dregs
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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 noun /kəmˈpleɪsəns/

complaisance

complaisance
Meaning
willingness to please others; courteous compliance
Example
Her complaisance made her popular among her colleagues.
Sa complaisance l'a rendue populaire parmi ses collègues.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsaɪfər/

encipher

convertir un message en code ou en chiffre
Meaning
to convert a message into code or cipher
Example
The agent enciphered the secret message before sending it.
L'agent a chiffré le message secret avant de l'envoyer.
C2 adjective /ˈfraʊzi/

frowsy

négligé
Meaning
Scruffy and neglected in appearance; musty or stale in smell.
Example
He wore a frowsy old jacket that smelled of damp.
Il portait une veste négligée et vieille qui sentait l'humidité.
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 verb /bɪˈfuːl/

befool

tromper
Meaning
to deceive or trick someone into believing something false; to make someone appear foolish
Example
The scammer tried to befool innocent people with fake promises.
L'escroc a essayé de tromper des personnes innocentes avec de fausses promesses.
C2 adjective /ˈhɔːrtətɪv/

hortative

hortatoire
Meaning
Giving strong encouragement or urging.
Example
The teacher gave a hortative speech to motivate the students before the exam.
Le professeur a prononcé un discours hortatoire pour motiver les élèves avant l'examen.
C2 adjective /ˈkɔːpjʊlənt/

corpulent

corpulent, obèse
Meaning
fat or obese; having a large bulky body
Example
The corpulent man struggled to fit into the small chair.
L'homme corpulent avait du mal à tenir dans la petite chaise.
C2 verb /ˈvɪvɪfaɪ/

vivify

vivifier
Meaning
to give life or energy to something; to animate or enliven
Example
The teacher’s enthusiasm helped vivify the boring lecture.
L'enthousiasme du professeur a aidé à vivifier la conférence ennuyeuse.
C2 noun /ˌmɪsˈruːl/

misrule

mauvaise gouvernance
Meaning
bad or poor governance
Example
The kingdom suffered for decades under misrule.
Le royaume a souffert pendant des décennies sous la mauvaise gouvernance.
C2 noun /ˈprɪvɪti/

privity

relation privée, relation contractuelle
Meaning
A close, private, or special relationship; in law, the direct connection between parties to a contract.
Example
There was no privity of contract between the supplier and the customer.
Il n'y avait pas de relation contractuelle entre le fournisseur et le client.
C2 noun /ˈsteɪsɪs/ or /ˈstæsɪs/

stasis

stase
Meaning
A state of inactivity or equilibrium; a situation where nothing changes.
Example
The negotiations reached a state of stasis with no progress made.
Les négociations ont atteint un état de stase sans progrès.
C2 noun /ˈʃʊərəti/

surety

caution
Meaning
a person who takes responsibility for another's performance of an undertaking, such as appearing in court or paying a debt
Example
The landlord required a surety before renting the apartment.
Le propriétaire a exigé une caution avant de louer l'appartement.
C2 noun /məˈræs/

morass

situation compliquée
Meaning
A complicated or confused situation; a swampy or boggy ground.
Example
The project got stuck in a bureaucratic morass.
Le projet est coincé dans un marasme bureaucratique.
C2 adjective /kəˈkɒfənəs/

cacophonous

cacophonique
Meaning
Producing a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
Example
The cacophonous sounds of the city kept her awake all night.
Les bruits cacophoniques de la ville l'ont empêchée de dormir toute la nuit.
C2 noun /kəˈlɒsəs/

colossus

colosse
Meaning
A person or thing of enormous size, importance, or ability.
Example
Einstein was a colossus in the world of science.
Einstein était un colosse dans le monde de la science.
C2 noun /ˈslæt.ən/

slattern

femme négligée
Meaning
a woman who is untidy or slovenly in appearance or habits
Example
The house looked as if a slattern lived there.
La maison avait l'air d'avoir une femme négligée qui y vivait.
C2 adjective /ˈstɜːr.tər.əs/

stertorous

ronflement bruyant
Meaning
Characterized by heavy snoring or breathing.
Example
The patient’s stertorous breathing alarmed the nurses.
La respiration stertoreuse du patient a alarmé les infirmières.
C2 noun /hɪˈdʒɛməni/ or /ˈhɛdʒəmoʊni/

hegemony

hégémonie
Meaning
leadership or dominance, especially by one state or group over others
Example
The empire maintained its hegemony over neighboring states.
L'empire a maintenu sa hégémonie sur les états voisins.
C2 noun /ˈænθrəsaɪt/

anthracite

charbon anthracite
Meaning
A hard, shiny form of coal that burns with little smoke and a high heat value.
Example
The factory used anthracite as its primary fuel source.
L'usine utilisait de l'anthracite comme source principale de combustible.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈsʌlid/

unsullied

immaculé
Meaning
not spoiled or made impure; perfectly clean or pure
Example
His reputation remained unsullied despite the accusations.
Sa réputation est restée immaculée malgré les accusations.
C2 noun /ˈbaɪəˌɡræf/

biograph

biographie
Meaning
A written account of a person's life; an early motion-picture projector (historical use).
Example
The library holds an old biograph of the poet.
La bibliothèque possède une ancienne biographie du poète.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtərdʒi/

liturgy

liturgie
Meaning
A form or formulary according to which public religious worship is conducted.
Example
The priest followed the liturgy during the Sunday mass.
Le prêtre a suivi la liturgie pendant la messe du dimanche.
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 /ˈpɔːrfəri/

porphyry

une roche ignée dure
Meaning
A hard igneous rock containing crystals, often used for decorative or building purposes.
Example
The ancient Romans used porphyry to make columns and statues.
Les anciens Romains ont utilisé le porphyre pour fabriquer des colonnes et des statues.
C2 noun /səˈɡæs.ə.t̬i/

sagacity

sagesse profonde
Meaning
The quality of being sagacious; having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment.
Example
His sagacity made him a great leader.
Sa sagacité faisait de lui un grand leader.
C2 verb /ɪkˈspɛktəreɪt/

expectorate

expectoré
Meaning
to cough up and spit out mucus from the throat or lungs
Example
The patient began to expectorate thick mucus.
Le patient a commencé à expectorer des mucosités épaisses.
C2 verb /əˈmælɡəmeɪt/

amalgamate

fusionner
Meaning
to combine or unite to form one organization or structure; to merge
Example
The two companies decided to amalgamate their operations.
Les deux entreprises ont décidé de fusionner leurs opérations.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈkoʊətɪv/

inchoative

inchoatif
Meaning
relating to the beginning of something; in an initial stage
Example
The poet used inchoative expressions to depict the dawn of creation.
Le poète a utilisé des expressions inchoatives pour décrire l'aube de la création.
C2 noun /ˈkoʊdə/

coda

coda
Meaning
the concluding passage of a piece of music or a literary work
Example
The novel ends with a reflective coda that ties up the themes.
Le roman se termine par une coda réfléchie qui relie les thèmes.
C2 noun /ˈænti/

ante

mise initiale dans un jeu
Meaning
a stake put up by a player in poker or similar games before receiving cards; also used figuratively to mean an initial investment or contribution
Example
Each player placed an ante before the game began.
Chaque joueur a mis un ante avant que le jeu commence.
C2 verb /bɪˈsmɜːrtʃ/

besmirch

ternir
Meaning
to damage someone's reputation; to make dirty or stained
Example
He tried to besmirch her good name with false rumors.
Il a essayé de ternir son bon nom avec de fausses rumeurs.
C2 noun /fækˈsɪmɪli/

facsimile

copie
Meaning
an exact copy or reproduction of a document
Example
He sent a facsimile of the contract to the client.
Il a envoyé une copie du contrat au client.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈspɛərɪŋ/

unsparing

implacable
Meaning
Showing no mercy or generosity; harsh or severe.
Example
The critic was unsparing in his review of the play.
Le critique était implacable dans sa critique de la pièce.
C2 noun /ˈhaɪərlɪŋ/

hireling

mercenaire
Meaning
A person who works for payment only, often with little loyalty or principle.
Example
The mercenary was dismissed as just a hireling with no real loyalty.
Le mercenaire a été renvoyé en tant que simple hireling sans véritable loyauté.
C2 noun /ˈmaʊntɪˌbæŋk/

mountebank

charlatan
Meaning
A charlatan or trickster who deceives others, often for personal gain.
Example
The crowd was fooled by the mountebank’s false promises.
La foule a été trompée par les fausses promesses du charlatan.
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 /ˈfeɪ.tə.lɪ.zəm/

fatalism

fatalisme
Meaning
the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable
Example
He embraced fatalism, believing that nothing he did could change his destiny.
Il a adopté le fatalisme, croyant que rien de ce qu'il faisait ne pouvait changer son destin.
C2 noun /ˌhɛtərəʤəˈniːɪti/

heterogeneity

hétérogénéité
Meaning
the quality or state of being diverse in character or content
Example
The cultural heterogeneity of the city makes it vibrant and unique.
La hétérogénéité culturelle de la ville la rend vivante et unique.
C2 noun /ˈpɛntəˌɡræm/

pentagram

pentagramme
Meaning
A five-pointed star often used as a symbol in magic, mysticism, or religion.
Example
The wizard drew a pentagram on the floor as part of the ritual.
Le magicien a tracé un pentagramme sur le sol dans le cadre du rituel.
C2 adjective /pəˈrɛmptəri/

peremptory

péremptoire
Meaning
Insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a commanding way.
Example
The officer gave a peremptory order to evacuate the building.
L'officier a donné un ordre péremptoire d'évacuer le bâtiment.
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 /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 adjective /splɪˈnɛtɪk/

splenetic

irritable, colérique
Meaning
bad-tempered, irritable, spiteful
Example
His splenetic remarks offended everyone in the room.
Ses remarques colériques ont offensé tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 adjective əˈdrɔɪt

adroit

habile, astucieux, adroit
Meaning
clever or skillful in using the hands or mind.
Example
She is adroit at solving complex problems.
Elle est habile à résoudre des problèmes complexes.
C2 noun /kəmˈpɒz.ɪ.tər/

Compositor

compositeur
Meaning
a person who arranges type for printing or creates musical compositions
Example
The compositor carefully arranged the text for the newspaper.
Le compositeur a soigneusement organisé le texte pour le journal.
C2 verb /preɪt/

prate

bavarder de manière insensée
Meaning
to talk foolishly or at tedious length about something
Example
He would prate endlessly about his minor achievements.
Il parlait sans fin de ses petites réussites.
C2 verb /ˈbækbaɪt/

backbite

médire
Meaning
to speak negatively about someone who is not present; to slander behind someone’s back
Example
It is wrong to backbite your colleagues behind their backs.
Il est mal de médire de ses collègues en leur absence.
C2 adjective /luːˈɡuːbriəs/

lugubrious

lugubre
Meaning
looking or sounding sad and dismal
Example
His lugubrious expression made everyone feel uneasy.
Son expression lugubre a mis tout le monde mal à l'aise.
C2 noun /sneɪk ɡɔːrd/

Snake gourd

courge serpent
Meaning
a long, curved vegetable that resembles a snake, commonly used in South Asian cuisine
Example
The snake gourd grows in a twisted, serpentine shape in the garden.
La courge serpent pousse dans une forme tordue et serpentine dans le jardin.
C2 noun /ˈdɛvɪltrɪ/

deviltry

mauvais tours
Meaning
Cruel or malicious behavior; mischief with an evil aspect.
Example
The villain’s deviltry terrified the townsfolk.
Les mauvais tours du méchant ont terrifié les habitants du village.
C2 verb /ˈsʌn.dər/

sunder

séparer
Meaning
To split apart or separate, especially with force.
Example
The war sundered families and friends.
La guerre a séparé des familles et des amis.
C2 adjective /rɪˈfjuː.tə.bəl/

Refutable

réfutable
Meaning
capable of being proven wrong or false; able to be disproved
Example
His theory was refutable because it could be tested experimentally.
Sa théorie était réfutable car elle pouvait être testée expérimentalement.
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 /ˌrɒŋˈhɛd.ɪd/

wrongheaded

à l'esprit tordu
Meaning
Having or showing bad judgment or stubbornly holding to wrong ideas.
Example
The policy was considered wrongheaded and harmful.
La politique a été considérée comme ayant l'esprit tordu et nuisible.
C2 adjective /əˈluːviəl/

alluvial

alluvial
Meaning
Relating to or derived from alluvium (loose soil or sediment deposited by rivers).
Example
The farmers cultivate crops on the fertile alluvial plains.
Les agriculteurs cultivent des cultures sur les plaines alluviales fertiles.
C2 noun /ˈpɒliˌɑːrki/

polyarchy

polyarchie
Meaning
government by many people
Example
Polyarchy allows multiple parties to share power.
La polyarchie permet à plusieurs partis de partager le pouvoir.
C2 noun /klɛərˈvɔɪəns/

clairvoyance

clairvoyance
Meaning
the supposed ability to perceive events beyond normal sensory contact; psychic insight
Example
She claimed to have clairvoyance and predicted the future.
Elle a prétendu avoir de la clairvoyance et a prédit l'avenir.
C2 noun /pəˈlæv.ər/

palaver

discussion inutile / agitation
Meaning
prolonged and idle discussion; fuss or unnecessary talk
Example
After much palaver, they finally agreed on the plan.
Après beaucoup de discussion inutile, ils ont finalement accepté le plan.
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 /ˌʃæŋɡriˈlɑː/

shangri-la

paradis imaginaire
Meaning
a remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life is perfect and peaceful
Example
They described the island as a modern-day Shangri-La.
Ils ont décrit l'île comme un Shangri-La moderne.
C2 adjective /ˌʌltrəˈmɒnteɪn/

ultramontane

partisan du Pape
Meaning
beyond the mountains, especially referring to support for the Pope over local church authority
Example
The debate highlighted the ultramontane position in church politics.
Le débat a mis en lumière la position ultramontaine dans la politique ecclésiastique.
C2 adjective /ˈklɛmənt/

clement

clément / doux
Meaning
mild or merciful; describing weather as mild and pleasant
Example
The prisoners hoped for a clement judge.
Les prisonniers espéraient un juge clément.
C2 noun /lænˈtɑː.nə/

Lantana

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

efflorescent

florissant
Meaning
in the process of blooming or flourishing
Example
The efflorescent trees made the park look beautiful.
Les arbres florissants ont rendu le parc magnifique.
C2 noun /dɜːrdʒ/

dirge

élégie
Meaning
A mournful song, piece of music, or poem expressing grief, often for the dead.
Example
The choir sang a solemn dirge at the funeral.
La chorale a chanté une élégie solennelle lors des funérailles.
C2 noun /kəˈræf/

carafe

carafe en verre
Meaning
a glass container without handles used for serving drinks like water or wine
Example
The waiter brought a carafe of water to the table.
Le serveur a apporté une carafe d'eau à la table.
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 noun /ræŋˈɡuːn ˈkriːpər/

Rangoon creeper

Rangoon creeper
Meaning
A climbing vine with fragrant flowers that change color from white to pink to red
Example
The Rangoon creeper covered the entire fence with its sweet-smelling flowers.
Le Rangoon creeper a couvert toute la clôture avec ses fleurs parfumées.
C2 noun /hɜːrs/

Hearse

voiture funéraire;
Meaning
a vehicle for conveying the coffin at a funeral; a funeral car
Example
The black hearse slowly made its way to the cemetery, followed by a procession of mourners.
Le corbillard noir s'est lentement dirigé vers le cimetière, suivi par une procession de personnes en deuil.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːrfɪt/

surfeit

excès
Meaning
an excessive amount of something
Example
There was a surfeit of food at the festival.
Il y avait un excès de nourriture au festival.
C2 adjective /ˈmjuːtɪnəs/

mutinous

mutin
Meaning
refusing to obey authority; rebellious
Example
The soldiers grew mutinous after months without pay.
Les soldats sont devenus mutins après des mois sans salaire.
C2 noun /baɪt/

bight

courbure
Meaning
A bend or curve in a geographical feature, especially a coastline, or a loop in a rope.
Example
The sailors anchored in the calm waters of the bight.
Les marins ont jeté l'ancre dans les eaux calmes de la courbure.
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 /ʌnˈtɛmpərd/

untempered

non tempéré
Meaning
not moderated or softened; lacking proper balance or control
Example
The untempered anger of the crowd caused chaos.
La colère non tempérée de la foule a provoqué le chaos.
C2 adjective /ɡlɪb/

glib

superficiel mais insincère
Meaning
speaking easily but without sincerity or depth
Example
The politician gave a glib answer to a serious question.
Le politicien a donné une réponse superficielle à une question sérieuse.
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 noun /ˈtælən/

talon

griffe
Meaning
A claw, especially one belonging to a bird of prey.
Example
The eagle gripped the fish with its sharp talons.
L'aigle a saisi le poisson avec ses griffes acérées.
C2 noun /ˌɑːrtʃˈdiːkən/

archdeacon

archidiacre
Meaning
A senior clergyman in the Christian Church ranking below a bishop.
Example
The archdeacon assisted the bishop in administrative duties.
L'archidiacre a aidé l'évêque dans les tâches administratives.
C2 adjective /trænsˈfjuːzəbl̩/

transfusible

transfusible
Meaning
capable of being transfused, especially referring to blood or fluids
Example
Only transfusible blood types are used in the hospital.
Seuls les groupes sanguins transfusibles sont utilisés à l'hôpital.
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 verb /bɪˈfaʊl/

befoul

souiller
Meaning
to make dirty or polluted; to disgrace or corrupt
Example
The factory waste befouled the river.
Les déchets de l’usine ont souillé la rivière.
C2 noun /ˌɪmpəˈtjuːəsəti/

impetuosity

impétuosité
Meaning
The quality of being rash or impulsive.
Example
His impetuosity often got him into trouble.
Son impétuosité le mettait souvent dans des ennuis.
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 /pɪks/

pyx

petit récipient pour conserver l'hostie consacrée
Meaning
a small container, often used in Christian liturgy to carry the consecrated host
Example
The priest placed the consecrated host into the pyx before visiting the sick.
Le prêtre a placé l'hostie consacrée dans le pyx avant de rendre visite aux malades.
C2 verb /bɪˈstruː/

bestrew

répandre
Meaning
To scatter or cover something with objects or substances.
Example
The ground was bestrewn with autumn leaves.
Le sol était couvert de feuilles d'automne.
C2 adjective /rɪˈflɛksəbl/

reflexible

réfléchissable
Meaning
Capable of being reflected or bent back.
Example
The surface was highly reflexible, bouncing light in different directions.
La surface était très réfléchissable, renvoyant la lumière dans différentes directions.
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 noun /ˈtɛsteɪtər/

testator

testateur
Meaning
a person who has made a will
Example
The lawyer read the will of the deceased testator.
L'avocat a lu le testament du testateur décédé.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːrbərɪzəm/

Barbarism

barbarie
Meaning
extreme cruelty or brutality; absence of culture and civilization
Example
The barbarism of the war crimes shocked the entire international community.
Le barbarisme des crimes de guerre a choqué la communauté internationale.
C2 adjective /æbˈhɔːr.ənt/

Abhorrent

abominable; détestable
Meaning
extremely unpleasant and causing disgust; detestable
Example
The idea of animal cruelty is abhorrent to most people.
L'idée de la cruauté animale est abominable pour la plupart des gens.
C2 adjective /ˈnjuː.mər.ə.bəl/

Numerable

comptable; numérable
Meaning
capable of being counted; countable
Example
The stars in the sky are not numerable.
Les étoiles dans le ciel ne sont pas numérables.
C2 adjective /ˈrɛpərəbəl/

reparable

réparable
Meaning
able to be repaired or fixed
Example
The damage to the car was serious but still reparable.
Les dommages à la voiture étaient graves mais encore réparables.
C2 adjective ˌpɜː.spɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs

perspicacious

perspicace
Meaning
Having keen insight and understanding; showing acute mental discernment.
Example
The detective's perspicacious nature helped solve the mystery.
La nature perspicace du détective a aidé à résoudre le mystère.
C2 adjective /trænzˈmɪsəbl/

transmissible

transmissible
Meaning
able to be passed or spread from one person or thing to another
Example
COVID-19 is a highly transmissible disease.
COVID-19 est une maladie hautement transmissible.
C2 adjective /sɪˈdɪʃəs/

seditious

séditieux
Meaning
Encouraging rebellion against authority.
Example
The activist spread seditious pamphlets among the crowd.
L'activiste a distribué des tracts séditieux parmi la foule.
C2 noun /ˈpɛd.ən.tri/

pedantry

préoccupation excessive pour les détails ou les règles mineures
Meaning
Excessive concern with minor details or rules.
Example
His pedantry made the meeting unnecessarily long.
Sa pédanterie a rendu la réunion inutilement longue.
C2 adjective ˈɛr.jʊ.daɪt

erudite

érudit ou savant
Meaning
Having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarly and intellectual.
Example
The professor's erudite lecture fascinated the students.
Le discours érudit du professeur a fasciné les étudiants.
C2 noun /ˈspuːnərɪzəm/

spoonerism

spounérisme
Meaning
A verbal error in which the initial sounds of words are swapped to create a humorous effect.
Example
He made a spoonerism by saying 'queer old dean' instead of 'dear old queen'.
Il a fait un spounérisme en disant 'vieux doyen bizarre' au lieu de 'vieille reine chère'.
C2 noun /ˌɪnədˈvɜːrtəns/

inadvertence

inadvertance
Meaning
Failure to pay attention; carelessness.
Example
The error happened through sheer inadvertence.
L'erreur est survenue par pure inadvertance.
C2 noun /ˌtrænsfəˈriː/

transferee

cessionnaire
Meaning
A person to whom a right, property, or responsibility is transferred.
Example
The transferee must sign the contract before taking ownership.
Le cessionnaire doit signer le contrat avant de prendre possession.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːbəl/

bauble

bibelot
Meaning
A small, decorative trinket or ornament, often of little value.
Example
She wore a shiny bauble around her neck.
Elle portait un bibelot brillant autour de son cou.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪndɪkeɪtɪv/

vindicative

vindicatif
Meaning
showing a tendency to vindicate or justify; inclined to defend
Example
Her vindicative tone showed that she strongly believed in her innocence.
Son ton vindicatif montrait qu'elle croyait fermement en son innocence.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪb.ɪt/

Gibbet

potence
Meaning
a gallows for hanging criminals; an upright post with a projecting arm for hanging the bodies of criminals
Example
In medieval times, criminals were often executed on a gibbet as a public warning.
Au Moyen Âge, les criminels étaient souvent exécutés sur une potence comme avertissement public.
C2 adjective /ɪnhɑːrˈmoʊniəs/

Inharmonious

inharmonieux
Meaning
lacking harmony; discordant in sound; not in tune
Example
The inharmonious sounds from the broken piano made everyone cover their ears.
Les sons inharmonieux du piano cassé ont obligé tout le monde à se couvrir les oreilles.
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 /ˈtaɪtwɒd/

tightwad

avare
Meaning
a person who is unwilling to spend money; a miser
Example
Everyone calls him a tightwad because he never buys gifts.
Tout le monde l'appelle avare parce qu'il n'achète jamais de cadeaux.
C2 adjective /tʃəˈruːbɪk/

cherubic

angélique
Meaning
Innocent, sweet, and angelic, like a cherub.
Example
The baby had a cherubic smile that melted everyone’s heart.
Le bébé avait un sourire angélique qui faisait fondre le cœur de tout le monde.
C2 adjective /ˈfrɒlɪksəm/

Frolicsome

enjoué; joyeux; gai
Meaning
joyful; playful; merry; cheerful
Example
The frolicsome children laughed and played in the park.
Les enfants joyeux riaient et jouaient dans le parc.
C2 noun /ˌluːkjʊˈbreɪʃən/

lucubration

étude nocturne
Meaning
study or meditation, especially at night
Example
His novel was the result of long lucubration.
Son roman était le résultat de longues études nocturnes.
C2 noun /nɪb/

nib

pointe de stylo
Meaning
the pointed end of a pen used for writing or drawing
Example
He dipped the nib into the ink before writing.
Il a plongé la pointe du stylo dans l'encre avant d'écrire.
C2 adjective /ˌhɪstriˈɒnɪk/

histrionic

excessivement dramatique
Meaning
Overly dramatic or theatrical in behavior or style.
Example
Her histrionic reaction to the small problem surprised everyone.
Sa réaction histrionique au petit problème a surpris tout le monde.
C2 verb /bɪˈweɪl/

bewail

déplorer
Meaning
to express deep sorrow or regret over something; to mourn openly
Example
She bewailed the loss of her childhood home.
Elle a déploré la perte de sa maison d’enfance.
C2 noun /ˈpætrɪˌmoʊni/

patrimony

patrimoine
Meaning
Property or inheritance passed down from one's father or ancestors.
Example
The castle was part of his patrimony from his noble ancestors.
Le château faisait partie de son patrimoine provenant de ses ancêtres nobles.
C2 noun /ləˈdʒɪʃən/

logician

logicien
Meaning
A person skilled in logic and reasoning.
Example
Aristotle is considered one of the greatest logicians in history.
Aristote est considéré comme l'un des plus grands logiciens de l'histoire.
C2 noun /ˈkuː.li/

Cooly

coolie
Meaning
a laborer who does physical work for wages
Example
The cooly carried heavy bags at the railway station.
Le coolie portait des sacs lourds à la gare.
C2 verb /ˈvɪtrɪfaɪ/

vitrify

transformer en verre
Meaning
to turn into glass or a glass-like substance by heat
Example
Sand can vitrify under intense heat.
Le sable peut se transformer en verre sous une chaleur intense.
C2 noun /əˈstɪɡmətɪzəm/

astigmatism

astigmatisme
Meaning
An eye defect causing blurred vision due to irregular curvature of the cornea or lens.
Example
She wears glasses to correct her astigmatism.
Elle porte des lunettes pour corriger son astigmatisme.
C2 adjective /ˈtaɪmwɔːrn/

timeworn

usé par le temps
Meaning
Worn or impaired by age; old and used many times.
Example
The timeworn house carried a sense of history and nostalgia.
La maison usée par le temps portait un sens de l'histoire et de la nostalgie.
C2 verb /trænzˈmjuːt/

transmute

transmuter
Meaning
to change in form, nature, or substance
Example
Alchemy aimed to transmute lead into gold.
L'alchimie cherchait à transmuter le plomb en or.
C2 verb /ˌriːkruːˈdɛs/

recrudesce

récruder
Meaning
to break out or appear again after a period of dormancy or decline
Example
After months of calm, violence recrudesced in the region.
Après des mois de calme, la violence a recrudé dans la région.