mincing
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C2 adjective /ˈmɪnsɪŋ/

mincing

affecté
Meaning
affectedly delicate, dainty, or refined in manner or movement
Example
He walked with mincing steps across the stage.
Il marchait avec des pas affectés sur la scène.
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 adverb /ˈɪntʃmiːl/

inchmeal

petit à petit
Meaning
Gradually, little by little.
Example
The old castle fell inchmeal into ruin.
Le vieux château est tombé petit à petit en ruine.
C2 verb /dʒaɪb/

jibe

insulter / être en harmonie
Meaning
to make an insulting remark; to be in agreement or harmony with
Example
His actions did not jibe with his words.
Ses actions ne collaient pas avec ses mots.
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.
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 /ˈluː.mən/

lumen

lumen
Meaning
A unit of luminous flux, measuring the amount of visible light emitted by a source.
Example
The bulb produces 800 lumens of light.
L'ampoule produit 800 lumens de lumière.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈdʒʌŋktɪv/

disjunctive

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

impulsion

impulsion
Meaning
a strong urge or drive to act; the act of impelling
Example
His impulsion to travel made him leave his job suddenly.
Son impulsion de voyager l'a poussé à quitter son travail soudainement.
C2 noun /ˈbælæst/

ballast

ballast
Meaning
heavy material used to stabilize a ship or vehicle
Example
The ship was loaded with ballast to remain steady in the storm.
Le navire a été chargé de ballast pour rester stable dans la tempête.
C2 adjective /ˈsɒmnələnt/

somnolent

somnolent
Meaning
Sleepy or drowsy; causing a desire to sleep.
Example
The somnolent lecture made half the class fall asleep.
Le cours somnolent a fait dormir la moitié de la classe.
C2 noun, adjective /klɛərˈvɔɪənt/

clairvoyant

clairvoyant
Meaning
a person who claims to have clairvoyance; having the ability to see beyond normal senses
Example
The clairvoyant predicted that she would travel abroad soon.
Le clairvoyant a prédit qu'elle voyagerait bientôt à l'étranger.
C2 verb /beɪt/

bate

réduire, atténuer
Meaning
to lessen or restrain; to diminish the force or intensity of something
Example
He spoke with bated breath as he waited for the result.
Il parla avec une respiration retenue en attendant le résultat.
C2 adjective /kəˈrɛlətɪv/

correlative

corrélatif
Meaning
having a mutual relationship; corresponding
Example
The increase in temperature is correlative with the melting of glaciers.
L'augmentation de la température est corrélative à la fonte des glaciers.
C2 noun /ˈkɒrənɛt/

coronet

petite couronne
Meaning
a small crown, especially one worn by a prince, princess, or noble
Example
She wore a delicate coronet on her head for the ceremony.
Elle portait une délicate petite couronne sur sa tête pour la cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˈsteɪtkraft/

statecraft

art de gouverner
Meaning
The art of governing and managing state affairs effectively.
Example
The leader was praised for his exceptional statecraft in handling international relations.
Le leader a été félicité pour son art de gouverner exceptionnel dans la gestion des relations internationales.
C2 noun /ˈpɒliˌkreɪsi/

polycracy

policratie
Meaning
rule by many; government by multiple authorities
Example
The nation experienced a polycracy after decentralization reforms.
Le pays a connu une policratie après les réformes de décentralisation.
C2 noun /ˈjuːfəni/

euphony

euphonie
Meaning
The quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through harmonious combination of words.
Example
The orator's speech was full of euphony and rhythm.
Le discours de l'orateur était plein d'euphonie et de rythme.
C2 noun /ˈɡræn.juːl/

granule

granule
Meaning
A small compact particle of a substance.
Example
Each granule of salt sparkled under the sunlight.
Chaque granule de sel scintillait sous la lumière du soleil.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪb.ər.ɪʃ/

gibberish

charabia
Meaning
Unintelligible or meaningless speech or writing.
Example
He was so nervous that his explanation sounded like gibberish.
Il était tellement nerveux que son explication ressemblait à du charabia.
C2 adjective /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/

pugnacious

agressif
Meaning
Having a quarrelsome or combative nature; eager to fight.
Example
His pugnacious attitude often got him into trouble.
Son attitude agressive le mettait souvent dans des ennuis.
C2 noun /θiˈɒsəfi/

theosophy

théosophie
Meaning
A religious or philosophical belief system that seeks direct knowledge of the mysteries of life and the divine.
Example
Theosophy attracted people interested in mysticism and spiritual growth.
La théosophie a attiré des personnes intéressées par le mysticisme et la croissance spirituelle.
C2 verb /ˈmɒrəlaɪz/

moralize

moraliser
Meaning
To comment on issues of right and wrong, often with an air of superiority.
Example
He tends to moralize about other people's choices.
Il a tendance à moraliser sur les choix des autres.
C2 noun /kwiːn kreɪp ˈmɜːrtəl/

Queen crape myrtle

Myrte crêpe de la reine
Meaning
A flowering tree with colorful, crepe-like flowers, scientifically known as Lagerstroemia
Example
The Queen crape myrtle bloomed beautifully in the garden with its purple flowers.
Le myrte crêpe de la reine a fleuri magnifiquement dans le jardin avec ses fleurs violettes.
C2 noun /fɪˈlændərər/

philanderer

volage
Meaning
a man who habitually engages in casual romantic or sexual affairs
Example
The politician was exposed as a notorious philanderer.
Le politicien a été exposé comme un célèbre volage.
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 adjective /ˌnɒnˈtrɪviəl/

nontrivial

non trivial
Meaning
Not simple or easy; requiring effort or significant thought.
Example
Solving the equation turned out to be a nontrivial task.
Résoudre l'équation s'est avéré être une tâche non triviale.
C2 verb /frɪsk/

frisk

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

man-eater

mangeur d'hommes
Meaning
An animal that kills and eats humans; informally, a woman who is very assertive in relationships.
Example
The tiger became a notorious man-eater in the village.
Le tigre est devenu un mangeur d'hommes notoire dans le village.
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 noun /ˈlænjæp/

lagniappe

cadeau supplémentaire
Meaning
A small gift or bonus given by a seller to a customer.
Example
The shopkeeper offered a piece of candy as a lagniappe.
Le commerçant a offert un bonbon comme cadeau supplémentaire.
C2 verb /ɪnˈtræp/

entrap

piéger
Meaning
To catch or trick someone into a difficult situation.
Example
The police tried to entrap the criminal with false evidence.
La police a tenté de piéger le criminel avec de fausses preuves.
C2 adjective /ˈlɛtʃ.ər.əs/

lecherous

lubrique
Meaning
having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire
Example
The character was portrayed as a lecherous old man.
Le personnage a été dépeint comme un homme lubrique.
C2 noun /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/

masquerade

fête où les gens portent des masques et des costumes
Meaning
a party or gathering where people wear masks and costumes; a false outward show
Example
The charity event was held as a grand masquerade.
L'événement de charité a eu lieu sous forme de grand masquerade.
C2 noun /zɪˈnɑːnə/

Zenanna

zenanna
Meaning
the part of a house reserved for women; women's quarters in Muslim households; harem
Example
The zenanna was beautifully decorated with intricate patterns.
Le zenanna était magnifiquement décoré avec des motifs complexes.
C2 noun /ˈɪndələns/

indolence

indolence
Meaning
Avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness.
Example
His indolence kept him from finishing the project on time.
Son indolence l'a empêché de terminer le projet à temps.
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 /ˈsɒfɪzəm/

sophism

sophisme
Meaning
a clever but misleading argument; fallacious reasoning
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophism designed to mislead voters.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophisme conçu pour tromper les électeurs.
C2 adjective /ˈvɛndɪbəl/

vendible

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

preexist

exister au préalable
Meaning
to exist beforehand or before something else
Example
These customs preexist the arrival of modern technology.
Ces coutumes existaient avant l'arrivée de la technologie moderne.
C2 adjective /nɪˈfɛəriəs/

nefarious

néfaste, criminel ou moralement mauvais
Meaning
Wicked, criminal, or morally bad.
Example
The police uncovered a nefarious plot to cheat investors.
La police a découvert un complot néfaste pour tromper les investisseurs.
C2 noun /ˈpær.ɪ.saɪd/

parricide

parricide
Meaning
The act of killing one's father, mother, or other close relative.
Example
The court tried him for parricide after the tragic incident.
Le tribunal l'a jugé pour parricide après l'incident tragique.
C2 adjective, noun /bɪˈtroʊðd/

betrothed

fiancé
Meaning
Engaged to be married; a person who is engaged.
Example
She introduced him as her betrothed.
Elle l'a présenté comme son fiancé.
C2 noun /ˌæk.wiˈes.əns/

acquiescence

acceptation tacite
Meaning
The reluctant acceptance of something without protest.
Example
His silent acquiescence to unfair rules was surprising.
Son acceptation tacite des règles injustes a été surprenante.
C2 adjective /ˈhʌski/

husky

rauque
Meaning
deep, rough, and slightly hoarse voice; also refers to a strong and sturdy build
Example
He spoke in a husky voice after shouting all day.
Il a parlé d'une voix rauque après avoir crié toute la journée.
C2 noun /kænˈtoʊnmənt/

Cantonment

cantonnement militaire
Meaning
a military base or permanent military station
Example
The soldiers lived in the cantonment outside the city.
Les soldats ont vécu dans le cantonnement militaire en dehors de la ville.
C2 adjective /ˈʃɑːpwɔːrn/

shopworn

usé / vieilli
Meaning
worn or faded from being displayed in a shop; no longer fresh or original
Example
The shopworn shoes were sold at a discount.
Les chaussures shopworn ont été vendues à prix réduit.
C2 verb /əˈvaʊtʃ/

avouch

affirmer
Meaning
to affirm or assert something as true
Example
He avouched his innocence before the judge.
Il a affirmé son innocence devant le juge.
C2 noun /ˈtraɪdənt/

trident

trident
Meaning
A three-pronged spear, often associated with Neptune or Poseidon.
Example
The statue of Poseidon holds a mighty trident.
La statue de Poséidon tient un puissant trident.
C2 noun /ˈtɪl.ər/

Tiller

paysan
Meaning
a person who tills or cultivates land; a farmer
Example
The tiller worked hard in the fields every morning.
Le paysan travaillait dur dans les champs chaque matin.
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 noun /ˌkɑːrt ˈblɑːnʃ/

carte blanche

carte blanche
Meaning
complete freedom to act as one wishes
Example
The manager gave her team carte blanche to design the project.
Le responsable a donné à son équipe carte blanche pour concevoir le projet.
C2 verb /proʊˈskraɪb/

proscribe

interdire
Meaning
to forbid something by law or authority
Example
The new law will proscribe the use of harmful chemicals in farming.
La nouvelle loi interdira l'utilisation de produits chimiques nuisibles dans l'agriculture.
C2 adjective /ˈɑːsɪˌfaɪd/

ossified

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

canaanite

cananéen
Meaning
a member of a people who lived in the ancient land of Canaan in the Middle East
Example
The Canaanites were known for their advanced trade networks.
Les cananéens étaient connus pour leurs réseaux commerciaux avancés.
C2 adjective /ɪˈræsɪbl/

irascible

irritable
Meaning
Easily angered; quick-tempered.
Example
His irascible nature often got him into trouble.
Sa nature irritable le mettait souvent dans des situations difficiles.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈfɜːrnəl/

infernal

infernal
Meaning
relating to hell; extremely troublesome or annoying
Example
The workers complained about the infernal noise from the construction site.
Les travailleurs se sont plaints du bruit infernal provenant du site de construction.
C2 verb /ˈpʌkər/

pucker

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

mote

particule
Meaning
A tiny particle or speck, especially of dust.
Example
A mote of dust floated in the sunlight.
Une particule de poussière flottait dans la lumière du soleil.
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 noun /ˈmæŋɡoʊ fɪʃ/

Mango fish

poisson barramundi
Meaning
A popular white fish also known as barramundi or Asian sea bass
Example
Mango fish is prized for its delicate flavor and tender texture.
Le poisson barramundi est apprécié pour sa saveur délicate et sa texture tendre.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːldrən/

caldron

grand chaudron en métal
Meaning
A large metal pot used for boiling liquids or cooking over an open fire.
Example
The witch stirred her potion in a bubbling caldron.
La sorcière remuait sa potion dans un chaudron bouillonnant.
C2 noun /ˈmɛtələ(r)dʒi/

metallurgy

métallurgie
Meaning
The science and technology of metals, including their extraction from ores and their processing.
Example
Metallurgy plays a vital role in industrial development.
La métallurgie joue un rôle essentiel dans le développement industriel.
C2 verb /fɪˈlændər/

philander

flirter
Meaning
to engage in casual or frivolous romantic or sexual relationships
Example
He was known to philander with many women in town.
Il était connu pour flirter avec de nombreuses femmes en ville.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒɜːrmɪnəl/

germinal

germinal
Meaning
Relating to the earliest stage of development.
Example
The idea was still in its germinal stage.
L'idée était encore à son stade germinal.
C2 noun /ˈmɜːkinəs/

murkiness

obscurité
Meaning
The quality of being dark, gloomy, or unclear.
Example
The murkiness of the water made it hard to see the fish.
L'obscurité de l'eau rendait difficile de voir les poissons.
C2 adjective /ˈsuːpaɪn/

supine

couché sur le dos
Meaning
Lying on the back, face upward; failing to act due to laziness or weakness.
Example
He lay supine on the grass, staring at the stars.
Il était allongé sur l'herbe, regardant les étoiles.
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 /ˈprɒmɪsəri/

promissory

promissoire
Meaning
Containing or conveying a promise, especially in writing.
Example
He signed a promissory note to repay the loan.
Il a signé un billet à ordre pour rembourser le prêt.
C2 adjective /ɪɡˈnoʊ.bəl/

Ignoble

ignoble; méprisable; bas
Meaning
dishonorable; not noble in character; base or mean
Example
His ignoble actions betrayed his friends' trust.
Ses actions ignobles ont trahi la confiance de ses amis.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprəˈpraɪəti/

impropriety

impropriété
Meaning
Failure to observe standards of honesty or modesty; improper behavior.
Example
The politician was accused of financial impropriety.
Le politicien a été accusé d'impropriété financière.
C2 noun /kroʊn/

crone

vieille femme
Meaning
An old woman, often one who is thin and ugly, sometimes associated with witch-like qualities.
Example
The children were scared by the story of the wicked crone in the forest.
Les enfants ont eu peur de l'histoire de la vieille femme méchante dans la forêt.
C2 verb /rɪˈdaʊnd/

redound

contribuer
Meaning
to contribute greatly to a result or consequence, usually beneficial
Example
His hard work will redound to the success of the company.
Son travail acharné contribuera au succès de l'entreprise.
C2 noun /laʊt/

lout

vulgaire
Meaning
An uncouth or aggressive man or boy.
Example
The drunken lout caused a scene at the party.
Le loubard ivre a causé une scène à la fête.
C2 adjective /ˈlʌstrəs/

lustrous

lustré
Meaning
having a gentle sheen or soft glow
Example
Her hair looked smooth and lustrous.
Ses cheveux semblaient lisses et lustrés.
C2 noun (plural) /ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/

machinations

machinations
Meaning
complicated and secret plans, often intended to cause harm
Example
The politician was brought down by his own machinations.
Le politicien a été abattu par ses propres machinations.
C2 adjective /ˈvælərəs/

valorous

vaillant
Meaning
showing great courage and bravery
Example
The valorous soldier led his troop into battle without hesitation.
Le soldat vaillant a dirigé ses troupes au combat sans hésitation.
C2 noun /buːb/

boob

idiot; sein (familier)
Meaning
a foolish or clumsy person; an informal and sometimes rude term for a woman's breast
Example
He felt like a complete boob after forgetting the meeting.
Il s'est senti comme un idiot complet après avoir oublié la réunion.
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 /ˌæriˈviːst/

arriviste

nouveau riche
Meaning
A person who has recently gained wealth or status but is considered arrogant or socially unsophisticated.
Example
The business world is full of ambitious arrivistes.
Le monde des affaires est rempli d’arrivistes ambitieux.
C2 noun /ˈfɜːrðərəns/

furtherance

avancement
Meaning
The advancement or promotion of something.
Example
The new policy was introduced in furtherance of social justice.
La nouvelle politique a été introduite en vue de la justice sociale.
C2 noun /rɪˌdʒuːvəˈnɛsəns/

rejuvenescence

rejuvenescence
Meaning
the action or process of becoming young or fresh again
Example
The forest showed signs of rejuvenescence after the rains.
La forêt a montré des signes de rajeunissement après la pluie.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒtli/

motley

hétérogène
Meaning
Made up of different, often incongruous or diverse elements.
Example
The festival attracted a motley crowd of artists, musicians, and tourists.
Le festival a attiré une foule hétérogène d'artistes, de musiciens et de touristes.
C2 adjective /dɪˈstɛnsəbl̩/

distensible

distensible
Meaning
Capable of being stretched or expanded.
Example
The stomach is a distensible organ that can expand after eating.
L'estomac est un organe distensible qui peut se dilater après avoir mangé.
C2 verb /əˈsweɪdʒ/

assuage

apaiser
Meaning
To make an unpleasant feeling less intense; to ease or relieve.
Example
The kind words helped assuage her anxiety.
Les mots gentils ont aidé à apaiser son anxiété.
C2 adjective /ˈɪrˌsplɪtɪŋ/

earsplitting

assourdissant
Meaning
extremely loud or piercing sound
Example
The earsplitting noise of the fire alarm startled everyone.
Le bruit assourdissant de l'alarme incendie a surpris tout le monde.
C2 verb /ˈpʌlvəraɪz/

pulverize

pulvériser
Meaning
To crush or grind something into a fine powder; to completely defeat or destroy.
Example
The machine can pulverize stones into dust.
La machine peut pulvériser des pierres en poussière.
C2 adjective /ˈpɔːrtli/

portly

corpulent
Meaning
Having a stout or somewhat fat body, often implying dignity or authority.
Example
The portly man entered the room with confidence.
L'homme corpulent est entré dans la pièce avec confiance.
C2 verb /rɛtʃ/

retch

bonheur
Meaning
to make the sound and movement of vomiting without bringing anything up
Example
The smell of spoiled food made him retch violently.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher sa joie lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /bɪˈhoʊldən/

beholden

reconnaissant ou endetté
Meaning
indebted or obliged to someone for a service or help
Example
He felt beholden to his mentor for all the guidance.
Il se sentait reconnaissant envers son mentor pour toute l'orientation.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnsəˈprɛsəbl/

insuppressible

irrépressible
Meaning
That cannot be suppressed or restrained.
Example
She had an insuppressible urge to laugh during the ceremony.
Elle avait une envie irrépressible de rire pendant la cérémonie.
C2 adjective /ˌoʊdəˈrɪfərəs/

odoriferous

parfumé
Meaning
having or giving off a smell, especially a strong or pleasant one
Example
The garden was filled with odoriferous flowers.
Le jardin était rempli de fleurs parfumées.
C2 noun /dɪˈdʒɛkʃən/

dejection

dépression
Meaning
a state of sadness, depression, or low spirits
Example
She sat in a state of dejection after hearing the bad news.
Elle était assise dans un état de dépression après avoir entendu les mauvaises nouvelles.
C2 adjective /ˈɡlɑːbjələr/

globular

sphérique
Meaning
Having the shape of a globe; spherical.
Example
The scientist studied the globular cluster of stars.
Le scientifique a étudié le groupe globulaire d'étoiles.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnɪkˈsɛpʃənəbl/

unexceptionable

irréprochable
Meaning
Not open to objection; acceptable and unobjectionable
Example
His behavior was unexceptionable throughout the event.
Son comportement était irréprochable tout au long de l'événement.
C2 adjective /ˈɒfɪʃ/

offish

distant
Meaning
Unfriendly, distant, or reserved in manner.
Example
He seemed offish at the party and avoided most conversations.
Il semblait distant à la fête et évitait la plupart des conversations.
C2 noun /ˈræbəl/

Rabble

foule
Meaning
a disorderly crowd; the common people regarded as socially inferior
Example
The politician dismissed the protesters as mere rabble.
Le politicien a rejeté les manifestants comme une simple foule.
C2 adjective /prɪˈhɛnsaɪl/

prehensile

préhensile
Meaning
adapted for seizing or grasping, especially by wrapping around an object
Example
The monkey used its prehensile tail to hang from the branch.
Le singe a utilisé sa queue préhensile pour se suspendre à la branche.
C2 noun /kənˈtɔːrʃən/

contortion

une forme tordue ou pliée; l'action de tordre hors de la forme normale
Meaning
a twisted or bent shape; the act of twisting out of the normal shape
Example
The gymnast's contortion amazed the audience.
La contorsion du gymnaste a étonné le public.
C2 noun /ˈmɛzməˌrɪzəm/

mesmerism

hypnotisme
Meaning
A state of fascination or hypnotism.
Example
The magician held the audience in a state of mesmerism.
Le magicien a maintenu l'audience dans un état de mesmerisme.
C2 noun /ˈɛnsaɪn/

ensign

drapeau
Meaning
A flag or standard, especially a military or naval one indicating nationality; also a junior officer in the navy or coast guard.
Example
The ship raised its national ensign before leaving the harbor.
Le navire a hissé son drapeau national avant de quitter le port.
C2 noun /ˈmɔːreɪz/

mores

mœurs
Meaning
the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a community
Example
Social mores often dictate how people behave in public.
Les mœurs sociales dictent souvent comment les gens se comportent en public.
C2 noun /ˌfoʊ.nəˈlɑː.dʒi/

phonology

phonologie
Meaning
the study of the sound system of a language
Example
She is studying phonology to understand how sounds function in English.
Elle étudie la phonologie pour comprendre comment les sons fonctionnent en anglais.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɛvəˈrɛnʃəl/

irreverential

irrévérencieux
Meaning
Showing a lack of respect for things that are generally taken seriously.
Example
His irreverential humor often shocked traditional audiences.
Son humour irrévérencieux choquait souvent les spectateurs traditionnels.
C2 noun ˈsaɪəns ˈdezət

science-desert

désert scientifique
Meaning
A region or area lacking in scientific development, research facilities, or educational institutions.
Example
J.C. Bose thrived in a science-desert.
J.C. Bose a prospéré dans un désert scientifique.
C2 verb /ˈfjuːmɪˌɡeɪt/

fumigate

fumiger
Meaning
to disinfect or purify an area by using chemical fumes
Example
They fumigated the warehouse to kill the insects.
Ils ont fumigé l'entrepôt pour tuer les insectes.
C2 verb /pəˈræmbjʊˌleɪt/

perambulate

flâner
Meaning
To walk through or travel around, especially for leisure.
Example
They perambulated the old town, enjoying the sights.
Ils ont flâné dans la vieille ville, profitant des vues.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪəl/

phial

petite fiole
Meaning
a small glass container for liquids, especially medicines
Example
The doctor gave her a phial of medicine.
Le médecin lui a donné un flacon de médicament.
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 noun ˈtɪl.ɪdʒ

tillage

labours agricoles
Meaning
The preparation of land for growing crops.
Example
Excessive tillage can lead to soil erosion.
Un excès de travail du sol peut entraîner de l'érosion.
C2 noun /ˌætəlˈjeɪ/

atelier

atelier (studio d'un artiste ou designer)
Meaning
A workshop or studio, especially for an artist or designer.
Example
The painter invited us to his atelier to view his new collection.
Le peintre nous a invités à son atelier pour voir sa nouvelle collection.
C2 verb /ˈprɒsəˌlaɪtaɪz/

proselytize

tenter de convertir
Meaning
To try to persuade someone to convert to a different belief or religion.
Example
They tried to proselytize the villagers with their new ideas.
Ils ont essayé de prosélytiser les villageois avec leurs nouvelles idées.
C2 adjective /ˈsɛrid/

serried

serré
Meaning
pressed or crowded together, often in rows or ranks
Example
The soldiers stood in serried ranks, ready for inspection.
Les soldats étaient en rangs serrés, prêts pour l'inspection.
C2 noun /rɪˈfræk.tər/

refractor

réfracteur
Meaning
A type of telescope that uses lenses to focus light.
Example
Refractor telescopes use lenses to focus light.
Les télescopes réfracteurs utilisent des lentilles pour focaliser la lumière.
C2 noun /ˈtʃaɪ.nə roʊz/

China-rose

hibiscus
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with large, showy flowers in various colors
Example
The bright red China-rose flowers decorated the entrance of the house.
Les fleurs rouges vives d'hibiscus décoraient l'entrée de la maison.
C2 noun /ˌɪntərˈsɛʃən/

intercession

intercession
Meaning
the act of intervening or pleading on behalf of another person
Example
The prisoner was released due to the intercession of influential leaders.
Le prisonnier a été libéré grâce à l'intercession de leaders influents.
C2 noun /əbˈdʌktər/

abductor

ravisseur
Meaning
a person who kidnaps or forcibly takes someone away
Example
The police arrested the abductor after a nationwide search.
La police a arrêté le ravisseur après une longue recherche.
C2 adjective /pərˈfɛktəbl/

perfectible

perfectible
Meaning
capable of being made perfect or improved
Example
Human nature is imperfect but perfectible.
La nature humaine est imparfaite, mais perfectible.
C2 adjective /ˌpriːpəˈzɛsɪŋ/

prepossessing

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

Jiggered

étonné; stupéfait;
Meaning
surprised or astonished; confused or puzzled
Example
I'll be jiggered if I know what happened here.
Je serais étonné si je savais ce qui s'est passé ici.