deadpan
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 /ˈdɛdˌpæn/

deadpan

impassible
Meaning
Deliberately impassive or expressionless in manner.
Example
She delivered the joke in a completely deadpan voice.
Elle a livré la blague avec une voix complètement impassible.
C2 verb /əˈɡlɒməˌreɪt/

agglomerate

agglomérer
Meaning
To collect or form into a mass or group.
Example
The dust particles began to agglomerate into larger clusters.
Les particules de poussière ont commencé à s'agglomérer en grands amas.
C2 noun, verb /ɡɔːl/

gall

audace, déranger
Meaning
Annoyance, boldness, or to irritate.
Example
She had the gall to question his decision.
Elle avait l'audace de remettre en question sa décision.
C2 noun /ˈveɪnɡlɔːri/

vainglory

vanité
Meaning
Excessive vanity or boastfulness about one's achievements.
Example
His speech was filled with vainglory and self-praise.
Son discours était rempli de vanité et d'autopromotion.
C2 noun /ˈfiːəlti/

fealty

fidélité et allégeance
Meaning
loyalty or allegiance, especially to a sovereign or lord
Example
The knight swore fealty to his king.
Le chevalier prêta fidélité à son roi.
C2 noun /ˈhɛklər/

heckler

perturbateur
Meaning
A person who interrupts a speaker with rude or aggressive comments.
Example
The politician remained calm despite the heckler shouting from the crowd.
Le politicien est resté calme malgré le perturbateur criant depuis la foule.
C2 noun /ˈnɪk.næk/

knickknack

bonheur
Meaning
A small decorative object, especially in a house.
Example
The shelf was full of little knickknacks collected from their travels.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈperɪʃəbəl/

Imperishable

imperissable; éternel; immortel
Meaning
not subject to decay; lasting forever; eternal
Example
The imperishable beauty of classical art continues to inspire generations.
La beauté impérissable de l'art classique continue d'inspirer les générations.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪk ə ˌbræk/

bric-a-brac

objets décoratifs
Meaning
Small decorative objects or ornaments, often of little value.
Example
The shelves were filled with old bric-a-brac from her travels.
Les étagères étaient remplies de vieux objets décoratifs de ses voyages.
C2 adjective /ˌtaɪtˈfɪstɪd/

tightfisted

avare
Meaning
unwilling to spend money; stingy
Example
He is so tightfisted that he refuses to tip at restaurants.
Il est tellement avare qu'il refuse de donner un pourboire dans les restaurants.
C2 verb /ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/

kowtow

agir de manière excessivement servile
Meaning
To act in an excessively subservient or obedient manner.
Example
He refused to kowtow to the unreasonable demands.
Il a refusé de se soumettre aux demandes déraisonnables.
C2 verb /ˈflʌməks/

flummox

déconcerter
Meaning
To confuse or bewilder someone completely.
Example
The complicated puzzle flummoxed the students.
Le puzzle compliqué a déconcerté les étudiants.
C2 adjective /pɪˈskætɔːrɪəl/

piscatorial

relatif à la pêche
Meaning
relating to fishing or fishermen
Example
He has a deep knowledge of piscatorial techniques and fish species.
Il a une connaissance approfondie des techniques piscatoires et des espèces de poissons.
C2 noun ˈpær.ə.ɡən

paragon

paragon
Meaning
A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality; a model of excellence.
Example
Neom is a paragon of sustainable urban design.
Neom est un paragon du design urbain durable.
C2 adjective /ˈkɑːrpɪŋ/

carping

râleur
Meaning
continually complaining or finding fault in a petty way
Example
His carping attitude makes teamwork difficult.
Son attitude râleuse rend le travail en équipe difficile.
C2 noun /lɔːˈdeɪʃən/

laudation

éloges
Meaning
The act of praising or expressing approval.
Example
The poet received much laudation for his moving verses.
Le poète a reçu de nombreux éloges pour ses vers émouvants.
C2 noun /ˈmækɪntɒʃ/

mackintosh

manteau imperméable
Meaning
a waterproof raincoat, originally made from rubberized fabric
Example
He wore a mackintosh to stay dry in the rain.
Il portait un mackintosh pour rester au sec sous la pluie.
C2 adjective /ˈruːbɪkənd/

rubicund

visage rubicond
Meaning
Having a healthy reddish complexion.
Example
The old man’s rubicund face showed he was in good health.
Le visage rubicond de l'homme âgé montrait qu'il était en bonne santé.
C2 noun əˈkjuː.ə.ti

acuity

acuité
Meaning
Sharpness or keenness of thought, vision, or hearing.
Example
His intellectual acuity made him a brilliant scientist.
Son acuité intellectuelle faisait de lui un scientifique brillant.
C2 adverb /əˈbæk/

Aback

surpris
Meaning
by surprise; unexpectedly
Example
I was taken aback by his sudden announcement.
J'ai été surpris par son annonce soudaine.
C2 noun /jɔːr/

yore

passé
Meaning
Time long past; bygone days.
Example
Legends of yore still inspire people today.
Les légendes du passé continuent d'inspirer les gens aujourd'hui.
C2 noun /ˈskʌl.i.ən/

scullion

valet de cuisine
Meaning
a servant assigned the most menial kitchen tasks
Example
In medieval times, a scullion was responsible for cleaning pots and pans.
Au Moyen Âge, un scullion était responsable du nettoyage des casseroles et des poêles.
C2 noun /ˈvɪntnər/

vintner

vigneron / vendeur de vin
Meaning
A person who makes or sells wine.
Example
The vintner explained the process of making red wine.
Le vigneron a expliqué le processus de fabrication du vin rouge.
C2 noun /juːˈdʒen.ɪks/

eugenics

eugénisme
Meaning
the study or practice of improving the genetic quality of the human population
Example
Eugenics has been criticized for its unethical applications in history.
L'eugénisme a été critiqué pour ses applications non éthiques dans l'histoire.
C2 noun /ɪnˈkwɪzɪtər/

inquisitor

inquisiteur
Meaning
A person who asks many questions, often in an official or harsh manner.
Example
The inquisitor demanded detailed answers from the witness.
L'inquisiteur a exigé des réponses détaillées du témoin.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌlbəs/

bulbous

bulbeux / arrondi
Meaning
Bulging, round, or swollen in shape; resembling a bulb.
Example
The frog had a bulbous nose and big eyes.
La grenouille avait un nez bulbeux et de grands yeux.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪstri/

sophistry

sophistique
Meaning
the use of clever but false arguments, often to deceive
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophistry.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophistique.
C2 noun /ˈɡɒz.lɪŋ/

gosling

oisonnet
Meaning
a young goose
Example
The mother goose carefully protected her goslings.
La mère oie a protégé ses oisons avec soin.
C2 verb /bɪˈteɪk/

betake

se rendre à; recourir à
Meaning
to go or resort to a place or course of action, especially as a response; to apply oneself
Example
After dinner, she betook herself to her room to read.
Après le dîner, elle se rendit dans sa chambre pour lire.
C2 noun /ˈlɪbərˌtiːn/

libertine

personne immorale
Meaning
A person who behaves without moral principles, especially in sexual matters.
Example
The novel depicted the reckless life of a libertine in 18th century France.
Le roman décrivait la vie débridée d'un libertin dans la France du XVIIIe siècle.
C2 adjective /ˈfɪnɪki/

finicky

difficile à satisfaire; très pointilleux sur les détails
Meaning
difficult to please; very particular about details
Example
He is so finicky about his food that he only eats organic vegetables.
Il est tellement difficile avec sa nourriture qu'il ne mange que des légumes biologiques.
C2 adjective /bəˈθɛt.ɪk/

bathetic

sentiment insignifiant
Meaning
displaying insincere or trivial emotion; producing an unintended ridiculous effect through sudden change from serious to silly
Example
The movie's ending was unintentionally bathetic rather than tragic.
La fin du film était bathétique au lieu d'être tragique.
C2 noun /əˈpɒθəˌkɛri/

apothecary

apothicaire
Meaning
A historical term for a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs.
Example
The village apothecary provided remedies for many common illnesses.
L'apothicaire du village a fourni des remèdes pour de nombreuses maladies courantes.
C2 noun /ˌɪnvəˈlɪdɪti/

invalidity

invalidité
Meaning
the state of being invalid, legally void, or lacking force or validity
Example
The court ruled that the contract suffered from invalidity.
Le tribunal a jugé que le contrat souffrait d’invalidité.
C2 noun /dɪˈsɛnʃən/

dissension

dissension
Meaning
Strong disagreement or difference of opinion, especially leading to discord within a group.
Example
The meeting ended in dissension among the committee members.
La réunion s'est terminée par une dissension parmi les membres du comité.
C2 adjective /prɪˈpɒndərənt/

preponderant

prépondérant
Meaning
Having superior weight, force, influence, or importance.
Example
The preponderant influence of the media shapes public opinion.
L'influence prépondérante des médias façonne l'opinion publique.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ər fɪʃ/

Butter-fish

poisson beurre
Meaning
a small, smooth-skinned marine fish
Example
The butter-fish is popular in Bengali cuisine.
Le poisson beurre est populaire dans la cuisine bengalie.
C2 noun /tiːˈtoʊtəlɪzəm/

teetotalism

abstinence totale d'alcool
Meaning
the practice or principle of abstaining completely from alcoholic drinks
Example
He practiced teetotalism throughout his life.
Il a pratiqué le teetotalisme toute sa vie.
C2 noun /ˌæbsəˈluːʃən/

absolution

absolution
Meaning
formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment
Example
The priest granted him absolution for his sins.
Le prêtre lui a accordé l'absolution pour ses péchés.
C2 adjective /ˈmiː.di.əl/

medial

médial
Meaning
Situated in or pertaining to the middle; located toward the midline of the body or structure.
Example
The medial side of the knee is more prone to injury.
Le côté médial du genou est plus sujet aux blessures.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌɡɒn/

decagon

décagone
Meaning
A polygon with ten sides and ten angles.
Example
The geometry teacher drew a perfect decagon on the board.
Le professeur de géométrie a dessiné un parfait décagone au tableau.
C2 verb /ˈwɛltər/

welter

tourner dans le chaos
Meaning
to roll or toss about in a confused or disorderly way; to be in turmoil
Example
The city weltered in chaos after the sudden blackout.
La ville a été plongée dans le chaos après la panne soudaine.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪlieɪtɪd/

ciliated

ciliée
Meaning
Having minute hairlike projections (cilia) on the surface of cells or organisms.
Example
The ciliated cells in the respiratory tract help move mucus out of the lungs.
Les cellules ciliées dans le tractus respiratoire aident à déplacer le mucus hors des poumons.
C2 adjective /pəˈrɒnɪməs/

paronymous

paronymes
Meaning
Words that are derived from the same root or sound alike.
Example
The words 'effect' and 'effective' are paronymous.
Les mots ‘effect’ et ‘effective’ sont des paronymes.
C2 adjective /ˈstɒlɪd/

stolid

impassible, stoïque
Meaning
Calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation.
Example
Despite the chaos around him, he remained stolid and composed.
Malgré le chaos autour de lui, il resta calme et posé.
C2 verb /ˌɪntərˈmɪt/

intermit

interrompre
Meaning
To suspend or stop for a time; to pause intermittently.
Example
The rain would intermit and then start again.
La pluie s'interromprait puis recommencerait.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrsɪflɑːʒ/

persiflage

moquerie légère
Meaning
light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter
Example
Their conversation was full of persiflage and jokes.
Leurs conversations étaient pleines de moquerie légère et de blagues.
C2 noun məˌnɒp.ə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

monopolization

monopolisation
Meaning
The process by which a company gains exclusive control over a commercial activity.
Example
The monopolization of industries can limit consumer choices.
La monopolisation des industries peut limiter les choix des consommateurs.
C2 noun /ˈθɛspiən/

thespian

acteur
Meaning
An actor or actress; relating to drama or theater.
Example
The festival was filled with talented thespians from across the country.
Le festival était rempli d'acteurs talentueux venus de tout le pays.
C2 adjective /ˈvɒkətɪv/

vocative

cas vocatif
Meaning
relating to a case in grammar used for directly addressing someone
Example
In Latin, the vocative case is used when directly calling someone by name.
En latin, le cas vocatif est utilisé pour appeler directement quelqu'un par son nom.
C2 noun /ˈkɒksweɪn/

coxswain

barreur
Meaning
the person in charge of navigating and steering a boat, especially a racing or small boat
Example
The coxswain shouted instructions to the rowing team.
Le coxswain a donné des instructions à l'équipe d'aviron.
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 /ˈfɔːrˌpiːk/

forepeak

avant du navire
Meaning
The compartment in the forward part of a ship, often used for storage.
Example
The sailors stored extra ropes in the forepeak.
Les marins ont rangé des cordes supplémentaires dans l'avant du navire.
C2 adjective /sɪˈnɒptɪk/

synoptic

synoptique
Meaning
giving a general overview or summary; presenting a broad view
Example
The report offers a synoptic view of climate trends over the past century.
Le rapport offre une vue synoptique des tendances climatiques du siècle dernier.
C2 noun /ˌædjʊˈleɪʃən/

adulation

adulation excessive
Meaning
excessive admiration or flattery
Example
The singer enjoyed the adulation of her fans.
La chanteuse a apprécié l'adulation de ses fans.
C2 noun /dɪsˈkwaɪɪtjuːd/

disquietude

inquiétude
Meaning
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or restlessness.
Example
His constant pacing showed his inner disquietude.
Ses pas incessants montraient son inquiétude intérieure.
C2 adjective /ˈvɛndɪbəl/

vendible

vendable
Meaning
Capable of being sold; marketable.
Example
Only vendible products were displayed at the trade fair.
Seuls les produits vendables ont été exposés à la foire commerciale.
C2 noun /ˈkætəˌklɪzəm/

cataclysm

cataclysme
Meaning
A sudden and violent event that causes great destruction or upheaval.
Example
The earthquake was a cataclysm that reshaped the city.
Le tremblement de terre a été un cataclysme qui a redessiné la ville.
C2 adjective /juːˈʒʊəriəs/

usurious

usuraire
Meaning
Charging excessively high interest rates on loans.
Example
The bank was accused of offering loans at usurious rates.
La banque a été accusée d'offrir des prêts à des taux usuraires.
C2 adjective /ˌpriːpəˈzɛsɪŋ/

prepossessing

attirant
Meaning
Attractive or appealing in appearance or manner.
Example
She had a prepossessing smile that charmed everyone.
Elle avait un sourire attrayant qui a charmé tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈkwɔːrtoʊ/

quarto

livre de format quarto
Meaning
A book size resulting from folding each printed sheet into four leaves (eight pages).
Example
The library has rare Shakespeare quartos.
La bibliothèque possède de rares quartos de Shakespeare.
C2 noun /ˌɪndɛnˈteɪʃən/

indentation

indentation
Meaning
A space left at the beginning of a line of text; a notch or deep recess on a surface.
Example
The teacher asked the students to use proper indentation in their essays.
Le professeur a demandé aux élèves d'utiliser une indentation correcte dans leurs essais.
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 noun /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsəns/

recrudescence

recrudescence
Meaning
a new outbreak or revival of something that had subsided, especially an undesirable condition
Example
Health officials warned of a recrudescence of measles in several districts.
Les responsables de la santé ont averti d'une recrudescence de la rougeole dans plusieurs districts.
C2 adjective /koʊˈiːvəl/

coeval

contemporain
Meaning
Having the same age, date of origin, or duration; contemporary.
Example
The philosopher was coeval with the rise of modern science.
Le philosophe était contemporain avec l'essor de la science moderne.
C2 adjective /ˈfɪt.fəl/

fitful

par intermittence
Meaning
occurring in irregular bursts; not continuous or steady
Example
He had a fitful sleep due to the storm.
Il a eu un sommeil par intermittence à cause de la tempête.
C2 noun /ˈbuːt.leɪs/

Boot-lace

lacet de botte
Meaning
a cord or string used to fasten a boot or shoe
Example
I need to tie my boot-lace before going for a walk.
Je dois attacher mon lacet de botte avant de partir en promenade.
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 /ˈɪn.fɪ.del/

Infidel

infidèle
Meaning
a person who does not believe in religion or whose religious beliefs differ from one's own
Example
In historical contexts, crusaders often referred to their enemies as infidels.
Dans des contextes historiques, les croisés se référaient souvent à leurs ennemis comme des infidèles.
C2 adjective /rɪˈsplɛndənt/

resplendent

resplendissant
Meaning
Shining brilliantly; dazzling in appearance or effect
Example
The bride looked resplendent in her wedding gown.
La mariée semblait resplendissante dans sa robe de mariée.
C2 adjective /juːˈdʒɛnɪk/

eugenic

génétique
Meaning
Relating to or aiming at improving the genetic quality of a population.
Example
In the early 20th century, some scientists supported eugenic policies.
Au début du 20e siècle, certains scientifiques ont soutenu les politiques eugénistes.
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 /ˈɔːriˌoʊl/

aureole

auréole
Meaning
A halo or radiance surrounding the head or body, often in religious art.
Example
The painting showed the saint with an aureole around his head.
Le tableau montrait le saint avec une auréole autour de sa tête.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪpəθi/

antipathy

antipathie
Meaning
a deep-seated feeling of dislike or aversion toward something or someone
Example
There was a mutual antipathy between the two rival companies.
Il y avait une antipathie mutuelle entre les deux entreprises rivales.
C2 adjective /ˈstɪdʒiən/

stygian

sombre
Meaning
extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding
Example
They walked through the stygian cave with torches.
Ils marchaient à travers la grotte sombre avec des torches.
C2 noun /ˈɔː.rɪ.fɪs/

orifice

orifice
Meaning
an opening or hole, especially in the body or a device
Example
The medicine was applied through a small orifice in the device.
Le médicament a été appliqué par un petit orifice dans l'appareil.
C2 noun /ˌnɒn ˈsɛkwɪtər/

non sequitur

commentaire hors sujet
Meaning
a statement or conclusion that does not logically follow from the previous statement
Example
His comment about the weather was a complete non sequitur during the budget discussion.
Son commentaire sur la météo était un véritable commentaire hors sujet pendant la discussion sur le budget.
C2 noun /ˈhɒɡz.hɛd/

hogshead

grand fût
Meaning
A large cask or barrel, traditionally used for storing liquids like wine or beer.
Example
The cellar was filled with hogsheads of ale.
La cave était remplie de grands fûts de bière.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɪb.ər/

gibber

parler de manière incompréhensible
Meaning
To speak rapidly and unintelligibly, typically through fear or shock.
Example
The frightened man began to gibber when he saw the ghost.
L'homme effrayé a commencé à parler de manière incompréhensible lorsqu'il a vu le fantôme.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmjʊər/

demure

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

licentious

licencieux
Meaning
Lacking moral restraint; disregarding accepted rules of conduct.
Example
The novel was criticized for its licentious themes.
Le roman a été critiqué pour ses thèmes licencieux.
C2 adjective /hɜːrˈbeɪʃəs/

herbaceous

herbacé
Meaning
Relating to or resembling herbs; plants with soft, non-woody stems.
Example
The garden was filled with herbaceous plants that thrived in the summer.
Le jardin était rempli de plantes herbacées qui ont prospéré pendant l'été.
C2 noun /ˈpaʊ.waʊ/

powwow

réunion informelle
Meaning
an informal meeting or conference to discuss something
Example
The team held a quick powwow before the presentation.
L'équipe a tenu une réunion rapide avant la présentation.
C2 noun /ˈblʌfər/

bluffer

bluffeur
Meaning
a person who pretends to be more confident, skilled, or knowledgeable than they really are; someone who deceives others by bluffing
Example
Everyone eventually realized that he was just a bluffer with no real experience.
Tout le monde a compris qu’il était un simple bluffeur.
C2 verb /ˌriː.kəˈnɔɪ.tər/

reconnoiter

reconnaître
Meaning
to make a preliminary inspection or survey, especially of an area for military or strategic purposes
Example
The soldiers reconnoitered the area before advancing.
Les soldats ont reconnoîté la zone avant d'avancer.
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 adjective /ˌɪndɪˈfætɪɡəbl̩/

indefatigable

inébranlable
Meaning
persisting tirelessly; incapable of being fatigued
Example
Her indefatigable spirit kept the team motivated during the long project.
Son esprit inébranlable a gardé l'équipe motivée pendant le long projet.
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 adjective /ˈɑːsɪˌfaɪd/

ossified

transformé en os, rigide
Meaning
Turned into bone or become rigid; unwilling to change.
Example
The company had an ossified management structure that resisted innovation.
L'entreprise avait une structure de gestion rigide qui résistait à l'innovation.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈdʒʌŋktɪv/

disjunctive

disjonctif
Meaning
Serving to separate or divide; expressing a choice between alternatives.
Example
In grammar, 'or' is a disjunctive conjunction.
En grammaire, 'ou' est une conjonction disjonctive.
C2 noun /dɪˈkæmərən/

decameron

Décaméron (recueil de contes de Boccaccio)
Meaning
A collection of 100 tales written by Giovanni Boccaccio in the 14th century, told by a group of people over ten days.
Example
The Decameron is considered a masterpiece of classical Italian literature.
Le Décaméron est considéré comme un chef-d'œuvre de la littérature italienne classique.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsɛptɪv/

inceptive

initial
Meaning
Relating to or marking the beginning or initial stage of something.
Example
The inceptive phase of the project was marked by enthusiastic planning.
La phase inceptive du projet a été marquée par une planification enthousiaste.
C2 verb /frɪsk/

frisk

fouiller
Meaning
To search a person by patting their clothing to check for concealed items.
Example
The security guard frisked the man at the entrance.
Le garde de sécurité a fouillé l'homme à l'entrée.
C2 noun, verb /ˈfɪlɪˌbʌstər/

filibuster

une tactique de retardement des actions législatives par des discours prolongés; utiliser une telle tactique
Meaning
a tactic of delaying legislative action by prolonged speech; to use such a tactic
Example
The senator filibustered for hours to prevent the bill from passing.
Le sénateur a filibusté pendant des heures pour empêcher l'adoption du projet de loi.
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 adjective /ˈlɪsɪt/

licit

licite
Meaning
Permitted by law or by rules; legal.
Example
The trade of certain goods is licit under international law.
Le commerce de certains biens est licite selon le droit international.
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 /dɪˈsɪstəns/

desistance

désistance
Meaning
The act of stopping or ceasing from some action or behavior.
Example
The court urged his desistance from further unlawful activities.
Le tribunal l'a encouragé à cesser toute activité illégale supplémentaire.
C2 adverb /əˈθwɔːrt/

athwart

en travers, en opposition
Meaning
Across or in opposition to something.
Example
A fallen tree lay athwart the road, blocking traffic.
Un arbre tombé était allongé en travers de la route, bloquant la circulation.
C2 noun /ˈɡɪbən/

gibbon

gibbon
Meaning
a small to medium-sized tailless ape with long arms, native to the forests of Southeast Asia
Example
The gibbon swung gracefully through the trees using its long arms.
Le gibbon se balançait gracieusement entre les arbres avec ses longs bras.
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 adjective /ˌpɛrɪpəˈtɛtɪk/

peripatetic

nomade
Meaning
Traveling from place to place, especially for work or based on lifestyle.
Example
He led a peripatetic life as a traveling teacher.
Il menait une vie de nomade en tant qu'enseignant itinérant.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.təˈvɛn.ʃə.nɪ.zəm/

interventionism

interventionnisme
Meaning
Government policy of active involvement in economic affairs.
Example
The central bank's interventionism helped stabilize inflation.
L'interventionnisme de la banque centrale a aidé à stabiliser l'inflation.
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.
C2 adjective /ˈruːmi/

rheumy

larmoyant
Meaning
Watery, especially referring to the eyes.
Example
His rheumy eyes showed signs of age and fatigue.
Ses yeux larmoyants montraient des signes de vieillesse et de fatigue.
C2 noun /ˌkəʊ.əˈles.əns/

coalescence

coalescence, fusion
Meaning
The process of coming together to form one mass or whole.
Example
The coalescence of different cultures creates diversity.
La coalescence de différentes cultures crée de la diversité.
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 əˈdʒuː.dɪ.kə.tɪv ˈbɒd.i

adjudicative body

organe adjudicatif
Meaning
An official organization that has the authority to judge disputes and make decisions.
Example
The adjudicative body deliberated on the case.
L'organe adjudicatif a délibéré sur le cas.
C2 adjective /æmˈbroʊʒiəl/

ambrosial

ambrosial
Meaning
Exceptionally pleasing to taste or smell; divine.
Example
The aroma of freshly baked bread was simply ambrosial.
L'arôme du pain fraîchement cuit était tout simplement ambrosial.
C2 noun /red ˌəʊ.liˈæn.dər/

Red oleander

laurier rose
Meaning
a poisonous flowering shrub with bright red or pink flowers
Example
The red oleander blooms throughout the summer months.
Le laurier rose fleurit tout au long des mois d'été.
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 /djuːˈplɪsɪti/

duplicity

duplicité
Meaning
Deceitfulness or double-dealing; dishonesty.
Example
Her duplicity was revealed during the investigation.
Sa duplicité a été révélée lors de l'enquête.
C2 noun /bɛl/

belle

belle femme
Meaning
A beautiful woman, especially the most attractive woman at a gathering.
Example
She was the belle of the ball that evening.
Elle était la belle du bal ce soir-là.
C2 verb /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/

discomfit

déconcerter
Meaning
to make someone feel uneasy, embarrassed, or confused
Example
The interviewer’s tough questions discomfited the candidate.
Les questions difficiles de l'intervieweur ont déstabilisé le candidat.
C2 noun /ˈklɪpər/

clipper

tondeuse / bateau rapide du XIXe siècle
Meaning
a tool used for cutting, or a fast sailing ship of the 19th century
Example
The barber used clippers to trim his hair.
Le barbier a utilisé des tondeuses pour couper ses cheveux.
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 verb /ˈpʌkər/

pucker

froncer
Meaning
to tighten or contract into small folds or wrinkles
Example
She puckered her lips before kissing the child.
Elle a froncé les lèvres avant d'embrasser l'enfant.
C2 adjective /ɪkˈskɜːsɪv/

excursive

excurssif
Meaning
Tending to digress or wander; moving away from the main subject.
Example
His excursive lecture left the students confused about the main topic.
Sa conférence excursive a laissé les étudiants confus sur le sujet principal.
C2 noun /ɡænˈdʒɛtɪk liːf fɪʃ/

Gangetic Leaf Fish

poisson-feuille gangétique
Meaning
a small freshwater fish species found in the Ganges river system, known for its leaf-like appearance
Example
The Gangetic Leaf Fish is commonly found in the rivers of Bangladesh.
Le poisson-feuille gangétique se trouve couramment dans les rivières du Bangladesh.
C2 noun /ˈdʒæk.dɔː/

Jack-daw

petit corbeau
Meaning
a small gray and black bird of the crow family, known for its intelligence
Example
The jackdaw collected shiny objects for its nest.
Le jackdaw a collecté des objets brillants pour son nid.
C2 noun /mɪˈsɑːdʒɪnɪst/

misogynist

misogyne
Meaning
A person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.
Example
Many condemned his speech as the words of a misogynist.
Beaucoup ont condamné son discours comme les paroles d'un misogyne.