cant
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C2 noun /kænt/

cant

discours hypocrite
Meaning
Hypocritical and insincere talk, especially about moral or religious principles.
Example
The politician's speech was filled with cant about honesty and integrity.
Le discours du politicien était rempli de discours hypocrites sur l'honnêteté et l'intégrité.
C2 verb /ˈmæk.jʊˌleɪt/

maculate

maculer
Meaning
To stain, spot, or pollute something.
Example
The white cloth was maculated by ink stains.
Le tissu blanc a été souillé par des taches d'encre.
C2 noun /ˈliːdʒənəri/

legionary

soldat romain
Meaning
a soldier in the Roman army
Example
Each legionary carried a shield and a short sword.
Chaque légionnaire portait un bouclier et une épée courte.
C2 adjective /juːˈʒʊəriəs/

usurious

usuraire
Meaning
Charging excessively high interest rates on loans.
Example
The bank was accused of offering loans at usurious rates.
La banque a été accusée d'offrir des prêts à des taux usuraires.
C2 verb /əˈbɛt/

abet

encourager un crime
Meaning
to encourage or assist someone to commit a crime or wrongdoing
Example
He was accused of abetting the criminals in their escape.
Il a été accusé d'avoir aidé les criminels dans leur fuite.
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 /prəˈpʌlsɪv/

propulsive

propulsif
Meaning
Having the power to drive or push something forward.
Example
The propulsive force of the rocket lifted it off the ground.
La force propulsive de la fusée l'a soulevée du sol.
C2 noun /ˈbrɔːdˌsaɪd/

broadside

attaque violente
Meaning
a strong verbal attack or a sheet of paper printed on one side
Example
The politician launched a broadside against his opponent.
Le politicien a lancé une attaque violente contre son opposant.
C2 adjective /ˈtɔːrpɪd/

torpid

léthargique
Meaning
Mentally or physically inactive; sluggish or lethargic.
Example
After the long hike, he felt torpid and unmotivated.
Après la longue randonnée, il se sentait léthargique et démotivé.
C2 adjective /ˈɪl bred/

Ill-bred

mal eleve
Meaning
lacking good manners; rude; showing poor upbringing
Example
His ill-bred behavior shocked everyone at the dinner party.
His ill-bred behavior shocked everyone at the dinner party.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/

desiccate

dessécher
Meaning
to dry up completely or remove the moisture from something
Example
The hot sun can quickly desiccate plants in the desert.
Le soleil chaud peut rapidement dessécher les plantes dans le désert.
C2 verb /ˌmɪsæprɪˈhɛnd/

misapprehend

mal comprendre
Meaning
to misunderstand or misinterpret something
Example
He misapprehended the teacher’s instructions and did the task incorrectly.
Il a mal compris les instructions du professeur et a fait la tâche incorrectement.
C2 noun/adjective /prɪˈsɪpɪtənt/

precipitant

précipitant
Meaning
As a noun: a substance that causes a substance to be deposited from a solution; as an adjective: acting hastily or impulsively.
Example
The chemist added a precipitant to the solution to observe the reaction.
Le chimiste a ajouté un précipitant à la solution pour observer la réaction.
C2 noun /kənˈtraɪ.vəns/

contrivance

appareil ou plan
Meaning
a device or plan that is cleverly or artificially created
Example
The clock was an intricate contrivance of gears and springs.
L'horloge était un dispositif complexe de rouages et de ressorts.
C2 adjective /ˈfɔːnɪŋ/

fawning

flatterie exagérée
Meaning
displaying exaggerated flattery or affection
Example
Her fawning compliments made everyone uncomfortable.
Ses compliments exagérés ont mis tout le monde mal à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˌnɛɡlɪˈʒeɪ/

negligee

peignoir léger en soie
Meaning
A woman's light dressing gown, often made of thin or silky material.
Example
She wore a silk negligee before going to bed.
Elle portait un peignoir en soie avant de se coucher.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɜːrnəl/

diurnal

diurne
Meaning
active during the day; occurring daily
Example
Most birds are diurnal creatures, active in daylight hours.
La plupart des oiseaux sont des créatures diurnes, actives pendant les heures de clarté.
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 /ˈprɒsɪlaɪt/

proselyte

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

recrimination

contre-accusation
Meaning
an accusation made in response to an accusation; mutual blaming
Example
The debate quickly descended into mutual recriminations.
Le débat a rapidement dégénéré en contre-accusations mutuelles.
C2 noun /ˈdɔːrmər/

dormer

fenêtre mansardée
Meaning
A window that projects vertically from a sloping roof.
Example
The old house had a dormer overlooking the garden.
La vieille maison avait une fenêtre mansardée donnant sur le jardin.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɒlɪti/

jollity

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

tergiversation

évasion, retournement
Meaning
Evasion of straightforward action or speech; changing sides or being inconsistent.
Example
The politician’s tergiversation frustrated his supporters.
La tergiversation du politicien a frustré ses partisans.
C2 noun /məˈlæsɪz/

Molasses

mélasse
Meaning
thick, dark, sweet syrup made from sugar cane
Example
The recipe calls for molasses to give the bread a rich flavor.
La recette demande de la mélasse pour donner au pain une saveur riche.
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 /ˌfɪzɪˈɑːkrəsi/

physiocracy

fisiocratie
Meaning
an economic theory that land and its natural products are the source of wealth
Example
Physiocracy emphasized the importance of agriculture in national wealth.
La fisiocratie a souligné l'importance de l'agriculture dans la richesse nationale.
C2 adjective /ˈfʊl.dʒənt/

fulgent

éclatant
Meaning
Shining brightly; dazzling.
Example
The fulgent stars lit up the night sky.
Les étoiles éclatantes ont illuminé le ciel nocturne.
C2 noun /dɪsˈjuːnjən/

disunion

désunion
Meaning
the state of being separated or not united
Example
Civil wars often result from national disunion.
Les guerres civiles résultent souvent de la désunion nationale.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈperɪʃəbəl/

Imperishable

imperissable; éternel; immortel
Meaning
not subject to decay; lasting forever; eternal
Example
The imperishable beauty of classical art continues to inspire generations.
La beauté impérissable de l'art classique continue d'inspirer les générations.
C2 verb /ɪmˈpjuːn/

impugn

contester la vérité, la validité ou l'honnêteté d'une déclaration ou d'un motif
Meaning
to dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of a statement or motive
Example
The lawyer tried to impugn the credibility of the witness.
L'avocat a essayé de contester la crédibilité du témoin.
C2 verb /ɪnˈdɛmnɪfaɪ/

indemnify

indemniser
Meaning
to compensate someone for harm or loss; to secure against future damage or cost
Example
The insurance company agreed to indemnify the client for the damages.
La compagnie d'assurance a accepté d'indemniser le client pour les dommages.
C2 noun /proʊˈskrɪp.ʃən/

proscription

interdiction
Meaning
the act of forbidding something, especially by law
Example
The proscription of child labor is an important human rights achievement.
L'interdiction du travail des enfants est une réalisation importante des droits humains.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnæprɪˈhɛnsəbl/

inapprehensible

incompréhensible
Meaning
not understandable; incomprehensible
Example
The concept was so abstract that it seemed inapprehensible to most students.
Le concept était si abstrait qu'il semblait incompréhensible pour la plupart des étudiants.
C2 noun /dɪˌlæpɪˈdeɪʃən/

dilapidation

dilapidation
Meaning
The state of disrepair or ruin as a result of neglect.
Example
The old temple was in a state of dilapidation.
Le vieux temple était dans un état de dilapidation.
C2 adjective /ˈfʊtˌluːs/

footloose

libre
Meaning
Free to go anywhere or do anything; not tied down by responsibilities.
Example
After graduating, he felt footloose and ready to explore the world.
Après avoir obtenu son diplôme, il se sentait libre et prêt à explorer le monde.
C2 noun /mɪˈsɑːɡəmi/

misogamy

misogamie
Meaning
Hatred or dislike of marriage.
Example
His misogamy prevented him from ever settling down with a partner.
Sa misogamie l'a empêché de se poser avec un partenaire.
C2 verb /ˈbækbaɪt/

backbite

médire
Meaning
to speak negatively about someone who is not present; to slander behind someone’s back
Example
It is wrong to backbite your colleagues behind their backs.
Il est mal de médire de ses collègues en leur absence.
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.
C2 adjective /ˈtriːkli/

treacly

Excessivement sucré ou sentimental, comme de la mélasse.
Meaning
Excessively sweet or sentimental, like treacle.
Example
The movie was too treacly for my taste.
Le film était trop sirupeux pour mon goût.
C2 noun /ˈstrɪk.tʃər/

stricture

restriction, critique
Meaning
a restriction or limitation; a critical remark
Example
The new law placed a severe stricture on free speech.
La nouvelle loi a imposé une restriction sévère à la liberté d'expression.
C2 noun /əˌbɑː.məˈneɪ.ʃən/

abomination

abomination
Meaning
a thing that causes disgust or hatred
Example
Slavery was considered an abomination.
L'esclavage était considéré comme une abomination.
C2 noun /læŋ'ɡʊər/

Langoor

langour
Meaning
a long-tailed monkey found in Asia, especially India and Southeast Asia
Example
The langoor was sitting on the tree branch eating fruits.
Le langur était assis sur la branche de l'arbre en train de manger des fruits.
C2 noun /hɔːɡ plʌm/

Hog plum

prune de hog
Meaning
tropical fruit with yellow skin and sour taste
Example
Hog plums are often used to make pickles and chutneys.
Les prunes de hog sont souvent utilisées pour faire des cornichons et des chutneys.
C2 noun /ˈbɒdɪs/

bodice

corsage
Meaning
the part of a woman's dress that covers the body from the neck to the waist
Example
She wore a dress with an embroidered bodice.
Elle portait une robe avec un corsage brodé.
C2 adjective /ˌʌn.təˈwɔːrd/

untoward

inattendu
Meaning
Unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.
Example
The meeting ended without any untoward incidents.
La réunion s'est terminée sans incidents inattendus.
C2 noun /dæmˈneɪ.ʃən/

Damnation

damnation éternelle; destruction
Meaning
condemnation to eternal punishment in hell; something that causes ruin or failure
Example
The preacher spoke about salvation and damnation in his sermon.
Le prédicateur a parlé du salut et de la damnation dans son sermon.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrsɪflɑːʒ/

persiflage

moquerie légère
Meaning
light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter
Example
Their conversation was full of persiflage and jokes.
Leurs conversations étaient pleines de moquerie légère et de blagues.
C2 noun /spjuːm/

spume

écume
Meaning
Froth or foam, especially found on waves or liquids.
Example
The waves crashed against the rocks, leaving spume in the air.
Les vagues se sont écrasées contre les rochers, laissant de l'écume dans l'air.
C2 noun /dɪˈstɪlər/

distiller

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

cathode

électrode négative
Meaning
The negative electrode in a device such as a battery or tube, where electrons enter.
Example
The cathode emits electrons in the tube.
Le cathode émet des électrons dans le tube.
C2 verb /proʊˈskraɪb/

proscribe

interdire
Meaning
to forbid something by law or authority
Example
The new law will proscribe the use of harmful chemicals in farming.
La nouvelle loi interdira l'utilisation de produits chimiques nuisibles dans l'agriculture.
C2 adjective /ˈnjuː.mər.ə.bəl/

Numerable

comptable; numérable
Meaning
capable of being counted; countable
Example
The stars in the sky are not numerable.
Les étoiles dans le ciel ne sont pas numérables.
C2 adjective /ˈtɪtjələr/

titular

titulaire
Meaning
holding a title or position in name only without real power; relating to the title of a work
Example
She is the titular head of the committee, but decisions are made by the coordinator.
Elle est la titulaire du comité, mais les décisions sont prises par le coordinateur.
C2 noun kənˌsep.tʃu.ə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

conceptualization

conceptualisation
Meaning
The process of forming a concept or idea; the process of developing something in the mind.
Example
The conceptualization of renewable cities is groundbreaking.
La conceptualisation des villes renouvelables est révolutionnaire.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːrbərɪzəm/

Barbarism

barbarie
Meaning
extreme cruelty or brutality; absence of culture and civilization
Example
The barbarism of the war crimes shocked the entire international community.
Le barbarisme des crimes de guerre a choqué la communauté internationale.
C2 adjective /ˈfʌŋɡəs/

fungous

semblable à un champignon
Meaning
relating to or resembling a fungus
Example
The damp basement had a fungous smell.
Le sous-sol humide avait une odeur semblable à un champignon.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmjʊər/

demure

réservé
Meaning
reserved, modest, and shy
Example
She gave him a demure smile.
Elle lui donna un sourire réservé.
C2 adjective /pjuːˈtrɛsənt/

putrescent

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

valance

valance décorative
Meaning
A decorative drapery hung across the top of a window or bed.
Example
She chose a floral valance to match the curtains in her bedroom.
Elle a choisi une valance florale pour assortir les rideaux de sa chambre.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkəmˈprɛsəbl/

incompressible

incompressible
Meaning
Not able to be pressed or squeezed into a smaller space.
Example
Liquids are generally considered incompressible.
Les liquides sont généralement considérés comme incompressibles.
C2 adjective /saɪˈdɪəriəl/

sidereal

sidéral
Meaning
Relating to the stars or constellations; measured relative to the stars.
Example
Astronomers use sidereal time to track the positions of stars.
Les astronomes utilisent le temps sidéral pour suivre les positions des étoiles.
C2 noun /ˈbeɪlɔːr/

bailor

bailleur
Meaning
a person who temporarily transfers possession of goods or property to another under a bailment agreement
Example
The bailor entrusted the valuable artwork to the museum for safekeeping.
Le bailleur a confié l’œuvre d’art au musée.
C2 noun ˈsaɪəns ˈdezət

science-desert

désert scientifique
Meaning
A region or area lacking in scientific development, research facilities, or educational institutions.
Example
J.C. Bose thrived in a science-desert.
J.C. Bose a prospéré dans un désert scientifique.
C2 verb /ˌɪntərˈsiːd/

intercede

intercéder
Meaning
to act or plead on behalf of someone in difficulty or trouble; to intervene between parties to help resolve a dispute
Example
She interceded with the teacher to give her brother another chance.
Elle a intercédé auprès du professeur pour donner une autre chance à son frère.
C2 noun /ˈmæk.rəˌkɒz.əm/

macrocosm

macrocosme
Meaning
The whole universe considered as a large, complex system; a large-scale representation of something.
Example
The macrocosm of the universe reflects the microcosm of human life.
Le macrocosme de l'univers reflète le microcosme de la vie humaine.
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 /ˈpɜːrsənɪdʒ/

personage

personnage important
Meaning
an important or famous person
Example
He is considered a great personage in the world of literature.
Il est considéré comme un grand personnage dans le monde de la littérature.
C2 noun /sɒp/

sop

compromis
Meaning
a concession or appeasement to pacify someone; also a piece of bread dipped in liquid
Example
The manager offered a bonus as a sop to the unhappy employees.
Le directeur a offert une prime comme une concession aux employés mécontents.
C2 verb /rɪˈvaɪl/

revile

révérer
Meaning
to criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner
Example
The politician was reviled by the public for his corruption.
Le politicien a été révéré par le public pour sa corruption.
C2 noun /ˈlɔɪtərər/

loiterer

personne qui traîne sans but dans un endroit
Meaning
A person who lingers aimlessly in a place without purpose.
Example
The police questioned the loiterer outside the store.
La police a interrogé le loiterer dehors du magasin.
C2 adjective /ˈfæləbl/

fallible

capable de faire des erreurs
Meaning
capable of making mistakes or being wrong
Example
Even experts are fallible and can make errors.
Même les experts sont faillibles et peuvent faire des erreurs.
C2 adjective /ˈplændʒənt/

plangent

son plaintif ou résonnant
Meaning
having a loud, mournful sound; resonant
Example
The plangent toll of the church bell echoed through the village.
Le son plaintif de la cloche de l'église résonnait à travers le village.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈlɪdʒəs/

irreligious

irréligieux
Meaning
Indifferent or hostile to religion
Example
Some people in the community consider him irreligious because he never attends religious services.
Certaines personnes dans la communauté le considèrent comme irréligieux car il ne va jamais aux services religieux.
C2 adjective /ˌɪlˈneɪ.tʃəd/

ill-natured

de mauvaise nature
Meaning
Having a bad or unpleasant character; unkind or malicious.
Example
He made an ill-natured remark about his colleague.
Il a fait une remarque de mauvaise nature à propos de son collègue.
C2 adjective /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsənt/

recrudescent

récidivant
Meaning
reviving or breaking out again after a period of abatement
Example
Recrudescent tensions threatened the fragile ceasefire.
Les tensions récidivantes ont menacé la fragile trêve.
C2 verb /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/

lionize

lioniser
Meaning
to treat someone as a celebrity or give a lot of public attention
Example
The press began to lionize the young scientist after his discovery.
La presse a commencé à lioniser le jeune scientifique après sa découverte.
C2 noun /ˈræŋ.kər/

rancor

rancune
Meaning
A feeling of deep and bitter anger or resentment.
Example
There was a rancor between the two rivals that never faded.
Il y avait une rancune entre les deux rivaux qui ne s'est jamais estompée.
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 noun /ˈmaʊntɪˌbæŋk/

mountebank

charlatan
Meaning
A charlatan or trickster who deceives others, often for personal gain.
Example
The crowd was fooled by the mountebank’s false promises.
La foule a été trompée par les fausses promesses du charlatan.
C2 adjective /ˌfærɪˈseɪɪkəl/

pharisaical

pharisaïque
Meaning
Excessively concerned with formal rules or outward show of morality, often in a hypocritical way.
Example
His pharisaical behavior made people doubt his sincerity.
Son comportement pharisaïque a fait douter les gens de sa sincérité.
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 noun /ˈkɒmɪti/

comity

courtoisie, respect mutuel
Meaning
Courtesy and considerate behavior towards others; mutual respect.
Example
The meeting was conducted with comity and respect.
La réunion s'est déroulée avec courtoisie et respect.
C2 adjective /ˈneb.jə.ləs/

Nebulous

vague; flou; nébuleux
Meaning
vague or unclear; lacking definite form; hazy
Example
His plans for the future remain nebulous and unclear.
Ses projets pour l'avenir restent nébuleux et flous.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsuːpərəbl/

insuperable

insurmontable
Meaning
Impossible to overcome or surpass.
Example
The team faced insuperable challenges during the expedition.
L'équipe a fait face à des défis insurmontables lors de l'expédition.
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 /ˈɒf.biːt/

offbeat

inhabituel
Meaning
Unusual, unconventional, or different from the norm.
Example
She has a very offbeat sense of humor.
Elle a un sens de l'humour très inhabituel.
C2 adjective /ˈfiːkənd/

fecund

fertile, productif
Meaning
producing or capable of producing an abundance of offspring or new growth; fertile
Example
The fecund soil produced a bountiful harvest this year.
Le sol fertile a produit une récolte abondante cette année.
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 /ɪnˈsɪɡniə/

insignia

insigne
Meaning
A badge or symbol that shows rank, position, or membership.
Example
The soldier proudly wore the insignia of his regiment.
Le soldat portait fièrement l'insigne de son régiment.
C2 adverb /əˈbɛd/

abed

au lit
Meaning
in bed
Example
She stayed abed all day due to illness.
Elle est restée au lit toute la journée à cause de la maladie.
C2 noun /ˈdɛswɪˌtuːd/

desuetude

désuétude
Meaning
a state of disuse or inactivity
Example
The old law has fallen into desuetude.
La vieille loi est tombée en désuétude.
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 noun /dɪˈfoʊliənt/

defoliant

défoliant
Meaning
a chemical that causes leaves to drop from plants, often used in warfare or agriculture
Example
The army sprayed defoliant to clear the forest cover.
L'armée a pulvérisé un défoliant pour dégager le couvert forestier.
C2 noun /ɪkˌspɒstjʊˈleɪʃən/

expostulation

protestation
Meaning
the act of expressing protest or disagreement
Example
His expostulation against the unfair rules was ignored.
Sa protestation contre les règles injustes a été ignorée.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌlɔːɡ/

decalogue

Décalogue
Meaning
The Ten Commandments in the Bible; a set of fundamental rules or principles.
Example
The priest gave a sermon on the importance of the Decalogue.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon sur l'importance du Décalogue.
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 noun /ˈprɒvəndər/

provender

fourrage pour le bétail
Meaning
food or provisions, especially for livestock
Example
The barn was filled with provender for the cattle.
La grange était remplie de fourrage pour le bétail.
C2 noun /blæk biː/

Black-bee

abeille noire
Meaning
a large dark-colored bee that makes a loud buzzing sound
Example
The black-bee was buzzing around the flowers in the garden.
L'abeille noire bourdonnait autour des fleurs dans le jardin.
C2 noun /ˈtraɪdənt/

trident

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

savant

bonheur
Meaning
a learned person, especially a distinguished scientist or scholar; sometimes used in the phrase ‘savant syndrome’ for someone with exceptional abilities alongside developmental differences
Example
The conference keynote was delivered by a linguistic savant who studies endangered languages.
Elle ne pouvait cacher sa bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌmblɪŋ/

bumbling

maladroit
Meaning
Acting in a clumsy, awkward, or confused way.
Example
The bumbling waiter spilled the drinks on the table.
Le serveur maladroit a renversé les boissons sur la table.
C2 adjective /njuːˈtoʊniən/

newtonian

relatif aux lois de Newton
Meaning
relating to the laws of motion and gravitation formulated by Sir Isaac Newton
Example
The scientist explained the Newtonian laws of motion.
Le scientifique a expliqué les lois du mouvement newtoniennes.
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 verb /pɔːrˈtɛnd/

portend

présager
Meaning
To be a sign or warning that something, especially something bad, is going to happen.
Example
Dark clouds portend a storm.
Les nuages sombres présagent une tempête.
C2 noun /ˈdiːɪst/

deist

déiste
Meaning
a person who believes in the existence of a supreme being but rejects organized religion
Example
The philosopher identified himself as a deist.
Le philosophe s'est identifié comme un déiste.
C2 noun /əˈfleɪtəs/

afflatus

inspiration divine
Meaning
a sudden divine inspiration or creative impulse
Example
The poet wrote the verses under a sudden afflatus of inspiration.
Le poète écrivit les vers sous une soudaine inspiration divine.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒlərɪk/

choleric

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

pontifical

relatif à un pape ou un évêque ; pompeux ou prétentieux
Meaning
relating to a pope or bishop; pompous or self-important
Example
His pontifical manner annoyed the other members of the committee.
Son comportement prétentieux agaçait les autres membres du comité.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɒɡəl/

joggle

secouer légèrement
Meaning
to shake slightly; to move or cause to move with quick, small jerks
Example
He joggled the table and the vase nearly fell.
Il a secoué la table et le vase a failli tomber.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪkweɪt/

antiquate

antiquée
Meaning
To make something old-fashioned or obsolete.
Example
The rise of digital cameras antiquated traditional film photography.
L'essor des appareils photo numériques a rendu obsolète la photographie sur film traditionnelle.
C2 noun /ˈkoʊdə/

coda

coda
Meaning
the concluding passage of a piece of music or a literary work
Example
The novel ends with a reflective coda that ties up the themes.
Le roman se termine par une coda réfléchie qui relie les thèmes.
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 /ˌkæt ə ˈnaɪn ˌteɪlz/

cat-o-nine-tails

fouet à neuf queues
Meaning
A whip with nine knotted cords, historically used for punishment.
Example
The sailor feared the cat-o-nine-tails more than the storm at sea.
Le marin avait plus peur du fouet à neuf queues que de la tempête en mer.
C2 noun /ˈplɔːdɪts/

plaudits

éloges
Meaning
expressions of praise or approval
Example
The scientist received plaudits from the international community.
Le scientifique a reçu des éloges de la part de la communauté internationale.
C2 noun/verb /ˈlɛv.ən/

leaven

levure
Meaning
a substance, typically yeast, that causes dough to rise; to permeate and modify
Example
A little yeast will leaven the bread dough.
Un peu de levure fera lever la pâte du pain.
C2 noun /ˈmeɪdənˌhʊd/

maidenhood

jeunesse
Meaning
The state of being a maiden; girlhood or virginity.
Example
The poem celebrated the innocence of maidenhood.
Le poème a célébré l'innocence de la jeunesse.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒes.tɪŋ/

Jesting

taquin
Meaning
joking or teasing in a playful manner
Example
He was only jesting when he said he would quit his job.
Il plaisantait seulement quand il a dit qu'il allait quitter son travail.
C2 noun /ˈnʌnəri/

nunnery

couvent
Meaning
A convent or building where nuns live and work.
Example
She decided to join the nunnery to devote her life to spiritual practice.
Elle a décidé de rejoindre le couvent pour consacrer sa vie à la pratique spirituelle.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈklɛmɛnt/

inclement

météo inclemente
Meaning
unpleasantly cold, wet, or stormy (usually weather)
Example
The match was canceled due to inclement weather.
Le match a été annulé à cause du mauvais temps.
C2 noun /ˈtrɛsəl/

trestle

étrier
Meaning
a frame or support consisting of a horizontal beam held up by two pairs of sloping legs, used especially for supporting a bridge or table
Example
The workers built a wooden trestle to support the temporary bridge.
Les travailleurs ont construit un tréteau en bois pour soutenir le pont temporaire.