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C2 noun /ˈdaɪɡræf/

digraph

digraphe
Meaning
A pair of letters representing a single sound, such as 'sh' in 'ship'.
Example
In the word 'phone', the letters 'ph' form a digraph.
Dans le mot 'téléphone', les lettres 'ph' forment un digraphe.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsæprəˈbeɪʃən/

disapprobation

désapprobation
Meaning
strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds
Example
The policy was met with widespread disapprobation.
La politique a été accueillie par une désapprobation généralisée.
C2 noun /ˈdɒɡ roʊz/

Dog-rose

églantier
Meaning
A wild rose species with pink or white flowers and thorny stems, common in hedgerows
Example
The dog-rose bush grew wild along the countryside path.
Le buisson d'églantier a poussé sauvagement le long du chemin de campagne.
C2 adjective /ˈdjuːtiəbl/

dutiable

sujet à des droits de douane
Meaning
subject to customs duty or tax
Example
Imported electronics are often dutiable at the border.
Les électroniques importés sont souvent soumis à des droits de douane à la frontière.
C2 verb /diːˈfrɑːk/

defrock

révoquer un prêtre de sa fonction
Meaning
to officially remove a priest or minister from their position and authority
Example
The church decided to defrock the priest after the scandal.
L'église a décidé de démettre le prêtre après le scandale.
C2 adjective /ˈdʌlsɪt/

dulcet

doux
Meaning
sweet and soothing (often used ironically)
Example
She was enchanted by his dulcet voice.
Elle était enchantée par sa voix douce.
C2 noun /ˈdɔːrmər/

dormer

fenêtre mansardée
Meaning
A window that projects vertically from a sloping roof.
Example
The old house had a dormer overlooking the garden.
La vieille maison avait une fenêtre mansardée donnant sur le jardin.
C2 verb /dɪˈtruːd/

detrude

pousser vers le bas ou vers l'extérieur
Meaning
To thrust or force something downward or outward.
Example
The violent waves detruded rocks from the cliff.
Les vagues violentes ont poussé les roches de la falaise.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɒsɪsən/

diocesan

relatif à un diocèse
Meaning
relating to a diocese or the district under the supervision of a bishop in the Christian Church
Example
The diocesan council met to discuss church affairs.
Le conseil diocésain s'est réuni pour discuter des affaires de l'église.
C2 adjective /dɪˈfjuːzəbl/

diffusible

diffusable
Meaning
able to spread or be spread through a medium
Example
Oxygen is diffusible through cell membranes.
L'oxygène est diffusible à travers les membranes cellulaires.
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 /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 /ˈdəʊ.lər/

dolor

douleur
Meaning
A state of great sorrow or distress.
Example
The nation was in deep dolor after the tragedy.
La nation était dans une grande douleur après la tragédie.
C2 verb /dɪˈsɛmbəl/

dissemble

dissimuler
Meaning
to conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs; to pretend
Example
He tried to dissemble his anger with a forced smile.
Il a essayé de dissimuler sa colère avec un sourire forcé.
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 /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/

debauch

corrompre
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to lead into excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
Example
The novel shows how wealth can debauch a person's character.
Le roman montre comment la richesse peut débaucher le caractère d'une personne.
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 /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 verb /dɪˈfreɪ/

defray

financer
Meaning
to provide money to pay the costs of something
Example
The grant will help defray the cost of education.
La bourse aidera à financer le coût de l'éducation.
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 verb /dɪˈspɔɪl/

despoil

piller
Meaning
To steal or violently remove valuable possessions from a place.
Example
The invaders despoiled the village during the war.
Les envahisseurs ont pillé le village pendant la guerre.
C2 noun /ˈdɒldrəmz/

doldrums

morosité
Meaning
A state of inactivity, stagnation, or low spirits; also a region near the equator with calm winds.
Example
After the project failed, the team was stuck in the doldrums for months.
Après l'échec du projet, l'équipe était bloquée dans le marasme pendant des mois.
C2 noun /dɪˈtrækʃən/

detraction

détournement
Meaning
The act of belittling or taking away from the value of something.
Example
Her constant detraction of others made her unpopular.
Sa constante dévalorisation des autres l'a rendue impopulaire.
C2 adjective /ˌdaɪəˈtɒmɪk/

diatomic

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

dispossess

déposséder
Meaning
to deprive someone of land, property, or other possessions
Example
The new law threatened to dispossess many farmers of their land.
La nouvelle loi menaçait de déposséder de nombreux agriculteurs de leurs terres.
C2 verb /dɔːb/

daub

badigeonner
Meaning
to spread a thick or sticky substance carelessly on a surface
Example
The children daubed paint all over the walls.
Les enfants ont badigeonné la peinture partout sur les murs.
C2 noun /ˈdɛrɪk/

derrick

tour de forage
Meaning
A framework or tower used for supporting a crane, especially for oil drilling or lifting heavy loads.
Example
The workers assembled a derrick at the oil drilling site.
Les ouvriers ont assemblé une tour de forage sur le site de forage de pétrole.
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 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 noun /daɪn/

dyne

unité de force (système cgs)
Meaning
A unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second (cgs) system equal to 10⁻⁵ newtons.
Example
The physicist measured the force in dynes.
Le physicien a mesuré la force en dynes.
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 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 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 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 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 /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 noun ˈdɒɡ.ɪd.nəs

doggedness

persévérance
Meaning
Stubborn persistence in achieving something without giving up.
Example
His doggedness in pursuing his goals was inspiring.
Sa persévérance dans la poursuite de ses objectifs était inspirante.
C2 verb /dɪˈlæpɪdeɪt/

dilapidate

détériorer
Meaning
To cause something, especially a building, to fall into ruin or disrepair.
Example
The abandoned house began to dilapidate over the years.
La maison abandonnée a commencé à se détériorer au fil des ans.
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 /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 /ˈdɛkəˌlɔːɡ/

decalogue

Décalogue
Meaning
The Ten Commandments in the Bible; a set of fundamental rules or principles.
Example
The priest gave a sermon on the importance of the Decalogue.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon sur l'importance du Décalogue.
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 noun /ˈdɪfθɒŋ/

diphthong

diphtongue
Meaning
A complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel and glides into another within the same syllable.
Example
The word 'coin' contains a diphthong.
Le mot 'coin' contient un diphtongue.
C2 adjective /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/

decrepit

délabré
Meaning
worn out or weakened by age or neglect
Example
The decrepit old house was on the verge of collapse.
La vieille maison délabrée était sur le point de s'effondrer.
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 noun /ˈdoʊneɪtər/

donator

donateur
Meaning
A person who gives something, especially money or goods, as a donation.
Example
The donator wished to remain anonymous after contributing a large sum.
Le donateur souhaitait rester anonyme après avoir contribué une grande somme.
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 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 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 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 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 verb /ˌdɪskəmˈpoʊz/

discompose

déstabiliser
Meaning
To disturb the order or calmness of something or someone.
Example
The unexpected question seemed to discompose her.
La question inattendue sembla la déstabiliser.
C2 noun /ˈdeɪ.mæn/

day-man

travailleur journalier
Meaning
a worker employed by the day; a day laborer
Example
The farmer hired a day-man to help with the harvest.
Le fermier a embauché un travailleur journalier pour aider à la récolte.
C2 verb /ˈdʌv.teɪl/

dovetail

s'harmoniser parfaitement
Meaning
to fit or combine perfectly together
Example
Her plans dovetail perfectly with our goals.
Ses plans s'accordent parfaitement avec nos objectifs.
C2 noun /ˈdɛsɪkənt/

desiccant

dessicant
Meaning
a substance that absorbs moisture and keeps things dry
Example
Silica gel packets are commonly used as a desiccant in packaging.
Les paquets de gel de silice sont couramment utilisés comme dessicant dans les emballages.
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 adjective /dɪˈrɒɡətɪv/

derogative

dérogatoire
Meaning
Expressing a low opinion or showing lack of respect.
Example
He made a derogative remark about her work.
Il a fait une remarque dérogatoire sur son travail.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmoʊniˌæk/

demoniac

démoniaque
Meaning
possessed, produced, or influenced by a demon; frenzied or violent
Example
The soldiers fought with demoniac fury.
Les soldats ont combattu avec une furie démoniaque.
C2 noun /dəˈkɔɪt/

Dacoit

bandit
Meaning
a member of an armed gang of robbers; a bandit, especially in India and Myanmar
Example
The village was terrorized by a gang of dacoits who robbed travelers.
Le village a été terrorisé par un gang de bandits qui ont volé les voyageurs.
C2 verb /deɪn/

deign

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

digressive

tendance à s'écarter du sujet principal
Meaning
Tending to depart from the main subject in speech or writing.
Example
The speaker's digressive style made the lecture difficult to follow.
Le style digressif de l'orateur a rendu la conférence difficile à suivre.
C2 verb /dɪˈdʒɛkt/

deject

dégrader
Meaning
to make someone feel sad, depressed, or dispirited
Example
The news of his failure seemed to deject him deeply.
Les nouvelles de son échec semblaient le déprimer profondément.
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 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 noun /draɪd roʊz ˈpɛtəlz/

Dried Rose Petals

pétales de rose séchés
Meaning
dehydrated petals from roses used for culinary and aromatic purposes
Example
The dessert was garnished with dried rose petals.
Le dessert a été garni de pétales de rose séchés.
C2 noun /ˌdɛkləˈmeɪʃən/

declamation

déclamation
Meaning
a formal speech delivered with rhetorical or dramatic effect
Example
Her declamation captivated the audience at the competition.
Sa déclamation a captivé le public lors de la compétition.
C2 adjective /ˈdɔːnt.ləs/

dauntless

intrépide, courageux, déterminé
Meaning
Showing fearlessness and determination; brave and resolute.
Example
The dauntless soldier fought against all odds.
Le soldat intrépide a combattu contre toutes les adversités.
C2 adjective /dɛˈspɒtɪk/

despotic

despote
Meaning
exercising power in a cruel, oppressive, or authoritarian way
Example
The king’s despotic rule left the people in misery.
Le règne despote du roi a laissé le peuple dans la misère.
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 noun /djuːˈɛnə/

duenna

gouvernante
Meaning
an older woman acting as a governess or chaperone, especially in Spanish families
Example
The young lady was accompanied by a duenna during the festival.
La jeune fille était accompagnée par une duéna pendant le festival.
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 /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 /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 verb /dɪsˈmɛmbər/

dismember

dismembrer
Meaning
to cut or tear the limbs from a body; to divide into separate parts
Example
The king ordered his enemies to be dismembered.
Le roi a ordonné que ses ennemis soient dismembrés.
C2 verb /dɪsˈɡɔːrdʒ/

disgorge

vomir, déverser
Meaning
to discharge or pour out; to vomit; to give up reluctantly
Example
The broken pipe disgorged water all over the floor.
Le tuyau cassé a déversé de l'eau sur tout le sol.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæpɪteɪt/

decapitate

bonheur
Meaning
To cut off the head of a person or animal.
Example
The ancient executioner decapitated the criminal.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur quand elle a reçu le prix.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/

desiccate

dessécher
Meaning
to dry up completely or remove the moisture from something
Example
The hot sun can quickly desiccate plants in the desert.
Le soleil chaud peut rapidement dessécher les plantes dans le désert.
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 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 noun /ˈdrɪvəl/

drivel

bêtise
Meaning
silly or nonsensical talk
Example
The politician’s speech was full of meaningless drivel.
Le discours du politicien était plein de bêtises inutiles.
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 adjective /ˈdekərəs/

decorous

décoratif
Meaning
showing proper and polite behavior; marked by good taste
Example
The audience gave a decorous applause after the performance.
Le public a applaudi de manière décorative après la performance.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪsəluːt/

dissolute

dissolu
Meaning
lacking moral restraint; indulging excessively in sensual pleasures
Example
He led a dissolute life filled with parties and gambling.
Il a mené une vie dissolue remplie de fêtes et de jeux d'argent.
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 adjective /dɪsˈkɜrsɪv/

discursive

discursif
Meaning
Tending to digress or move from topic to topic; lengthy and rambling.
Example
His discursive style made the lecture hard to follow.
Son style discursif a rendu la conférence difficile à suivre.
C2 noun /dɪnt/

dint

effort, marque d'un coup
Meaning
an impression or hollow made by a blow; force or power
Example
By dint of hard work, he achieved success.
Par dint de travail acharné, il a atteint le succès.
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 /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 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 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 /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 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 adjective /daɪˈdæktɪk/

didactic

didactique
Meaning
Intended to teach, often with a moral lesson.
Example
The novel is not just entertaining but also didactic in nature.
Le roman n'est pas seulement divertissant, mais aussi didactique par nature.
C2 noun /dɪˌlɪniˈeɪʃən/

delineation

délimitation
Meaning
the precise description, drawing, or outlining of something
Example
The artist’s delineation of the landscape was remarkably accurate.
La délimitation du paysage par l'artiste était remarquablement précise.
C2 adjective /dɪˈlɛktəbl̩/

delectable

délicieux
Meaning
delicious or highly enjoyable
Example
The restaurant served a delectable meal.
Le restaurant a servi un repas délicieux.
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 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 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 /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 adjective /dɪˈskrɛpənt/

discrepant

discrepant
Meaning
showing a difference or inconsistency
Example
The witnesses gave discrepant accounts of the incident.
Les témoins ont donné des récits contradictoires de l'incident.
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 noun /ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjʊəns/

discontinuance

discontinuité
Meaning
the act of stopping something, especially permanently
Example
The discontinuance of the service disappointed many customers.
L'interruption du service a déçu de nombreux clients.
C2 verb /dɪˈkænt/

decant

décanter
Meaning
To pour liquid gently from one container into another, especially without disturbing the sediment.
Example
She carefully decanted the wine into a clean glass.
Elle a soigneusement versé le vin dans un verre propre.
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 noun /ˈdæstərd/

dastard

lâche
Meaning
a cowardly or dishonorable person
Example
Only a dastard would betray his closest friend.
Seul un lâche trahirait son ami le plus proche.
C2 adjective /ˈdɔːrsəl/

dorsal

dorsal
Meaning
Relating to the back or upper side of an animal or body part.
Example
Sharks have a prominent dorsal fin.
Les requins ont une nageoire dorsale proéminente.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛfəˈrɛnʃəl/

deferential

respectueux
Meaning
Showing or expressing respect and high regard.
Example
He was always deferential toward his teachers.
Il était toujours respectueux envers ses enseignants.
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 /ˌdiːnəʊˈteɪʃən/

denotation

dénotation
Meaning
The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
Example
The denotation of the word 'rose' is a type of flower.
La dénotation du mot 'rose' est un type de fleur.
C2 noun /ˈdændi/

dandy

homme qui accorde trop d'attention à son apparence et à ses vêtements
Meaning
a man who gives too much attention to his appearance and clothes
Example
The young dandy spent hours grooming himself before the party.
Le jeune dandy a passé des heures à se préparer avant la fête.
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 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 noun /ˈdaɪəˌdɛm/

diadem

diadème
Meaning
A crown or headband worn as a symbol of royalty or authority.
Example
The queen wore a glittering diadem at the coronation.
La reine portait une diadème étincelante lors du couronnement.
C2 verb /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/

deliquesce

devenir liquide en absorbant l'humidité de l'air
Meaning
to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air
Example
The salt began to deliquesce after being left in the humid room.
Le sel a commencé à se délier après avoir été laissé dans la pièce humide.
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 verb /ˈdɪðər/

dither

hésiter
Meaning
to be indecisive or unable to make a decision
Example
He dithered for hours before choosing a restaurant.
Il a hésité pendant des heures avant de choisir un restaurant.
C2 noun /ˈdɛnɪzən/

denizen

habitant
Meaning
an inhabitant or resident of a particular place
Example
The forest is home to many nocturnal denizens.
La forêt abrite de nombreux habitants nocturnes.
C2 noun /dɪˈbɛntʃər/

debenture

obligation
Meaning
a type of debt instrument not secured by physical assets or collateral
Example
The company raised capital by issuing debentures to investors.
L'entreprise a levé des fonds en émettant des obligations auprès des investisseurs.
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 adjective /ˈdɛprɪkətɔːri/

deprecatory

désobligeant
Meaning
expressing disapproval or belittling
Example
He gave a deprecatory remark about their performance.
Il a fait une remarque désobligeante sur leur performance.
C2 noun /ˈdaɪətraɪb/

diatribe

diatribe
Meaning
A forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something.
Example
The politician launched a diatribe against his opponents.
Le politicien a lancé une diatribe contre ses opposants.