contemptible
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C1 adjective /kənˈtɛmptəbl/

contemptible

méprisable, détestable
Meaning
deserving of contempt; despicable
Example
His deceitful actions were truly contemptible.
Ses actions trompeuses étaient véritablement méprisables.
C1 noun /ˈkaʊntərˌpɔɪnt/

counterpoint

contrepoint
Meaning
an argument, idea, or theme contrasting with another; also a musical term for independent melody
Example
Her calm attitude was a counterpoint to his anger.
Son attitude calme était un contrepoint à sa colère.
C1 noun /krʌks/

crux

le noyau
Meaning
the most important or decisive point of an issue
Example
The crux of the problem lies in poor communication.
Le noyau du problème réside dans une mauvaise communication.
C1 verb /kənˈspaɪər/

conspire

conspirer
Meaning
to secretly plan with others to do something harmful or illegal
Example
They conspired to overthrow the government.
Ils ont conspiré pour renverser le gouvernement.
C1 verb /ˈkʌl.mɪ.neɪt/

culminate

culminer
Meaning
To reach the final or climactic stage of a process or activity.
Example
Years of hard work culminated in his success.
Des années de travail acharné ont culminé en son succès.
C1 verb ˌsɝː.kəmˈvent

circumvent

éviter habilement ou contourner des obstacles ou des règles
Meaning
To cleverly avoid or find a way around obstacles or rules.
Example
He tried to circumvent the security system.
Il a essayé de contourner le système de sécurité.
C1 noun /ˈkɒləmnɪst/

columnist

chroniqueur
Meaning
a journalist who regularly writes articles or opinions for a newspaper or magazine
Example
The columnist wrote an article about climate change.
Le chroniqueur a écrit un article sur le changement climatique.
C1 noun, verb /klɒt/

clot

caillot
Meaning
a thick mass of coagulated liquid, especially blood; to form such a mass.
Example
The doctor removed a blood clot from the patient.
Le médecin a retiré un caillot de sang du patient.
C1 noun ˌkɒm.pjʊˈteɪ.ʃən

computation

calcul
Meaning
The action of mathematical calculation.
Example
Complex computation is required for AI models.
Un calcul complexe est nécessaire pour les modèles d'IA.
C1 adjective /kənˈsɛntrɪk/

concentric

concentrique
Meaning
having a common center, as in circles or spheres
Example
The artist drew concentric circles on the canvas.
L'artiste a dessiné des cercles concentriques sur la toile.
C1 noun /ˈkɔːkəs/

caucus

réunion politique
Meaning
A meeting of members of a political party to select candidates or decide policy.
Example
The party held a caucus to nominate their candidate for president.
Le parti a tenu une réunion pour nommer son candidat à la présidence.
C1 noun /kriːd/

creed

crédo, principe
Meaning
A system of religious or spiritual beliefs or a guiding principle.
Example
Freedom of speech is part of his personal creed.
La liberté d'expression fait partie de son crédo personnel.
C1 noun /kuː/

coup

coup d'État
Meaning
a sudden, decisive action that brings about a change, especially in government
Example
The military staged a coup to overthrow the existing regime.
L'armée a organisé un coup d'État pour renverser le régime en place.
C1 adjective /kənˈsɜːrtɪd/

concerted

concerté
Meaning
done with great effort, planned and performed together by multiple people
Example
The workers made a concerted effort to improve conditions.
Les travailleurs ont fait un effort concerté pour améliorer les conditions.
C1 noun /ˈkroʊ.bɑːr/

Crowbar

pied-de-biche
Meaning
a heavy iron bar with a curved end used as a lever for prying things apart
Example
He used a crowbar to remove the old nails.
Il a utilisé un pied-de-biche pour retirer les vieux clous.
C1 noun /kəˈpɪl.ər.iz/

capillaries

capillaires
Meaning
Any of the fine branching blood vessels that form a network between the arterioles and venules.
Example
Broken capillaries cause dark circles.
Les capillaires cassés causent des cernes.
C1 noun /ˌkɒnfɪˈdɑːnt/

confidante

amie de confiance
Meaning
A woman with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting her not to repeat it.
Example
The queen’s maid became her most trusted confidante.
La servante de la reine est devenue sa confidente la plus fidèle.
C1 adjective /kəˈmɛmərətɪv/

commemorative

commémoratif
Meaning
Serving as a reminder or in honor of a person or event.
Example
They issued a commemorative coin for the independence anniversary.
Ils ont émis une pièce commémorative pour l'anniversaire de l'indépendance.
C1 adjective ˈkrɪp.tɪk

cryptic

cryptique, énigmatique, obscure
Meaning
Having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure; difficult to understand.
Example
The message was cryptic and hard to decipher.
Le message était cryptique et difficile à déchiffrer.
C1 noun, adjective /ˈsɛntənəri/ or /sɛnˈtɛnəri/

centenary

centenaire
Meaning
The hundredth anniversary of a significant event; relating to a period of 100 years.
Example
The school celebrated its centenary with a grand event.
L'école a célébré son centenaire avec un grand événement.
C1 noun /sɛˈseɪʃən/

cessation

cessation
Meaning
The fact or process of ending or being brought to an end.
Example
There was a temporary cessation of hostilities.
Il y a eu une cessation temporaire des hostilités.
C1 verb /kəmˈprɛs/

compress

compresser
Meaning
to press or squeeze something so that it becomes smaller
Example
The file was compressed to save storage space.
Le fichier a été compressé pour économiser de l'espace de stockage.
C1 adjective /ˈtʃɛkərd/

chequered

à rayures
Meaning
Having a pattern of squares, or marked by varied and contrasting experiences or periods.
Example
He had a chequered career with both great successes and failures.
Il a eu une carrière à rayures avec de grands succès et des échecs.
C1 noun /ˈkɒntrəbænd/

contraband

marchandises illégales
Meaning
goods that are illegal to import, export, or possess
Example
The police seized a shipment of contraband cigarettes.
La police a saisi une cargaison de cigarettes de contrebande.
C1 adjective /kənˈstreɪnd/

constrained

contraint, forcé
Meaning
appearing forced, unnatural, or restricted
Example
He gave a constrained smile during the awkward meeting.
Il a donné un sourire forcé pendant la réunion maladroite.
C1 noun /kɔːr/

corps

branche de l'armée, groupe
Meaning
a branch of the military or a group organized for a specific purpose
Example
He joined the army corps after graduation.
Il a rejoint le corps de l'armée après sa diplomation.
C1 noun /ˈkɒndɪmənt/

condiment

condiment
Meaning
a substance such as salt, mustard, or ketchup that is used to add flavor to food
Example
Ketchup is a popular condiment in many countries.
Le ketchup est un condiment populaire dans de nombreux pays.
C1 noun /ˈʃæpəroʊn/

chaperon

accompagnateur
Meaning
An older person who accompanies and supervises young people in social situations.
Example
The teacher acted as a chaperon during the school dance.
L'enseignant a agi en tant qu'accompagnateur pendant le bal scolaire.
C1 noun /kəˈnɛəri/

canary

canari
Meaning
a small, usually yellow bird known for its singing; also used as a warning sign in dangerous conditions
Example
The canary sang beautifully in its cage.
Le canari chantait magnifiquement dans sa cage.
C1 adjective /ˌkætəˈklɪzmɪk/

cataclysmic

cataclysmique
Meaning
Relating to or denoting a violent natural event or upheaval.
Example
The war had cataclysmic effects on the nation's economy.
La guerre a eu des effets cataclysmiques sur l'économie du pays.
C1 noun /ˈtʃʌk.əl/

Chuckle

rire discret
Meaning
a quiet or suppressed laugh; to laugh quietly or with amusement
Example
He gave a soft chuckle when he heard the funny joke.
Il a laissé échapper un léger rire lorsqu'il a entendu la blague drôle.
C1 noun /ˈkɜːrfjuː/

curfew

couvre-feu
Meaning
a rule requiring people to stay indoors after a certain time, usually at night
Example
The city imposed a curfew during the unrest.
La ville a imposé un couvre-feu pendant les troubles.
C1 adjective /kənˈspɪkjuəs/

conspicuous

conspicueux
Meaning
Easily noticeable; attracting attention due to being unusual or prominent.
Example
Her red dress made her conspicuous at the party.
Sa robe rouge la rendait conspicueuse à la fête.
C1 noun /kəˈmændər ɪn tʃiːf/

Commander-in-chief

commandant en chef
Meaning
the supreme leader of a nation's armed forces
Example
The president serves as the commander-in-chief of the military.
Le président agit en tant que commandant en chef des forces armées.
C1 noun /kəˈnʌn.drəm/

conundrum

problème complexe ou énigme
Meaning
A complex problem or puzzle without an easy solution
Example
The ethical conundrum puzzled the researchers.
Le dilemme éthique a perturbé les chercheurs.
C1 verb /ˌkaʊntərˈbæləns/

counterbalance

contrebalancer
Meaning
to offset or balance the effect of something
Example
Exercise can counterbalance the negative effects of stress.
L'exercice peut contrebalancer les effets négatifs du stress.
C1 verb /kənˈkɒkt/

concoct

créer ou inventer
Meaning
to make something, especially food or a story, by mixing or inventing
Example
He concocted a story to explain his absence.
Il a inventé une histoire pour expliquer son absence.
C1 adjective /klaɪˈmæktɪk/

climactic

climactique
Meaning
Relating to the most exciting or important moment of something.
Example
The film ended with a climactic battle scene.
Le film s'est terminé par une scène de bataille climactique.
C1 noun /ˈsɪn.ɪˌsɪz.əm/

cynicism

cynisme
Meaning
An inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; skepticism.
Example
His cynicism made it hard for him to trust anyone.
Son cynisme lui rendait difficile de faire confiance à quiconque.
C1 noun /ˈkoʊhɔːrts/

cohorts

cohortes
Meaning
Groups of people who share a common feature or experience.
Example
Researchers compared the health outcomes of different cohorts.
Les chercheurs ont comparé les résultats de santé de différents groupes.
C1 adjective /kənˈtraɪvd/

contrived

artificiel ou forcé; pas naturel ni spontané
Meaning
artificial or forced; not natural or spontaneous
Example
The ending of the movie felt contrived and unrealistic.
La fin du film semblait artificielle et irréaliste.
C1 noun /ˈsɪ.nɪk/

Cynic

cynique; personne sceptique
Meaning
a person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest; someone who is skeptical about human nature
Example
The old cynic believed that politicians only cared about getting votes.
Le vieux cynique croyait que les politiciens ne se souciaient que d'obtenir des voix.
C1 noun /kliːk/

clique

clique
Meaning
a small, exclusive group of people
Example
The students formed a clique that excluded others.
Les étudiants ont formé une clique qui excluait les autres.
C1 verb /kəˈrəʊd/

corrode

corroder
Meaning
to gradually destroy or wear away metal or other materials through chemical action
Example
The iron pipes corroded over time due to exposure to water.
Les tuyaux en fer se sont corrodés au fil du temps à cause de l'exposition à l'eau.
C1 noun /ˈkɑːrkəs/

carcass

cadavre d'un animal
Meaning
the dead body of an animal, especially after being slaughtered
Example
Vultures fed on the carcass left in the field.
Les vautours se sont nourris du cadavre laissé dans le champ.
C1 noun ˌkæp.ɪ.təl.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

capitalization

capitalisation
Meaning
The total market value of a company's shares or the provision of capital for a company or activity.
Example
The company's capitalization reached $1 billion in market value.
La capitalisation de l'entreprise a atteint 1 milliard de dollars en valeur marchande.
C1 adjective /ˌkɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃəl/

consequential

déterminant
Meaning
Having important or significant consequences; resulting from something.
Example
The meeting was consequential for the future of the project.
La réunion a été déterminante pour l'avenir du projet.
C1 noun kənˈɡlɒm.ər.ət

conglomerate

conglomérat
Meaning
A large corporation formed by the merging of separate and diverse firms.
Example
The company grew into a multinational conglomerate.
L'entreprise est devenue un conglomérat multinational.
C1 noun /ˈkʌn.stə.bəl/

constable

agent de police
Meaning
a police officer of the lowest rank
Example
The constable directed traffic at the busy intersection.
L'agent de police a dirigé la circulation à l'intersection animée.
C1 noun /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛsns/

convalescence

convalescence
Meaning
the period of time spent recovering from an illness or medical treatment
Example
His convalescence lasted for almost two months after the accident.
Sa convalescence a duré presque deux mois après l'accident.
C1 adjective, noun /ˈkɑːr.dɪ.nəl/

cardinal

cardinal / principal
Meaning
As an adjective: of prime importance; as a noun: a high-ranking Catholic clergyman or a type of bird.
Example
Honesty is a cardinal virtue in life.
L'honnêteté est une vertu cardinal dans la vie.
C1 noun /klaʊt/

clout

influence
Meaning
influence or power, especially in politics or business
Example
The businessman has a lot of political clout.
L'homme d'affaires a beaucoup d'influence politique.
C1 noun /ˈkændɪdnəs/

candidness

franchise
Meaning
The quality of being open, honest, and straightforward
Example
Her candidness during the meeting impressed everyone.
Sa franchise pendant la réunion a impressionné tout le monde.
C1 adjective /ˈkæl.əs/

Callous

insensible; cruel; impitoyable
Meaning
showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; emotionally hardened
Example
He showed a callous disregard for others' feelings.
Il a montré un mépris insensible pour les sentiments des autres.
C1 adjective /ˈkrɪm.zən/

Crimson

rouge intense
Meaning
a deep purplish-red color
Example
The crimson sunset painted the sky with beautiful shades.
Le coucher du soleil rouge intense a peint le ciel de belles nuances.
C1 adjective /ˈkjuːmjələtɪv/

cumulative

cumulatif
Meaning
Increasing gradually by addition; growing in quantity, force, or effect.
Example
The cumulative effect of stress can harm your health.
L'effet cumulatif du stress peut nuire à votre santé.
C1 noun /krʌst/

crust

croûte
Meaning
the hard outer surface of something, especially bread or the Earth's outer layer
Example
He cut off the crust of the bread before eating.
Il a coupé la croûte du pain avant de manger.
C1 adjective ˌkɑːr.sɪ.nəˈdʒen.ɪk

carcinogenic

cancérogène
Meaning
Having the potential to cause cancer in living tissue.
Example
Processed meat contains carcinogenic compounds.
La viande transformée contient des composés cancérogènes.
C1 noun ˈkɑːr.bən ˌsiː.kwəˈstreɪ.ʃən

carbon sequestration

séquestration du carbone
Meaning
The process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate or defer global warming.
Example
Forests play a key role in carbon sequestration.
Les forêts jouent un rôle clé dans la séquestration du carbone.
C1 verb /kənˈviːn/

convene

se réunir, convoquer une réunion ou un rassemblement
Meaning
to come together or assemble, especially for a meeting or formal gathering
Example
The board will convene tomorrow to discuss the new policy.
Le conseil se réunira demain pour discuter de la nouvelle politique.
C1 verb /ˈkrʌmpəl/

crumple

froisser
Meaning
to crush something into folds or wrinkles
Example
He crumpled the paper and threw it in the bin.
Il a froissé le papier et l'a jeté dans la poubelle.
C1 verb ˌkəʊ.əˈles

coalesce

fusionner
Meaning
Come together and form one mass or whole; unite to form one organization or group.
Example
The different theories coalesced into one unified idea.
Les différentes théories se sont fusionnées en une idée unifiée.
C1 noun /ˌkɒŋɡrɪˈɡeɪʃən/

congregation

congrégation
Meaning
a group of people assembled for religious worship or a common purpose
Example
The congregation gathered to hear the sermon.
La congrégation s'est réunie pour écouter le sermon.
C1 noun /ˈkʌˈs.tə.di/

Custody

garde; détention; tutelle
Meaning
the protective care or guardianship of someone or something; imprisonment or detention
Example
After the divorce, they shared custody of their children equally.
Après le divorce, ils ont partagé la garde de leurs enfants également.
C1 verb /kənˈtɛkstʃuəlaɪz/

contextualize

contextualiser
Meaning
to place something in a context or interpret it in relation to its surroundings
Example
The teacher contextualized the historical event to make it more relevant for students.
Le professeur a contextualisé l'événement historique pour le rendre plus pertinent pour les étudiants.
C1 verb /kənˈtraɪv/

contrive

concevoir
Meaning
to plan or devise cleverly or skillfully
Example
She contrived a clever plan to surprise her friends.
Elle a conçu un plan ingénieux pour surprendre ses amis.
C1 noun /krʌtʃ/

crutch

béquille, soutien
Meaning
a support used by someone injured to walk; also something relied upon for support or help
Example
He had to use crutches after breaking his leg.
Il a dû utiliser des béquilles après s'être cassé la jambe.
C1 verb /ˌkɒm.pɑːtˈmen.təl.aɪz/

compartmentalize

compartimenter
Meaning
To divide into sections or categories; to separate things into compartments.
Example
To increase efficiency, he compartmentalized his work tasks.
Pour augmenter l'efficacité, il a compartimenté ses tâches de travail.
C1 noun /kənˈtɪn.dʒən.si/

contingency

plan de contingence
Meaning
A provision for an unforeseen event or circumstance, especially in financial planning.
Example
The company has a contingency plan for economic downturns.
L'entreprise dispose d'un plan de contingence pour les récessions économiques.
C1 noun /ˈkliː.vər/

Cleaver

grand couteau
Meaning
a heavy knife with a broad blade used for chopping meat or vegetables
Example
The chef used a cleaver to chop the chicken bones.
Le chef a utilisé un grand couteau pour couper les os de poulet.
C1 noun ˌkæl.ɪˈbreɪ.ʃən

calibration

calibration
Meaning
The action or process of adjusting or determining the accuracy of measuring instruments.
Example
The accuracy of a scale depends on regular calibration.
La précision d'une balance dépend d'une calibration régulière.
C1 adjective kəˈlɒs.əl

Colossal

colossal
Meaning
Extremely large, gigantic, enormous in size or extent.
Example
The colossal pyramids of Egypt are a marvel of architecture.
Les pyramides colossales d'Égypte sont un miracle de l'architecture.
C1 noun /ˌkɒn.stəˈleɪ.ʃən/

constellation

constellation
Meaning
a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern in the night sky
Example
Orion is one of the most famous constellations.
Orion est l'une des constellations les plus célèbres.
C1 noun /ˈkɒnsjʊlət/

consulate

consulat
Meaning
the building or office where a consul works
Example
He went to the consulate to renew his visa.
Il est allé au consulat pour renouveler son visa.
C1 noun /ˈsɪtəˌdɛl/

citadel

citadelle
Meaning
A fortress protecting or dominating a city.
Example
The ancient citadel stood guard over the town for centuries.
L'ancienne citadelle a protégé la ville pendant des siècles.
C1 adjective /ˈtʃɛk.ərd/

checkered

à carreaux
Meaning
Having a pattern of alternating squares of different colors; also describing a past full of ups and downs or varied experiences.
Example
He had a checkered career with many highs and lows.
Il a eu une carrière à carreaux avec de nombreux hauts et bas.
C1 noun /kɔːrs flaʊər/

Course flour

farine grossière
Meaning
coarsely ground flour with larger particles, typically used for baking bread
Example
She used course flour to make homemade bread with a rustic texture.
Elle a utilisé de la farine grossière pour faire du pain maison avec une texture rustique.
C1 adjective /ˈkɒz.mɪk/

cosmic

cosmique, vaste
Meaning
relating to the universe or cosmos; vast
Example
Astronomers study cosmic phenomena to understand the universe.
Les astronomes étudient les phénomènes cosmiques pour comprendre l'univers.
C1 verb /koʊks/

coax

persuader
Meaning
to persuade someone gently or gradually to do something
Example
She managed to coax the cat out of the tree with some food.
Elle a réussi à convaincre le chat de descendre de l'arbre avec un peu de nourriture.
C1 noun /kəˈθɑːrsɪs/

catharsis

catharsis
Meaning
The process of releasing strong emotions, providing relief.
Example
Writing in her diary was a form of catharsis for her.
Écrire dans son journal était une forme de catharsis pour elle.
C1 noun /kənˈvʌl.ʃən/

convulsion

convulsion
Meaning
a sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of muscles; a seizure
Example
The medicine helped prevent convulsions in children.
Le médicament a aidé à prévenir les convulsions chez les enfants.
C1 noun/adjective /klɛft/

cleft

fissure
Meaning
a split or crack; a space or opening made by cleavage
Example
The goat disappeared into a cleft in the rocks.
La chèvre a disparu dans une fissure dans les rochers.
C1 adverb /ˈkɔːrdiəli/

Cordially

cordialement
Meaning
in a warm and friendly manner; sincerely
Example
You are cordially invited to our wedding ceremony.
Vous êtes cordialement invités à notre cérémonie de mariage.
C1 adjective /ˈkɜːrsəri/

cursory

superficiel
Meaning
Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.
Example
He gave the report only a cursory glance before the meeting.
Il a jeté un coup d'œil superficiel au rapport avant la réunion.
C1 noun /kʌˈstoʊ.di.ən/

Custodian

concierge; gardien; gestionnaire
Meaning
a person who has responsibility for or looks after something; a caretaker or guardian
Example
The school custodian ensures that all buildings are clean and secure.
Le concierge de l'école veille à ce que tous les bâtiments soient propres et sécurisés.
C1 noun /kəˈres/

Caress

caresse
Meaning
a gentle or loving touch
Example
The mother's gentle caress calmed the crying baby.
La caresse douce de la mère calma le bébé qui pleurait.
C1 verb /kliːv/

cleave

fendre, couper
Meaning
to split or divide; to cut through forcefully
Example
He used an axe to cleave the wood.
Il a utilisé une hache pour fendre le bois.
C1 noun /kəmˈpəʊ.ʒər/

composure

état de calme et de maîtrise de soi
Meaning
The state or feeling of being calm and in control of oneself.
Example
She maintained her composure during the interview.
Elle a gardé son calme pendant l'entretien.
C1 noun /ˈʃoʊ.və.nɪst/

chauvinist

personne excessivement partiale
Meaning
A person displaying excessive or prejudiced loyalty to a group, cause, or gender.
Example
He was labeled a chauvinist after his remarks about women in the workplace.
Il a été étiqueté comme choviniste après ses remarques sur les femmes au travail.
C1 verb /kʌl/

cull

sélectionner / éliminer
Meaning
to select or remove from a larger group, often to reduce numbers
Example
The farmers decided to cull the sick animals from the herd.
Les fermiers ont décidé d'éliminer les animaux malades du troupeau.
C1 adjective, verb, noun /ˈkaʊntərfɪt/

counterfeit

contrefait
Meaning
made to look like something genuine in order to deceive
Example
The police seized a batch of counterfeit currency.
La police a saisi un lot de billets contrefaits.
C1 noun /ˈʃæsi/

chassis

châssis du véhicule
Meaning
the base frame of a vehicle or other wheeled machine
Example
The mechanic examined the car's chassis for damage.
Le mécanicien a examiné le châssis de la voiture pour détecter des dommages.
C1 noun /ˈtʃænsələr/

chancellor

chancelier / recteur
Meaning
A senior state or legal official, or the head of a university.
Example
The chancellor delivered an inspiring speech at the graduation ceremony.
Le chancelier a prononcé un discours inspirant lors de la cérémonie de remise des diplômes.
C1 adjective /kənˈɡrɛʃənl/

congressional

congressional
Meaning
relating to a congress, especially the US Congress
Example
The bill received strong congressional support.
Le projet de loi a reçu un fort soutien du Congrès.
C1 noun /koʊˈhɪr.əns/

coherence

cohérence
Meaning
The quality of being logical and consistent; forming a unified whole.
Example
The essay lacked coherence, making it hard to follow.
L'essai manquait de cohérence, ce qui le rendait difficile à suivre.
C1 adjective ˈklaɪ.mət rɪˈzɪl.i.ənt

climate-resilient

résistant au climat
Meaning
Able to cope with the adverse effects of climate change; sustainable and adaptable.
Example
Climate-resilient crops can survive extreme weather conditions.
Les cultures résistantes au climat peuvent survivre à des conditions météorologiques extrêmes.
C1 verb /tʃaɪd/

chide

gronder
Meaning
to scold or rebuke; to express disapproval
Example
The teacher chided the student for being late.
Le professeur gronda l'élève pour son retard.
C1 adjective /ˈkɑːr.di.æk/

cardiac

cardiaque
Meaning
Relating to the heart.
Example
The patient was admitted with a cardiac condition.
Le patient a été admis avec une condition cardiaque.
C1 adjective /ˈkoʊvərt/

covert

secret
Meaning
hidden, secret, or not openly acknowledged
Example
The spy conducted a covert operation behind enemy lines.
L'espion a mené une opération secrète derrière les lignes ennemies.
C1 noun sɜːrˈkeɪdiən ˈrɪðəm

circadian rhythm

rythme circadien
Meaning
The body's natural sleep-wake cycle that occurs within 24 hours
Example
Exposure to natural light regulates the circadian rhythm.
L'exposition à la lumière naturelle régule le rythme circadien.
C1 noun /ˌkɒndʒʊˈɡeɪʃən/

conjugation

conjugaison
Meaning
the variation of the form of a verb to indicate tense, person, and number
Example
French verbs have complex conjugations.
Les verbes français ont des conjugaisons complexes.
C1 noun /ˈsɛtərə/

cetera

etc.
Meaning
Latin for 'the rest' or 'others'; commonly used in the phrase 'et cetera' meaning 'and so on'.
Example
We need to buy pens, paper, notebooks, et cetera.
Nous devons acheter des stylos, du papier, des carnets, etc.
C1 verb /ˈkaʊər/

cower

se recroqueviller de peur
Meaning
to crouch down in fear
Example
The child cowered behind the sofa during the thunderstorm.
L'enfant se coucha derrière le canapé pendant l'orage.
C1 verb /kənˈfaʊnd/

confound

déconcerter
Meaning
to confuse or surprise someone, often by acting against their expectations
Example
The magician's trick seemed to confound the entire audience.
Le tour du magicien semblait déconcerter tout le public.
C1 verb/noun /ˈkrɒn.ɪ.kəl/

chronicle

enregistrer des événements dans l'ordre où ils se sont produits
Meaning
To record events in the order in which they happened; a written record of historical events.
Example
She decided to chronicle her journey through a blog.
Elle a décidé de chroniquer son voyage à travers un blog.
C1 noun /ˈkærɪkətjʊə/

caricature

caricature
Meaning
A picture or description that exaggerates certain features for comic or satirical effect.
Example
The magazine published a caricature of the politician.
Le magazine a publié une caricature du politicien.
C1 noun kənˈfɔː.mə.ti

conformity

conformité, obéissance, conformité
Meaning
Compliance with standards, rules, or laws. Behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions.
Example
Strict conformity to the rules ensures order in society.
La conformité stricte aux règles garantit l'ordre dans la société.
C1 noun /ˈkæpɪˌlɛri/

capillary

capillaire
Meaning
a very thin blood vessel that connects arteries and veins
Example
Oxygen passes from the blood into tissues through capillaries.
L'oxygène passe du sang dans les tissus par les capillaires.
C1 noun /ˈkruːsɪbəl/

crucible

épreuve sévère, creuset
Meaning
a severe test or trial; a container used for heating substances to very high temperatures
Example
The team emerged stronger from the crucible of competition.
L'équipe est sortie plus forte de l'épreuve de la compétition.
C1 verb /ˈkrɒs.briːd/

crossbreed

croiser les races
Meaning
to produce an animal or plant by mating two different breeds, varieties, or species
Example
Farmers crossbreed cows to improve milk production.
Les agriculteurs croisent des vaches pour améliorer la production de lait.
C1 noun /ˈkævərn/

cavern

caverne
Meaning
a large cave or chamber in a cave
Example
The explorers entered a dark cavern beneath the mountain.
Les explorateurs sont entrés dans une caverne sombre sous la montagne.
C1 noun /ˈklaɪəntɛl/

clientele

clientèle
Meaning
The clients or customers of a professional person or business.
Example
The salon's clientele includes many high-profile individuals.
La clientèle du salon comprend de nombreuses personnes de haut niveau.
C1 noun /krəˈʃɛndoʊ/

crescendo

augmentation progressive du volume
Meaning
a gradual increase in loudness or intensity, especially in music
Example
The orchestra built to a powerful crescendo before the finale.
L'orchestre a construit un puissant crescendo avant la fin.
C1 noun /ˈkɒlərə/

cholera

choléra
Meaning
An infectious disease of the small intestine causing severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Example
The village suffered an outbreak of cholera after the flood.
Le village a connu une épidémie de choléra après l'inondation.
C1 verb koʊˈɜrs

coerce

contraindre
Meaning
To force someone to do something against their will using threats or intimidation.
Example
The manager tried to coerce the employees into working overtime.
Le directeur a tenté de contraindre les employés à faire des heures supplémentaires.
C1 adjective kənˈkɝː.ənt

concurrent

concurrent, simultané, qui se produit en même temps
Meaning
Existing, happening, or done at the same time.
Example
The conference had concurrent sessions on various topics.
La conférence avait des sessions concurrentes sur divers sujets.
C1 verb /ˈkriːmeɪt/

cremate

incinérer
Meaning
to burn a dead body to ashes as a funeral rite
Example
According to his wishes, they cremated his body after the funeral.
Selon ses volontés, ils ont incinéré son corps après les funérailles.
C1 noun /ˌklɔːstrəˈfəʊbiə/

claustrophobia

claustrophobie
Meaning
an extreme or irrational fear of being in confined spaces
Example
He avoids elevators because of his claustrophobia.
Il évite les ascenseurs à cause de sa claustrophobie.
C1 verb /siːd/

cede

ceder
Meaning
to give up power, territory, or rights to another
Example
The country ceded territory after losing the war.
Le pays a cédé du territoire après avoir perdu la guerre.
C1 noun /kuːp/

coop

un petit enclos ou cage pour les poules ou autres oiseaux
Meaning
a small enclosure or cage for chickens or other birds
Example
The farmer checked the chickens in the coop every morning.
Le fermier vérifiait les poules dans le poulailler chaque matin.
C1 adjective ˈkʌm.bə.səm

cumbersome

lourd, encombrant, difficile à manipuler
Meaning
Heavy, unwieldy, difficult to handle or carry.
Example
The cumbersome luggage slowed him down.
Les bagages encombrants l'ont ralenti.