doldrums
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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 verb /ˈhɑːrtən/

hearten

donner du courage
Meaning
To give courage, confidence, or hope.
Example
The teacher’s encouragement heartened the students.
L'encouragement de l'enseignant a donné du courage aux étudiants.
C2 noun /ˈprɒsədi/

prosody

prosodie
Meaning
The patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry and speech.
Example
The professor explained how prosody affects the mood of a poem.
Le professeur a expliqué comment la prosodie affecte l'humeur d'un poème.
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 /læŋ'ɡʊər/

Langoor

langour
Meaning
a long-tailed monkey found in Asia, especially India and Southeast Asia
Example
The langoor was sitting on the tree branch eating fruits.
Le langur était assis sur la branche de l'arbre en train de manger des fruits.
C2 noun /ˌmælˈoʊdər/

malodor

mauvaise odeur
Meaning
An unpleasant smell; bad odor.
Example
The garbage bin gave off a terrible malodor.
La poubelle dégageait une terrible mauvaise odeur.
C2 noun /ˈseɪ.ɡoʊ/

Sago

sago
Meaning
starchy foodstuff obtained from the pith of various tropical palm stems
Example
She prepared sago pudding for dessert.
Elle a préparé du pudding de sago pour le dessert.
C2 noun /ˈʌŋɡwənt/

unguent

onguent
Meaning
A soothing or healing ointment applied to the skin.
Example
The doctor applied an unguent to heal the burn.
Le médecin a appliqué un onguent pour guérir la brûlure.
C2 noun /ɪkˈsɔːr.ə/

Ixora

ixora
Meaning
a tropical flowering shrub with clusters of small bright red, orange, or yellow flowers
Example
The bright red ixora bushes lined the pathway to the tropical garden.
Les buissons d'ixora rouges brillants bordaient le chemin menant au jardin tropical.
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 noun /trʌs/

truss

treillis
Meaning
a framework, typically consisting of rafters, posts, and struts, supporting a roof, bridge, or other structure
Example
The engineer designed a strong truss for the new bridge.
L'ingénieur a conçu un solide treillis pour le nouveau pont.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪbər/

belabor

insister
Meaning
to argue or elaborate on a subject in excessive detail; to attack verbally or physically
Example
The professor belabored the point until the students grew restless.
Le professeur a insisté sur le point jusqu'à ce que les étudiants deviennent agités.
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 noun /ˈɑːrbər/

arbor

abri ombragé formé par des arbres ou des plantes grimpantes
Meaning
a shady garden shelter formed by trees, climbing plants, or latticework
Example
They rested under the arbor covered with roses.
Ils se reposaient sous l'arbor couvert de roses.
C2 adjective /prɪˈzʌmptɪv/

presumptive

présumé
Meaning
Based on probability or assumption rather than proof.
Example
She is the presumptive nominee for the party.
Elle est la candidate présumée pour le parti.
C2 verb /ɪˈreɪdieɪt/

irradiate

irradier
Meaning
to shine light on something; to expose to radiation; to illuminate or brighten
Example
The scientist used a lamp to irradiate the sample.
Le scientifique a utilisé une lampe pour irradier l'échantillon.
C2 noun /ˈbeɪleɪ/

Bele

poisson bele
Meaning
a type of freshwater fish found in South Asian rivers, known for its distinctive appearance
Example
The bele fish is commonly caught in the rivers of Bangladesh.
Le poisson bele est couramment pêché dans les rivières du Bangladesh.
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 /læmˈbæst/

lambast

critiquer sévèrement
Meaning
To criticize harshly or to beat severely.
Example
The coach lambasted the team for their poor performance.
L'entraîneur a sévèrement critiqué l'équipe pour sa mauvaise performance.
C2 noun/adjective /ɪˈmɒliənt/

emollient

substance qui adoucit la peau
Meaning
a substance that softens or soothes the skin
Example
She used an emollient cream to treat her dry skin.
Elle a utilisé une crème émolliente pour traiter sa peau sèche.
C2 noun /ˌpɜːrtərˈbeɪʃn/

perturbation

perturbation
Meaning
A state of anxiety, disturbance, or disorder.
Example
The announcement caused a perturbation in the financial markets.
L'annonce a causé une perturbation sur les marchés financiers.
C2 verb /bɪˈwɪtʃ/

bewitch

envoûter
Meaning
to enchant or fascinate someone as if by magic
Example
The dancer's performance bewitched the audience.
La performance de la danseuse a enchanté le public.
C2 noun /ˈreɪmənt/

raiment

vêtements
Meaning
clothing, especially fine or formal wear
Example
The king wore royal raiment during the ceremony.
Le roi portait des vêtements royaux pendant la cérémonie.
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 adjective /əˈsiːtɪk/

acetic

acétique
Meaning
relating to or containing acetic acid; sour or vinegary in taste or smell
Example
The acetic smell of vinegar filled the kitchen.
L'odeur acétique du vinaigre a rempli la cuisine.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmɒtɪk/

demotic

relatif au langage populaire
Meaning
relating to ordinary people or everyday language
Example
The poet used demotic language to connect with common readers.
Le poète a utilisé un langage relatif au langage populaire pour se connecter avec les lecteurs ordinaires.
C2 noun /ˈprɒvəndər/

provender

fourrage pour le bétail
Meaning
food or provisions, especially for livestock
Example
The barn was filled with provender for the cattle.
La grange était remplie de fourrage pour le bétail.
C2 adjective /ɪkˈspɒzɪtəri/

expository

expositif
Meaning
intended to explain or describe something
Example
The teacher gave an expository lecture on the topic.
Le professeur a donné une conférence expositive sur le sujet.
C2 noun /ˈoʊ.kəm/

oakum

fibre de corde usée
Meaning
loose fibers obtained by untwisting old ropes, used for caulking ships
Example
The shipbuilders used oakum to seal the gaps in the wooden planks.
Les charpentiers de marine ont utilisé de l'okum pour sceller les fissures dans les planches en bois.
C2 noun /ˈeb.taɪd/

Ebb-tide

basse mer
Meaning
the movement of the tide out to sea; a time when the sea level is falling
Example
During ebb-tide, we could walk further out on the beach.
Pendant la basse mer, nous pouvions marcher plus loin sur la plage.
C2 adjective /ˌfoʊtoʊɪˈlɛktrɪk/

photoelectric

photoélectrique
Meaning
relating to the emission of electrons or other free carriers when light shines on a material
Example
The photoelectric effect is fundamental in solar panels.
L'effet photoélectrique est fondamental dans les panneaux solaires.
C2 adjective /ˈnɪɡərdli/

niggardly

avare
Meaning
unwilling to spend or give; stingy or miserly
Example
He was too niggardly to leave a decent tip.
Il était trop avare pour laisser un pourboire décent.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪbjələs/

bibulous

ivrogne
Meaning
Excessively fond of drinking alcohol.
Example
His bibulous habits worried his family.
Ses habitudes ivrognes inquiétaient sa famille.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtɪɡənt/

litigant

plaignant
Meaning
a person involved in a lawsuit
Example
The court summoned both litigants for the hearing.
Le tribunal a convoqué les deux plaignants pour l'audience.
C2 adjective /ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːrfəs/

anthropomorphous

anthropomorphe
Meaning
having the form or attributes of a human
Example
The statue had an anthropomorphous shape resembling a human.
La statue avait une forme anthropomorphe ressemblant à un humain.
C2 verb /ʧeɪf/

chafe

froter
Meaning
To make or become sore by rubbing; to feel irritation or impatience.
Example
The tight shoes began to chafe his heels.
Les chaussures serrées ont commencé à frotter ses talons.
C2 verb /ˈɪŋkʌlpeɪt/

inculpate

accuser
Meaning
To blame or accuse someone of wrongdoing.
Example
The evidence seemed to inculpate the suspect in the crime.
Les preuves semblaient accuser le suspect dans le crime.
C2 noun /fiːˈkʌndɪti/

fecundity

fécondité, fertilité
Meaning
the ability to produce an abundance of offspring or new growth; fertility
Example
The fecundity of the river delta supports diverse wildlife.
La fécondité du delta du fleuve soutient une vie sauvage diversifiée.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛnɪtrəbl/

penetrable

pénétrable
Meaning
Capable of being passed through or entered.
Example
The thin wall was easily penetrable.
Le mur mince était facilement pénétrable.
C2 adjective /ˌmælˈoʊdərəs/

malodorous

malodorant
Meaning
Having a very unpleasant smell.
Example
The malodorous room made everyone leave quickly.
La pièce malodorante a fait partir tout le monde rapidement.
C2 noun /ˈeɪ.pi.ə.rɪst/

apiarist

apiculteur
Meaning
a person who keeps and tends bees for honey production
Example
The apiarist collected fresh honey from the hives.
L'apiculteur a récolté du miel frais des ruches.
C2 noun ˌbaɪ.oʊ.əˈveɪ.lə.bɪl.ə.ti

bioavailability

capacité d'absorption du corps
Meaning
The degree to which a substance can be absorbed and used by the body.
Example
Turmeric's bioavailability increases when consumed with black pepper.
La biodisponibilité du curcuma augmente lorsqu'il est consommé avec du poivre noir.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtræn.sɪ.dʒəns/

intransigence

intransigeance
Meaning
Refusal to change one's views or to agree about something.
Example
The negotiations failed due to the intransigence of both parties.
Les négociations ont échoué en raison de l'intransigeance des deux parties.
C2 verb /drɔːl/

drawl

parler lentement de manière paresseuse
Meaning
to speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds
Example
He tends to drawl when he is tired.
Il a tendance à parler lentement quand il est fatigué.
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 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mɪst/

bigamist

bigame
Meaning
A person who commits the crime of marrying someone while already married to another.
Example
The man was arrested for being a bigamist.
L'homme a été arrêté pour être un bigame.
C2 noun /ɪnˈɡrætɪˌtjuːd/

ingratitude

ingratitude
Meaning
Lack of gratitude; failure to show thanks or appreciation.
Example
His ingratitude hurt her feelings after all she had done for him.
Son ingratitude lui a fait mal après tout ce qu'elle avait fait pour lui.
C2 noun /ˌpɛdəˈɡɒdʒɪks/

pedagogics

pédagogie
Meaning
the science or art of teaching
Example
He studied pedagogics to become a better teacher.
Il a étudié la pédagogie pour devenir un meilleur enseignant.
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 /ˈnjuːbaɪl/

nubile

nubile
Meaning
of a young woman, sexually mature and suitable for marriage
Example
The village was celebrating the festival with its nubile maidens dancing.
Le village célébrait le festival avec ses jeunes filles nubiles dansant.
C2 adjective /ˈblɪŋkəd/

blinkered

borné
Meaning
Having a limited or narrow outlook; unable or unwilling to consider other perspectives.
Example
His blinkered attitude stopped him from seeing the bigger picture.
Son attitude bornée l'a empêché de voir le tableau d'ensemble.
C2 noun /ɡɜːrθ/

girth

circonférence
Meaning
the measurement around the middle of something, especially a person's waist or a tree trunk
Example
The tree's girth measured nearly five feet.
La circonférence de l'arbre mesurait près de cinq pieds.
C2 adjective /ˈnɔɪ.səm/

Noisome

nauséabond; nuisible ou désagréable
Meaning
having an extremely offensive smell; harmful or unpleasant
Example
The noisome smell from the garbage made everyone cover their noses.
L'odeur nauséabonde des ordures a forcé tout le monde à se boucher le nez.
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 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 adjective /ˈflɒrɪd/

florid

excessivement orné / rougeâtre
Meaning
Having a red or flushed complexion; or excessively ornate and intricate.
Example
The speaker’s florid style made the lecture hard to follow.
Le style excessivement orné du conférencier a rendu la conférence difficile à suivre.
C2 noun /ˈɡlæsi fɪʃ/

Glassy fish

poisson de verre
Meaning
a transparent freshwater fish with a glassy appearance, popular in aquariums
Example
The glassy fish is known for its transparent body and peaceful nature.
Le poisson de verre est connu pour son corps transparent et sa nature paisible.
C2 adjective /ˈpɔːntʃi/

paunchy

ventru
Meaning
Having a large or protruding belly.
Example
The paunchy man struggled to button his shirt.
L'homme ventru peinait à boutonner sa chemise.
C2 noun /ˈklɔɪstər/

cloister

cloître
Meaning
a covered walk in a convent, monastery, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.
Example
The monks walked silently through the cloister.
Les moines marchaient silencieusement à travers le cloître.
C2 noun /koʊˈæɡjələnt/

coagulant

coagulant
Meaning
a substance that causes blood or another liquid to clot
Example
The doctor applied a coagulant to stop the bleeding quickly.
Le médecin a appliqué un coagulant pour arrêter rapidement le saignement.
C2 noun /ˈsuːpsɒ̃/

soupcon

une petite quantité
Meaning
a very small quantity of something; a trace
Example
She added just a soupcon of spice to the dish.
Elle a ajouté juste une petite quantité d'épices au plat.
C2 noun /reɪθ/

wraith

spectre
Meaning
A ghost or ghostlike image of someone, especially seen shortly before or after their death.
Example
A wraith appeared in the fog near the old castle.
Un spectre est apparu dans le brouillard près du vieux château.
C2 adjective /prəˈtuːbərənt/

protuberant

proéminent
Meaning
Sticking out or bulging.
Example
His protuberant belly showed after the meal.
Son ventre proéminent est apparu après le repas.
C2 verb /ˈɑːbvieɪt/

obviate

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

non-combatant

non-combattant
Meaning
a person not engaged in fighting during a war, such as civilians or medical staff
Example
The Red Cross workers were treated as non-combatants in the conflict.
Les travailleurs de la Croix-Rouge ont été traités comme des non-combattants dans le conflit.
C2 noun /ˌfəʊ.təʊ.sen.sɪˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/

photosensitivity

sensibilité à la lumière
Meaning
Sensitivity to light, especially abnormal sensitivity that may cause discomfort or damage.
Example
Overrubbing can increase photosensitivity.
Un frottement excessif peut augmenter la sensibilité à la lumière.
C2 noun /ˈθrɛnədi/

threnody

threnodie, chant funèbre
Meaning
A song, poem, or speech of mourning for someone who has died; a lament.
Example
The poet composed a moving threnody for the fallen soldiers.
Le poète a composé une threnodie émouvante pour les soldats tombés.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪtriəs/

vitreous

vitreux
Meaning
having a glass-like appearance or quality
Example
The mineral has a vitreous shine.
Le minéral a un éclat vitreux.
C2 noun /ˌɪnsəˈrɛkʃən/

insurrection

insurrection
Meaning
A violent uprising against an authority or government.
Example
The army was called in to suppress the insurrection.
L'armée a été appelée pour réprimer l'insurrection.
C2 noun /ˈɪrɪɡənt/

irrigant

liquide d'irrigation
Meaning
A liquid used for irrigation, especially in medical or agricultural contexts.
Example
The doctor used a sterile irrigant during the procedure.
Le médecin a utilisé un irrigant stérile pendant la procédure.
C2 noun /ˌɪnˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/

incapability

incapacité
Meaning
lack of ability or power to do something; inability or incompetence
Example
His incapability to manage the team led to serious problems.
Son incapacité à gérer l’équipe a causé de graves problèmes.
C2 adjective /lɪˈbɪdənəs/

libidinous

lubrique
Meaning
Showing excessive sexual drive; lustful.
Example
The play was criticized for its libidinous characters.
La pièce a été critiquée pour ses personnages lubriques.
C2 noun /ˈpɪkəloʊ/

piccolo

petite flûte
Meaning
a small flute, higher in pitch than the regular flute
Example
She played a lively tune on the piccolo during the concert.
Elle a joué une mélodie vive sur le piccolo pendant le concert.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsɪpɪd/

insipid

insipide
Meaning
lacking flavor, interest, or excitement; dull
Example
The soup was insipid and needed more seasoning.
La soupe était insipide et avait besoin de plus d'assaisonnement.
C2 noun /ˈpɑr.bəl/

Parbal

courge pointue
Meaning
A green vegetable also known as pointed gourd, commonly used in South Asian cuisine
Example
Mother prepared parbal curry with fish.
Maman a préparé du curry de courge pointue avec du poisson.
C2 noun /ˈfænˌtæzəm/

phantasm

fantôme
Meaning
an illusion, ghost, or figment of the imagination
Example
The child claimed to see a phantasm in the old house.
L'enfant prétendait avoir vu un fantôme dans la vieille maison.
C2 adjective /səˈpʌlkrəl/

sepulchral

relatif à un tombeau, lugubre
Meaning
Relating to a tomb or burial; gloomy, dismal.
Example
The abandoned house had a sepulchral silence about it.
La maison abandonnée avait un silence sepulcral.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈkɑːdʒɪtənt/

incogitant

irréfléchi
Meaning
Lacking thought; inconsiderate or thoughtless.
Example
It was incogitant of him to make such a rude comment.
C'était incogitant de sa part de faire un commentaire aussi grossier.
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 verb /ˌɪntərˈpoʊz/

interpose

interposer
Meaning
To place or insert between one thing and another; to intervene in a situation.
Example
He quickly interposed himself between the fighters to stop the quarrel.
Il s'est rapidement interposé entre les combattants pour arrêter la querelle.
C2 noun /ˈlæŋɡər/

languor

langueur
Meaning
A state of tiredness, inertia, or dreamy relaxation.
Example
The hot afternoon filled her with languor.
L'après-midi chaud l'a remplie de langueur.
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 verb /ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːrt/

controvert

contredire
Meaning
to dispute or argue against; to contradict
Example
The scientist controversed the previous research findings.
Le scientifique a contredit les résultats de la recherche précédente.
C2 noun /əˌɡlɒməˈreɪʃən/

agglomeration

agglomération
Meaning
A mass or collection of things, sometimes clustered together.
Example
The city is an agglomeration of diverse cultures and communities.
La ville est une agglomération de cultures et de communautés diverses.
C2 adjective ɪnˈfiː.zə.bəl

infeasible

infaisable
Meaning
Not possible to do easily or conveniently; impracticable.
Example
Restoring the forest may become infeasible if destruction continues.
Restaurer la forêt peut devenir infaisable si la destruction continue.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

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

munificent

munificent
Meaning
extremely generous; giving freely and abundantly
Example
She made a munificent donation to the orphanage.
Elle a fait un don munificent à l'orphelinat.
C2 adjective /əˈsɜːrbɪk/

acerbic

acerbe
Meaning
sharp, harsh, or bitter in tone or taste
Example
His acerbic comments offended many people in the meeting.
Ses commentaires acerbes ont offensé de nombreuses personnes lors de la réunion.
C2 noun /əˈkriːʃən/

accretion

accrétion
Meaning
The process of growth or increase, typically by the gradual accumulation of additional layers or matter.
Example
The accretion of wealth allowed him to invest in various projects.
L'accrétion de richesse lui a permis d'investir dans divers projets.
C2 adverb /ˈvɛrɪli/

verily

véritablement
Meaning
truly; certainly; without a doubt
Example
Verily, I say unto you, this is the truth.
Véritablement, je vous le dis, c'est la vérité.
C2 verb /baɪd/

bide

attendre
Meaning
to wait patiently for the right time or opportunity
Example
He decided to bide his time before making a move.
Il a décidé d'attendre son moment avant de faire un mouvement.
C2 adjective /əbˈsiːkwɪəs/

obsequious

servile
Meaning
Excessively obedient or attentive in a servile way.
Example
The waiter gave an obsequious bow to every customer.
Le serveur fit une révérence servile à chaque client.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪst/

sophist

sophiste
Meaning
a person who uses clever but misleading arguments
Example
He was dismissed as a sophist who twisted facts to win debates.
Il a été rejeté comme un sophiste qui déformait les faits pour gagner des débats.
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 noun /ˌdɛspəˈrɑːdoʊ/

desperado

bandit
Meaning
A bold, reckless, or dangerous person, often a criminal.
Example
The sheriff was determined to capture the desperado who terrorized the town.
Le shérif était déterminé à capturer le bandit qui terrorisait la ville.
C2 adjective /ˈsteɪ.dʒi/

stagy

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

effectual

efficace
Meaning
producing a desired or intended effect, often used in formal contexts
Example
Her effectual efforts brought peace to the community.
Ses efforts efficaces ont apporté la paix à la communauté.
C2 adjective /vɛˈstɪdʒiəl/

vestigial

vestigial
Meaning
Relating to a small, undeveloped remnant of something that was once much larger or more functional.
Example
Humans have a vestigial tailbone that no longer serves its original purpose.
Les humains ont un os du coccyx vestigial qui ne remplit plus sa fonction d'origine.
C2 adverb /ˌpɛlˈmɛl/

pell-mell

de manière désordonnée
Meaning
In a confused, rushed, or disorderly manner.
Example
The children ran pell-mell through the playground.
Les enfants ont couru de manière désordonnée à travers la cour de récréation.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈeɪliənəbl/

inalienable

inaliénable
Meaning
Unable to be taken away or transferred; absolute and permanent.
Example
Freedom of speech is an inalienable right.
La liberté d'expression est un droit inaliénable.
C2 noun /ˈhænd ˌrɪŋɪŋ/

hand-wringing

inquiétude excessive
Meaning
excessive worry or concern expressed in a visible or dramatic way.
Example
There was much hand-wringing over the political crisis.
Il y avait beaucoup de gestes dramatiques à propos de la crise politique.
C2 noun /ˈhjuːməs/

humus

humus
Meaning
The dark, organic material in soil formed from decayed plants and animals.
Example
The gardener enriched the soil with humus to improve plant growth.
Le jardinier a enrichi le sol avec du humus pour améliorer la croissance des plantes.
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 noun /kaɪˈmɪərə/

chimera

chimère
Meaning
A mythical creature with parts from different animals; also used to mean a fanciful illusion or unattainable dream.
Example
The idea of a perfect society is often a chimera.
L'idée d'une société parfaite est souvent une chimère.
C2 verb /ɪˈfɛktʃueɪt/

effectuate

effectuer
Meaning
to put into force or cause to happen; to bring about
Example
The manager effectuated the changes to improve efficiency.
Le manager a effectué les changements pour améliorer l'efficacité.
C2 adjective /ˈsɜː.kəm.spekt/

circumspect

prudent, réfléchi, circonspect
Meaning
Wary and unwilling to take risks; careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences.
Example
Investors must be circumspect before making decisions.
Les investisseurs doivent être circonspects avant de prendre des décisions.
C2 adjective /ˈpɜːrviəs/

pervious

perméable
Meaning
Allowing water, air, or other substances to pass through; permeable.
Example
The soil here is pervious to rainwater.
Le sol ici est perméable à l'eau de pluie.
C2 verb /ˈɛmɪt/

emmet

fourmi
Meaning
an ant; a small insect
Example
The emmet carried food to its nest.
La fourmi a porté de la nourriture à son nid.
C2 verb /ˌriː.kəˈpɪtʃ.ə.leɪt/

recapitulate

récapituler
Meaning
To summarize and state again the main points of something.
Example
The teacher asked the student to recapitulate the lesson.
Le professeur a demandé à l'étudiant de récapituler la leçon.
C2 noun /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnɪzəm/

opportunism

opportunisme
Meaning
The practice of taking advantage of opportunities regardless of principles or ethics.
Example
His decision was driven by opportunism, not values.
Sa décision a été motivée par l'opportunisme, pas par des valeurs.
C2 adjective /ˈlæm.ən.tə.bəl/

lamentable

lamentable
Meaning
deserving to be criticized or regretted; unfortunate
Example
The team’s lamentable performance disappointed their fans.
La performance lamentable de l'équipe a déçu ses fans.
C2 noun /ˈkɜːrtʃɪf/

kerchief

foulard
Meaning
a piece of cloth worn around the head or neck
Example
She wore a red kerchief on her head.
Elle portait un foulard rouge sur la tête.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɒnəmi/

physiognomy

étude des traits du visage
Meaning
the study of facial features to judge character or personality
Example
He believed in physiognomy and tried to read people's personalities from their faces.
Il croyait à la physiognomonie et essayait de lire la personnalité des gens à partir de leurs visages.
C2 noun /ˈhɑːr.bɪn.dʒər/

Harbinger

présage
Meaning
a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another; a forerunner of something
Example
The first robin of spring is often considered a harbinger of warmer weather to come.
Le premier rouge-gorge du printemps est souvent considéré comme un présage d'un temps plus chaud à venir.
C2 adjective /ˌkɒnsæŋˈɡwɪniəs/

consanguineous

consanguin
Meaning
Related by blood; descended from the same ancestor.
Example
The study focused on genetic disorders in consanguineous families.
L'étude s'est concentrée sur les troubles génétiques dans les familles consanguines.
C2 verb /ˈmɔːndər/

maunder

parler de manière incohérente
Meaning
To speak or move aimlessly and incoherently.
Example
He maundered on about his old memories.
Il parlait de manière incohérente de ses vieux souvenirs.
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 noun /ˈmʌrɪn/

murrain

maladie infectieuse du bétail
Meaning
An infectious disease that affects cattle and other animals, often fatal.
Example
The farmer lost many cows during the outbreak of murrain.
Le fermier a perdu de nombreuses vaches lors de l'épidémie de murrain.
C2 noun /ˌluː.mɪˈnɛs.əns/

luminescence

luminescence
Meaning
The emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat; a type of cold light.
Example
The luminescence of the fireflies lit up the forest.
La luminescence des lucioles a éclairé la forêt.
C2 noun /ˈwɒntənnəs/

wantonness

méchanceté gratuite
Meaning
The quality of being reckless, cruel, or deliberately malicious.
Example
His wantonness shocked everyone at the gathering.
Sa méchanceté gratuite a choqué tout le monde à la réunion.
C2 noun /juːˈkeɪs/

ukase

décret
Meaning
An authoritative decree or order, especially one issued by a sovereign or government.
Example
The czar issued a ukase restricting the freedom of the press.
Le tsar a émis un décret restreignant la liberté de la presse.