hortative
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 /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 noun /hʊˈzɑːr/

hussar

hussard
Meaning
a member of a light cavalry regiment in European armies, especially the Hungarian cavalry
Example
The hussar rode swiftly across the battlefield.
Le hussard a chevauché rapidement à travers le champ de bataille.
C2 adjective/noun /haɪˈbɜːrniən/

hibernian

hibernien
Meaning
Relating to Ireland or the Irish.
Example
He enjoyed reading about Hibernian culture and history.
Il a aimé lire sur la culture et l'histoire hibernienne.
C2 adjective /həˈmɑː.lə.ɡəs/

homologous

homologue (structure)
Meaning
Having the same relation, relative position, or structure, especially due to evolutionary origin.
Example
The wings of bats and the arms of humans are homologous structures.
Les ailes des chauves-souris et les bras des humains sont des structures homologues.
C2 noun /ˈhʌstɪŋz/

hustings

campagne électorale
Meaning
the political campaigning and speeches before an election
Example
The candidate gained popularity during the hustings.
Le candidat a gagné en popularité pendant la campagne électorale.
C2 noun /ˈhɒdʒ.pɒdʒ/

hodgepodge

mélange confus
Meaning
A confusing mixture of different things; a jumble.
Example
The essay was a hodgepodge of unrelated ideas.
L'essai était un mélange confus d'idées non liées.
C2 noun /hɑrˈmoʊniəm/

Harmonium

harmonium
Meaning
a keyboard musical instrument similar to an organ, using air to produce sound
Example
She played devotional songs on the harmonium at the temple.
Elle jouait des chants dévotionnels sur l'harmonium au temple.
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 /ˌhæŋ.ər ˈɒn/

hanger-on

accro
Meaning
a person who spends time with a powerful or famous person to gain benefits.
Example
The celebrity was always surrounded by hangers-on.
La célébrité était toujours entourée d'accros.
C2 noun /ˌhaɪdroʊˈfoʊbiə/

hydrophobia

hydrophobie
Meaning
Extreme or irrational fear of water; historically, another name for rabies.
Example
After being bitten by a stray dog, the man was treated for hydrophobia.
Après avoir été mordu par un chien errant, l'homme a été traité pour l'hydrophobie.
C2 noun phrase /ˌhjuː ən ˈkraɪ/

hue and cry

cris de protestation
Meaning
A loud public outcry or protest, often demanding action.
Example
There was a hue and cry over the new policy changes.
Il y a eu un grand cri de protestation suite aux nouveaux changements de politique.
C2 adjective /ˌhæfˈhɑːr.tɪd/

halfhearted

démotivé
Meaning
lacking enthusiasm or determination; unenthusiastic
Example
His halfhearted attempt to study did not bring good results.
Son essai démotivé pour étudier n'a pas donné de bons résultats.
C2 noun /ˌhaɪdrəˈstætɪks/

hydrostatics

hydrostatique
Meaning
The branch of science concerned with the mechanical properties of fluids at rest.
Example
Hydrostatics is essential in understanding how dams and reservoirs function.
L'hydrostatique est essentielle pour comprendre comment fonctionnent les barrages et les réservoirs.
C2 noun /haɪˈdrɒmɪtər/

hydrometer

hydromètre
Meaning
An instrument used to measure the density or specific gravity of liquids.
Example
The brewer used a hydrometer to test the sugar content of the solution.
Le brasseur a utilisé un hydromètre pour tester la teneur en sucre de la solution.
C2 noun /ˌhaɪpəkəˈnektɪvɪti/

hyperconnectivity

hyperconnectivité
Meaning
The state of being extensively connected to other people, places, information, etc., through digital technology.
Example
Hyperconnectivity has changed the dynamics of human interaction.
La hyperconnectivité a changé la dynamique de l'interaction humaine.
C2 verb /ˈhæloʊ/

hallow

sanctifier
Meaning
to honor as holy; to make sacred or greatly respected
Example
The ancient temple was hallowed by centuries of worship.
L'ancien temple a été sanctifié par des siècles de dévotion.
C2 noun /ˈhaɪdrə/

hydra

hydre
Meaning
a many-headed serpent in Greek mythology; a problem that seems to grow worse when attempts are made to solve it
Example
Corruption is like a hydra, hard to defeat completely.
La corruption est comme une hydre, difficile à vaincre complètement.
C2 adjective /ˈhiːðənɪʃ/

heathenish

barbare
Meaning
Lacking culture or religion; barbaric or uncivilized.
Example
They considered the ancient tribe’s rituals heathenish.
Ils considéraient les rituels de la tribu ancienne comme païens.
C2 verb (past tense, past participle), adjective /ˈhæmstrʌŋ/

hamstrung

paralysé ou limité
Meaning
crippled or severely restricted in movement or progress.
Example
The team was hamstrung by lack of resources.
L'équipe était limitée par un manque de ressources.
C2 verb /ˈhɜːrtl/

hurtle

se précipiter
Meaning
To move or cause to move at great speed, often in a dangerous way.
Example
The car hurtled down the mountain road.
La voiture dévalait la route de montagne à grande vitesse.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪdrəs/

hydrous

hydraté
Meaning
Containing water, especially water of crystallization.
Example
The mineral is hydrous because it contains water molecules in its structure.
Le minéral est hydraté car il contient des molécules d'eau dans sa structure.
C2 verb /ˈhɑːrkən/

hearken

écouter attentivement
Meaning
To listen attentively; to give heed.
Example
He would hearken to his mentor’s advice before making decisions.
Il écouterait attentivement les conseils de son mentor avant de prendre des décisions.
C2 adjective /həˈrɛtɪkəl/

heretical

hérétique
Meaning
Relating to or characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards, especially in religion.
Example
The priest condemned the book as heretical.
Le prêtre a condamné le livre comme hérétique.
C2 verb /ˈhɛnˌpɛk/

henpeck

être constamment critiqué ou dominé par son épouse
Meaning
To continually criticize, nag, or dominate (especially a husband).
Example
He felt henpecked by his overly controlling wife.
Il se sentait constamment critiqué par sa femme dominante.
C2 adjective /ˈhʌmdrʌm/

humdrum

monotone
Meaning
Lacking excitement or variety; dull and monotonous.
Example
She grew tired of the humdrum routine of office life.
Elle en avait marre de la routine monotone de la vie de bureau.
C2 adjective /hɪk/

Hick

plouc; paysan
Meaning
unsophisticated person from a rural area; country bumpkin
Example
He had a hick accent from growing up in a small town.
Il avait un accent de plouc parce qu'il avait grandi dans un petit village.
C2 noun /ˈhen.ə/

Henna

henné
Meaning
a reddish-brown dye made from the powdered leaves of a tropical shrub, used to color hair and decorate skin
Example
The bride's hands were beautifully decorated with intricate henna patterns for her wedding ceremony.
Les mains de la mariée étaient magnifiquement décorées de motifs complexes de henné pour sa cérémonie de mariage.
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 noun /ˈhæbɪtənt/

habitant

habitant
Meaning
An inhabitant; a person or animal that lives in a particular place.
Example
The habitants of the village were friendly and welcoming.
Les habitants du village étaient amicaux et accueillants.
C2 noun /ˌhaɪpəˈkɒndrɪæk/

hypochondriac

hypocondriaque
Meaning
a person who is excessively worried about having a serious illness
Example
She is a hypochondriac who visits the doctor every week.
Elle est une hypocondriaque qui consulte le médecin chaque semaine.
C2 noun /ˈhɛptəˌɡɒn/

heptagon

héptagone
Meaning
A polygon with seven sides and seven angles.
Example
The math teacher drew a heptagon on the board.
Le professeur de mathématiques a dessiné un héptagone au tableau.
C2 adjective /ˌhɑːrdˈbɪtn̩/

hard-bitten

endurci et expérimenté
Meaning
tough and experienced, not easily affected by emotions or hardship
Example
The hard-bitten detective showed no sign of surprise at the crime scene.
Le détective expérimenté n'a montré aucun signe de surprise sur la scène du crime.
C2 noun /ˈhaʊsˌbreɪkɪŋ/

housebreaking

infraction de domicile
Meaning
the crime of breaking into a house with intent to steal
Example
The thief was arrested for housebreaking.
Le voleur a été arrêté pour infraction de domicile.
C2 adjective /ˈhæm ˌhændɪd/

ham-handed

maladroit
Meaning
clumsy or inept in handling things or situations
Example
His ham-handed attempt to fix the computer made it worse.
Sa tentative maladroite de réparer l'ordinateur l'a empiré.
C2 noun /ˈhɪl.sə fɪʃ/

Hilsa fish

poisson hilsa
Meaning
a popular fish species found in South Asian rivers, especially prized in Bengali cuisine
Example
Hilsa fish is considered a delicacy in Bengali culture.
Le poisson hilsa est considéré comme une délicatesse dans la culture bengali.
C2 noun /ˈhæŋ.kər.ɪŋ/

hankering

désir ardent
Meaning
a strong desire or craving for something.
Example
She had a hankering for chocolate late at night.
Elle avait un désir ardent de chocolat tard dans la nuit.
C2 noun /ˈhʌk.stər/

huckster

vendeur ambulant
Meaning
A person who sells small items aggressively, often in a showy or dishonest way.
Example
The huckster loudly promoted his goods in the busy marketplace.
Le vendeur ambulant a bruyamment promu ses marchandises dans le marché bondé.
C2 noun /hɪˈlærɪti/

hilarity

hilarité
Meaning
Extreme amusement, especially when expressed by laughter.
Example
The movie caused great hilarity among the audience.
Le film a causé une grande hilarité parmi le public.
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 noun /ˈhɔːrs.liːt͡ʃ/

Horse-leach

sangsue de cheval
Meaning
a large species of leech that was traditionally used in veterinary medicine
Example
The veterinarian explained that horse-leach was once commonly used to treat horses.
Le vétérinaire a expliqué que la sangsue de cheval était couramment utilisée pour traiter les chevaux.
C2 verb /ˈhæroʊ/

harrow

tourmenter / herse
Meaning
to cause distress or torment; also to break up and smooth soil with a farm tool
Example
The tragic news harrowed the entire family.
La tragique nouvelle a tourmenté toute la famille.
C2 adjective /ˈhɔːrtətɔːri/

hortatory

hortatoire
Meaning
Intended to encourage or urge to action.
Example
The manager’s hortatory words inspired the team to work harder.
Les paroles exhortantes du directeur ont inspiré l'équipe à travailler plus dur.
C2 noun /ˈhɛʃ.ən/

Hessian

toile de jute
Meaning
a strong coarse fabric made from jute or hemp, used for sacks and wrapping
Example
The farmer stored grain in hessian sacks.
Le fermier a stocké des grains dans des sacs en toile de jute.
C2 noun /ˈhʌm.ək/

hummock

butte
Meaning
A small hill, mound, or ridge of earth or ice.
Example
The hikers rested on a grassy hummock by the river.
Les randonneurs se sont reposés sur une butte herbeuse près de la rivière.
C2 noun /ˌhjuː.mɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

humification

humification
Meaning
The process of organic matter decomposition to form humus in soil.
Example
Humification enhances soil structure and fertility.
L'humification améliore la structure et la fertilité du sol.
C2 verb /ˈhɑːrpɪŋ/

harping

se plaindre constamment
Meaning
continuously talking or complaining about something in a tiresome way
Example
She kept harping on about the mistakes I made.
Elle n'a cessé de se plaindre constamment des erreurs que j'ai faites.
C2 noun /ˈhæbɪtjuːd/

habitude

habitude, coutume
Meaning
a customary condition or mode of life; habitual practice
Example
He lived in a quiet habitude, avoiding the noise of the city.
Il vivait dans une habitude tranquille, évitant le bruit de la ville.
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 /ˌhaɪdroʊdaɪˈnæmɪks/

hydrodynamics

hydrodynamique
Meaning
The branch of science concerned with the motion of fluids, especially liquids, and the forces acting on solid bodies immersed in fluids.
Example
Hydrodynamics is essential in designing efficient ship hulls.
L'hydrodynamique est essentielle pour concevoir des coques de navires efficaces.
C2 adjective /ˌhɜːrkjʊˈliːən/

herculean

très difficile
Meaning
Requiring great strength or effort; very difficult to perform.
Example
It was a herculean task to rebuild the city after the disaster.
C'était une tâche très difficile de reconstruire la ville après la catastrophe.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪpəˈdɜːrmɪk/

hypodermic

hypodermique
Meaning
relating to the region immediately beneath the skin; also refers to a type of needle or syringe used to inject drugs beneath the skin.
Example
The doctor used a hypodermic needle to administer the vaccine.
Le médecin a utilisé une aiguille hypodermique pour administrer le vaccin.
C2 noun ˈhɑːrbərɪdʒ

harborage

refuge
Meaning
A place of shelter or refuge for pests or animals.
Example
Pests need a harborage site to survive and breed.
Les nuisibles ont besoin d'un refuge pour survivre et se reproduire.
C2 verb /həˈræŋ/

harangue

faire un long discours passionné et souvent en colère
Meaning
to deliver a long, passionate, and often angry speech
Example
The politician harangued the crowd for over an hour.
Le politicien a fait un discours à la foule pendant plus d'une heure.
C2 adjective /ˈhɔːri/

hoary

gris, ancien
Meaning
gray or white with age; very old and respected
Example
The hoary oak tree stood as a witness to centuries of history.
Le vieux chêne se tenait comme témoin de siècles d'histoire.
C2 noun /ˈhɔɪdən/

hoyden

fille turbulente
Meaning
a boisterous or tomboyish girl
Example
The hoyden preferred climbing trees to playing with dolls.
La fille turbulente préférait grimper aux arbres plutôt que de jouer avec des poupées.
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 verb /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/

hoodwink

tromper
Meaning
To deceive or trick someone.
Example
The scammer hoodwinked many people with false promises.
Le fraudeur a trompé de nombreuses personnes avec de fausses promesses.
C2 noun /haɪnd/

Hind

biche
Meaning
a female deer, especially a red deer
Example
The hind protected her fawn from predators.
La biche a protégé son faon des prédateurs.
C2 noun /hɒtʃ pɒtʃ/

Hotch potch

pot-au-feu
Meaning
A mixed dish; a hodgepodge of ingredients cooked together
Example
She made a delicious hotch potch with rice, lentils, and vegetables.
Elle a préparé un délicieux hôtch potch avec du riz, des lentilles et des légumes.
C2 noun /ˈhʌmbʌɡ/

humbug

foutaises, balivernes
Meaning
Deceptive or false talk or behavior; nonsense.
Example
He dismissed the idea as humbug.
Il a rejeté l'idée comme des foutaises.
C2 adverb /hərˈmɛtɪkli/

hermetically

hermétiquement
Meaning
In a way that is completely airtight or sealed off.
Example
The jars were hermetically sealed to preserve freshness.
Les bocaux ont été hermétiquement scellés pour préserver la fraîcheur.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪndmoʊst/

hindmost

dernier
Meaning
Farthest back; last in position.
Example
The hindmost car in the convoy broke down first.
La voiture la plus arrière du convoi est tombée en panne en premier.
C2 noun /ˈhaɪərəˌɡlɪf/

hieroglyph

hiéroglyphe
Meaning
A picture or symbol used in ancient writing systems, especially Egyptian writing.
Example
The walls of the temple were covered in hieroglyphs.
Les murs du temple étaient recouverts de hiéroglyphes.
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 /ˌɒnəˈreəriəm/

honorarium

honoraires
Meaning
A payment given for professional services that are rendered without a fee.
Example
The guest lecturer received an honorarium for her talk.
Le conférencier invité a reçu un honorarium pour sa conférence.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪpərˈbɔːriən/

hyperborean

hyperboréen
Meaning
Relating to the extreme north; very cold or frigid.
Example
The explorers prepared for the hyperborean climate of the Arctic.
Les explorateurs se sont préparés pour le climat hyperboréen de l'Arctique.
C2 adjective /hɛkˈsæŋɡjələr/

hexangular

hexagonal
Meaning
Having six angles or corners.
Example
The artist designed a hexangular frame for the mirror.
L'artiste a conçu un cadre hexagonal pour le miroir.
C2 verb /ˈhɛktər/

hector

parler de manière intimidante
Meaning
To talk to someone in a bullying or intimidating way.
Example
The manager hectored the staff into working overtime.
Le manager a menacé le personnel de faire des heures supplémentaires.
C2 noun /ˈhɑːstəlri/

hostelry

auberge
Meaning
An inn or lodging place, especially one for travelers.
Example
They stayed at a small hostelry near the mountains.
Ils ont séjourné dans une petite auberge près des montagnes.
C2 verb /ˈhæri/

harry

harceler, attaquer
Meaning
to constantly attack, harass, or annoy
Example
The army harried the enemy with sudden raids.
L'armée a harcelé l'ennemi avec des raids soudains.
C2 noun /ˈhɒthɛd/

hothead

personne impulsive
Meaning
a person who acts quickly and without thinking when angry
Example
He is such a hothead that he often starts arguments.
Il est tellement impulsif qu'il commence souvent des disputes.
C2 verb /həˈmɑː.dʒə.naɪz/

homogenize

homogénéiser
Meaning
To make uniform or similar by blending or mixing different elements.
Example
The company tried to homogenize its products across global markets.
L'entreprise a essayé d'homogénéiser ses produits sur les marchés mondiaux.
C2 adjective /ˈhæl.si.ən/

halcyon

serein
Meaning
calm, peaceful, and happy; denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
Example
She often reminisces about the halcyon days of her childhood.
Elle se souvient souvent des jours sereins de son enfance.
C2 noun /ˈhæk.ni ˈkær.ɪdʒ/

Hackney carriage

voiture de location
Meaning
A taxi; a car licensed to carry passengers for hire
Example
I called a hackney carriage to get to the airport.
J'ai appelé une voiture de location pour aller à l'aéroport.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːtɪnəs/

haughtiness

arrogance
Meaning
The appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Example
His haughtiness made him unpopular among his peers.
Son arrogance l'a rendu impopulaire parmi ses pairs.
C2 noun /ˌhoʊ.mi.oʊˈsteɪ.sɪs/

homeostasis

équilibre interne du corps, stabilité physiologique maintenue par des processus physiologiques
Meaning
The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.
Example
The human body maintains homeostasis through temperature regulation.
Le corps humain maintient l'homéostasie grâce à la régulation de la température.
C2 noun /hɜːrˈbɛəriəm/

herbarium

herbier
Meaning
A collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study.
Example
The university maintains a large herbarium for research and education.
L'université maintient un grand herbier pour la recherche et l'éducation.
C2 noun /haɪˈdrɒl.ɪ.sɪs/

hydrolysis

hydrolyse
Meaning
A chemical process that breaks down compounds by adding water, splitting complex molecules into simpler forms.
Example
Hydrolysis breaks down complex molecules into simpler forms.
L'hydrolyse décompose les molécules complexes en formes plus simples.
C2 noun ˌhiː.məˈfɪl.i.ə

hemophilia

hémophilie
Meaning
A medical condition in which the ability of the blood to clot is severely reduced, causing the sufferer to bleed severely from even a slight injury.
Example
Hemophilia treatment benefits from genetic editing.
Le traitement de l'hémophilie bénéficie de l'édition génétique.
C2 adjective /hərˈmɛtɪk/

hermetic

hermétique
Meaning
Completely sealed, especially so that no air can enter or escape.
Example
The medicine was kept in a hermetic container.
Le médicament a été conservé dans un conteneur hermétique.
C2 noun /hoʊ/

Hoe

binette
Meaning
a gardening tool with a thin metal blade used for breaking up soil and removing weeds
Example
The farmer used a hoe to remove weeds from his vegetable garden.
Le fermier a utilisé une binette pour enlever les mauvaises herbes de son jardin de légumes.
C2 verb /haɪ/

hie

se hâter
Meaning
to go quickly; hasten
Example
He hied to the station to catch the train.
Il se hâta à la gare pour attraper le train.
C2 noun /ˈhɜːrmɪtɪdʒ/

hermitage

ermitage
Meaning
A secluded residence or retreat, often for a hermit or religious recluse.
Example
The monk spent years in a hermitage deep in the forest.
Le moine a passé des années dans un ermitage au fond de la forêt.
C2 adjective /ˈhed.i/

Heady

enivrant
Meaning
having a strong or exhilarating effect; intoxicating; exciting
Example
The heady perfume of jasmine filled the garden.
Le parfum enivrant du jasmin remplit le jardin.
C2 noun /hæˈʃiːʃ/

hashish

hachisch
Meaning
a drug made from the resin of the cannabis plant
Example
The police arrested him for possessing hashish.
La police l'a arrêté pour possession de hachisch.
C2 noun /ˈhɪlək/

hillock

butte
Meaning
A small hill or mound.
Example
The children climbed up the grassy hillock to watch the sunset.
Les enfants ont grimpé sur la butte herbeuse pour regarder le coucher du soleil.
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 /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 /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 /ˈhɛptɑːrki/

heptarchy

héptarchie
Meaning
A group of seven rulers or governments, especially the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in early England.
Example
The history book described the heptarchy of Anglo-Saxon England.
Le livre d'histoire a décrit la héptarchie de l'Angleterre anglo-saxonne.
C2 noun /ˈhʌvəl/

hovel

taudis
Meaning
a small, poorly built, and dirty house
Example
The refugees lived in a makeshift hovel.
Les réfugiés vivaient dans un taudis improvisé.
C2 noun /ˌhɜːrpəˈtɒlədʒɪst/

herpetologist

herpétologiste
Meaning
A scientist who studies reptiles and amphibians.
Example
The herpetologist discovered a new species of frog in the rainforest.
L'herpétologiste a découvert une nouvelle espèce de grenouille dans la forêt tropicale.
C2 noun /ˈhoʊl.stər/

holster

étui
Meaning
A holder or case for carrying a gun, typically worn on a belt or shoulder.
Example
The sheriff kept his revolver in a leather holster.
Le shérif gardait son revolver dans un étui en cuir.
C2 adjective/noun /ˌhaɪərəˈɡlɪfɪk/

hieroglyphic

hiéroglyphique
Meaning
Relating to or written in hieroglyphs; symbols or writing that is difficult to understand.
Example
The archaeologists studied the hieroglyphic inscriptions carefully.
Les archéologues ont étudié les inscriptions hiéroglyphiques avec soin.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːθɔːrn/

hawthorn

arbuste épineux
Meaning
A thorny shrub or small tree with white or pink flowers, often used for hedges.
Example
The garden was lined with blooming hawthorn bushes.
Le jardin était bordé de buissons de prunelliers en fleurs.
C2 noun /ˈhɛdʒɪrə/ or /hɪˈdʒaɪrə/

hegira

exode, migration
Meaning
a journey, especially when undertaken to escape from a dangerous or undesirable situation
Example
The refugees began their hegira across the desert.
Les réfugiés ont commencé leur exode à travers le désert.
C2 noun /hʌsk/

husk

enveloppe
Meaning
the dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds
Example
The corn husk was peeled away before cooking.
L'enveloppe de maïs a été pelée avant la cuisson.
C2 adjective /ˈhæriːd/

harried

épuisé ou stressé
Meaning
feeling strained or stressed due to being overworked or constantly bothered
Example
The harried teacher struggled to calm the noisy classroom.
L'enseignant épuisé luttait pour calmer la salle de classe bruyante.
C2 noun /ˈhoʊʒəri/

hosiery

chaussettes et vêtements pour les jambes
Meaning
Stockings, socks, and other knitted clothing for the legs and feet.
Example
She bought new hosiery for the winter season.
Elle a acheté de nouveaux bas pour la saison hivernale.
C2 noun /ˌhæŋ.ki ˈpæŋ.ki/

Hanky-Panky

escroquerie; activité suspecte; comportement malhonnête; tromperie
Meaning
dishonest or suspicious activity; unethical behavior; trickery or deception
Example
The audit revealed some hanky-panky in the company's financial records.
L'audit a révélé de la fraude dans les registres financiers de l'entreprise.
C2 noun /hæp/

hap

chance, fortune, hasard
Meaning
luck, fortune, or chance occurrence
Example
By sheer hap, he discovered the old letter hidden in the drawer.
Par pur hasard, il a découvert la vieille lettre cachée dans le tiroir.
C2 noun /hæɡ/

Hag

sorcière
Meaning
an ugly old woman, especially a vicious or malicious one; a witch
Example
In the fairy tale, the wicked hag lived alone in a cottage deep in the forest.
Dans le conte de fées, la méchante sorcière vivait seule dans une cabane au fond de la forêt.
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 adjective /ˈhɛtərəˌdɒks/

heterodox

hétérodoxe
Meaning
not conforming with accepted or orthodox standards or beliefs
Example
The professor was known for his heterodox views on religion.
Le professeur était connu pour ses vues hétérodoxes sur la religion.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːrn.bɪl/

Hornbill

Oiseau hornbill
Meaning
a large tropical bird with a large curved beak and often a horn-like projection
Example
The colorful hornbill perched on the highest branch.
Le hornbill coloré s'est posé sur la branche la plus haute.
C2 adjective /ˌhæfˈbeɪkt/

half-baked

à moitié cuit
Meaning
poorly thought out or badly planned
Example
The manager quickly rejected his half-baked proposal.
Le manager a rapidement rejeté sa proposition à moitié cuite.
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 noun /ˌhaɪdroʊməˈkænɪks/

hydromechanics

hydromécanique
Meaning
The study of the mechanical properties and behavior of fluids in motion and at rest.
Example
Hydromechanics provides the foundation for naval architecture.
L'hydromécanique fournit la base de l'architecture navale.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪ ˈfloʊn/

high-flown

grandiloquent
Meaning
Using fancy or pretentious language; lofty in style but often overblown.
Example
The politician gave a high-flown speech full of promises.
Le politicien a donné un discours grandiloquent plein de promesses.
C2 adjective /ˈhɜːrsuːt/

hirsute

hirsute
Meaning
Having a lot of hair, especially in an unusual place.
Example
The hirsute man stood out in the crowd with his long beard.
L'homme hirsute se démarquait de la foule avec sa longue barbe.
C2 noun /ˈhɑːtʃ.pɑːtʃ/

Hotchpotch

mélange confus; un tas de choses mélangées
Meaning
a confused mixture; a jumbled assortment of things
Example
The room was a hotchpotch of old furniture, books, and random decorations.
La pièce était un mélange confus de vieux meubles, de livres et de décorations aléatoires.
C2 adjective /ˈhæŋ.dɔːɡ/

hangdog

embarrassé
Meaning
looking or feeling ashamed, guilty, or defeated.
Example
He gave me a hangdog look after being caught lying.
Il m'a donné un regard embarrassé après avoir été pris en train de mentir.
C2 noun /hɔːɡ plʌm/

Hog plum

prune de hog
Meaning
tropical fruit with yellow skin and sour taste
Example
Hog plums are often used to make pickles and chutneys.
Les prunes de hog sont souvent utilisées pour faire des cornichons et des chutneys.
C2 noun /ˈhækəlz/

hackles

les poils à l'arrière du cou d'un animal qui se dressent lorsqu'il est en colère ou alarmé; figurativement, des sentiments de colère ou de ressentiment
Meaning
the hairs on the back of an animal’s neck that rise when it is angry or alarmed; figuratively, feelings of anger or resentment
Example
His rude comment raised my hackles.
Son commentaire grossier a levé mes hackles.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪd.baʊnd/

hidebound

borné
Meaning
unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention
Example
He is too hidebound to accept new ideas.
Il est trop borné pour accepter de nouvelles idées.
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 /ˌhoʊmə.dʒəˈniːəti/

homogeneity

homogénéité
Meaning
The quality or state of being all the same or all of the same kind.
Example
The cultural homogeneity of the village made it feel unified.
L'homogénéité culturelle du village donnait l'impression qu'il était uni.
C2 verb /ˈhɑːbəl/

hobble

boiter
Meaning
to walk awkwardly with difficulty, usually due to injury
Example
He hobbled across the room after twisting his ankle.
Il boitait à travers la pièce après s'être tordu la cheville.
C2 adjective /heɪl/

hale

vital
Meaning
strong and healthy, especially of an elderly person
Example
Despite his age, the man remained hale and active.
Malgré son âge, l'homme est resté en bonne santé et actif.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːzər/

hawser

câble épais pour amarrer un navire
Meaning
A thick rope or cable used in mooring or towing a ship.
Example
The sailors secured the ship to the dock with a heavy hawser.
Les marins ont sécurisé le navire au quai avec un hawser lourd.
C2 verb /hjuː/

hew

couper
Meaning
To chop or cut something, especially wood or stone, with a tool.
Example
The workers hewed logs to build the cabin.
Les travailleurs ont coupé des bûches pour construire la cabane.