convolution
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All CEFR A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Content locale
EN Anglais BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Espagnol FR Français DE Allemand RU Russe ZH Chinois JA Japonais
All Vocabulary Cards All Vocabularies
C2 noun /ˌkɒnvəˈluːʃən/

convolution

convolution, courbe complexe ou structure
Meaning
a twist, coil, or a complex and intricate shape or arrangement
Example
The brain has many convolutions that increase its surface area.
Le cerveau a de nombreuses convolutions qui augmentent sa surface.
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 adjective /ˌæf.əˈrɪs.tɪk/

aphoristic

style aphoristique
Meaning
expressed in the style of a short, witty saying
Example
Her writing style is concise and aphoristic.
Son style d'écriture est concis et aphoristique.
C2 noun /ˈmɒnəɡrɑːf/

monograph

monographie
Meaning
A detailed written study of a single specialized subject or aspect of it.
Example
The professor published a monograph on ancient pottery.
Le professeur a publie une monographie sur la poterie antique.
C2 adjective /ˈsteɪ.dʒi/

stagy

trop théâtral
Meaning
Overly theatrical, artificial, or exaggerated in manner or style.
Example
Her performance felt stagy and unnatural.
Sa performance semblait trop théâtrale et artificielle.
C2 verb /ˈsɪmpər/

simper

sourire de manière stupide ou affectée
Meaning
to smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected way
Example
She simpered at his compliment, clearly embarrassed.
Elle souriait d'une manière stupide à son compliment, clairement embarrassée.
C2 adjective /mæɡˈnɪləkwənt/

magniloquent

langage pompeux
Meaning
using high-flown or pompous language
Example
The politician’s magniloquent speech impressed the crowd.
Le discours pompeux du politicien a impressionné la foule.
C2 noun /ˈpæn.θi.ɪ.zəm/

pantheism

panthéisme
Meaning
The belief that God and the universe are identical, or that everything is a manifestation of God.
Example
Spinoza’s philosophy is often associated with pantheism.
La philosophie de Spinoza est souvent associée au panthéisme.
C2 noun /kwiːn kreɪp ˈmɜːrtəl/

Queen crape myrtle

Myrte crêpe de la reine
Meaning
A flowering tree with colorful, crepe-like flowers, scientifically known as Lagerstroemia
Example
The Queen crape myrtle bloomed beautifully in the garden with its purple flowers.
Le myrte crêpe de la reine a fleuri magnifiquement dans le jardin avec ses fleurs violettes.
C2 noun /oʊliˈændər/

Oleander

oléandre
Meaning
a poisonous evergreen shrub with clusters of white, pink, or red flowers
Example
The beautiful oleander flowers bloomed in the garden despite their toxic nature.
Les belles fleurs d'oléanre ont fleuri dans le jardin malgré leur nature toxique.
C2 adjective /ɡrɪˈɡɛəriəs/

gregarious

sociable
Meaning
Fond of company; sociable.
Example
She is a gregarious person who loves meeting new people.
C'est une personne sociable qui aime rencontrer de nouvelles personnes.
C2 adjective /ˌseɪpiˈɛnʃəl/

sapiential

relatif à la sagesse
Meaning
Relating to wisdom or knowledge, often in a religious or philosophical sense.
Example
The monk shared sapiential teachings with his students.
Le moine a partagé des enseignements relatifs à la sagesse avec ses étudiants.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːdəˈrɪfɪk/

sudorific

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

stanch

arrêter le flux de sang
Meaning
to stop the flow of blood or liquid from a wound or source
Example
The nurse quickly stanched the bleeding from the cut.
l'infirmière a rapidement arrêté le saignement de la coupure.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdɪmənt/

pediment

fronton triangulaire
Meaning
a triangular gable found above the horizontal structure of a building, often in classical architecture
Example
The ancient temple had a pediment decorated with sculptures.
Le temple antique avait un fronton décoré de sculptures.
C2 adjective /ˈbɛərˌfeɪst/

barefaced

effronté
Meaning
shameless and undisguised; openly bold or unashamed
Example
He told a barefaced lie in front of everyone.
Il a raconté un mensonge effronté devant tout le monde.
C2 verb /ɪˈvɪns/

evince

démontrer
Meaning
to show or demonstrate clearly
Example
She evinced her interest in the project through active participation.
Elle a montré son intérêt pour le projet par une participation active.
C2 verb /ˈoʊɡəl/

ogle

regarder avec désir
Meaning
To look at someone with obvious sexual interest.
Example
He kept ogling the models on the runway.
Il n'arrêtait pas de regarder les mannequins sur le podium.
C2 adjective /droʊl/

droll

drôle
Meaning
curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement
Example
He had a droll sense of humor that made everyone laugh.
Il avait un sens de l'humour drôle qui faisait rire tout le monde.
C2 noun /trænsˈluːsəns/

translucence

semi-transparence
Meaning
the quality of allowing light to pass through but not detailed shapes
Example
The translucence of the curtains filled the room with soft light.
La semi-transparence des rideaux remplissait la pièce de lumière douce.
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 adjective /ˌlɛvəlˈhɛdɪd/

levelheaded

calme et sensé
Meaning
calm and sensible; showing good judgment.
Example
She remained levelheaded during the crisis.
Elle est restée calme pendant la crise.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.pən ˈhæn.dɪd/

Open-handed

généreux; libéral
Meaning
Generous; liberal; giving freely;
Example
He is very open-handed with his money and always helps those in need.
Il est très généreux avec son argent et aide toujours ceux qui en ont besoin.
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 noun /ˈɪndɪkənt/

indicant

indicateur
Meaning
Something that indicates or points to a fact or condition.
Example
High fever is often an indicant of infection.
La fièvre élevée est souvent un indicateur d'infection.
C2 noun /ˈtrʌmpəri/

trumpery

nonsense sans valeur ou des choses ostentatoires mais sans valeur
Meaning
worthless nonsense or showy but worthless things
Example
The speech was full of political trumpery.
Le discours était plein de balivernes politiques.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɪkˈsprɛsəbl/

inexpressible

inexprimable
Meaning
Too strong or extreme to be expressed in words.
Example
She felt inexpressible joy at the news of her success.
Elle ressentit une joie inexprimable en apprenant son succès.
C2 noun /ˌbɪbliəʊˈmeɪniə/

bibliomania

bibliomanie
Meaning
An extreme obsession with collecting or possessing books.
Example
His bibliomania led him to fill every room with books.
Sa bibliomanie l'a poussé à remplir chaque pièce de livres.
C2 noun /ˈkʌlvərt/

culvert

tunnel d'égout
Meaning
a tunnel or drain that carries water under a road or railway
Example
The heavy rainwater flowed through the culvert under the bridge.
L'eau de pluie lourde a coulé à travers le tunnel d'égout sous le pont.
C2 conjunction /ˌɪnəzˈmʌtʃ æz/

inasmuch-as

puisque
Meaning
Because; since.
Example
He cannot attend, inasmuch as he is unwell.
Il ne peut pas assister, puisque qu'il est malade.
C2 adjective /ˌvɛrɪˈsɪmɪlər/

verisimilar

semblable à la vérité
Meaning
appearing to be true or real
Example
The story seemed verisimilar though it was entirely fictional.
L'histoire semblait semblable à la vérité bien qu'elle fût entièrement fictive.
C2 noun /ˈdɛvɪltrɪ/

deviltry

mauvais tours
Meaning
Cruel or malicious behavior; mischief with an evil aspect.
Example
The villain’s deviltry terrified the townsfolk.
Les mauvais tours du méchant ont terrifié les habitants du village.
C2 noun /ˌpæliˈeɪʃən/

palliation

soulagement
Meaning
relief of symptoms without curing the underlying disease or problem
Example
Palliation is often the focus of care for terminally ill patients.
Le soulagement est souvent l'objectif principal des soins pour les patients en phase terminale.
C2 noun /pɪθ/

pith

partie essentielle, noyau
Meaning
the essential or central part of something
Example
The pith of his argument was that honesty matters most.
La partie essentielle de son argument était que l'honnêteté est la plus importante.
C2 noun əˌklaɪ.mə.tɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

acclimatization

acclimatation
Meaning
The process of adapting to a new environment or condition.
Example
The hikers needed time for acclimatization to high altitudes.
Les randonneurs ont eu besoin de temps pour l'acclimatation aux hautes altitudes.
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 /ˈsfɛrɔɪd/

spheroid

sphéroïde
Meaning
A three-dimensional shape that is almost spherical but slightly flattened or elongated.
Example
The Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid.
La Terre n'est pas une sphère parfaite mais un sphéroïde oblat.
C2 verb /sʌbˈtɛnd/

subtend

sous-tendre
Meaning
To extend across or form an angle at a particular point, often used in geometry.
Example
The arc subtends a 60-degree angle at the center of the circle.
L'arc sous-tend un angle de 60 degrés au centre du cercle.
C2 noun /ˈstænʃən/

stanchion

poteau de support
Meaning
a strong upright bar or post used as support or to control movement
Example
The red rope was attached to the stanchions to guide the crowd.
La corde rouge était attachée aux stanchions pour guider la foule.
C2 noun /ɪˌdʒækjʊˈleɪʃən/

ejaculation

éjaculation / exclamation soudaine
Meaning
The action of suddenly saying something or the release of semen during sexual climax.
Example
His sudden ejaculation of joy surprised everyone in the room.
Son éjaculation soudaine de joie a surpris tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 noun (plural, informal) /skædz/

scads

des tas
Meaning
A large number or quantity of something (informal).
Example
She has scads of friends in the city.
Elle a des tas d'amis en ville.
C2 verb /ˌæd ˈlɪb/

ad-lib

dire improvisé
Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation; to improvise
Example
The comedian ad-libbed a joke when the microphone failed.
Le comédien a improvisé une blague lorsque le microphone a échoué.
C2 adjective /vəˈnɪəriəl/

venereal

vénérien
Meaning
relating to sexual intercourse or sexually transmitted diseases
Example
Doctors warn about the dangers of venereal diseases.
Les médecins avertissent des dangers des maladies vénériennes.
C2 adjective /ˈɛrənt/

errant

errant
Meaning
behaving wrongly or straying from the proper course or standards
Example
The teacher disciplined the errant student.
Le professeur a discipliné l'étudiant errant.
C2 noun /ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃən/

divination

divination
Meaning
the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means
Example
Ancient people often relied on divination to guide important decisions.
Les peuples anciens se fiaient souvent à la divination pour guider les décisions importantes.
C2 adjective /ˈbræsi/

brassy

tapageur
Meaning
loud and showy in a way that lacks good taste; resembling brass in color or sound
Example
She wore a brassy necklace that caught everyone’s attention.
Elle portait un collier tapageur qui attirait l'attention de tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈɛpɪkjʊr/

epicure

épicurien
Meaning
A person who enjoys fine food and drink, often with refined taste.
Example
As an epicure, she always sought out the finest restaurants in the city.
En tant qu’épicurienne, elle recherchait toujours les meilleurs restaurants de la ville.
C2 adjective /sɪˈbeɪʃəs/

sebaceous

relatif au sébum
Meaning
Relating to or secreting sebum, an oily substance from the skin.
Example
Acne is often caused by overactive sebaceous glands.
L'acné est souvent causée par des glandes sébacées hyperactives.
C2 adjective ˈmiː.ni.əl

menial

mineur
Meaning
Not requiring much skill and lacking prestige.
Example
He refused to do menial work.
Il a refusé de faire des travaux mineurs.
C2 adjective /ˈfɜːr.vɪd/

Fervid

passionné; intensément enthousiaste; brûlant d'émotion
Meaning
passionate; intensely enthusiastic; burning with emotion
Example
She gave a fervid speech about environmental protection.
Elle a prononcé un discours fervide sur la protection de l'environnement.
C2 noun /ˈlændˌhoʊl.dər/

landholder

propriétaire foncier
Meaning
a person who owns land, especially in large amounts
Example
The landholder leased part of his property to local farmers.
Le propriétaire foncier a loué une partie de sa propriété à des agriculteurs locaux.
C2 adjective /ˌen.zɪˈmæt.ɪk/

enzymatic

relatif aux enzymes
Meaning
Relating to or involving enzymes, which are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions in living organisms.
Example
Enzymatic reactions regulate metabolism in the human body.
Les réactions enzymatiques régulent le métabolisme dans le corps humain.
C2 noun prɒkˈsiː.mɪks

proxemics

l'étude de l'utilisation de l'espace personnel
Meaning
The study of how people use space and distance to indicate relationships
Example
Understanding proxemics helps in improving interpersonal communication.
Comprendre la proxémique aide à améliorer la communication interpersonnelle.
C2 verb /bɪˈtaɪd/

betide

arriver
Meaning
to happen or occur, usually of something that befalls someone
Example
Woe betide anyone who breaks the rules.
Quiconque enfreint les règles, subira les conséquences.
C2 noun /ˈkæriən/

carrion

charogne
Meaning
the decaying flesh of dead animals
Example
Vultures feed on carrion left in the fields.
Les vautours se nourrissent de la charogne laissée dans les champs.
C2 noun /roʊˈtʌn.də/

rotunda

bâtiment circulaire
Meaning
a large circular building or hall, often with a dome
Example
Tourists gathered inside the grand rotunda of the capitol.
Les touristes se sont réunis à l'intérieur de la grande rotonde du capitole.
C2 noun /ˌdɪʃəˈbiːl/

dishabille

déshabillé
Meaning
The state of being only partly or loosely dressed; casual or careless attire.
Example
She answered the door in a state of dishabille, wearing just a robe.
Elle a répondu à la porte dans un état de déshabillé, portant seulement un peignoir.
C2 adjective /ˈmʌski/

musky

musqué
Meaning
having a strong, sweet, earthy smell like musk
Example
The perfume had a musky fragrance.
Le parfum avait une fragrance musquée.
C2 noun /ˈneɪdɪər/

nadir

le nadir
Meaning
The lowest point of a situation or condition.
Example
The company reached its nadir during the financial crisis.
L'entreprise a atteint son nadir pendant la crise financière.
C2 adjective /ˈslʌvənli/

slovenly

négligé
Meaning
Untidy or careless in appearance, habits, or work.
Example
His slovenly appearance made a bad impression at the interview.
Son apparence négligée a laissé une mauvaise impression lors de l'entretien.
C2 adjective, noun /bɪˈtroʊðd/

betrothed

fiancé
Meaning
Engaged to be married; a person who is engaged.
Example
She introduced him as her betrothed.
Elle l'a présenté comme son fiancé.
C2 noun /ˈkwɪkˌsɪlvər/

quicksilver

mercure
Meaning
Mercury; a liquid metal, or something that is quick and unpredictable.
Example
His mood was as changeable as quicksilver.
Son humeur était aussi changeante que le mercure.
C2 noun /priˈɛmpʃən/

preemption

droit de préemption
Meaning
The act of taking action before someone else; the right to purchase or act before others.
Example
The company exercised preemption to acquire the land before competitors.
L'entreprise a exercé son droit de préemption pour acquérir le terrain avant les concurrents.
C2 verb /diːˈmæɡnɪtaɪz/

demagnetize

démagnétiser
Meaning
To remove or reduce the magnetic properties of something.
Example
The technician demagnetized the old cassette tape.
Le technicien a démagnétisé la vieille cassette.
C2 noun əˌdʌl.təˈreɪ.ʃən

adulteration

adultération
Meaning
The action of making something poorer in quality by the addition of another substance.
Example
Adulteration of food is a serious health risk.
L'adultération des aliments est un grave risque pour la santé.
C2 verb /ʌnˈjoʊk/

unyoke

dételer
Meaning
To release from a yoke or to free from restraint or obligation.
Example
The farmer unyoked the oxen after a long day of work.
Le fermier a dételé les bœufs après une longue journée de travail.
C2 adjective /luːˈɡuːbriəs/

lugubrious

lugubre
Meaning
looking or sounding sad and dismal
Example
His lugubrious expression made everyone feel uneasy.
Son expression lugubre a mis tout le monde mal à l'aise.
C2 adjective /ˌɛvɪˈdɛnʃəl/

evidential

évidentiel
Meaning
relating to or providing evidence
Example
The lawyer presented evidential support for her claims.
L'avocat a présenté un soutien évident pour ses revendications.
C2 adjective /sərˈkjuːɪtəs/

circuitous

route indirecte
Meaning
Longer than the most direct way; roundabout.
Example
He took a circuitous route to avoid traffic.
Il a pris une route indirecte pour éviter le trafic.
C2 verb /ɪˈdjuːs/

educe

extraire
Meaning
To draw out or bring forth something latent or hidden.
Example
The teacher tried to educe a response from the shy student.
Le professeur a essayé d'éduire une réponse de l'étudiant timide.
C2 noun /ˌæriˈviːst/

arriviste

nouveau riche
Meaning
A person who has recently gained wealth or status but is considered arrogant or socially unsophisticated.
Example
The business world is full of ambitious arrivistes.
Le monde des affaires est rempli d’arrivistes ambitieux.
C2 adjective /ˌɛl.ɪˈdʒaɪ.ək/

elegiac

éligiaque
Meaning
Expressing sorrow, often for something past; resembling an elegy.
Example
The novel ends on an elegiac note, mourning the lost era.
Le roman se termine sur une note élégiaque, pleurant l'ère perdue.
C2 adjective /ˌʌn.rɪˈdʒɛn.ər.ət/

unregenerate

intransigeant
Meaning
Not reformed or showing no signs of change; stubbornly refusing to reform or repent.
Example
He remained an unregenerate opponent of progress.
Il est resté un opposant intransigeant du progrès.
C2 noun /ˈsɪmpəltən/

simpleton

imbécile
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person
Example
They treated him like a simpleton who could not understand anything complex.
Ils l'ont traité comme un imbécile qui ne pouvait rien comprendre de complexe.
C2 verb /ˈvaʊtʃ.seɪf/

vouchsafe

octroyer
Meaning
to grant or give something in a gracious or condescending manner
Example
He vouchsafed them a rare smile.
Il leur a octroyé un rare sourire.
C2 noun ˌæɡ.roʊ.iˈkɒl.ə.dʒi

agroecology

agroécologie
Meaning
A scientific discipline that studies agricultural systems by applying ecological concepts and principles.
Example
Agroecology promotes eco-friendly farming.
L'agroécologie favorise l'agriculture écologique.
C2 noun /ˈhɜːrmɪtɪdʒ/

hermitage

ermitage
Meaning
A secluded residence or retreat, often for a hermit or religious recluse.
Example
The monk spent years in a hermitage deep in the forest.
Le moine a passé des années dans un ermitage au fond de la forêt.
C2 noun /ˈdʌlərd/

dullard

personne stupide
Meaning
a slow or stupid person
Example
He was considered a dullard by his classmates.
Il était considéré comme un idiot par ses camarades de classe.
C2 noun /ˈæktʃuˌɛri/

actuary

actuaire
Meaning
A professional who analyzes financial risk using mathematics, statistics, and financial theory, especially in insurance and pensions.
Example
The actuary calculated the risk before finalizing the insurance policy.
L'actuaire a calculé le risque avant de finaliser la police d'assurance.
C2 verb /lɔːd/

laud

louer
Meaning
To praise someone or something highly, especially in public.
Example
The critic lauded the actor's performance as a masterpiece.
Le critique a loué la performance de l'acteur comme un chef-d'œuvre.
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 verb /ˈhɑːrkən/

hearken

écouter attentivement
Meaning
To listen attentively; to give heed.
Example
He would hearken to his mentor’s advice before making decisions.
Il écouterait attentivement les conseils de son mentor avant de prendre des décisions.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

bucolique
Meaning
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example
They enjoyed a bucolic picnic by the river.
Ils ont apprécié un pique-nique bucolique au bord de la rivière.
C2 adjective /ˈlɛtʃ.ər.əs/

lecherous

lubrique
Meaning
having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire
Example
The character was portrayed as a lecherous old man.
Le personnage a été dépeint comme un homme lubrique.
C2 adjective /səˈpʌlkrəl/

sepulchral

relatif à un tombeau, lugubre
Meaning
Relating to a tomb or burial; gloomy, dismal.
Example
The abandoned house had a sepulchral silence about it.
La maison abandonnée avait un silence sepulcral.
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 /klɛərˈvɔɪəns/

clairvoyance

clairvoyance
Meaning
the supposed ability to perceive events beyond normal sensory contact; psychic insight
Example
She claimed to have clairvoyance and predicted the future.
Elle a prétendu avoir de la clairvoyance et a prédit l'avenir.
C2 noun /ˈækəlaɪt/

acolyte

acolyte
Meaning
a follower or assistant, especially in a religious service or as a devoted supporter of a leader
Example
The senator arrived with a small group of acolytes who handled the press.
Le sénateur est arrivé avec un petit groupe d'acolytes qui s'occupaient de la presse.
C2 verb /ˈɑːbvieɪt/

obviate

éliminer
Meaning
To remove a need or difficulty; to prevent or avoid something.
Example
This new system obviates the need for manual data entry.
Ce nouveau système supprime la nécessité de saisir des données manuellement.
C2 noun /ˈdɒɡərəl/

doggerel

vers ridicule
Meaning
Comic or irregular verse, often poorly constructed and lacking in artistic quality.
Example
The poet’s work was dismissed as mere doggerel by the critics.
Le travail du poète a été rejeté comme simple vers ridicule par les critiques.
C2 noun /ˌɪnsjəˈlærəti/

insularity

insularité
Meaning
The state of being isolated or narrow-minded.
Example
The insularity of the group prevented them from accepting new ideas.
L'insularité du groupe l'a empêché d'accepter de nouvelles idées.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/

dissipation

dissipation
Meaning
the process of disappearing or wasting; excessive indulgence in pleasure
Example
The dissipation of his fortune left him in poverty.
La dissipation de sa fortune l'a laissé dans la pauvreté.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːlki/

balky

têtu
Meaning
difficult, uncooperative, or stubborn
Example
The balky printer refused to work when needed most.
L'imprimante têtue a refusé de fonctionner quand elle en avait le plus besoin.
C2 noun /dɪˈklɪvɪti/

declivity

pente
Meaning
a downward slope of ground
Example
They carefully climbed down the declivity of the hill.
Ils ont grimpé prudemment la pente de la colline.
C2 noun /ˈɔːldərmənʃɪp/

aldermanship

poste de conseiller
Meaning
The office, position, or dignity of an alderman.
Example
He was honored with aldermanship after years of service.
Il a été honoré du poste de conseiller après des années de service.
C2 noun /ˌmɪsˈtʃæns/

mischance

malchance
Meaning
An unfortunate accident or event; bad luck.
Example
By mischance, he missed the last train home.
Par malchance, il a raté le dernier train pour rentrer chez lui.
C2 adverb /ˈprɒksɪmətli/

proximately

près
Meaning
In a near or close manner; nearly.
Example
The village lies proximately to the river.
Le village est près de la rivière.
C2 noun ˈbaɪəʊˌsaɪd

biocide

biocide
Meaning
A chemical substance or microorganism intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism.
Example
Biocides help control pests and reduce the spread of diseases.
Les biocides aident à contrôler les ravageurs et à réduire la propagation des maladies.
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 /pɛlf/

pelf

argent malhonnête
Meaning
Money, especially when gained dishonorably.
Example
The corrupt official was motivated only by pelf.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu était motivé uniquement par l'argent malhonnête.
C2 noun /ɛˌspriː də ˈkɔːr/

esprit de corps

esprit de corps
Meaning
A feeling of pride, fellowship, and loyalty shared by members of a group.
Example
The team's esprit de corps was evident in their cooperative effort.
L'esprit de corps de l'équipe était évident dans leurs efforts coopératifs.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪlədʒi/

antilogy

antilogie
Meaning
A contradiction in terms or ideas; inconsistency in speech or writing.
Example
The politician's statement was criticized for its antilogy.
La déclaration du politicien a été critiquée pour son antilogie.
C2 noun /hoʊ/

Hoe

binette
Meaning
a gardening tool with a thin metal blade used for breaking up soil and removing weeds
Example
The farmer used a hoe to remove weeds from his vegetable garden.
Le fermier a utilisé une binette pour enlever les mauvaises herbes de son jardin de légumes.
C2 noun /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/

masquerade

fête où les gens portent des masques et des costumes
Meaning
a party or gathering where people wear masks and costumes; a false outward show
Example
The charity event was held as a grand masquerade.
L'événement de charité a eu lieu sous forme de grand masquerade.
C2 adjective /ˈfɒp.ɪʃ/

Foppish

excessivement préoccupé par son apparence et ses vêtements ; vaniteux à propos de l'habillement
Meaning
excessively concerned with one's appearance and clothes; vain about dress
Example
His foppish behavior and expensive clothes made him stand out.
Son comportement foppish et ses vêtements chers le rendaient remarquable.
C2 noun /ˌbluː ˈblʌd/

Blue-blood

sang bleu
Meaning
a person of noble birth; aristocrat
Example
She came from a family of blue-bloods with centuries of royal heritage.
Elle venait d'une famille de sang bleu avec des siècles d'héritage royal.
C2 noun, verb /ˈkaʊntərˌtʃɑːrdʒ/

countercharge

contre-accusation
Meaning
an opposing charge or accusation; to make an opposing attack
Example
The lawyer filed a countercharge against the accuser.
L'avocat a déposé une contre-accusation contre l'accusateur.
C2 noun /ˌmɪstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

mystification

mystification, confusion
Meaning
the act of making something unclear or confusing; a state of being puzzled or bewildered
Example
The audience watched in mystification as the magician performed his tricks.
Le public regardait dans la mystification pendant que le magicien réalisait ses tours.
C2 adjective /ˌmɔːrɡəˈnætɪk/

morganatic

mariage morganatique
Meaning
relating to a marriage in which one partner, usually of lower social rank, does not share the titles or privileges of the other
Example
The prince entered into a morganatic marriage with a commoner.
Le prince a épousé une roturière dans un mariage morganatique.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪz.mə.ɡræf/

seismograph

sismographe
Meaning
An instrument that measures and records details of earthquakes, such as force and duration.
Example
The seismograph detected a strong tremor in the area.
Le sismographe a détecté une forte secousse dans la région.
C2 noun /ˈɒlɪv bɑːb/

Olive barb

barbe olive
Meaning
A small freshwater fish with olive-colored body and barbels
Example
The olive barb is commonly found in South Asian rivers.
La barbe olive se trouve couramment dans les rivières d’Asie du Sud.
C2 noun /ɪnˈvɛstɪtʃər/

investiture

cérémonie d'investiture
Meaning
the formal ceremony of conferring authority, rank, or office
Example
The king held an investiture ceremony for the new knight.
Le roi a organisé une cérémonie d'investiture pour le nouveau chevalier.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈplækəbl/

implacable

implacable
Meaning
unable to be appeased, calmed, or pacified
Example
The soldiers faced an implacable enemy who refused to surrender.
Les soldats ont affronté un ennemi implacable qui a refusé de se rendre.
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 noun /ˈbɜːrɡər/

burgher

bourgeois
Meaning
A citizen of a town, typically a member of the wealthy middle class.
Example
The burgher was respected as a prosperous merchant in the city.
Le bourgeois était respecté comme un marchand prospère dans la ville.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪfəni/

antiphony

antiphonie
Meaning
a form of music in which two or more groups or choirs sing alternately in response to each other
Example
The cathedral's architecture was designed to enhance the effect of antiphony.
L'architecture de la cathédrale a été conçue pour améliorer l'effet de l'antiphonie.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪlvən/

sylvan

boisé
Meaning
Relating to or characteristic of the woods or forest.
Example
The cottage was set in a sylvan landscape full of tall trees.
Le chalet était situé dans un paysage boisé plein de grands arbres.
C2 noun /ˌdʒʊərɪsˈpruːdəns/

jurisprudence

jurisprudence
Meaning
The theory, philosophy, or science of law.
Example
She is a professor of jurisprudence at the university.
Elle est professeure de jurisprudence à l'université.
C2 adjective /ˈleɪ.baɪl/ or /ˈlæb.aɪl/

labile

instable
Meaning
easily altered or unstable; prone to change
Example
Her mood was so labile that it changed several times in an hour.
Son humeur était tellement instable qu'elle a changé plusieurs fois en une heure.
C2 noun /ˈfærɪsiː/

pharisee

personne hypocrite
Meaning
A member of an ancient Jewish sect; by extension, a self-righteous or hypocritical person.
Example
He acted like a pharisee, judging others while ignoring his own faults.
Il agissait comme un pharisien, jugeant les autres tout en ignorant ses propres défauts.
C2 noun dʒʊˈdɪʃəsnɪs

judiciousness

jugement judicieux, sagesse
Meaning
Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense.
Example
Her judiciousness in making decisions was appreciated.
Sa sagesse dans la prise de décision a été appréciée.