dank
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C2 adjective /dæŋk/

dank

humide et froid
Meaning
unpleasantly damp and cold
Example
The basement was dark and dank, filled with a musty smell.
Le sous-sol était sombre et humide, rempli d'une odeur nauséabonde.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪstrəfi/

antistrophe

antistrophé (un dispositif rhétorique)
Meaning
A rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive clauses; in Greek choral poetry, the part of the ode sung by the chorus in return movement.
Example
The poet used antistrophe to emphasize the repeated phrase.
Le poète a utilisé l'antistrophé pour souligner la phrase répétée.
C2 noun /ˈbrɔːdˌsaɪd/

broadside

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

equivocal

équivoque
Meaning
Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.
Example
His equivocal answer confused everyone.
Sa réponse équivoque a confondu tout le monde.
C2 noun /doʊˈniː/

donee

bénéficiaire
Meaning
A person who receives a gift or donation.
Example
The scholarship fund’s donee expressed heartfelt gratitude.
Le bénéficiaire du fonds de bourses a exprimé une sincère gratitude.
C2 noun /ˌvæs.ɪˈleɪ.ʃən/

Vacillation

vacillation
Meaning
the inability to decide between different opinions or actions; indecision
Example
His constant vacillation between career choices frustrated his parents.
Sa constante vacillation entre les choix de carrière a frustré ses parents.
C2 adjective /dɪˈrɪzəbl/

derisible

ridiculisable
Meaning
deserving ridicule or mockery
Example
His excuse was so weak that it was plainly derisible.
Son excuse était si faible qu'elle était manifestement ridiculisable.
C2 noun /ˈkruːɪt/

cruet

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

magisterial

magistériel
Meaning
Having the characteristics of a master or authority; commanding and dignified.
Example
The professor spoke in a magisterial tone during the lecture.
Le professeur a parlé d'une manière magistérielle pendant la conférence.
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 /beɪt/

bate

réduire, atténuer
Meaning
to lessen or restrain; to diminish the force or intensity of something
Example
He spoke with bated breath as he waited for the result.
Il parla avec une respiration retenue en attendant le résultat.
C2 adjective /pruːˈdɛnʃəl/

prudential

prudentiel
Meaning
involving or showing prudence, especially in financial or business matters
Example
The bank has set prudential rules to protect depositors.
La banque a mis en place des règles prudentielles pour protéger les déposants.
C2 noun /ˌrɛprɪˈhɛnʃən/

reprehension

réprimande
Meaning
The act of rebuking or criticizing severely.
Example
The teacher’s reprehension of the student’s behavior was justified.
La réprimande du comportement de l'élève par le professeur était justifiée.
C2 noun /ˌsɪnjuˈɒsɪti/

sinuosity

sinuité
Meaning
The quality or state of being winding, curving, or having many turns.
Example
The sinuosity of the river made navigation challenging.
La sinuité du fleuve rendait la navigation difficile.
C2 noun /ˌɪmbəˈsɪləti/

imbecility

imbécillité
Meaning
Extreme foolishness, stupidity, or weakness of mind.
Example
The plan was abandoned due to its sheer imbecility.
Le plan a été abandonné en raison de son imbecilité pure.
C2 verb /ʌnˈkaʊtʃ/

uncouch

retirer du canapé (usage rare)
Meaning
to remove from a couch or to release from being laid down (rare/archaic usage)
Example
The surgeon attempted to uncouch the cataract.
Le chirurgien a tenté d'enlever la cataracte.
C2 verb /ˈtɪpəl/

tipple

boire
Meaning
to drink alcohol, especially regularly or in small amounts
Example
He likes to tipple at the local pub after work.
Il aime boire au pub local après le travail.
C2 adjective /ˈmʌnid/

Moneyed

riches; fortuné; aisé
Meaning
having much money; wealthy; rich
Example
She comes from a moneyed family with extensive real estate holdings.
Elle vient d'une famille fortunée avec de vastes biens immobiliers.
C2 noun /ˈwɪtɪˌsɪzəm/

witticism

réplique spirituelle / plaisanterie
Meaning
a clever or funny remark
Example
Her witticism made everyone laugh during the meeting.
Sa réplique spirituelle a fait rire tout le monde pendant la réunion.
C2 verb /ˈbæstərdaɪz/

bastardize

dénaturer
Meaning
to corrupt or debase something by altering it from its original form; to change in a way that reduces quality or purity
Example
Critics argue that the remake bastardized the original novel.
Les critiques disent que le remake a dénaturé l’œuvre originale.
C2 adjective /ˈbuːtləs/

bootless

inutile
Meaning
Useless or futile; of no benefit.
Example
His bootless attempt to fix the machine only wasted time.
Sa tentative inutile de réparer la machine n'a fait que perdre du temps.
C2 noun /ˈɛkwɪpɔɪz/

equipoise

équilibre
Meaning
A state of balance or equilibrium.
Example
Her calmness created an equipoise in the heated debate.
Sa calme a créé un équilibre dans le débat animé.
C2 noun /ɪnˈsuːsiəns/

insouciance

insouciance
Meaning
Casual lack of concern; indifference.
Example
She carried herself with an air of insouciance, unbothered by the challenges ahead.
Elle marchait avec un air d'insouciance, sans se soucier des défis à venir.
C2 noun /ˈjuːzjuːfrʌkt/

usufruct

usufruit
Meaning
The legal right to use and enjoy the benefits of someone else’s property without owning it.
Example
The tenant had the usufruct of the land but not its ownership.
Le locataire avait l'usufruit de la terre mais pas sa propriété.
C2 noun /ˈflætʃələns/

flatulence

accumulation de gaz dans le système digestif
Meaning
the accumulation of gas in the digestive system; excessive gas in the stomach or intestines
Example
Eating beans can sometimes cause flatulence.
Manger des haricots peut parfois provoquer des flatulences.
C2 noun /ˈsoʊbrɪˌkeɪ/

sobriquet

surnom
Meaning
a person's nickname or descriptive name
Example
The famous leader was known by the sobriquet 'The Iron Lady'.
Le célèbre leader était connu sous le surnom de 'La Dame de Fer'.
C2 noun /əkˈsɛʃən/

accession

accession au trône / acceptation d'un traité
Meaning
the attainment of a position of rank or power, especially a monarch or president; the formal acceptance of an agreement or treaty
Example
The king's accession to the throne was celebrated with great ceremony.
L'accession du roi au trône a été célébrée avec grande cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˈeɪ.pi.ˌɛr.i/

apiary

ruche
Meaning
A place where beehives are kept, especially for commercial purposes.
Example
The farmer built a new apiary to produce organic honey.
L'agriculteur a construit une nouvelle ruche pour produire du miel biologique.
C2 adjective /ɑːrˈθʊr.i.ən/

arthurian

relatif à Arthur
Meaning
Relating to the legendary King Arthur and the stories surrounding him.
Example
The novel is set in an Arthurian world of knights and castles.
Le roman se déroule dans un monde arthurien de chevaliers et de châteaux.
C2 verb /məˈtrɪkjʊˌleɪt/

matriculate

matriculer
Meaning
To enroll as a student in a college or university.
Example
She matriculated at Oxford University last year.
Elle s'est inscrite à l'Université d'Oxford l'année dernière.
C2 noun /ˈɛkwɪpɪdʒ/

equipage

Équipement ou un carrosse avec ses accessoires
Meaning
Equipment or a carriage with its accessories.
Example
The nobleman arrived in a grand equipage.
Le noble est arrivé dans un grand carrosse.
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 /ˈdɛkəˌliːtər/

decaliter

dix litres
Meaning
A metric unit of capacity equal to ten liters.
Example
The container could hold up to one decaliter of water.
Le récipient peut contenir jusqu'à un décilitre d'eau.
C2 verb /ˈkæn.tər/

canter

galop lent
Meaning
To ride a horse at a controlled, easy pace between a trot and a gallop.
Example
She cantered her horse across the field with ease.
Elle a canter son cheval à travers le champ avec aisance.
C2 noun /luːˈbrɪsɪti/

lubricity

lubrification
Meaning
the quality of being slippery or smooth; sometimes also refers to lewdness
Example
The lubricity of the surface made it difficult to walk on.
La lubrification de la surface rendait la marche difficile.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɔːrˈdeɪn/

preordain

prédéterminer
Meaning
To decide or determine an outcome in advance, especially by fate or divine will.
Example
They believed their meeting was preordained by destiny.
Ils croyaient que leur rencontre était prédestinée par le destin.
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 /ˌproʊɪˈbɪʃənɪst/

prohibitionist

interdictionniste
Meaning
A person who supports or advocates prohibition, especially of alcohol.
Example
The prohibitionist campaigned against the sale of liquor in the town.
L'interdictionniste a mené une campagne contre la vente d'alcool dans la ville.
C2 adjective /ˈbrætɪʃ/

brattish

gâté
Meaning
acting like a spoiled child; behaving in an annoying, self-centered way
Example
The brattish boy threw a tantrum when he didn’t get his toy.
Le garçon gâté a fait une crise de colère lorsqu'il n'a pas eu son jouet.
C2 noun /lɪˈvaɪəθən/

leviathan

monstre marin géant
Meaning
a huge sea monster or something very large and powerful.
Example
The ship looked like a leviathan on the horizon.
Le navire ressemblait à un monstre marin géant à l'horizon.
C2 adjective /ˌɪndaɪˈdʒestəbəl/

Indigestible

indigeste; difficile à digérer
Meaning
difficult or impossible to digest; hard to process in the stomach
Example
The old bread became hard and indigestible.
Le vieux pain est devenu dur et indigeste.
C2 noun /səˈnɛs.əns/

senescence

vieillissement
Meaning
The process of growing old or the condition of aging.
Example
The biologist studied senescence in plants to understand aging.
Le biologiste a étudié la sénescence des plantes pour comprendre le vieillissement.
C2 noun /ˈseɪnjər/

seignior

seigneur féodal
Meaning
A feudal lord; a man of authority in medieval Europe.
Example
The seignior demanded taxes from the peasants.
Le seigneur féodal a exigé des taxes des paysans.
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 /ˈkɔːldrən/

caldron

grand chaudron en métal
Meaning
A large metal pot used for boiling liquids or cooking over an open fire.
Example
The witch stirred her potion in a bubbling caldron.
La sorcière remuait sa potion dans un chaudron bouillonnant.
C2 noun /ˈɪəri/

eyrie

nid d'aigle
Meaning
the nest of a bird of prey, such as an eagle, typically built high on a cliff or tree
Example
The eagle’s eyrie was perched high on the mountain cliff.
Le nid d'aigle était perché au sommet de la falaise.
C2 noun /səˈvɑːnt/

savant

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

sententious

moraliste; qui donne des leçons
Meaning
Given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.
Example
His sententious remarks annoyed the audience.
Ses remarques moralisatrices ont agacé le public.
C2 noun /ˈɑːrtɪfɪs/

artifice

artifice
Meaning
clever or cunning devices or tricks used to deceive others
Example
The politician's charm was nothing but artifice.
Le charme du politicien n'était rien d'autre qu'un artifice.
C2 noun /ˈsweɪʒən/

suasion

persuasion
Meaning
the act of persuading or influencing someone
Example
The leader used gentle suasion to win support for the plan.
Le leader a utilisé une suasion douce pour obtenir le soutien pour le plan.
C2 noun /ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ/

fledgeling

oiseau débutant
Meaning
A young bird that has just developed its feathers and is learning to fly; a beginner.
Example
The fledgeling was trying hard to take its first flight.
L'oiseau débutant essayait de prendre son premier envol.
C2 verb /dɪˈspɒnd/

despond

se laisser abattre
Meaning
to lose confidence or hope; to become dejected
Example
After repeated failures, he began to despond.
Après des échecs répétés, il a commencé à se laisser abattre.
C2 adjective /ɪmˌpɜːrˈsweɪdəbl/

impersuadable

impossible à persuader
Meaning
not able to be convinced or persuaded
Example
She remained impersuadable despite all our arguments.
Elle est restée impossible à persuader malgré tous nos arguments.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnæprɪˈhɛnsəbl/

inapprehensible

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

treacly

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

unlettered

analphabète
Meaning
lacking education or the ability to read and write; illiterate
Example
The unlettered villagers relied on oral traditions to preserve their history.
Les villageois analphabètes dépendaient des traditions orales pour préserver leur histoire.
C2 verb /sleɪk/

slake

étancher la soif
Meaning
To satisfy thirst or desire.
Example
She drank cold water to slake her thirst.
Elle a bu de l'eau froide pour étancher sa soif.
C2 noun /lænˈtɑː.nə/

Lantana

lantana
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with clusters of small colorful flowers
Example
The lantana flowers attract butterflies to the garden.
Les fleurs de lantana attirent les papillons dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /ˈkæp.ʃəs/

Captious

captieux; critique
Meaning
tending to find fault or raise petty objections; fault-finding; critical
Example
His captious remarks about every small detail made the meeting very unpleasant.
Ses remarques captieuses sur chaque petit détail ont rendu la réunion très désagréable.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrvjuː/

purview

domaine
Meaning
the scope or range of authority, responsibility, or knowledge
Example
The case does not fall within the purview of this court.
L'affaire ne relève pas de la compétence de ce tribunal.
C2 verb /əˈɡræn.daɪz/

aggrandize

agrandir
Meaning
To increase the power, wealth, or importance of a person or entity.
Example
The politician tried to aggrandize himself through exaggerated claims.
Le politicien a essayé de s'aggrandir à travers des affirmations exagérées.
C2 noun /ɪkˌsprəʊ.priˈeɪ.ʃən/

expropriation

expropriation
Meaning
The act of government taking private property, also known as confiscation, nationalization, or seizure.
Example
The land expropriation led to disputes among landowners.
L'expropriation des terres a entraîné des disputes entre les propriétaires fonciers.
C2 verb /ˈwɪn.oʊ/

winnow

sélectionner; séparer le grain de la paille
Meaning
to remove the less desirable parts from a group; originally, to separate grain from chaff by blowing air
Example
The committee will winnow the list of applicants to ten finalists.
Le comité réduira la liste des candidats à dix finalistes.
C2 noun /ˈkwaɪəˌtuːd/

quietude

quiétude
Meaning
A state of stillness and tranquility.
Example
She enjoys the quietude of the countryside.
Elle profite de la quiétude de la campagne.
C2 noun /ˌpætrəˈnɪmɪk/

patronymic

patronymique
Meaning
a name derived from the name of a father or ancestor
Example
In many cultures, surnames are patronymic in origin.
Dans de nombreuses cultures, les noms de famille sont d'origine patronymique.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪdeɪtɪd/

antedated

daté antérieurement
Meaning
assigned to an earlier date than the actual one; happened earlier
Example
The letter was antedated to appear more official.
La lettre a été antidatée pour paraître plus officielle.
C2 adjective /ˈmʌsti/

musty

moisi, moisissure ou odeur humide
Meaning
having a stale, moldy, or damp smell
Example
The old books had a musty odor.
Les vieux livres avaient une odeur de moisi.
C2 noun /ˌhoʊ.mi.oʊˈsteɪ.sɪs/

homeostasis

équilibre interne du corps, stabilité physiologique maintenue par des processus physiologiques
Meaning
The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
Example
The human body maintains homeostasis through temperature regulation.
Le corps humain maintient l'homéostasie grâce à la régulation de la température.
C2 adjective /ˈɡloʊboʊs/

globose

globulaire
Meaning
Spherical or nearly spherical in shape.
Example
The cactus has large globose fruits.
Le cactus a de gros fruits globulaires.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːdʒɪlɪst/

pugilist

boxeur
Meaning
A professional or skilled boxer.
Example
The pugilist entered the ring with confidence.
Le boxeur est entré dans le ring avec confiance.
C2 adjective /dɪˈsɛnʃənt/

dissentient

dissident
Meaning
Expressing or holding opinions that are opposed to the majority or official view.
Example
Only a few dissentient voices were heard during the debate.
Seules quelques voix dissidentes ont été entendues lors du débat.
C2 verb /rɛtʃ/

retch

bonheur
Meaning
to make the sound and movement of vomiting without bringing anything up
Example
The smell of spoiled food made him retch violently.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher sa joie lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /trænzˈæl.paɪn/

transalpine

au-delà des Alpes
Meaning
situated beyond or across the Alps, especially from the viewpoint of Italy
Example
The Romans referred to France as Transalpine Gaul.
Les Romains appelaient la France la Gaule transalpine.
C2 adjective /vɜːrˈtɪdʒɪnəs/

vertiginous

vertigineux
Meaning
Causing dizziness due to great height or steepness.
Example
The tourists looked down from the vertiginous cliffs with awe.
Les touristes regardaient en bas depuis les falaises vertigineuses avec émerveillement.
C2 verb /haɪˈpɒθɪkeɪt/

hypothecate

hypothéquer
Meaning
to pledge something, such as property, as security for a debt without giving up possession of it.
Example
The company hypothecated its assets to secure the loan.
L'entreprise a hypothéqué ses actifs pour sécuriser le prêt.
C2 noun /ˌæk.rəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/

acrophobia

peur des hauteurs
Meaning
An extreme or irrational fear of heights.
Example
Her acrophobia prevented her from climbing the tall building.
Son acrophobie l'a empêchée de monter dans le grand bâtiment.
C2 noun /ˌviːələnsɛloʊ/

violoncello

violoncelle
Meaning
The full name of the cello, a large string instrument played with a bow and held between the knees.
Example
He practiced the violoncello for hours each day.
Il a pratiqué le violoncelle pendant des heures chaque jour.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒɪg.ərd/

Jiggered

étonné; stupéfait;
Meaning
surprised or astonished; confused or puzzled
Example
I'll be jiggered if I know what happened here.
Je serais étonné si je savais ce qui s'est passé ici.
C2 noun /dɪˈtraɪtəs/

detritus

détritus
Meaning
Waste or debris of any kind; fragments left from destruction or decay.
Example
The riverbank was covered with detritus after the flood.
Le rivage était couvert de débris après l'inondation.
C2 adjective /ɪˈlɪʒən/

elysian

céleste
Meaning
Relating to or characteristic of paradise; delightful and heavenly.
Example
They spent an elysian week on the quiet island.
Ils ont passé une semaine céleste sur l'île tranquille.
C2 adjective /ɪˈnɪmɪkəl/

inimical

hostile / défavorable
Meaning
tending to obstruct or harm; unfriendly or hostile
Example
The policy was inimical to the country's economic growth.
La politique était défavorable à la croissance économique du pays.
C2 verb, noun /blæb/

blab

bavarder; divulguer un secret
Meaning
to talk too much or reveal secrets carelessly; excessive or foolish talk
Example
He accidentally blabbed the surprise to everyone.
Il a révélé la surprise par erreur.
C2 verb /priːˈfɪɡjər/

prefigure

préfigurer
Meaning
to represent, show, or foreshadow something in advance
Example
The economic reforms prefigure major social changes.
Les réformes économiques préfigurent des changements sociaux majeurs.
C2 verb /ˈkælsɪfaɪ/

calcify

durcir par dépôt de sels de calcium
Meaning
To harden by deposition of calcium salts; to become rigid or inflexible.
Example
Over time, the tissue began to calcify and lose flexibility.
Avec le temps, le tissu a commencé à se calcifier et a perdu de la flexibilité.
C2 noun /prəˈtuːbərəns/

protuberance

protubérance
Meaning
A rounded swelling or lump on a surface.
Example
The doctor examined the small protuberance on his arm.
Le médecin a examiné la petite protubérance sur son bras.
C2 noun /skriːd/

screed

écrit long et ennuyeux
Meaning
a long, tedious piece of writing or speech; also a layer of material like cement spread on a surface
Example
He delivered a long screed against corruption.
Il a livré un long discours contre la corruption.
C2 noun /ɪnˈkɒnstənsi/

inconstancy

inconstance
Meaning
The quality of changing frequently or being unreliable.
Example
The inconstancy of the weather makes planning difficult.
L'inconstance du temps rend la planification difficile.
C2 verb /ˈdɛpjʊˌtaɪz/

deputize

nommer comme adjoint
Meaning
To appoint someone as a deputy; to act as a substitute or representative.
Example
The sheriff decided to deputize several locals to help maintain order.
Le shérif a décidé de désigner plusieurs habitants pour aider à maintenir l'ordre.
C2 adjective /ˌpɜːrtɪˈneɪʃəs/

pertinacious

têtu
Meaning
holding firmly to an opinion, purpose, or course of action; stubbornly persistent
Example
The pertinacious lawyer refused to give up the case.
L'avocat têtu a refusé d'abandonner l'affaire.
C2 prefix /dɪs-/

dys-

préfixe signifiant anormal, mauvais, difficile ou défectueux
Meaning
A prefix meaning abnormal, bad, difficult, or impaired.
Example
Words like 'dysfunction' and 'dyslexia' use the prefix dys- to indicate difficulty or impairment.
Des mots comme 'dysfonction' et 'dyslexie' utilisent le préfixe dis- pour indiquer une difficulté ou un handicap.
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 adjective /ˈtɜːrdʒɪd/

turgid

gonflé, pompeux
Meaning
Swollen or distended; (of language) pompous and overcomplicated.
Example
The professor’s lecture was so turgid that many students lost interest.
Le cours du professeur était si pompeux que beaucoup d’étudiants ont perdu leur intérêt.
C2 adjective /əˈbɔːrtɪv/

abortive

avorté
Meaning
Failing to produce the intended result; unsuccessful.
Example
Their abortive attempt to climb the mountain ended in retreat.
Leur tentative avortée de gravir la montagne s'est terminée par une retraite.
C2 noun /mjuːˈlætoʊ/

mulatto

personne de race mixte (terme ancien et offensant)
Meaning
an outdated and now offensive term historically used to describe a person of mixed white and Black ancestry
Example
The word 'mulatto' is now considered outdated and offensive.
Le mot 'mulâtre' est maintenant considéré comme dépassé et offensant.
C2 adjective /ˈmiːliˌmaʊðd/

mealymouthed

parler de manière évasive
Meaning
not willing to speak directly and honestly; evasive in speech
Example
The politician gave a mealymouthed response to the tough question.
Le politicien a donné une réponse évasive à la question difficile.
C2 verb /ˈmæk.ɪ.neɪt/

machinate

machiner
Meaning
to engage in plots or schemes, usually for harmful or evil purposes
Example
The rebels tried to machinate against the king.
Les rebelles ont essayé de machiner contre le roi.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːrpəskəl/

corpuscle

petite particule ou cellule, en particulier cellule sanguine
Meaning
a small particle or cell, especially a blood cell
Example
Red corpuscles carry oxygen throughout the body.
Les globules rouges transportent l'oxygène dans tout le corps.
C2 noun əˌten.juˈeɪ.ʃən

attenuation

atténuation, réduction, affaiblissement
Meaning
The reduction of the force, effect, or value of something.
Example
The attenuation of sound waves affects communication.
L'atténuation des ondes sonores affecte la communication.
C2 noun /ˈkærəˌpeɪs/

carapace

carapace de tortue ou de crabe
Meaning
the hard shell covering the back of some animals like turtles and crabs
Example
The turtle withdrew into its carapace for protection.
La tortue s'est retirée dans sa carapace pour se protéger.
C2 noun /ˈsɪʒ.ən/

scission

scission
Meaning
the act of cutting or dividing something
Example
The political party suffered a scission over ideological disputes.
Le parti politique a subi une scission en raison de différends idéologiques.
C2 verb /flɪt/

flit

voltiger
Meaning
to move quickly and lightly from one place to another
Example
Butterflies flitted from flower to flower.
Les papillons voltigeaient de fleur en fleur.
C2 noun /ɪnˈvaɪtər/

invitor

invitant
Meaning
a person who invites someone to an event, meeting, or place
Example
The invitor greeted all the guests warmly at the entrance.
L’invitant a accueilli les invités à l’entrée.
C2 noun /ˈmɔɪəti/

moiety

moitié ou portion
Meaning
One of two equal parts; a half or portion.
Example
The estate was divided into two moieties between the heirs.
La propriété a été divisée en deux moitiés entre les héritiers.
C2 verb /ɪkˈstɛnjueɪt/

extenuate

excuser
Meaning
to make an offense, fault, or situation seem less serious by providing an excuse or explanation
Example
The lawyer tried to extenuate his client's actions by highlighting his difficult childhood.
L'avocat a essayé d'excuser les actions de son client en mettant en lumière son enfance difficile.
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 /ˈdɛndrɔɪd/

dendroid

en forme d'arbre
Meaning
tree-shaped or branching like a tree
Example
The coral has a dendroid structure.
Le corail a une structure dendroïde.
C2 verb /ɪnˈɡrɑːft/

ingraft

implanter
Meaning
To implant or fix deeply, often used in the sense of grafting an idea or quality.
Example
The teacher tried to ingraft good manners in the students.
Le professeur a essayé d'implanter de bonnes manières chez les étudiants.
C2 noun /ˌiː.tiˈɒ.lə.dʒi/

etiology

étiologie
Meaning
the cause or origin of a disease or condition
Example
Doctors are studying the etiology of the new virus.
Les médecins étudient l'étiologie du nouveau virus.
C2 noun /pɜːr bɔɪld raɪs/

Per boiled rice

riz précuit
Meaning
Rice that has been partially boiled in the husk before milling; parboiled rice
Example
Per boiled rice retains more nutrients than regular white rice.
Le riz précuit conserve plus de nutriments que le riz blanc ordinaire.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtəni/

litany

litanie
Meaning
a long, repetitive, or tedious account or list; originally a form of prayer
Example
The politician gave a litany of promises during the campaign.
Le politicien a donné une longue liste de promesses pendant la campagne.
C2 noun /ɪɡˈzɛmplɑːr/

exemplar

exemple
Meaning
A model or pattern to be copied or imitated.
Example
She is an exemplar of kindness and generosity.
Elle est un exemple de gentillesse et de générosité.
C2 noun /ˈdʒʊntə/

junta

junte militaire
Meaning
A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force.
Example
The junta seized power after the coup.
La junte a pris le pouvoir après le coup d'État.
C2 noun /ˈpiːs ɡʊdz/

Piece-goods

tissu au mètre
Meaning
textiles or fabrics sold by the yard or meter; cloth materials
Example
The tailor bought piece-goods from the wholesale market to make custom dresses.
Le tailleur a acheté des tissus au mètre au marché de gros pour fabriquer des robes sur mesure.
C2 verb /ˌnɒnˈplʌst/

nonplused

perplexe
Meaning
Past tense of nonplus; surprised and confused.
Example
She was completely nonplused by his sudden decision.
Elle était complètement perplexe par sa décision soudaine.
C2 noun /ˈbɜːrdʒɪs/

burgess

citoyen de la ville
Meaning
A citizen of a town or borough with full rights of citizenship.
Example
In medieval times, a burgess had the right to vote and hold property.
Au Moyen Âge, un bourgeois avait le droit de voter et de posséder des biens.
C2 adjective /ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl/

metaphysical

métaphysique
Meaning
Relating to the branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality and existence.
Example
He spent years studying metaphysical questions about life and being.
Il a passé des années à étudier des questions métaphysiques sur la vie et l'être.
C2 verb /pɔːrˈtɛnd/

portend

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

vestment

vêtement religieux
Meaning
a garment, especially a ceremonial or official robe worn during religious services
Example
The priest wore a golden vestment during the ceremony.
Le prêtre portait un vêtement doré lors de la cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˈkælvəri/

calvary

calvaire
Meaning
A place or experience of intense suffering, originally the site of Jesus’s crucifixion.
Example
For many refugees, the journey across the desert was a calvary.
Pour de nombreux réfugiés, le voyage à travers le désert fut un calvaire.
C2 adjective /ˈbeɪnfəl/

baneful

nuisible
Meaning
Causing harm, ruin, or destruction; deadly or poisonous.
Example
His baneful influence ruined the community.
Son influence nuisible a ruiné la communauté.