cavil
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C2 verb /ˈkævəl/

cavil

faire des objections inutiles
Meaning
to make petty or unnecessary objections
Example
She caviled at every detail of the plan.
Elle faisait des objections inutiles sur chaque détail du plan.
C2 adjective /kəˈmoʊdiəs/

commodious

spacieux
Meaning
spacious and comfortable; having plenty of room
Example
They rented a commodious apartment in the city.
Ils ont loué un appartement spacieux en ville.
C2 verb /kəˈvɔrt/

cavort

danser avec enthousiasme
Meaning
to jump or dance around excitedly
Example
The children cavorted happily in the garden.
Les enfants sautaient joyeusement dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /ˈsɜː.kəm.spekt/

circumspect

prudent, réfléchi, circonspect
Meaning
Wary and unwilling to take risks; careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences.
Example
Investors must be circumspect before making decisions.
Les investisseurs doivent être circonspects avant de prendre des décisions.
C2 noun /ˈkoʊ.tə.ri/

coterie

un petit groupe exclusif
Meaning
a small, exclusive group of people with shared interests
Example
He belonged to a coterie of artists who met every Friday.
Il faisait partie d'un groupe d'artistes qui se réunissaient chaque vendredi.
C2 noun /ˈkɒntrətɑː̃/

contretemps

malentendu inattendu
Meaning
an unexpected and unfortunate event or disagreement; a minor dispute
Example
There was a small contretemps between the two colleagues during the meeting.
Il y a eu un petit malentendu entre les deux collègues pendant la réunion.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒrɪdʒəbl/

corrigible

corrigeable
Meaning
capable of being corrected or improved
Example
The student's mistakes were corrigible with practice.
Les erreurs de l'étudiant étaient corrigibles avec de la pratique.
C2 noun /ˌkɑːnfɔːrˈmeɪʃən/

conformation

conformation
Meaning
The shape, structure, or arrangement of something.
Example
The scientist studied the molecular conformation of the protein.
Le scientifique a étudié la conformation moléculaire de la protéine.
C2 adjective /ˈkrɒtʃ.ə.ti/

crotchety

grincheux
Meaning
bad-tempered, easily annoyed, and often complaining
Example
The crotchety old man yelled at the children for playing near his house.
Le vieux grincheux a crié sur les enfants pour avoir joué près de sa maison.
C2 noun /kənˈtɔːrʃən/

contortion

une forme tordue ou pliée; l'action de tordre hors de la forme normale
Meaning
a twisted or bent shape; the act of twisting out of the normal shape
Example
The gymnast's contortion amazed the audience.
La contorsion du gymnaste a étonné le public.
C2 noun /tʃɜːrl/

churl

rustre
Meaning
A rude, boorish, or ill-mannered person.
Example
The waiter was such a churl that customers left unhappy.
Le serveur était un tel rustre que les clients sont partis mécontents.
C2 noun /krəˈdjuːlɪti/

credulity

crédule
Meaning
A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true.
Example
The scam succeeded because of the victim's credulity.
L'escroquerie a réussi en raison de la crédulité de la victime.
C2 noun /ˌkæl.sɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

calcification

calcification
Meaning
The process of calcium accumulation in soil, making it hard.
Example
Calcification reduces soil permeability and affects crop growth.
La calcification réduit la perméabilité du sol et affecte la croissance des cultures.
C2 noun /krɪpˈtɒɡ.rə.fi/

cryptography

pratique de sécuriser les informations par des techniques de cryptage ou de codage
Meaning
The practice of securing information through encryption or coding techniques
Example
Modern cryptography ensures secure online transactions.
La cryptographie moderne garantit des transactions en ligne sécurisées.
C2 verb /kəˈnoʊt/

connote

connoter
Meaning
To suggest or imply an additional meaning beyond the literal one.
Example
The word 'youthful' connotes energy and vitality.
Le mot 'juvénile' connoté énergie et vitalité.
C2 adjective /kɒnˈsæŋɡwɪn/

consanguine

consanguin
Meaning
Of the same blood or origin; related by birth.
Example
The two families were consanguine through their grandparents.
Les deux familles étaient consanguines par leurs grands-parents.
C2 adjective /ˌkæləˈrɪfɪk/

calorific

calorique
Meaning
Relating to the amount of energy contained in food or fuel.
Example
Chocolate is highly calorific, so it should be eaten in moderation.
Le chocolat est très calorique, il doit donc être consommé avec modération.
C2 verb /ˌkaʊntərˈmænd/

countermand

annuler un ordre
Meaning
to revoke or cancel an order or command
Example
The general countermanded the previous orders immediately.
Le général a annulé les ordres précédents immédiatement.
C2 verb /kəˈmɪz.ə.reɪt/

commiserate

exprimer de la sympathie ou de la compassion pour la malchance de quelqu'un
Meaning
To express sympathy or compassion for someone's misfortune.
Example
She called her friend to commiserate after his loss.
Elle a appelé son ami pour compatir après sa perte.
C2 noun /ˈsɛntɔːr/

centaur

centaure
Meaning
A mythological creature with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse.
Example
The centaur is a well-known figure in Greek mythology.
Le centaure est une figure bien connue de la mythologie grecque.
C2 noun /ˌkʌmˈʌpəns/

comeuppance

châtiment mérité
Meaning
A deserved punishment or fate; just deserts.
Example
The corrupt official finally got his comeuppance in court.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a enfin reçu sa punition méritée au tribunal.
C2 noun /ˌkæθəˈlɪsɪti/

catholicity

universalité, ouverture d'esprit
Meaning
Universality; broad-mindedness; acceptance of a wide variety of things.
Example
Her catholicity of interests makes her a fascinating person.
Sa catholicité d'intérêts fait d'elle une personne fascinante.
C2 verb /kəˈmɪŋɡəl/

commingle

mélanger
Meaning
To mix or blend different things together.
Example
The charity does not commingle donations with operational funds.
La charité ne mélange pas les dons avec les fonds opérationnels.
C2 verb /koʊˈhɪr/

cohere

cohérer
Meaning
To stick together; to be united logically or physically.
Example
The ideas in his essay cohere well.
Les idées de son essai cohèrent bien.
C2 noun /ˈkeɪsiːn/

Casein

caséine
Meaning
the main protein found in milk and cheese, used in food production and supplements
Example
Casein protein powder is popular among athletes for muscle recovery.
La poudre de protéine de caséine est populaire parmi les athlètes pour la récupération musculaire.
C2 noun /ˌkɒməˈsɛəriət/

commissariat

service des approvisionnements
Meaning
A department responsible for supplying food and equipment, especially in the military.
Example
The army commissariat ensured that the soldiers had enough supplies.
Le service des approvisionnements de l'armée s'est assuré que les soldats avaient suffisamment de provisions.
C2 adjective /kənˈvɪviəl/

convivial

amical, animé et agréable; sociable
Meaning
friendly, lively, and enjoyable; sociable
Example
The party had a convivial atmosphere with music and laughter.
La fête avait une atmosphère conviviale avec de la musique et des rires.
C2 noun /ˈkrɛməˌtɔːri/

crematory

crématorium
Meaning
a place where dead bodies are cremated
Example
The crematory was located near the cemetery.
Le crématorium était situé près du cimetière.
C2 noun /ʃəˈɡrɪn/

chagrin

chagrin
Meaning
Distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated.
Example
She left the room in chagrin after forgetting her lines.
Elle a quitté la pièce dans le chagrin après avoir oublié ses répliques.
C2 noun /ˈtʃænsəri/

chancery

tribunal de chancellerie
Meaning
A court of equity or the office of a chancellor.
Example
The case was taken to the chancery court for resolution.
L'affaire a été portée devant le tribunal de chancellerie pour résolution.
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 verb /ˈkɒr.ʌ.skeɪt/

coruscate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or flash brightly
Example
The fireworks coruscated across the night sky.
Les feux d'artifice scintillèrent à travers le ciel nocturne.
C2 noun /ˈkɒnsəvəˌtwɑː/

conservatoire

conservatoire
Meaning
A school specializing in the study of music or drama.
Example
She trained as a pianist at the Paris Conservatoire.
Elle s'est formée comme pianiste au Conservatoire de Paris.
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 noun /ˈklaɪmɪŋ fɪʃ/

Climbing-fish

poisson grimpeur
Meaning
a type of fish that can climb trees and survive out of water for short periods
Example
The climbing-fish can move from one pond to another by climbing trees.
Le poisson grimpeur peut se déplacer d'un étang à l'autre en grimpant aux arbres.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈsaɪklɔɪd/

cycloid

courbe cycloïdienne
Meaning
a curve traced by a point on the rim of a circle as it rolls along a straight line
Example
The cycloid is often studied in mathematics and physics.
La cycloïde est souvent étudiée en mathématiques et en physique.
C2 noun /ˌkælɪsˈθɛnɪks/

calisthenics

exercice physique
Meaning
exercises that use body weight for strength and flexibility
Example
She practices calisthenics every morning in the park.
Elle pratique la calisthénie chaque matin dans le parc.
C2 verb /kənˈtjuːz/

contuse

contusionner
Meaning
to bruise by striking or hitting
Example
He contused his arm when he fell off the bike.
Il s'est contusionné le bras lorsqu'il est tombé de son vélo.
C2 noun /koʊˈkɛt/

coquette

femme coquette
Meaning
a woman who flirts lightheartedly
Example
She was a coquette, always charming everyone at the party.
Elle était une coquette, charmant toujours tout le monde à la fête.
C2 adjective /krɪˈpʌskjʊlər/

crepuscular

relatif au crépuscule
Meaning
relating to twilight or active during twilight
Example
Bats are crepuscular animals, most active at dawn and dusk.
Les chauves-souris sont des animaux crépusculaires, les plus actifs à l'aube et au crépuscule.
C2 noun /koʊˈædʒətər/

coadjutor

adjoint
Meaning
a person who helps or assists another, especially in a religious or official capacity
Example
The bishop appointed a coadjutor to assist him with his duties.
L'évêque a nommé un adjoint pour l'aider dans ses devoirs.
C2 noun /ˈklɔɪstər/

cloister

cloître
Meaning
a covered walk in a convent, monastery, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.
Example
The monks walked silently through the cloister.
Les moines marchaient silencieusement à travers le cloître.
C2 verb /kənˈsɪlieɪt/

conciliate

concilier
Meaning
to stop someone from being angry; to win over by friendly acts
Example
He tried to conciliate the angry customer with an apology.
Il a essayé de concilier le client en colère avec des excuses.
C2 noun /tʃæf/

Chaff

balles; choses sans valeur; plaisanteries légères
Meaning
the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing; worthless things; light-hearted joking
Example
The farmer separated the wheat from the chaff using traditional methods.
Le fermier a séparé le blé de la balle en utilisant des méthodes traditionnelles.
C2 verb /ˌkaʊntərˈveɪl/

countervail

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

concatenate

concaténer
Meaning
To link things together in a series or chain.
Example
The program concatenates two strings into one.
Le programme concatène deux chaînes en une.
C2 adjective /ˈkɑːrnəl/

carnal

carnel
Meaning
Relating to physical, especially sexual, desires and appetites.
Example
The book explores the conflict between spiritual and carnal desires.
Le livre explore le conflit entre les désirs spirituels et carnels.
C2 adjective /ˈklɔɪ.ɪŋ/

cloying

écoeurant
Meaning
too sweet, rich, or sentimental, making it unpleasant
Example
The dessert was so cloying that I couldn't finish it.
Le dessert était tellement écoeurant que je n'ai pas pu le finir.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪ.nəˌʃʊr/

cynosure

le centre de toutes les attentions
Meaning
A person or thing that is the center of attention or admiration.
Example
She was the cynosure of all eyes at the party.
Elle était le centre de toutes les attentions à la fête.
C2 noun /kənˈfɛsər/

confessor

confesseur
Meaning
A person who confesses sins or secrets, especially to a priest.
Example
The confessor listened patiently to the troubled man.
Le confesseur écouta patiemment l'homme troublé.
C2 adjective /ˈkæloʊ/

callow

immature
Meaning
Inexperienced and immature.
Example
The callow intern made several mistakes on his first day.
Le stagiaire immature a fait plusieurs erreurs lors de son premier jour.
C2 noun /ˌkɒntrəpəˈzɪʃən/

contraposition

contraposition
Meaning
the act of placing two things in opposition for contrast or comparison
Example
The contraposition of the two theories highlighted their differences.
La contraposition des deux théories a mis en lumière leurs différences.
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 /kəˈdævər/

cadaver

cadavre
Meaning
A dead human body, especially one used for medical study.
Example
Medical students dissected the cadaver to learn about human anatomy.
Les étudiants en médecine ont disséqué le cadavre pour apprendre l'anatomie humaine.
C2 noun /kəˈlɒsəs/

colossus

colosse
Meaning
A person or thing of enormous size, importance, or ability.
Example
Einstein was a colossus in the world of science.
Einstein était un colosse dans le monde de la science.
C2 noun /ˈkɒŋ.ɡru.əns/

congruence

congruence
Meaning
Harmony, compatibility and agreement between different elements.
Example
The congruence between their ideas made collaboration easy.
La congruence entre leurs idées a facilité la collaboration.
C2 noun /səˈlɛrɪti/

celerity

célérité
Meaning
swiftness of movement; speed
Example
The soldier moved with great celerity to deliver the message.
Le soldat s'est déplacé avec une grande célérité pour livrer le message.
C2 noun /ˈkruːɪt/

cruet

petit récipient
Meaning
a small container, especially for salt, pepper, oil, or vinegar, used at a dining table
Example
She filled the cruet with olive oil for the salad.
Elle a rempli le cruet d'huile d'olive pour la salade.
C2 noun /ˈtʃaɪ.nə roʊz/

China-rose

hibiscus
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with large, showy flowers in various colors
Example
The bright red China-rose flowers decorated the entrance of the house.
Les fleurs rouges vives d'hibiscus décoraient l'entrée de la maison.
C2 noun /kəˈpærɪsən/

caparison

revêtement orné pour un cheval ; vêtements ou décoration riche et élaborée
Meaning
an ornamental covering for a horse; rich and elaborate clothing or decoration
Example
The king’s horse was adorned with a golden caparison.
Le cheval du roi était décoré d'un caparison en or.
C2 noun /kɒn.tɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/

contiguity

contiguïté
Meaning
the state of being in direct contact or next to each other
Example
The contiguity of the two countries facilitates trade.
La contiguïté des deux pays facilite le commerce.
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 /kəmˈpɛndiəm/

compendium

compendium
Meaning
A collection of concise but detailed information about a subject.
Example
The book is a compendium of ancient myths and legends.
Le livre est un compendium de mythes et de légendes anciennes.
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 /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 verb /kəˈriːn/

careen

se déplacer de manière incontrôlée
Meaning
To move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way, especially in a specific direction.
Example
The car careened down the slippery road.
La voiture a dévalé la route glissante de manière incontrôlée.
C2 noun /kiˌɑːrəˈskjʊəroʊ/

chiaroscuro

contraste dramatique entre lumière et ombre
Meaning
The use of strong contrasts between light and dark in art or literature to create a dramatic effect.
Example
The artist's painting used chiaroscuro to highlight the figure's face.
Le tableau de l'artiste a utilisé le chiaroscuro pour mettre en valeur le visage de la figure.
C2 adjective /ˈkreɪvən/

craven

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

conjectural

conjectural
Meaning
based on guesswork or incomplete evidence rather than certain knowledge
Example
His explanation was purely conjectural and lacked proof.
Son explication était purement conjecturale et manquait de preuves.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒndaɪn/

condign

mérité
Meaning
deserved, appropriate, and fitting (especially punishment)
Example
The criminal received condign punishment for his crimes.
Le criminel a reçu la punition méritée pour ses crimes.
C2 verb /kɔːk/

caulk

calfeutrer
Meaning
to seal a crack or gap with a waterproof filler
Example
He caulked the window frames to stop the draft.
Il a calfeutré les cadres de fenêtres pour arrêter le courant d'air.
C2 verb /kædʒ/

cadge

quémander
Meaning
To beg or obtain something, especially food or money, without paying for it.
Example
He tried to cadge a free meal from the restaurant.
Il a essayé de quémander un repas gratuit au restaurant.
C2 verb /kəˈdʒoʊl/

cajole

cajoler
Meaning
To persuade someone to do something by flattery or gentle urging.
Example
She managed to cajole her friend into joining the trip.
Elle a réussi à cajoler son amie pour qu'elle se joigne au voyage.
C2 noun /kəˈliːdʒən/

collegian

étudiant universitaire
Meaning
a student of a college
Example
The collegians were preparing for the cultural festival.
Les collégiens se préparaient pour le festival culturel.
C2 adjective /kəˈnjuːbiəl/

connubial

conjugal
Meaning
Relating to marriage or the relationship of a married couple.
Example
They celebrated their connubial bliss with a honeymoon trip.
Ils ont célébré leur bonheur conjugal avec un voyage de noces.
C2 adjective /ˈtʃɛəri/

chary

prudent
Meaning
cautious or wary about doing something
Example
She was chary of investing in the new business venture.
Elle était prudente à investir dans la nouvelle entreprise.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːrklət/

circlet

diadème
Meaning
A small circular band, typically worn as an ornament on the head.
Example
The princess wore a golden circlet on her forehead.
La princesse portait un diadème en or sur le front.
C2 adjective /ˌkɑːmənˈsɛnsɪkəl/

commonsensical

raisonnable
Meaning
based on or showing sound practical judgment; sensible
Example
It was commonsensical to carry an umbrella on a rainy day.
Il était raisonnable d’emporter un parapluie un jour de pluie.
C2 noun /kəˈmɛstɪbəl/

comestible

comestible
Meaning
An item of food that can be eaten.
Example
The picnic basket was full of delicious comestibles.
Le panier de pique-nique était plein de délicieuses comestibles.
C2 verb /ˌsɜːrkəmˈnævɪɡeɪt/

circumnavigate

faire le tour du monde
Meaning
to travel all the way around something, especially the earth
Example
Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the globe.
Magellan fut le premier à faire le tour du monde.
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 /ˈsɛʃən/

cession

cession de droits ou de propriété
Meaning
The formal giving up of rights, property, or territory, especially by a state.
Example
The treaty resulted in the cession of land to the neighboring country.
Le traité a abouti à la cession de terres au pays voisin.
C2 verb /ˈkæstreɪt/

castrate

castrer
Meaning
To remove the testicles of a male animal or human.
Example
The farmer castrated the young bulls to make them easier to manage.
L'agriculteur a castré les jeunes taureaux pour les rendre plus faciles à gérer.
C2 noun /ˈklævɪkəl/

clavicle

clavicule
Meaning
the collarbone, a long bone that serves as a strut between the shoulder blade and the sternum
Example
He fractured his clavicle in the accident.
Il a fracturé sa clavicule dans l'accident.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒs.ɪ.tɪd/

cosseted

choyé
Meaning
pampered, treated with excessive care and attention
Example
The cosseted child always got what he wanted.
L'enfant choyé a toujours obtenu ce qu'il voulait.
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 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 adjective /kəˈrʌp.tə.bəl/

corruptible

corruptible
Meaning
able to be morally or ethically corrupted
Example
He was known to be corruptible and often accepted bribes.
Il était connu pour être corruptible et acceptait souvent des pots-de-vin.
C2 noun /ˈkuː.li/

Cooly

coolie
Meaning
a laborer who does physical work for wages
Example
The cooly carried heavy bags at the railway station.
Le coolie portait des sacs lourds à la gare.
C2 noun /krəˈnɒmɪtər/

chronometer

chronomètre
Meaning
An instrument for measuring time precisely, especially used in navigation.
Example
The sailor relied on the chronometer to determine his position at sea.
Le marin a compté sur le chronomètre pour déterminer sa position en mer.
C2 noun /ˌkæv.əlˈkeɪd/

cavalcade

cortège
Meaning
a formal procession of people riding on horses or in vehicles
Example
The king’s arrival was marked by a grand cavalcade.
L'arrivée du roi a été marquée par un grand cortège.
C2 adjective /koʊˈtɜːr.mɪ.nəs/

coterminous

coextensif
Meaning
having the same boundaries or extent in space, time, or meaning
Example
The two jurisdictions are coterminous, sharing the same borders.
Les deux juridictions sont coextensives, partageant les mêmes frontières.
C2 verb /ˈkɒndʒʊɡeɪt/

conjugate

conjuguer
Meaning
to list the different forms of a verb according to tense, person, and number
Example
Students are asked to conjugate the verb 'to be'.
Les étudiants sont invités à conjuguer le verbe 'être'.
C2 noun /kənˈsaɪnər/

consignor

expéditeur
Meaning
a person or company that sends goods to be sold or transported
Example
The consignor shipped the goods to the warehouse.
L'expéditeur a envoyé les marchandises à l'entrepôt.
C2 verb /kruːn/

croon

chanter ou fredonner d'une voix douce, basse et délicate
Meaning
to sing or hum in a soft, low, and gentle voice
Example
She crooned a lullaby to help the baby fall asleep.
Elle chantait une berceuse pour aider le bébé à s'endormir.
C2 noun /ˈkælvəri/

calvary

calvaire
Meaning
A place or experience of intense suffering, originally the site of Jesus’s crucifixion.
Example
For many refugees, the journey across the desert was a calvary.
Pour de nombreux réfugiés, le voyage à travers le désert fut un calvaire.
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 noun /ˌkɑːrt ˈblɑːnʃ/

carte blanche

carte blanche
Meaning
complete freedom to act as one wishes
Example
The manager gave her team carte blanche to design the project.
Le responsable a donné à son équipe carte blanche pour concevoir le projet.
C2 noun, verb /ˈkæŋkər/

canker

cancro
Meaning
A fungal disease of plants; an ulcerous sore in the mouth; to corrupt or destroy slowly
Example
The tree was infected with a canker that damaged its bark.
L'arbre était infecté par un chancre qui endommagait son écorce.
C2 verb /ˈkʌzən/

cozen

tromper, arnaquer
Meaning
to deceive, cheat, or trick someone
Example
He cozened the old man out of his money.
Il a trompé le vieil homme et lui a pris son argent.
C2 noun /ˈkɒliər/

collier

mineur de charbon
Meaning
a person who works in coal mines or a ship carrying coal
Example
The collier spent long hours underground extracting coal.
Le mineur de charbon a passé de longues heures sous terre à extraire du charbon.
C2 noun ˌsaɪ.bəˈnet.ɪks

cybernetics

cybernétique
Meaning
The science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things.
Example
Cybernetics plays a crucial role in artificial intelligence.
La cybernétique joue un rôle crucial dans l'intelligence artificielle.
C2 noun /kəmˈpleɪsəns/

complacence

Meaning
a feeling of quiet pleasure or self-satisfaction, often without awareness of potential danger
Example
His complacence prevented him from noticing the risks.
C2 noun /ˈkælvɪnɪzəm/

calvinism

calvinisme
Meaning
A Protestant theological system based on John Calvin’s teachings, emphasizing predestination and the sovereignty of God.
Example
Calvinism played a major role in shaping Protestant theology.
Le calvinisme a joué un rôle majeur dans la formation de la théologie protestante.
C2 noun /ˈkjuːbeb ˈpepər/

Cubeb Pepper

poivre cubèbe
Meaning
aromatic spice with a slightly bitter taste and cooling aftertaste
Example
Cubeb pepper is used in traditional Indonesian cuisine.
Le poivre cubèbe est utilisé dans la cuisine traditionnelle indonésienne.
C2 noun /ˈkænə/

Canna

canna
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with large, colorful flowers and broad leaves
Example
The bright orange canna lilies grew tall beside the pond.
Les lys canna orange vif ont poussé grands près de l'étang.
C2 noun /kərˈmʌdʒən/

curmudgeon

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

cation-exchange

échange cationique
Meaning
A chemical process in soil that helps retain nutrients.
Example
The cation-exchange capacity of soil affects plant growth.
La capacité d'échange cationique du sol influence la croissance des plantes.
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.
C2 noun /kəˈraʊzl/

carousal

fête bruyante
Meaning
A noisy or lively drinking party or festivity.
Example
They were exhausted after a night of wild carousal.
Ils étaient épuisés après une nuit de fête bruyante.
C2 adjective /kənˈtraɪt/

contrite

contrit
Meaning
feeling or showing remorse or guilt
Example
She was contrite after realizing her mistake.
Elle était contrite après avoir réalisé son erreur.
C2 noun /ˈkɒɡneɪt/

cognate

cognat
Meaning
a word related to another word in origin; having the same linguistic root
Example
The Spanish word 'madre' and the English word 'mother' are cognates.
Le mot espagnol 'madre' et le mot anglais 'mother' sont des cognats.
C2 adjective /kænˈtæŋ.kər.əs/

cantankerous

grincheux
Meaning
Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative.
Example
The cantankerous old man complained about everything.
Le vieux grincheux se plaignait de tout.
C2 noun /ˈkʌvən/

coven

un groupe de sorcières
Meaning
a group or gathering of witches
Example
The witches met secretly in a coven in the forest.
Les sorcières se sont réunies secrètement dans un coven dans la forêt.
C2 noun /ˌkɒl.əˈneɪd/

colonnade

colonnade
Meaning
A row of evenly spaced columns supporting a roof, often in classical architecture.
Example
The visitors admired the grand colonnade at the entrance of the temple.
Les visiteurs ont admiré la grande colonnade à l'entrée du temple.
C2 verb /ˈkɒd.l̩/

coddle

choyer de manière excessive
Meaning
to treat someone with excessive care or kindness, often in a way that is overprotective
Example
Parents should support their children without coddling them.
Les parents devraient soutenir leurs enfants sans les dorloter.
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 adjective /kənˈdʌktəbl̩/

conductible

conductible
Meaning
capable of being conducted, especially electricity or heat
Example
Copper is highly conductible to electricity.
Le cuivre est hautement conductible à l'électricité.
C2 adjective /ˈkræbɪd/

crabbed

difficile à lire, de mauvais caractère
Meaning
difficult to read or understand; ill-tempered
Example
His handwriting was crabbed and almost illegible.
Son écriture était difficile à lire et presque illisible.
C2 noun /ˈkɒn.tjʊ.mə.li/

contumely

insulte, mépris
Meaning
insulting or humiliating treatment
Example
He endured the contumely of his colleagues with patience.
Il a supporté le mépris de ses collègues avec patience.
C2 verb /kənˈstrɪndʒ/

constringe

contracter
Meaning
to cause to shrink or contract; to constrict
Example
The medicine helped constringe the swollen tissues.
Le médicament a aidé à contracter les tissus enflés.