder couldn't convince anyone of his sincerity.
Sa flatterie n'a pas pu convaincre qui que ce soit de sa sincérité.
C2 adjective /ˈhæriːd/

harried

épuisé ou stressé
Meaning
feeling strained or stressed due to being overworked or constantly bothered
Example
The harried teacher struggled to calm the noisy classroom.
L'enseignant épuisé luttait pour calmer la salle de classe bruyante.
C2 noun /ˈstætɪks/

statics

statique
Meaning
The branch of mechanics dealing with bodies at rest and forces in equilibrium.
Example
She is studying statics as part of her engineering course.
Elle étudie la statique dans le cadre de son cours d'ingénierie.
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 /ˈdɛvɪlri/

devilry

diablerie
Meaning
Wicked or cruel behavior; mischievous actions.
Example
The children were full of devilry on Halloween night.
Les enfants étaient pleins de diablerie lors de la nuit d'Halloween.
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 noun /ˈkætɪˌkɪzəm/

catechism

catéchisme
Meaning
A summary of religious principles often in the form of questions and answers; also a set of fixed questions or beliefs.
Example
The priest taught the children the catechism every Sunday.
Le prêtre a enseigné aux enfants le catéchisme chaque dimanche.
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 /ˈpɪərɪdʒ/

peerage

noblesse
Meaning
the title or rank of a peer; the nobility as a group
Example
He was elevated to the peerage by the king.
Il a été élevé à la noblesse par le roi.
C2 adjective /ˈnɪɡərdli/

niggardly

avare
Meaning
unwilling to spend or give; stingy or miserly
Example
He was too niggardly to leave a decent tip.
Il était trop avare pour laisser un pourboire décent.
C2 noun /ˈæmpərˌsænd/

ampersand

esperluette
Meaning
The symbol '&' used to represent the word 'and'.
Example
Use an ampersand instead of writing the word 'and' in the company name.
Utilisez une esperluette au lieu d'écrire le mot 'et' dans le nom de l'entreprise.
C2 verb /juˈzɜrp/

usurp

usurper
Meaning
to take someone's position of power illegally or by force
Example
The general tried to usurp the king's throne.
Le général a tenté de usurper le trône du roi.
C2 noun /staɪn/

stein

mug à bière
Meaning
A large beer mug, typically made of glass or stoneware.
Example
He raised his stein to toast his friends.
Il a levé son stein pour porter un toast à ses amis.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːdəˈrɪfɪk/

sudorific

sudorifique
Meaning
causing or increasing sweating
Example
The doctor prescribed a sudorific drug to help reduce the fever.
Le médecin a prescrit un médicament sudorifique pour réduire la fièvre.
C2 noun /ˌsuː.pər.əˈbʌn.dəns/

superabundance

superabondance
Meaning
An excessive or overflowing amount of something.
Example
The garden was filled with a superabundance of flowers.
Le jardin était rempli d'une superabondance de fleurs.
C2 adjective /mɔːrˈdeɪʃəs/

mordacious

acerbe ou sarcastique
Meaning
Sharp or biting in style, tone, or remark; sarcastic.
Example
The critic’s mordacious review offended the author.
La critique mordante du critique a offensé l'auteur.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ piː/

Butterfly Pea

pois papillon
Meaning
a blue flowering plant with butterfly-shaped flowers, used to make herbal tea
Example
Butterfly pea flowers turn tea into a beautiful blue color.
Les fleurs de pois papillon donnent au thé une belle couleur bleue.
C2 noun /proʊˈbɑːsɪs/

proboscis

trompe
Meaning
The long, flexible nose of some animals, especially an elephant, or a tubular feeding and sucking organ in insects.
Example
The elephant used its proboscis to grab food.
L'éléphant a utilisé sa trompe pour attraper de la nourriture.
C2 noun /ˌɪkθiˈɒlədʒɪst/

ichthyologist

ichtyologiste
Meaning
A scientist who studies fish.
Example
The ichthyologist discovered a new species of fish in the river.
L'ichtyologiste a découvert une nouvelle espèce de poisson dans la rivière.
C2 noun /mælˈfiːzəns/

malfeasance

méfait d'un fonctionnaire
Meaning
Wrongdoing or misconduct, especially by a public official.
Example
The mayor was accused of malfeasance in office.
Le maire a été accusé de malfeasance en fonction.
C2 noun /ˌnjuːməˈreɪʃən/

numeration

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

leery

méfiant
Meaning
Cautious or wary due to suspicion or distrust.
Example
She was leery of investing in the new business.
Elle était méfiante à l'idée d'investir dans le nouveau business.
C2 noun /ˈblʌfər/

bluffer

bluffeur
Meaning
a person who pretends to be more confident, skilled, or knowledgeable than they really are; someone who deceives others by bluffing
Example
Everyone eventually realized that he was just a bluffer with no real experience.
Tout le monde a compris qu’il était un simple bluffeur.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪləm/

phylum

une catégorie principale dans la classification biologique, au-dessus de la classe et en dessous du règne
Meaning
a primary category in the biological classification of organisms, above class and below kingdom
Example
Humans belong to the phylum Chordata.
Les humains appartiennent au phylum Chordata.
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 /zɪˈnɑːnə/

Zenanna

zenanna
Meaning
the part of a house reserved for women; women's quarters in Muslim households; harem
Example
The zenanna was beautifully decorated with intricate patterns.
Le zenanna était magnifiquement décoré avec des motifs complexes.
C2 adjective /ɪˈnɪkwɪtəs/

iniquitous

iniquité
Meaning
grossly unfair and morally wrong
Example
Slavery was one of the most iniquitous practices in history.
L'esclavage était l'une des pratiques les plus iniquitous de l'histoire.
C2 verb /fɪˈlændər/

philander

flirter
Meaning
to engage in casual or frivolous romantic or sexual relationships
Example
He was known to philander with many women in town.
Il était connu pour flirter avec de nombreuses femmes en ville.
C2 adjective /əˈθɜːrst/

athirst

asif, avideux
Meaning
Very eager or desirous for something.
Example
The explorer was athirst for adventure.
L'explorateur était asif d'aventure.
C2 adjective, adverb /əˈfʊt/

afoot

en cours
Meaning
In progress; happening or being prepared.
Example
There are several new projects afoot in the company.
Il y a plusieurs nouveaux projets en cours dans l'entreprise.
C2 noun /ˈluː.məˌnɛr.i/

luminary

personne influente
Meaning
A person who inspires or influences others, especially in a particular field.
Example
He is considered a luminary in the world of science.
Il est considéré comme une personne influente dans le monde de la science.
C2 noun /ˌɛntəˈmɒlədʒi/

entomology

entomologie
Meaning
The scientific study of insects.
Example
She studied entomology to understand the behavior of bees.
Elle a étudié l'entomologie pour comprendre le comportement des abeilles.
C2 verb, noun /ɡaʊdʒ/

gouge

creuser, surfacturer
Meaning
To cut or scoop out a deep hole or groove; to overcharge unfairly.
Example
He accidentally gouged a hole in the wooden table.
Il a accidentellement fait un trou dans la table en bois.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪ/

belay

sécuriser une corde
Meaning
to secure a rope by winding it around an object; to stop or cancel an order (nautical/military use)
Example
The climber asked his partner to belay the rope tightly.
L'escaladeur a demandé à son partenaire de sécuriser la corde serrée.
C2 adjective /dʒərˈmeɪn/

germane

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

distain

mépriser
Meaning
to treat with scorn or contempt (archaic form of disdain)
Example
He would never distain those who had less fortune than him.
Il ne méprisait jamais ceux qui avaient moins de fortune que lui.
C2 adjective /ˈtaɪmwɔːrn/

timeworn

usé par le temps
Meaning
Worn or impaired by age; old and used many times.
Example
The timeworn house carried a sense of history and nostalgia.
La maison usée par le temps portait un sens de l'histoire et de la nostalgie.
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 /fɔɪst/

foist

imposer de force
Meaning
To impose something unwelcome or unnecessary on someone.
Example
He tried to foist his old books onto his friends.
Il a essayé d'imposer ses vieux livres à ses amis.
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 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 /ɪnˈɡrɑːft/

ingraft

implanter
Meaning
To implant or fix deeply, often used in the sense of grafting an idea or quality.
Example
The teacher tried to ingraft good manners in the students.
Le professeur a essayé d'implanter de bonnes manières chez les étudiants.
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 /ɪnˈkoʊ.ɪt/ or /ɪnˈkoʊ.eɪt/

inchoate

incomplet
Meaning
Just begun and not fully formed; rudimentary.
Example
His inchoate ideas needed more research to be developed.
Ses idées incomplètes avaient besoin de plus de recherches pour être développées.
C2 verb /ˈsɪn.tɪ.leɪt/

scintillate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or shine brightly; to emit flashes of light
Example
The diamond ring scintillated under the bright lights.
La bague en diamant scintillait sous les lumières brillantes.
C2 noun /ˈtɪl.ər/

Tiller

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

aqueous

aqueux
Meaning
related to or containing water; watery
Example
The solution was in an aqueous form.
La solution était sous forme aqueuse.
C2 verb /ˈɪmprɪkeɪt/

imprecate

imprécation
Meaning
To utter a curse or invoke evil upon someone.
Example
The old woman imprecated her enemies with dark words.
La vieille femme a impréqué ses ennemis avec des mots sombres.
C2 adjective /ˈmɛtrɪkəl/

metrical

métrique
Meaning
Relating to or composed in a regular rhythmic pattern of beats or meter, especially in poetry.
Example
The poet carefully followed metrical rules in his verses.
Le poète a suivi soigneusement les règles métriques dans ses vers.
C2 adjective /ˈsɛrid/

serried

serré
Meaning
pressed or crowded together, often in rows or ranks
Example
The soldiers stood in serried ranks, ready for inspection.
Les soldats étaient en rangs serrés, prêts pour l'inspection.
C2 noun /lɪˈvaɪəθən/

leviathan

monstre marin géant
Meaning
a huge sea monster or something very large and powerful.
Example
The ship looked like a leviathan on the horizon.
Le navire ressemblait à un monstre marin géant à l'horizon.
C2 noun /ˈdɛrɪk/

derrick

tour de forage
Meaning
A framework or tower used for supporting a crane, especially for oil drilling or lifting heavy loads.
Example
The workers assembled a derrick at the oil drilling site.
Les ouvriers ont assemblé une tour de forage sur le site de forage de pétrole.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːŋ.ɡən/

Longan

longane
Meaning
a small round tropical fruit with translucent white flesh and sweet taste, related to lychee
Example
Longan fruits are often eaten fresh or dried and are popular in Asian desserts.
Les fruits de longane sont souvent consommés frais ou séchés et sont populaires dans les desserts asiatiques.
C2 noun /ˈtjuːtɪlɪdʒ/

tutelage

tutelle
Meaning
The act of guarding, protecting, or guiding; instruction or teaching.
Example
She studied painting under the tutelage of a famous artist.
Elle a étudié la peinture sous la tutelle d'un artiste célèbre.
C2 verb /ˈmɒlɪfaɪ/

mollify

apaiser
Meaning
To calm or soothe someone's anger or anxiety.
Example
The manager tried to mollify the angry customers with discounts.
Le responsable a essayé d'apaiser les clients en colère avec des réductions.
C2 verb /əˈbrɪdʒ/

abridge

abréger
Meaning
to shorten a text without losing its meaning
Example
The editor decided to abridge the long novel for young readers.
L'éditeur a décidé d'abréger le long roman pour les jeunes lecteurs.
C2 verb /bɪˈdɔːb/

bedaub

barbouiller
Meaning
to smear or cover with a sticky or dirty substance
Example
The children bedaubed the wall with paint.
Les enfants ont barbouillé le mur avec de la peinture.
C2 noun /ˈniːəˌfaɪt/

neophyte

néophyte
Meaning
A beginner or novice in a subject, skill, or belief.
Example
As a neophyte in programming, she often asked for guidance from her mentor.
En tant que néophyte en programmation, elle demandait souvent des conseils à son mentor.
C2 noun /ˈfrɛʃɪt/

freshet

crue soudaine du fleuve
Meaning
A sudden overflow of a stream or river caused by heavy rain or melting snow.
Example
After the storm, the river turned into a raging freshet.
Après la tempête, la rivière est devenue un freshet furieux.
C2 verb /aɪˈdɒləˌtraɪz/

idolatrize

idolâtrer
Meaning
To worship idols; to regard with excessive devotion or admiration.
Example
They began to idolatrize the statue as a deity.
Ils ont commencé à idolâtrer la statue comme une divinité.
C2 noun /ˌɡæskəˈneɪd/

gasconade

prétention excessive, vanité
Meaning
Extravagant boasting or bragging.
Example
His endless gasconade made him unpopular among his peers.
Son gazouillement sans fin le rendait impopulaire parmi ses pairs.
C2 adjective /ˈhed.i/

Heady

enivrant
Meaning
having a strong or exhilarating effect; intoxicating; exciting
Example
The heady perfume of jasmine filled the garden.
Le parfum enivrant du jasmin remplit le jardin.
C2 verb /ˈblʌstər/

bluster

vantes
Meaning
to speak loudly in an aggressive or threatening way, often without real power
Example
The manager blustered about firing people but did nothing.
Le manager a menacé de renvoyer des gens mais n'a rien fait.
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 verb /əˈfaɪəns/

affiance

fiancer
Meaning
to promise or pledge marriage; to formally engage
Example
They decided to affiance after years of friendship.
Ils ont décidé de se fiancer après des années d’amitié.
C2 noun /əˈdɛpt.nəs/

adeptness

aptitude et habileté
Meaning
Skill and dexterity in a task.
Example
His adeptness in negotiations helped close the deal successfully.
Son aptitude dans les négociations a permis de conclure l'accord avec succès.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪloʊi/

willowy

élancé, mince et flexible, comme un saule
Meaning
Gracefully tall, slender, and flexible, like a willow tree.
Example
She moved with a willowy elegance across the stage.
Elle se déplaçait avec une élégance willowy sur scène.
C2 noun /ˈdɛskænt/

descant

mélodie supplémentaire
Meaning
An additional melody or counterpoint sung or played above the main melody.
Example
The choir added a beautiful descant to the hymn.
Le chœur a ajouté une belle mélodie supplémentaire à l'hymne.
C2 noun /troʊp/

trope

trop littéraire
Meaning
A common or overused theme, idea, or device in literature, film, or speech.
Example
The film avoided the usual superhero tropes.
Le film a évité les tropes habituels des super-héros.
C2 verb /ˈræpsəˌdaɪz/

rhapsodize

rhapsodier
Meaning
to speak or write with great enthusiasm and admiration
Example
He would often rhapsodize about his travels to Europe.
Il parlait souvent avec enthousiasme de ses voyages en Europe.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəl/

penitential

pénitent
Meaning
Relating to or expressing penitence or penance.
Example
The priest delivered a penitential sermon on forgiveness.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon pénitent sur le pardon.
C2 noun /ˈɛərəˌstæt/

aerostat

aérostat
Meaning
A lighter-than-air craft, such as a balloon, that is lifted by gas.
Example
The military used an aerostat for surveillance over the border.
L'armée a utilisé un aérostat pour la surveillance de la frontière.
C2 adjective /ˈæsɪnaɪn/

asinine

absurde
Meaning
Extremely foolish or stupid.
Example
It was an asinine idea to drive into the storm without checking the weather.
C'était une idée absurde de conduire dans la tempête sans vérifier la météo.
C2 verb /ˈdʒæbər/

jabber

bavarder
Meaning
To talk quickly and excitedly but with little sense.
Example
The children jabbered happily after the show.
Les enfants bavardaient joyeusement après le spectacle.
C2 adjective /ˈvɛdʒɪtəl/

vegetal

végétal
Meaning
relating to or consisting of plants or vegetation
Example
The soup had a distinct vegetal flavor.
La soupe avait une saveur végétale distincte.
C2 noun /ˈɡælvəˌnɪzəm/

galvanism

galvanisme
Meaning
Electricity produced by chemical action, especially in a battery; the therapeutic use of electricity in medicine.
Example
Galvanism played a key role in early experiments with electricity.
Le galvanisme a joué un rôle clé dans les premières expériences avec l'électricité.
C2 noun /ˈtʊrnɪkɪt/

tourniquet

garrot
Meaning
a device used to stop bleeding by compressing blood vessels
Example
The medic applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
Le médecin a appliqué un garrot pour arrêter le saignement.
C2 verb /ɡɜːrd/

gird

ceindre
Meaning
to encircle with a belt or band; to prepare for action
Example
The knight girded his sword before battle.
Le chevalier a ceinturé son épée avant la bataille.
C2 verb /lɑːl/

loll

s'asseoir paresseusement
Meaning
To sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way.
Example
He lolled on the sofa after a long day at work.
Après une longue journée de travail, il s'est affalé sur le canapé.
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 /ɪˈfɛktʃuəl/

effectual

efficace
Meaning
producing a desired or intended effect, often used in formal contexts
Example
Her effectual efforts brought peace to the community.
Ses efforts efficaces ont apporté la paix à la communauté.
C2 adjective /ədˈmɒnɪtəri/

admonitory

d'avertissement
Meaning
giving or conveying a warning or reprimand
Example
She gave him an admonitory glance.
Elle lui a lancé un regard d'avertissement.
C2 verb /seɪt/

sate

satisfaire
Meaning
To satisfy fully or to excess.
Example
The huge meal sated their hunger after the long journey.
Le gros repas a satisfait leur faim après le long voyage.
C2 noun /ˈmæl.kənˌtɛnt/

malcontent

personne mécontente
Meaning
A person who is dissatisfied or rebellious; one who is not content.
Example
The malcontent voiced his grievances against the government.
La personne mécontente a exprimé ses plaintes contre le gouvernement.
C2 adjective ˌʌn.əˈseɪ.lə.bəl

unassailable

inaccessible
Meaning
Unable to be attacked, questioned, or defeated.
Example
An unassailable position ensures dominance.
Une position inaccessible assure la domination.
C2 noun /fækˈtoʊtəm/

factotum

homme à tout faire
Meaning
an employee who does many different types of work; a general servant
Example
He worked as a factotum, handling both clerical and maintenance duties.
Il travaillait comme un factotum, s'occupant à la fois des tâches administratives et de maintenance.
C2 verb /ˈkɒsɪt/

cosset

choyer
Meaning
to care for and protect in an overindulgent way
Example
The little girl was cosseted by her grandparents.
La petite fille était choyée par ses grands-parents.
C2 noun /ˌræʃioʊsɪˈneɪʃən/

ratiocination

raisonnement
Meaning
the process of reasoning or logical thinking
Example
His ratiocination impressed the judges during the debate.
Son raisonnement a impressionné les juges pendant le débat.
C2 noun /prɪˈsɛntɪmənt/

presentiment

présentiment
Meaning
An intuitive feeling about the future, especially of something bad about to happen.
Example
He had a strong presentiment that the plan would fail.
Il avait un fort pressentiment que le plan échouerait.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪz.ən.taɪn/ or /ˈbaɪ.zənˌtiːn/

byzantine

complexe
Meaning
Extremely complicated and detailed; relating to the Byzantine Empire or its style.
Example
The new tax regulations are so byzantine that few understand them.
Les nouvelles réglementations fiscales sont tellement complexes que peu de gens les comprennent.
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 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 verb /dʌn/

dun

exiger le paiement d'une dette
Meaning
to demand payment of a debt persistently
Example
The landlord dunned the tenant for unpaid rent.
Le propriétaire a demandé plusieurs fois le loyer impayé.
C2 adjective /ˈkælkjʊləbl/

calculable

calculable
Meaning
Capable of being calculated, estimated, or measured.
Example
The risk involved in the project is calculable.
Le risque impliqué dans le projet est calculable.
C2 adjective /ˈærənt/

arrant

complet, absolu
Meaning
complete or utter (used negatively, e.g., 'arrant nonsense')
Example
His excuse was arrant nonsense.
Son excuse était des bêtises complètes.
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 /ˈsætræp/

satrap

satrape
Meaning
a governor of a province in ancient Persia; also used figuratively for a subordinate ruler
Example
The king appointed a satrap to oversee the distant province.
Le roi nomma un satrape pour superviser la province éloignée.
C2 verb /əˈsɛvəˌreɪt/

asseverate

affirmer
Meaning
to affirm or declare positively and earnestly
Example
He asseverated that he had never seen the man before.
Il a affirmé qu'il n'avait jamais vu l'homme avant.
C2 noun /ˌɔːrəˈtɔːri.oʊ/

oratorio

composition musicale religieuse
Meaning
A large-scale musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists, usually on a sacred theme, performed without costumes or scenery.
Example
Handel's 'Messiah' is one of the most famous oratorios ever written.
Le 'Messie' de Handel est l'un des oratorios les plus célèbres jamais écrits.
C2 adjective ˌlæb.əˈrɪn.θaɪn

labyrinthine

labyrinthique
Meaning
Like a labyrinth; complicated and confusing; having many interconnected paths or passages.
Example
The old city streets were labyrinthine.
Les rues de la vieille ville étaient labyrinthiques.
C2 adjective /dʒɛnˈtiːl/

genteel

raffiné
Meaning
Polite, refined, or respectable, often in an affected or exaggerated way
Example
She spoke in a genteel manner that impressed the guests.
Elle parlait d'une manière raffinée qui impressionnait les invités.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈtræməld/

untrammeled

liberté illimitée
Meaning
Not restricted or hampered; free and unrestricted.
Example
She enjoyed untrammeled freedom in her new life abroad.
Elle a apprécié la liberté illimitée dans sa nouvelle vie à l'étranger.
C2 noun /ˈɛnsaɪn/

ensign

drapeau
Meaning
A flag or standard, especially a military or naval one indicating nationality; also a junior officer in the navy or coast guard.
Example
The ship raised its national ensign before leaving the harbor.
Le navire a hissé son drapeau national avant de quitter le port.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛfəˈrɛnʃəl/

deferential

respectueux
Meaning
Showing or expressing respect and high regard.
Example
He was always deferential toward his teachers.
Il était toujours respectueux envers ses enseignants.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪlətɔːri/

dilatory

dilatoire
Meaning
Tending to cause delay; slow to act.
Example
The committee was criticized for its dilatory response to the crisis.
Le comité a été critiqué pour sa réponse dilatoire à la crise.
C2 noun, adjective /ɪˈklɪptɪk/

ecliptic

écliptique
Meaning
The apparent path of the sun across the sky; relating to eclipses or this path.
Example
The ecliptic is the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
L'écliptique est le plan de l'orbite de la Terre autour du Soleil.
C2 noun (plural) /ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/

machinations

machinations
Meaning
complicated and secret plans, often intended to cause harm
Example
The politician was brought down by his own machinations.
Le politicien a été abattu par ses propres machinations.