contiguity
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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, adjective /klɛərˈvɔɪənt/

clairvoyant

clairvoyant
Meaning
a person who claims to have clairvoyance; having the ability to see beyond normal senses
Example
The clairvoyant predicted that she would travel abroad soon.
Le clairvoyant a prédit qu'elle voyagerait bientôt à l'étranger.
C2 verb /əˈvɜːr/

aver

affirmer
Meaning
to state or assert something confidently and strongly
Example
She averred that she was innocent.
Elle affirmait qu'elle était innocente.
C2 adjective /ˌnɒndɪˈskrɪpt/

nondescript

banal
Meaning
Lacking distinctive or interesting features; dull and unremarkable.
Example
He lives in a nondescript apartment building on the edge of town.
Il vit dans un immeuble d'appartements banal à la périphérie de la ville.
C2 adjective /rɪˈkæl.sɪ.trənt/

recalcitrant

récalcitrant, têtu, désobéissant
Meaning
Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.
Example
The recalcitrant student refused to follow rules.
L'étudiant récalcitrant a refusé de suivre les règles.
C2 noun /ˈæntɪfɒn/

antiphon

antienne
Meaning
a short chant or verse sung responsively in Christian worship, typically sung before or after a psalm or canticle
Example
The choir sang the antiphon before beginning the main hymn.
Le chœur a chanté l'antienne avant de commencer l'hymne principal.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪtɪd/

syncopated

syncopé
Meaning
Characterized by displaced beats or rhythms, especially in music.
Example
The jazz piece had a syncopated rhythm that energized the crowd.
Le morceau de jazz avait un rythme syncopé qui a énergisé la foule.
C2 verb /kənˈdʒiːl/

congeal

congeler
Meaning
to become thick or solid, especially from cooling
Example
The soup began to congeal after being left on the table.
La soupe a commencé à se congeler après avoir été laissée sur la table.
C2 verb /ɪnˈɡreɪʃiˌeɪt/

ingratiate

se faire bien voir
Meaning
To gain favor or approval by deliberate effort, often in a flattering way.
Example
She tried to ingratiate herself with her boss by complimenting him often.
Elle a essayé de s'ingratiser auprès de son patron en le complimentant souvent.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪt ˈnwɑːr/

bete noire

une chose détestée
Meaning
A person or thing that one particularly dislikes or fears.
Example
Grammar has always been his bete noire.
La grammaire a toujours été sa bête noire.
C2 noun /ˈbærəˌɡræf/

barograph

instrument qui enregistre les variations de pression atmosphérique
Meaning
an instrument that records changes in atmospheric pressure
Example
The scientist checked the barograph for pressure variations.
Le scientifique a vérifié le barographe pour les variations de pression.
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 noun /ˈoʊɡər/

ogre

ogre
Meaning
A mythical monster, often depicted as large, hideous, and cruel; metaphorically, a cruel or terrifying person.
Example
The villagers feared the ogre who lived in the dark forest.
Les villageois craignaient l'ogre qui vivait dans la forêt sombre.
C2 noun /tɪlθ/

tilth

état du sol (aptitude à cultiver des cultures)
Meaning
The physical condition of soil in relation to its suitability for planting crops.
Example
The farmer checked the soil's tilth before planting the seeds.
Le fermier a vérifié l'état du sol avant de planter les graines.
C2 adjective /ˈɡaɪlləs/

guileless

ingénu
Meaning
Innocent and without deceit
Example
Her guileless smile won everyone’s heart.
Son sourire ingénu a conquis le cœur de tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˌfoʊˈtɑːmɪtər/

photometer

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

inalienable

inaliénable
Meaning
Unable to be taken away or transferred; absolute and permanent.
Example
Freedom of speech is an inalienable right.
La liberté d'expression est un droit inaliénable.
C2 noun /əˈɡrɒnəmɪst/

agronomist

agronome
Meaning
A scientist who studies soil management and crop production.
Example
The agronomist suggested new methods to improve rice yields.
L'agronome a suggéré de nouvelles méthodes pour améliorer les rendements du riz.
C2 adjective /ˌɪn.trəˈsɛl.jʊ.lər/

intracellular

à l'intérieur de la cellule
Meaning
Located or occurring within a cell.
Example
The drug works by targeting intracellular bacteria.
Le médicament agit en ciblant les bactéries intracellulaires.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪznd/

wizened

ridé
Meaning
Shriveled, wrinkled, or withered, often due to age.
Example
The wizened tree stood in the field for centuries.
L'arbre ridé est resté dans le champ pendant des siècles.
C2 adjective /ˈmæn.laɪk/

manlike

masculin
Meaning
Having qualities or characteristics traditionally associated with a man; manly.
Example
His manlike courage impressed everyone in the village.
Son courage masculin a impressionné tout le monde dans le village.
C2 adjective /spæzˈmɒdɪk/

spasmodic

spasmodique
Meaning
occurring irregularly or in sudden bursts
Example
The patient experienced spasmodic coughing during the night.
Le patient a eu des toux spasmodiques pendant la nuit.
C2 noun /ˈbræɡərt/

braggart

vaniteux
Meaning
a person who boasts about achievements or possessions
Example
No one liked him because he was such a braggart.
Personne ne l'aimait car c'était un vaniteux.
C2 verb /ˈmɔːndər/

maunder

parler de manière incohérente
Meaning
To speak or move aimlessly and incoherently.
Example
He maundered on about his old memories.
Il parlait de manière incohérente de ses vieux souvenirs.
C2 verb /ˈstɪp.əl/

stipple

couvrir de petits points
Meaning
to cover a surface with numerous small dots or specks, often in drawing or painting
Example
The artist stippled the canvas to create a textured effect.
L'artiste a couvert la toile de petits points pour créer un effet texturé.
C2 noun /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəri/

skullduggery

supercherie
Meaning
dishonest behavior or activities, often done secretly
Example
The election was full of political skullduggery.
L'élection était pleine de supercheries politiques.
C2 noun /ˈhen.ə/

Henna

henné
Meaning
a reddish-brown dye made from the powdered leaves of a tropical shrub, used to color hair and decorate skin
Example
The bride's hands were beautifully decorated with intricate henna patterns for her wedding ceremony.
Les mains de la mariée étaient magnifiquement décorées de motifs complexes de henné pour sa cérémonie de mariage.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəˈmoʊd/

discommode

déranger
Meaning
To cause inconvenience or trouble to someone.
Example
I hope my request does not discommode you.
J'espère que ma demande ne vous dérangera pas.
C2 noun /ˈfeɪ.tə.lɪ.zəm/

fatalism

fatalisme
Meaning
the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable
Example
He embraced fatalism, believing that nothing he did could change his destiny.
Il a adopté le fatalisme, croyant que rien de ce qu'il faisait ne pouvait changer son destin.
C2 noun /mʌsk/

Musk

musc
Meaning
a strong-smelling substance secreted by certain animals, used in perfumes and traditional medicine
Example
The perfume contained natural musk that gave it an exotic fragrance.
Le parfum contenait du musc naturel qui lui a donné un parfum exotique.
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 noun /pɜːrtʃt raɪs/

Perched rice

riz soufflé
Meaning
puffed rice; rice that has been heated and puffed into light, crispy grains
Example
I enjoy eating puffed rice as a healthy snack.
J'aime manger du riz soufflé comme collation saine.
C2 noun /ˌdʒiːniˈælədʒɪst/

genealogist

généalogiste
Meaning
A person who studies or traces the history of families and their lineages.
Example
The genealogist uncovered records dating back to the 18th century.
Le généalogiste a découvert des archives datant du XVIIIe siècle.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪbɪlaɪn/

sibylline

sibyllin
Meaning
Prophetic, mysterious, or cryptic in meaning.
Example
The old woman gave a sibylline warning about the future.
La vieille femme a donné un avertissement sibyllin sur l'avenir.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪspjuːˈteɪʃəs/

disputatious

disputeur
Meaning
fond of or given to argument and debate
Example
His disputatious nature often led to heated conversations.
Sa nature disputée menait souvent à des conversations animées.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːfdəm/

serfdom

servage
Meaning
The status or condition of being a serf, bound to work for a lord.
Example
Many peasants in medieval Europe lived under serfdom.
De nombreux paysans de l'Europe médiévale vivaient sous le servage.
C2 adjective /ˈslæp.dæʃ/

slapdash

fait à la va-vite
Meaning
done too quickly and carelessly; hasty and careless
Example
The report was written in a slapdash manner, full of errors.
Le rapport a été rédigé à la va-vite, plein d'erreurs.
C2 noun /səbˈsɜːviəns/

subservience

servilité
Meaning
the condition of being too willing to obey or serve others
Example
His subservience to authority annoyed his colleagues.
Sa servilité envers l'autorité agaçait ses collègues.
C2 noun /niˈɒlədʒi/

neology

l'utilisation de nouveaux mots ou l'étude de leur origine
Meaning
The use of new words or the study of their origin.
Example
The professor specialized in neology, studying the creation of modern slang.
Le professeur s'est spécialisé en néologie, étudiant la création du jargon moderne.
C2 adjective /ˌtɛmɪˈrɛəriəs/

temerarious

téméraire
Meaning
Reckless or rash; showing a lack of caution.
Example
It was a temerarious decision to cross the river during the storm.
C'était une décision téméraire de traverser la rivière pendant la tempête.
C2 noun /ˈsɪbəraɪt/

sybarite

sybarite
Meaning
a person who loves luxury and pleasure
Example
The millionaire was a true sybarite who lived only for comfort and enjoyment.
Le millionnaire était un véritable sybarite qui vivait uniquement pour le confort et le plaisir.
C2 adjective /ˈkɔːpjʊlənt/

corpulent

corpulent, obèse
Meaning
fat or obese; having a large bulky body
Example
The corpulent man struggled to fit into the small chair.
L'homme corpulent avait du mal à tenir dans la petite chaise.
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 /rɪˈflɛktɪbəl/

reflectible

réfléchissable
Meaning
capable of being reflected, as light or an image
Example
The surface of the lake is highly reflectible in the morning sun.
La surface du lac est hautement réfléchissable sous le soleil du matin.
C2 noun /skʌlˈdʌɡəri/

skulduggery

fraude
Meaning
underhanded or dishonest behavior
Example
The politician was accused of financial skulduggery.
Le politicien a été accusé de fraude financière.
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 adjective /ˈmjuːtəbl/

mutable

mutable
Meaning
Capable of change or alteration.
Example
Human emotions are mutable and can shift rapidly.
Les émotions humaines sont mutables et peuvent changer rapidement.
C2 adjective /trænsˈfjuːzəbl̩/

transfusible

transfusible
Meaning
capable of being transfused, especially referring to blood or fluids
Example
Only transfusible blood types are used in the hospital.
Seuls les groupes sanguins transfusibles sont utilisés à l'hôpital.
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 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 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 noun /ˈdʒɪŋɡoʊˌɪzəm/

jingoism

nationalisme extrême
Meaning
extreme patriotism expressed in aggressive foreign policy
Example
The politician's speech was filled with jingoism.
Le discours du politicien était rempli de jingoïsme.
C2 noun /ˈstrɪndʒənsi/

stringency

rigueur
Meaning
the quality of being strict, precise, or severe
Example
The stringency of the new rules surprised everyone.
La rigueur des nouvelles règles a surpris tout le monde.
C2 adjective /ˈpɜːˌblaɪnd/

purblind

aveugle ou ignorant
Meaning
Having impaired or defective vision; lacking insight or understanding.
Example
The purblind approach to the problem led to many mistakes.
L'approche purblinde du problème a conduit à de nombreuses erreurs.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈæl.əˌbæs.tər/

alabaster

albâtre (minéral blanc comme pierre)
Meaning
A fine-grained, usually white variety of gypsum, often used for carving; also describes something smooth and pale like alabaster.
Example
The statue was carved from pure alabaster.
La statue a été sculptée dans de l'albâtre pur.
C2 noun /ˈʃʊərəti/

surety

caution
Meaning
a person who takes responsibility for another's performance of an undertaking, such as appearing in court or paying a debt
Example
The landlord required a surety before renting the apartment.
Le propriétaire a exigé une caution avant de louer l'appartement.
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 /ˌpriːtərˈnætʃərəl/

preternatural

prétérnaturel
Meaning
Beyond what is normal or natural; extraordinary or supernatural.
Example
She had a preternatural ability to remain calm in any crisis.
Elle avait une capacité préternaturelle à rester calme dans n'importe quelle crise.
C2 adjective /ˈiːkwaɪn/

equine

relatif aux chevaux
Meaning
Relating to or resembling a horse.
Example
The veterinarian specialized in equine medicine.
Le vétérinaire s'est spécialisé en médecine équine.
C2 adjective /kəmˈpleɪzənt/

complaisant

trop complaisant
Meaning
willing to please others or to accept what they do or say without protest
Example
He was too complaisant to refuse their demands.
Il était trop complaisant pour refuser leurs demandes.
C2 adjective /ˌmɛrəˈtrɪʃəs/

meretricious

artificiel
Meaning
apparently attractive but having no real value or integrity.
Example
The design was flashy but meretricious.
Le design était flashy mais artificiel.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪˈliː/

bailee

dépositaire
Meaning
a person or party who temporarily receives possession of goods or property from another under a legal agreement
Example
The bailee must take reasonable care of the goods while they are in his possession.
Le dépositaire doit prendre soin des biens.
C2 adjective /ˈvɜːrdənt/

verdant

verdoyant
Meaning
Green with grass or other rich vegetation; lush and fertile.
Example
The hills looked verdant after the monsoon rains.
Les collines semblaient verdoyantes après les pluies de la mousson.
C2 noun/verb /ˈʌpˌkæst/

upcast

lancer vers le haut
Meaning
Verb: To cast or throw upward. Noun: Something thrown or directed upward.
Example
The fisherman upcast his net into the air.
Le pêcheur a lancé son filet dans les airs.
C2 verb /ɪnˈtɜːr/

inter

enterrer
Meaning
To bury a dead body in the ground.
Example
They decided to inter the soldier with full honors.
Ils ont décidé d'enterrer le soldat avec tous les honneurs.
C2 noun /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/

chicanery

tromperie
Meaning
The use of trickery or deception to achieve a purpose.
Example
The politician was accused of chicanery to win the election.
Le politicien a été accusé de tromperie pour gagner l'élection.
C2 noun /ruːˈeɪ/

roue

un homme dédié à une vie de plaisirs sensuels
Meaning
A man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure; a debauched man.
Example
The old roue squandered his fortune on gambling and women.
Le vieux roue a gaspillé sa fortune dans les jeux d'argent et les femmes.
C2 adjective /ˈnɒti/

knotty

compliqué
Meaning
Complicated, difficult to solve or full of knots.
Example
He faced a knotty legal issue.
Il a fait face à un problème juridique compliqué.
C2 adjective, noun /ˈænθrəpɔɪd/

anthropoid

anthropoïde
Meaning
Resembling a human being in form; a primate such as apes and monkeys.
Example
The gorilla is considered an anthropoid ape.
Le gorille est considéré comme un anthropoïde.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪŋɡoʊɪst/

jingoist

jingoïste
Meaning
a person who supports jingoism; an extreme nationalist with aggressive foreign policies
Example
He was labeled a jingoist for his extreme views.
Il a été qualifié de jingoïste pour ses vues extrêmes.
C2 noun /ɡreɪˈdeɪʃən/

gradation

gradation
Meaning
A gradual change from one stage, tone, or degree to another.
Example
The artist used subtle gradation of colors in her painting.
L'artiste a utilisé une gradation subtile des couleurs dans sa peinture.
C2 noun /ɒkˈteɪvoʊ/

octavo

octavo (taille de livre obtenue en pliant une feuille en huit parties)
Meaning
A size of book page resulting from folding a sheet of paper into eight leaves (sixteen pages).
Example
The old library contained rare octavo editions of Shakespeare.
La vieille bibliothèque contenait des éditions rares en octavo de Shakespeare.
C2 noun /ˌpɒl.iˈsɪl.ə.bəl/

polysyllable

mot polysyllabique
Meaning
a word with more than one syllable
Example
The word 'elephant' is a polysyllable because it has three syllables.
Le mot 'éléphant' est un mot polysyllabique car il a trois syllabes.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːbəl/

bauble

bibelot
Meaning
A small, decorative trinket or ornament, often of little value.
Example
She wore a shiny bauble around her neck.
Elle portait un bibelot brillant autour de son cou.
C2 noun /ˈsʌfərəns/

sufferance

tolérance
Meaning
patient endurance of pain, hardship, or delay; passive consent or tolerance
Example
He lived in poverty with quiet sufferance.
Il vivait dans la pauvreté avec une tolérance silencieuse.
C2 noun /ɪˈfɛmɪnəsi/

effeminacy

efféminéité
Meaning
The quality of showing traits traditionally associated with women, such as delicacy or softness.
Example
In ancient times, effeminacy was often criticized as a sign of weakness.
Dans les temps anciens, l'efféminéité était souvent critiquée comme un signe de faiblesse.
C2 verb /deɪn/

deign

agir en-dessous de sa dignité
Meaning
to do something considered beneath one's dignity
Example
The king did not deign to reply to the commoner.
Le roi ne daigna pas répondre au roturier.
C2 adjective /ˈeksɪkrəbl/

execrable

exécrable
Meaning
Extremely bad or unpleasant.
Example
The movie was so execrable that many people left the theater early.
Le film était tellement exécrable que beaucoup de gens sont partis tôt du cinéma.
C2 noun /strəˈmoʊ.ni.əm ˌflaʊ.ər/

Stramonium flower

fleur de stramoine
Meaning
A trumpet-shaped white or purple flower from the jimsonweed plant, known for its toxic properties
Example
The stramonium flower blooms at night with a sweet fragrance.
La fleur de stramoine fleurit la nuit avec un parfum doux.
C2 noun /ˈtʃæt.əl/

chattel

bien meuble / propriété personnelle
Meaning
a personal possession; historically, movable property including slaves
Example
In the past, slaves were considered the chattel of their owners.
Dans le passé, les esclaves étaient considérés comme la propriété personnelle de leurs propriétaires.
C2 noun /ɪmˈpjuːnɪti/

impunity

impunité
Meaning
freedom from punishment or harmful consequences for an action
Example
The dictator ruled with impunity, ignoring international laws.
Le dictateur a régné en toute impunité, ignorant les lois internationales.
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 adverb /ˈvɛrɪli/

verily

véritablement
Meaning
truly; certainly; without a doubt
Example
Verily, I say unto you, this is the truth.
Véritablement, je vous le dis, c'est la vérité.
C2 adjective /dɪˈluːsəri/

delusory

illusoires
Meaning
Based on illusion; not real.
Example
He was filled with delusory hopes of becoming famous overnight.
Il était rempli de faux espoirs de devenir célèbre du jour au lendemain.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrkwɪzɪt raɪt/

perquisiteperquisiteright

droit aux avantages supplémentaires
Meaning
a legal right to certain benefits or privileges associated with a job or office
Example
The judge enjoyed certain perquisite rights attached to his position.
Le juge a profité de certains droits supplémentaires liés à sa fonction.
C2 adverb /əˈsɪdʒuəsli/

assiduously

assidûment
Meaning
with great care and persistence
Example
He worked assiduously to complete the project before the deadline.
Il a travaillé assidûment pour terminer le projet avant la date limite.
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 noun /ˈfɒpəri/

foppery

esbroufe
Meaning
Foolish or excessive concern with one's appearance or manners; pretentious behavior.
Example
His obsession with fashion was dismissed as mere foppery.
Son obsession pour la mode a été rejetée comme une simple esbroufe.
C2 noun /hæp/

hap

chance, fortune, hasard
Meaning
luck, fortune, or chance occurrence
Example
By sheer hap, he discovered the old letter hidden in the drawer.
Par pur hasard, il a découvert la vieille lettre cachée dans le tiroir.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.səˌbɑːr/

isobar

isobare
Meaning
A line on a weather map connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure.
Example
The meteorologist explained how isobars indicate wind speed and direction.
Le météorologue a expliqué comment les isobares indiquent la vitesse et la direction du vent.
C2 noun /ˈbiːtənd raɪs/

Beatened rice

riz battu
Meaning
flattened rice; rice that has been parboiled, dried, and beaten into flat flakes
Example
Beaten rice is commonly eaten with milk and sugar for breakfast.
Le riz battu est généralement mangé avec du lait et du sucre au petit-déjeuner.
C2 verb /ɪnˈdʒɛst/

ingest

ingérer
Meaning
To take food, drink, or another substance into the body, usually by swallowing.
Example
The patient must ingest the medicine with water.
Le patient doit ingérer le médicament avec de l'eau.
C2 noun /ˌrækənˈtɜːr/

Raconteur

bonheur
Meaning
a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way
Example
The old man was a gifted raconteur who entertained everyone with his stories.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːlsəm/

Balsam

fleur de baume
Meaning
a flowering plant with colorful blooms that often open in the evening; also refers to aromatic resin
Example
The garden balsam flowers bloomed beautifully in various shades of pink and purple.
Les fleurs de baume du jardin ont fleuri magnifiquement dans des nuances de rose et de violet.
C2 noun /ˈmɒdɪkəm/

modicum

une petite quantité
Meaning
a small or moderate amount of something, especially something valuable or desirable
Example
She showed a modicum of patience during the long meeting.
Elle a montré une petite quantité de patience pendant la longue réunion.
C2 verb /dɪsˈpɔːrt/

disport

se divertir
Meaning
To amuse oneself in a lively or playful way.
Example
The children disported themselves in the garden.
Les enfants se sont amusés dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /ˌɛpɪkjʊˈriːən/

epicurean

épicurien
Meaning
relating to the enjoyment of fine food, drink, and luxury
Example
The chef prepared an epicurean feast for the guests.
Le chef a préparé un festin épicurien pour les invités.
C2 noun /ˈɑːrkeɪˌɪzəm/

archaism

archaïsme
Meaning
a word, expression, or style of language that is no longer in everyday use
Example
The poem is full of archaisms that give it an old-fashioned flavor.
Le poème est plein d'archaïsmes qui lui donnent un goût ancien.
C2 noun /ˈɡʌl.i/

gully

ravin, fossé
Meaning
A narrow channel or ravine worn away by water.
Example
After the storm, the road was cut by a deep gully.
Après la tempête, la route a été coupée par un ravin profond.
C2 noun /ˈspæŋɡəl/

spangle

paillettes
Meaning
A small shiny piece of metal or plastic used for decoration on clothes.
Example
Her dress was covered with silver spangles that glittered in the light.
Sa robe était couverte de paillettes argentées qui brillaient à la lumière.
C2 noun /lɔːŋ ɡɔːrd/

Long gourd

courge longue
Meaning
an elongated green vegetable belonging to the cucumber family, used in cooking
Example
She sliced the long gourd thinly for the stir-fry dish.
Elle a coupé la courge longue en tranches fines pour le plat sauté.
C2 noun /ˌnjʊə.rəʊˈdʒɛn.ɪ.sɪs/

neurogenesis

formation de nouvelles cellules nerveuses
Meaning
The process of forming new nerve cells in the brain.
Example
Scientists are studying neurogenesis to understand brain health.
Les scientifiques étudient la neurogénèse pour comprendre la santé du cerveau.
C2 adjective /traɪˈɛniəl/

triennial

triennal
Meaning
Occurring once every three years.
Example
The art festival is a triennial event in the city.
Le festival d'art est un événement triennal dans la ville.
C2 noun /ˈmɛtrəˌnoʊm/

metronome

métronome
Meaning
A device that produces regular ticks or beats to help musicians maintain tempo.
Example
She practiced the piano with a metronome to keep steady timing.
Elle pratiquait le piano avec un métronome pour garder un rythme régulier.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒtld/

mottled

tacheté
Meaning
Marked with spots, streaks, or blotches of different shades or colors.
Example
The snake's mottled skin helped it blend into the forest floor.
La peau tachetée du serpent l'a aidé à se fondre dans le sol de la forêt.
C2 noun /ˌpoʊpʊˈriː/

potpourri

mélange de fleurs séchées
Meaning
a mixture of dried flowers and spices kept in a bowl to perfume a room; a miscellaneous collection
Example
The living room was filled with the scent of potpourri.
Le salon était rempli du parfum du potpourri.
C2 verb /ˈvɛdʒɪteɪt/

vegetate

végéter
Meaning
to live in a dull, inactive, or unchallenging way, often with little physical or mental effort
Example
He spent his vacation vegetating on the couch in front of the TV.
Il a passé ses vacances à végéter sur le canapé devant la télévision.
C2 verb /ˈrʌstɪkeɪt/

rusticate

Aller à la campagne / exclusion temporaire de l'université
Meaning
To go to the countryside or to suspend someone from university.
Example
He decided to rusticate in the village to escape the busy city life.
Il a décidé de se rendre à la campagne dans le village pour échapper à la vie trépidante de la ville.
C2 verb /əˈvʌls/

avulse

arracher
Meaning
to tear away or separate forcibly, especially in medical or geological contexts
Example
The surgeon had to avulse the damaged tissue during the operation.
Le chirurgien a dû arracher le tissu endommagé pendant l'opération.
C2 noun /ˌlæs.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

laceration

coupure profonde
Meaning
a deep cut or tear in skin or flesh
Example
He needed stitches for a laceration on his leg.
Il avait besoin de points pour une coupure profonde à sa jambe.
C2 noun /bɪsk/

bisque

soupe de fruits de mer
Meaning
A rich, creamy soup made from shellfish.
Example
We ordered lobster bisque at the restaurant.
Nous avons commandé une bisque de homard au restaurant.
C2 noun /ˌɪlɪbəˈræləti/

illiberality

intolérance
Meaning
The quality of being illiberal; lack of tolerance or generosity.
Example
The illiberality of the new laws alarmed the citizens.
L'illibéralité des nouvelles lois a alarmé les citoyens.
C2 noun /ˈlɪŋ.ɡoʊ/

lingo

jargon spécialisé
Meaning
Specialized or informal language used by a particular group that is often difficult for outsiders to understand.
Example
The manual was written in technical lingo that confused the new employees.
Le manuel était écrit en jargon technique qui a embrouillé les nouveaux employés.
C2 adjective /ˈhʌmdrʌm/

humdrum

monotone
Meaning
Lacking excitement or variety; dull and monotonous.
Example
She grew tired of the humdrum routine of office life.
Elle en avait marre de la routine monotone de la vie de bureau.
C2 noun /ˌdɪpsəˈmeɪniæk/

dipsomaniac

alcoolique
Meaning
A person with an uncontrollable craving for alcoholic drinks.
Example
The novel portrayed the tragic downfall of a dipsomaniac who lost everything to alcohol.
Le roman a dépeint la chute tragique d'un alcoolique qui a tout perdu à cause de l'alcool.
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 adjective /ɪnˈfɜːrnəl/

infernal

infernal
Meaning
relating to hell; extremely troublesome or annoying
Example
The workers complained about the infernal noise from the construction site.
Les travailleurs se sont plaints du bruit infernal provenant du site de construction.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪ ˈfloʊn/

high-flown

grandiloquent
Meaning
Using fancy or pretentious language; lofty in style but often overblown.
Example
The politician gave a high-flown speech full of promises.
Le politicien a donné un discours grandiloquent plein de promesses.
C2 adjective /ˈdaʊ.di/

dowdy

démodé / usé
Meaning
unfashionable, dull, or shabby in appearance
Example
She wore a dowdy dress to the party.
Elle portait une robe démodée à la fête.
C2 adjective /ænˈhaɪdrəs/

anhydrous

anhydre
Meaning
Containing no water.
Example
The chemist used anhydrous ammonia for the experiment.
Le chimiste a utilisé de l'ammoniac anhydre pour l'expérience.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪspi/

wispy

fins et fragiles
Meaning
Thin, delicate, and weak in appearance or form.
Example
Her wispy hair blew gently in the breeze.
Ses cheveux fins soufflaient doucement dans la brise.