dapper
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 adjective /ˈdæpər/

dapper

élégant et soigné
Meaning
Neat, stylish, and well-dressed in appearance.
Example
He looked very dapper in his new suit.
Il avait l'air très élégant dans son nouveau costume.
C2 verb /djuːp/

dupe

tromper
Meaning
To deceive or trick someone into believing or doing something.
Example
He was duped into buying a fake watch.
Il a été dupé en achetant une montre contrefaite.
C2 noun /ˈdiːɪst/

deist

déiste
Meaning
a person who believes in the existence of a supreme being but rejects organized religion
Example
The philosopher identified himself as a deist.
Le philosophe s'est identifié comme un déiste.
C2 verb /dʌn/

dun

exiger le paiement d'une dette
Meaning
to demand payment of a debt persistently
Example
The landlord dunned the tenant for unpaid rent.
Le propriétaire a demandé plusieurs fois le loyer impayé.
C2 noun /dɪˈstɛnʃən/

distention

distension
Meaning
The state of being swollen due to internal pressure.
Example
The patient complained of abdominal pain and distention.
Le patient s'est plaint de douleurs abdominales et de distension.
C2 verb /ˈdʌmfaʊnd/

dumbfound

sidérer
Meaning
to greatly astonish or shock someone so they are temporarily speechless
Example
The magician's trick dumbfounded the audience.
Le tour de magie a sidéré le public.
C2 adverb /ˈdɑːrklɪŋ/

darkling

dans l'obscurité
Meaning
In the dark or growing dark; dimly.
Example
The forest creatures moved darkling through the night.
Les créatures de la forêt se déplaçaient dans l'obscurité pendant la nuit.
C2 adjective /dɪˈstreɪ/

distrait

distrait
Meaning
deeply distracted or absent-minded, often due to worry or grief
Example
He looked distrait after hearing the sad news.
Il avait l'air distrait après avoir entendu les mauvaises nouvelles.
C2 verb /diːˈlɪmɪt/

delimit

délimiter
Meaning
to fix the boundaries or limits of something
Example
The treaty was signed to delimit the borders of the two countries.
Le traité a été signé pour délimiter les frontières des deux pays.
C2 noun /ˈdɛvɪlri/

devilry

diablerie
Meaning
Wicked or cruel behavior; mischievous actions.
Example
The children were full of devilry on Halloween night.
Les enfants étaient pleins de diablerie lors de la nuit d'Halloween.
C2 verb /diːˈmoʊbəlaɪz/

demobilize

démobiliser
Meaning
To release from military service or to disband troops.
Example
The government decided to demobilize the army after the war.
Le gouvernement a décidé de démobiliser l'armée après la guerre.
C2 adjective /dɪˈstɛnsəbl̩/

distensible

distensible
Meaning
Capable of being stretched or expanded.
Example
The stomach is a distensible organ that can expand after eating.
L'estomac est un organe distensible qui peut se dilater après avoir mangé.
C2 noun /ˌdɛrɪˈlɪkʃən/

dereliction

négligence
Meaning
the state of being abandoned; neglect of duty
Example
The officer was charged with dereliction of duty.
L'officier a été accusé de négligence dans l'accomplissement de son devoir.
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 /ˌdɪləˈtænt/

dilettante

amateur
Meaning
A person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, especially in a superficial way.
Example
He was dismissed as a dilettante in the art world because he lacked formal training.
Il a été rejeté comme un amateur dans le monde de l'art car il manquait de formation formelle.
C2 verb /dɪsˈtɛnd/

distend

gonfler
Meaning
to swell or expand by pressure from within
Example
Her stomach began to distend after the large meal.
Son ventre a commencé à se distendre après le grand repas.
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 /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 verb /dɪˈnjuːd/

denude

dénuder
Meaning
to strip something of its covering, possessions, or assets
Example
The forest was denuded of trees by illegal logging.
La forêt a été dénudée d'arbres par l'abattage illégal.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛl.ɪˈtɪə.ri.əs/

deleterious

nuisible
Meaning
Causing physical or mental harm or damage.
Example
Smoking has deleterious effects on health.
Fumer a des effets nuisibles sur la santé.
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 /ˈdɛntɪfrɪs/

dentifrice

dentifrice
Meaning
a substance such as powder, paste, or liquid used to clean teeth
Example
He bought a new herbal dentifrice from the pharmacy.
Il a acheté un nouveau dentifrice à base de plantes à la pharmacie.
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 /dɪˈstreɪnər/

distrainor

saisie de biens
Meaning
a person, usually a landlord, who seizes another's property for unpaid debt or rent
Example
The distrainor took possession of the tenant's car until the debt was cleared.
Le distrainor a pris possession de la voiture du locataire jusqu'à ce que la dette soit réglée.
C2 noun /ˌdeɪnuːˈmɒ̃/

denouement

dénouement
Meaning
The final resolution or conclusion of a story, drama, or complicated situation.
Example
The novel's denouement was both surprising and satisfying.
Le dénouement du roman était à la fois surprenant et satisfaisant.
C2 noun /dɪˈpɑːzɪtər/

depositor

dépôtiste
Meaning
a person who places money in a bank or financial institution
Example
The bank provides insurance to protect depositors’ funds.
La banque fournit une assurance pour protéger les fonds des déposants.
C2 noun /ˈdɒkɪt/

docket

registre
Meaning
a list or schedule of cases to be tried in a court or items to be done
Example
The judge reviewed the docket before starting the session.
Le juge a examiné le registre avant de commencer la séance.
C2 verb /ˈdɛpɪleɪt/

depilate

épiler
Meaning
to remove hair from the skin, especially by mechanical or chemical means
Example
She decided to depilate her legs before the event.
Elle a décidé de se dépiler les jambes avant l'événement.
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 dɪsˈbɜːs.mənt

disbursement

décaissement
Meaning
The payment of money from a fund.
Example
The company's disbursement of salaries was delayed.
Le décaissement des salaires de l'entreprise a été retardé.
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 /ˈdæl.i.əns/

Dalliance

flirt; aventure; liaison éphémère
Meaning
a casual romantic or sexual relationship; a brief involvement or experiment
Example
His dalliance with photography lasted only a few months before he lost interest.
Son flirt avec la photographie n'a duré que quelques mois avant qu'il perde de l'intérêt.
C2 adjective /ˈdæpəld/

dappled

tacheté
Meaning
Marked with spots or patches of light and shade or different colors.
Example
The forest floor was dappled with sunlight.
Le sol de la forêt était tacheté de lumière solaire.
C2 noun /ˌdɪfəˈrɛnʃə/

differentia

caractéristique distincte
Meaning
A distinguishing characteristic that sets one thing apart from another.
Example
The differentia of humans is their ability to reason abstractly.
La caractéristique distincte des humains est leur capacité à raisonner de manière abstraite.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæmp/

decamp

fuir
Meaning
To depart suddenly or secretly, often to avoid trouble or escape.
Example
The thief decamped before the police arrived.
Le voleur s'est échappé avant que la police n'arrive.
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 noun /ˈdrækmə/

drachma

drachme
Meaning
The basic monetary unit of Greece before the adoption of the euro.
Example
The old coin collection included a silver drachma.
La collection de pièces anciennes comprenait une drachme en argent.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪskəmˈbɑːbjuleɪtɪd/

discombobulated

désorienté
Meaning
confused and disoriented; feeling unsettled
Example
She looked discombobulated after hearing the unexpected news.
Elle avait l'air désorientée après avoir entendu la nouvelle inattendue.
C2 noun /ˈdeɪ.ɪs/

Dais

estrade
Meaning
a raised platform, typically at one end of a room or hall, for speakers or honored guests
Example
The principal stood on the dais to address the entire school assembly.
Le directeur s'est tenu sur l'estrade pour s'adresser à toute l'assemblée scolaire.
C2 adjective /ˈdoʊlfəl/

Doleful

triste; lugubre;
Meaning
sorrowful; mournful; expressing grief or sadness
Example
She gave him a doleful look when he left.
Elle lui donna un regard triste lorsqu'il partit.
C2 verb /dɪˈsɪmjʊˌleɪt/

dissimulate

dissimuler
Meaning
To disguise or conceal one's true feelings or intentions.
Example
He tried to dissimulate his fear with a smile.
Il a essayé de dissimuler sa peur avec un sourire.
C2 noun /drɛɡz/

dregs

dregs
Meaning
the remnants of a liquid left in a container, together with any sediment or grounds; the most worthless part of something
Example
He drank the dregs of the coffee before leaving.
Il a bu les dregs du café avant de partir.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛsənt/

deliquescent

qui devient liquide en absorbant l'humidité
Meaning
tending to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air
Example
Sugar is not deliquescent, but salt can be.
Le sucre n'est pas déliquescent, mais le sel peut l'être.
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 noun /ˈdɪfɪdəns/

diffidence

manque de confiance en soi
Meaning
Lack of self-confidence; shyness or modesty.
Example
Her diffidence made it hard for her to speak in public.
Son manque de confiance en elle rendait difficile de parler en public.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkreɪt/

desecrate

désacraliser
Meaning
to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect or violation
Example
The vandals desecrated the ancient temple walls with graffiti.
Les vandales ont désacralisé les murs du temple ancien avec des graffitis.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪlətɔːri/

dilatory

dilatoire
Meaning
Tending to cause delay; slow to act.
Example
The committee was criticized for its dilatory response to the crisis.
Le comité a été critiqué pour sa réponse dilatoire à la crise.
C2 verb /ˈdæli/

dally

traîner
Meaning
To act or move slowly; to waste time; also to engage in a casual romantic relationship.
Example
He dallied in the garden instead of starting his work.
Il a traîné dans le jardin au lieu de commencer son travail.
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 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 /dəˈɡerəˌtaɪp/

daguerreotype

photographie ancienne
Meaning
An early type of photograph produced on a silver or silver-covered copper plate.
Example
The museum displayed a rare daguerreotype of Abraham Lincoln.
Le musée a exposé un daguérotype rare d'Abraham Lincoln.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈtɜːr/

disinter

désenterrer
Meaning
to dig up something buried, especially a body
Example
The archaeologists disinterred ancient remains from the site.
Les archéologues ont désenterré des restes anciens du site.
C2 adjective /ˈdaʊti/

doughty

courageux
Meaning
brave, valiant, courageous
Example
The doughty soldier never backed down from a challenge.
Le soldat courageux n'a jamais reculé face à un défi.
C2 noun /ˈdɪti/

ditty

petite chanson
Meaning
a short, simple song or poem
Example
She sang a cheerful little ditty while cooking.
Elle chanta une petite chanson joyeuse en cuisinant.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪ.jʊˈret.ɪk/

diuretic

diurétique
Meaning
A substance that promotes the production of urine.
Example
Coffee has a mild diuretic effect.
Le café a un léger effet diurétique.
C2 noun /ˌdɪskwɪˈzɪʃən/

disquisition

disquisition
Meaning
A long or elaborate discussion or written essay on a particular subject.
Example
The professor gave a lengthy disquisition on ancient philosophy.
Le professeur a donné une disquisition approfondie sur la philosophie antique.
C2 verb /ˈdiːɪfaɪ/

deify

déifier
Meaning
to treat or worship someone or something as a god
Example
Some fans deify their favorite celebrities.
Certains fans déifient leurs célébrités préférées.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌpɒd/

decapod

décapode
Meaning
An arthropod with ten limbs, such as crabs, lobsters, and shrimps.
Example
The lobster is a well-known decapod.
Le homard est un décapode bien connu.
C2 noun /ˈduːti/

Dhuti

dhuti
Meaning
a traditional Indian garment for men consisting of a piece of unstitched cloth worn around the waist and legs
Example
The elderly man wore a white dhuti during the religious ceremony.
L'homme âgé portait un dhuti blanc lors de la cérémonie religieuse.
C2 noun /ˌdɛd ˈhiːt/

dead-heat

égalité parfaite
Meaning
a race or contest in which two or more competitors finish exactly equal
Example
The race ended in a dead-heat between the two runners.
La course s'est terminée par une égalité parfaite entre les deux coureurs.
C2 noun /draɪ ˈmæŋgoʊ ˈpaʊdər/

Dry Mango Powder

amchur
Meaning
a tangy powder made from dried raw mangoes, used as a spice in Indian cuisine
Example
The chef sprinkled dry mango powder over the chaat for extra tanginess.
Le chef a saupoudré de la poudre de mangue sèche sur le chaat pour ajouter de l'acidité.
C2 verb /ˈdɒɡmətaɪz/

dogmatize

dogmatiser
Meaning
To state opinions or beliefs as if they were absolute truths.
Example
The professor tended to dogmatize on political issues.
Le professeur avait tendance à dogmatiser sur les questions politiques.
C2 noun /dɪˌsɪdəˈreɪtəm/

desideratum

bien nécessaire
Meaning
something that is desired or considered necessary
Example
For many students, financial aid is a desideratum.
Pour de nombreux étudiants, l'aide financière est un bien nécessaire.
C2 noun /drʌdʒ/

drudge

travailleur assidu
Meaning
A person made to do hard, menial, or dull work.
Example
He felt like a drudge, stuck in repetitive tasks all day.
Il se sentait comme un travailleur assidu, coincé dans des tâches répétitives toute la journée.
C2 verb /dɪsˈteɪn/

distain

mépriser
Meaning
to treat with scorn or contempt (archaic form of disdain)
Example
He would never distain those who had less fortune than him.
Il ne méprisait jamais ceux qui avaient moins de fortune que lui.
C2 noun /ˈdaɪˌsɪləbəl/

disyllable

mot dissyllabique
Meaning
a word consisting of two syllables
Example
The word 'happy' is a disyllable.
Le mot ‘heureux’ est un mot dissyllabique.
C2 verb /daʊz/

dowse

chercher de l'eau ou des minéraux avec une baguette divinatoire; ou tremper ou éteindre avec un liquide.
Meaning
To search for underground water or minerals using a divining rod; also to drench or extinguish with liquid.
Example
The farmer tried to dowse for water in the dry field.
Le fermier a essayé de chercher de l'eau dans le champ sec.
C2 noun /dɪˈkrɛpɪˌtjuːd/

decrepitude

décadence
Meaning
the state of being old, weak, and worn out
Example
The once-great empire fell into decrepitude.
L'autrefois grand empire est tombé dans la décadence.
C2 noun /ˌdɛkəˈsɪləbəl/

decasyllable

décasyllabe
Meaning
A line of verse with ten syllables.
Example
The poet often wrote in decasyllable form.
Le poète écrivait souvent en forme de décasyllabe.
C2 noun /ˈdrʌmɪt/

Drumet

drumet
Meaning
a small drum used in military or marching bands
Example
The drummer played a steady beat on the drumet during the parade.
Le batteur a joué un rythme constant sur le drumet pendant le défilé.
C2 verb /dɪˈræsɪˌneɪt/

deracinate

déraciner
Meaning
To uproot something completely; to displace people from their native environment or culture.
Example
The conflict deracinated many families from their homeland.
Le conflit a déraciné de nombreuses familles de leur terre natale.
C2 noun /dɪˈfoʊliənt/

defoliant

défoliant
Meaning
a chemical that causes leaves to drop from plants, often used in warfare or agriculture
Example
The army sprayed defoliant to clear the forest cover.
L'armée a pulvérisé un défoliant pour dégager le couvert forestier.
C2 verb /dɪˈfoʊlieɪt/

defoliate

dépouiller
Meaning
to strip leaves from a tree, plant, or area, often using chemicals
Example
The farmers defoliated the fields before harvest.
Les agriculteurs ont dépouillé les champs avant la récolte.
C2 verb /diːˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt/

depopulate

dépeupler
Meaning
To reduce the number of people living in a place.
Example
The war threatened to depopulate the once-thriving town.
La guerre menaçait de dépeupler la ville autrefois prospère.
C2 noun /dɪˈsweɪʒən/

dissuasion

dissuasion
Meaning
The act of persuading someone not to take a course of action.
Example
Her dissuasion prevented him from making a bad investment.
Sa dissuasion l'a empêché de faire un mauvais investissement.
C2 noun /ˌdɛprɪˈdeɪʃən/

depredation

pillage
Meaning
An act of attacking or plundering; damage caused by such acts.
Example
The villagers feared the depredation of wild animals at night.
Les villageois craignaient le pillage des animaux sauvages la nuit.
C2 verb /dɪˈbɑːrk/

debark

débarquer
Meaning
to disembark or get off a ship, aircraft, or vehicle
Example
The passengers debarked as soon as the ship docked.
Les passagers ont débarqué dès que le navire a accosté.
C2 adjective /ˈdʌktaɪl/

ductile

ductile
Meaning
capable of being stretched into a thin wire without breaking; easily influenced
Example
Gold is a very ductile metal.
L'or est un métal très ductile.
C2 noun /drɒs/

dross

dross
Meaning
worthless or unwanted material; rubbish or impurities
Example
Most of his early writings were considered dross.
La plupart de ses premiers écrits étaient considérés comme de la dross.
C2 verb /dɪˈsɛvər/

dissever

séparer
Meaning
To separate or cut apart.
Example
The treaty sought to dissever the two hostile regions.
Le traité a cherché à séparer les deux régions hostiles.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈkɒnsələt/

disconsolate

désespéré
Meaning
very unhappy and unable to be comforted
Example
She was disconsolate after hearing the bad news.
Elle était désespérée après avoir entendu la mauvaise nouvelle.
C2 verb /dɪsˈbɑːr/

disbar

révoquer un avocat de la profession légale
Meaning
to officially remove a lawyer from the legal profession
Example
The corrupt lawyer was disbarred for unethical conduct.
L'avocat corrompu a été disbarred pour conduite non éthique.
C2 adjective /dɪˈdjuːsəbl/

deducible

déductible
Meaning
able to be deduced; possible to be inferred
Example
The solution is deducible from the data provided.
La solution est déductible des données fournies.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈfræntʃaɪz/

disenfranchise

priver des droits
Meaning
To deprive someone of the right to vote or other rights.
Example
The new law could disenfranchise thousands of voters.
La nouvelle loi pourrait priver des milliers d'électeurs de leurs droits.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəmˈbɑːbjuleɪt/

discombobulate

déstabiliser
Meaning
to confuse or disconcert; to upset the normal order
Example
The sudden question seemed to discombobulate him.
La question soudaine sembla le déstabiliser.
C2 verb /drəˈɡuːn/

dragoon

forcer
Meaning
to force someone to do something through coercion or intimidation
Example
The manager tried to dragoon the team into working overtime.
Le manager a essayé de forcer l'équipe à faire des heures supplémentaires.
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 noun /ˌdɪsprəˈpɔːrʃən/

disproportion

disproportion
Meaning
a lack of balance or symmetry; an inequality
Example
There is a clear disproportion between rich and poor in many societies.
Il y a une claire disproportion entre les riches et les pauvres dans de nombreuses sociétés.
C2 noun /dɪˈpoʊnənt/

deponent

témoignage
Meaning
A person who gives testimony under oath, especially in a written deposition.
Example
The deponent confirmed the accuracy of the statement during the trial.
Le témoin a confirmé l'exactitude de la déclaration pendant le procès.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪsənənt/

dissonant

dissonant
Meaning
Harsh and lacking harmony; conflicting.
Example
The orchestra produced a dissonant sound during rehearsal.
L'orchestre a produit un son dissonant pendant la répétition.
C2 verb /dɪˈpreɪv/

deprave

pervertir
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to make someone immoral or wicked
Example
The novel was criticized for attempting to deprave the minds of young readers.
Le roman a été critiqué pour avoir tenté de pervertir l'esprit des jeunes lecteurs.
C2 noun /dɪˈprævɪti/

depravity

dégrégation morale
Meaning
moral corruption; wickedness
Example
The film portrays the moral depravity of a corrupt society.
Le film dépeint la dégradation morale d'une société corrompue.
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 verb /dɪsˈroʊb/

disrobe

se déshabiller
Meaning
to remove one's clothes
Example
The monk disrobed before entering the river.
Le moine s'est déshabillé avant d'entrer dans la rivière.
C2 adjective /dɪˈkɔːrəs/

decourous

décent
Meaning
characterized by propriety, good taste, and proper manners
Example
She maintained a decourous silence during the ceremony.
Elle a maintenu un silence décent pendant la cérémonie.
C2 noun /dɪˈmʌrɪdʒ/

demurrage

démurrage
Meaning
a charge payable to the owner of a ship or vehicle for not loading or unloading on time
Example
The company had to pay demurrage for delaying the unloading of goods.
L'entreprise a dû payer des frais de démurrage pour avoir retardé le déchargement des marchandises.
C2 noun /dɪˈdʒɛkʃən/

dejection

dépression
Meaning
a state of sadness, depression, or low spirits
Example
She sat in a state of dejection after hearing the bad news.
Elle était assise dans un état de dépression après avoir entendu les mauvaises nouvelles.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪəˈlɛktɪk/

dialectic

dialectique
Meaning
A method of argument or reasoning by dialogue, especially as a means of investigating truth.
Example
The philosopher used dialectic to challenge his students' assumptions.
Le philosophe a utilisé la dialectique pour remettre en question les hypothèses de ses étudiants.
C2 noun /ˈdɛskænt/

descant

mélodie supplémentaire
Meaning
An additional melody or counterpoint sung or played above the main melody.
Example
The choir added a beautiful descant to the hymn.
Le chœur a ajouté une belle mélodie supplémentaire à l'hymne.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛbəˈnɛr/

debonair

charmant
Meaning
confident, stylish, and charming, typically referring to a man
Example
He looked debonair in his tuxedo at the gala.
Il avait l'air charmant dans son smoking à la soirée.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪvəˈɡeɪʃən/

divagation

divagation
Meaning
digression; wandering from a path or subject
Example
His lecture was full of divagation, making it hard to follow the main point.
Sa conférence était pleine de divagations, ce qui rendait difficile de suivre le point principal.
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 /ˌdaɪəˈlɛktɪkəl/

dialectical

dialectique
Meaning
Relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions.
Example
She took a dialectical approach to solve the complex issue.
Elle a adopté une approche dialectique pour résoudre la question complexe.
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 adjective /ˈdjuːtiəs/

duteous

obéissant
Meaning
dutiful; obedient and respectful
Example
The duteous child always followed her parents’ instructions.
L'enfant obéissant suivait toujours les instructions de ses parents.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmjʊər/

demure

réservé
Meaning
reserved, modest, and shy
Example
She gave him a demure smile.
Elle lui donna un sourire réservé.
C2 noun /ˈdʌblɪt/

doublet

doublet / veste ajustée
Meaning
a close-fitting jacket worn by men in the Renaissance; also, a pair of similar things
Example
The actor wore a velvet doublet for the Shakespearean play.
L'acteur a porté un doublet en velours pour la pièce de Shakespeare.
C2 noun /dɪˈpɔːrtmənt/

deportment

comportement
Meaning
A person's behavior or manners, especially in a formal situation.
Example
Her deportment during the ceremony impressed everyone.
Son comportement pendant la cérémonie a impressionné tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt/

disrepute

mépris
Meaning
the state of being held in low esteem or having a bad reputation
Example
The scandal brought the politician into disrepute.
Le scandale a mis le politicien dans le mépris.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪsəˈfɛktɪd/

disaffected

mécontent
Meaning
Dissatisfied and rebellious, especially against authority or leadership.
Example
The reforms were introduced to calm the disaffected youth.
Les réformes ont été introduites pour calmer la jeunesse mécontente.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɜːrnəl/

diurnal

diurne
Meaning
active during the day; occurring daily
Example
Most birds are diurnal creatures, active in daylight hours.
La plupart des oiseaux sont des créatures diurnes, actives pendant les heures de clarté.
C2 verb /ˌdɒmɪˈnɪə/

domineer

dominer
Meaning
to assert one's will over another in an arrogant way
Example
He tends to domineer over his younger colleagues.
Il a tendance à dominer ses collègues plus jeunes.
C2 noun /dɛnˈdrɒlədʒi/

dendrology

dendrologie
Meaning
the scientific study of trees and woody plants
Example
He is studying dendrology at the university.
Il étudie la dendrologie à l'université.
C2 noun /ˈdeb.juː.tɑːnt/

debutante

jeune femme faisant sa première apparition formelle dans la société
Meaning
A young woman making her first formal appearance in society.
Example
The debutante wore a white gown at the ball.
La debutante portait une robe blanche au bal.
C2 verb /dɪˈnɒmɪˌneɪt/

denominate

dénommer
Meaning
to give a name or designation to something
Example
The currency was denominated in dollars.
La monnaie a été dénommée en dollars.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈdɪstæf/

distaff

lié aux femmes, côté maternel
Meaning
Relating to women or the maternal side of a family; also a tool for spinning thread.
Example
She came from the distaff side of a noble family.
Elle venait du côté maternel d'une famille noble.
C2 adjective /ˈdəʊl.səm/

dolesome

triste
Meaning
Filled with grief or sadness; mournful.
Example
The dolesome ballad brought tears to their eyes.
La ballade triste a apporté des larmes à leurs yeux.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪfɪdənt/

diffident

diffident
Meaning
Shy or lacking confidence in one's own abilities.
Example
He was too diffident to ask a question in class.
Il était trop diffident pour poser une question en classe.
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 adjective /ˌdaɪəˈtɒmɪk/

diatomic

diatomique
Meaning
Consisting of two atoms.
Example
Oxygen is a diatomic molecule.
L'oxygène est une molécule diatomique.
C2 noun /ˈdɪktəm/

dictum

dicton
Meaning
A formal pronouncement, authoritative statement, or maxim.
Example
The judge’s dictum clarified the principle of equality before the law.
Le dictum du juge a clarifié le principe de l'égalité devant la loi.