mordacious
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C2 adjective /mɔːrˈdeɪʃəs/

mordacious

acerbe ou sarcastique
Meaning
Sharp or biting in style, tone, or remark; sarcastic.
Example
The critic’s mordacious review offended the author.
La critique mordante du critique a offensé l'auteur.
C2 noun /foʊl fʊt/

Foal-foot

fleur de sabot de cheval
Meaning
a yellow flowering plant with leaves shaped like a horse's hoof, also known as coltsfoot
Example
The foal-foot plant grows wild in many meadows and is often the first flower to bloom in spring.
La plante de fleur de sabot de cheval pousse sauvagement dans de nombreuses prairies et est souvent la première à fleurir au printemps.
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 verb /ˌdɪspəˈzɛs/

dispossess

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

opulence

opulence
Meaning
Great wealth or luxuriousness.
Example
The opulence of the mansion was evident in its ornate furnishings.
L'opulence du manoir était évidente dans ses meubles ornés.
C2 noun /ɪnˈkʌmbrəns/

encumbrance

fardeau / obstacle
Meaning
a burden or obstacle that makes progress or movement difficult
Example
Debt can become a serious encumbrance in life.
La dette peut devenir un fardeau sérieux dans la vie.
C2 adjective /əˈsɪdjʊləs/

acidulous

légèrement acide ou amer
Meaning
slightly sour or sharp in taste or manner
Example
The critic wrote an acidulous review of the movie.
Le critique a écrit une critique acide du film.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːdʒɪlɪzəm/

pugilism

boxe
Meaning
The practice or sport of boxing.
Example
He studied the art of pugilism in his youth.
Il a étudié l'art de la boxe dans sa jeunesse.
C2 verb /ˈblʌdʒən/

bludgeon

frapper avec un gourdin
Meaning
to hit someone with a heavy object; to force someone into doing something
Example
The guard was bludgeoned by the attacker in the alley.
Le garde a été frappé avec un gourdin par l'attaquant dans la ruelle.
C2 verb /ˈpælieɪt/

palliate

atténuer
Meaning
to make a disease, symptoms, or problem less severe without removing the cause
Example
The doctor prescribed medicine to palliate the patient's pain.
Le médecin a prescrit des médicaments pour atténuer la douleur du patient.
C2 noun /pʌntʃ ˈfoʊrən/

Panch Phoron

panch phoron
Meaning
a Bengali spice blend containing five whole spices: cumin, fennel, fenugreek, nigella, and mustard seeds
Example
The aroma filled the kitchen when she heated panch phoron in oil.
L'arôme a rempli la cuisine lorsqu'elle a chauffé le panch phoron dans de l'huile.
C2 verb /vɔːnt/

vaunt

se vanter
Meaning
to boast or brag about something, especially in an excessive way
Example
He would often vaunt his achievements in front of his colleagues.
Il se vantait souvent de ses réalisations devant ses collègues.
C2 noun səˈtaɪ.ə.ti

satiety

satiété
Meaning
The feeling of being satisfied or full, especially with regard to food.
Example
High-fiber foods provide longer satiety.
Les aliments riches en fibres procurent une plus grande satiété.
C2 adjective ˌmɛɡəˈlɪθɪk

megalithic

mégalithique
Meaning
Relating to or denoting prehistoric monuments made of or containing large stones.
Example
The megalithic structures in ancient civilizations are fascinating.
Les structures mégalithiques dans les civilisations anciennes sont fascinantes.
C2 adjective /ˌæktʃuˈɛəriəl/

actuarial

actuariel
Meaning
Relating to actuaries or their work of analyzing financial risk and uncertainty, especially in insurance and pensions.
Example
The company relied on actuarial reports to set insurance premiums.
L'entreprise s'est appuyée sur des rapports actuariels pour fixer les primes d'assurance.
C2 adjective /ˈdəʊ.lə.rəs/

dolorous

doloureux
Meaning
Expressing great sorrow or distress.
Example
He spoke in a dolorous tone after the loss.
Il a parlé sur un ton doloureux après la perte.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪstrəfi/

antistrophe

antistrophé (un dispositif rhétorique)
Meaning
A rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive clauses; in Greek choral poetry, the part of the ode sung by the chorus in return movement.
Example
The poet used antistrophe to emphasize the repeated phrase.
Le poète a utilisé l'antistrophé pour souligner la phrase répétée.
C2 noun /ˈsɪbɪləns/

sibilance

son sifflant
Meaning
A hissing or hushing sound, especially in speech with 's' or 'sh'.
Example
The poet used sibilance to create a soft, hissing effect in the verse.
Le poète a utilisé la sibilance pour créer un effet doux et sifflant dans le vers.
C2 noun /lɪˈvaɪəθən/

leviathan

monstre marin géant
Meaning
a huge sea monster or something very large and powerful.
Example
The ship looked like a leviathan on the horizon.
Le navire ressemblait à un monstre marin géant à l'horizon.
C2 noun /ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪʃən/

abnegation

abnégation
Meaning
the act of renouncing or rejecting something, especially self-denial
Example
The monk’s life was one of complete abnegation of worldly pleasures.
La vie du moine était une complète abnégation des plaisirs mondains.
C2 adjective /ˈɑːbdjʊrət/

obdurate

obstiné
Meaning
Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.
Example
He remained obdurate despite everyone's pleas.
Il est resté obstiné malgré les suppliques de tout le monde.
C2 verb /dɪˈnɒmɪˌneɪt/

denominate

dénommer
Meaning
to give a name or designation to something
Example
The currency was denominated in dollars.
La monnaie a été dénommée en dollars.
C2 adjective /ˌkɒn.tjʊˈmeɪ.ʃəs/

contumacious

insoumis, récalcitrant
Meaning
stubbornly disobedient or rebellious
Example
The contumacious student refused to follow the school rules.
L'étudiant insoumis a refusé de suivre les règles de l'école.
C2 noun /juːˈdʒen.ɪks/

eugenics

eugénisme
Meaning
the study or practice of improving the genetic quality of the human population
Example
Eugenics has been criticized for its unethical applications in history.
L'eugénisme a été critiqué pour ses applications non éthiques dans l'histoire.
C2 adjective /ˈkʌmli/

comely

belle
Meaning
Attractive or pleasant in appearance.
Example
The actress was known for her comely features.
L'actrice était connue pour ses traits beaux.
C2 noun /ˌɪntərˈsɛsər/

intercessor

intercesseur
Meaning
a person who intervenes or pleads on behalf of another
Example
He acted as an intercessor to resolve the conflict between the two families.
Il a agi en tant qu'intercesseur pour résoudre le conflit entre les deux familles.
C2 noun /lɔːˈdeɪʃən/

laudation

éloges
Meaning
The act of praising or expressing approval.
Example
The poet received much laudation for his moving verses.
Le poète a reçu de nombreux éloges pour ses vers émouvants.
C2 noun ˈpɑː.stər.ə.lɪ.zəm

pastoralism

pastoralisme, système de pâturage basé sur l'herbe
Meaning
A form of animal husbandry where domesticated animals are released onto large vegetated outdoor lands for grazing.
Example
Pastoralism is a traditional way of managing livestock.
Le pastoralisme est une manière traditionnelle de gérer le bétail.
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 verb /dɪˈsɛmbəl/

dissemble

dissimuler
Meaning
to conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs; to pretend
Example
He tried to dissemble his anger with a forced smile.
Il a essayé de dissimuler sa colère avec un sourire forcé.
C2 noun /breɪ/

brae

versant
Meaning
A hillside or slope, especially in Scotland.
Example
They climbed up the grassy brae to see the sunset.
Ils ont grimpé la lisière herbeuse pour voir le coucher du soleil.
C2 noun /fɪˈlɒl.ə.dʒi/

philology

l'étude de la langue dans les sources historiques écrites ; linguistique
Meaning
the study of language in written historical sources; linguistics
Example
She devoted her career to philology, researching ancient manuscripts.
Elle a consacré sa carrière à la philologie, en recherchant des manuscrits anciens.
C2 adjective /ˈfʌŋɡəs/

fungous

semblable à un champignon
Meaning
relating to or resembling a fungus
Example
The damp basement had a fungous smell.
Le sous-sol humide avait une odeur semblable à un champignon.
C2 adjective /ˌɛfəˈvɛsənt/

effervescent

effervescent
Meaning
Giving off bubbles; lively, enthusiastic, and full of energy.
Example
She had an effervescent personality that brightened every room.
Elle avait une personnalité effervescente qui éclairait chaque pièce.
C2 noun /nɑnˈen.tə.ti/

Nonentity

personne sans importance; quelque chose qui n'existe pas
Meaning
a person of no importance or influence; something that does not exist
Example
He felt like a nonentity in the large corporation.
Il se sentait comme une non-entité dans la grande entreprise.
C2 adjective /ˈslɪpʃɒd/

slipshod

négligé, bâclé
Meaning
done in a careless, sloppy, or untidy way
Example
The project failed due to slipshod planning.
Le projet a échoué en raison d'une planification négligée.
C2 verb /əˈdʒʊər/

adjure

adjurer
Meaning
to urge or command someone solemnly, often under oath or a strong sense of duty
Example
The witness was adjured to tell the truth in court.
Le témoin a été adjuré de dire la vérité au tribunal.
C2 noun /ɒmˈnɪʃəns/

omniscience

omniscience
Meaning
the state of knowing everything
Example
The novel's narrator has an air of omniscience, revealing every character's thoughts.
Le narrateur du roman a un air d'omniscience, révélant les pensées de chaque personnage.
C2 noun /ɪnˈfriːkwəns/

infrequence

infréquence
Meaning
The state of occurring rarely or at long intervals.
Example
The infrequence of their meetings made it hard to maintain close ties.
L'infréquence de leurs réunions rendait difficile le maintien de liens étroits.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdənt/

pedant

personne pédante
Meaning
A person who is excessively concerned with minor details or rules, often in a showy way.
Example
The professor was criticized as a pedant who focused too much on trivial details.
Le professeur a été critiqué comme un pédant qui se concentrait trop sur des détails triviaux.
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 /lɪr/

leer

regard lubrique
Meaning
To look at someone in an unpleasant, sly, or sexually suggestive way.
Example
He leered at her in a way that made her uncomfortable.
Il l'a regardée d'une manière qui l'a rendue mal à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˈɪl.i.æd/

iliad

Iliade
Meaning
An ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, describing the events of the Trojan War.
Example
Students studied the Iliad to understand Greek mythology and heroism.
Les étudiants ont étudié l'Iliade pour comprendre la mythologie grecque et l'héroïsme.
C2 adjective /ˌɛvɪˈdɛnʃəl/

evidential

évidentiel
Meaning
relating to or providing evidence
Example
The lawyer presented evidential support for her claims.
L'avocat a présenté un soutien évident pour ses revendications.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈpæsɪbəl/

impassible

impassible
Meaning
Incapable of suffering or feeling pain (used mainly in theological or philosophical contexts).
Example
Some philosophers argue that God is impassible and cannot experience human emotions.
Certains philosophes affirment que Dieu est impassible et ne peut pas éprouver les émotions humaines.
C2 noun /əbˈstrʌkʃənɪst/

obstructionist

obstructionniste
Meaning
a person who deliberately delays or prevents progress by being uncooperative or oppositional
Example
The obstructionist in the committee kept delaying the decision-making process.
L'obstructionniste au sein du comite a continue a retarder le processus de prise de decision.
C2 adjective /ˈslæp.dæʃ/

slapdash

fait à la va-vite
Meaning
done too quickly and carelessly; hasty and careless
Example
The report was written in a slapdash manner, full of errors.
Le rapport a été rédigé à la va-vite, plein d'erreurs.
C2 noun /dɪsˈkwaɪɪtjuːd/

disquietude

inquiétude
Meaning
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or restlessness.
Example
His constant pacing showed his inner disquietude.
Ses pas incessants montraient son inquiétude intérieure.
C2 adjective /ˈdɛndrɔɪd/

dendroid

en forme d'arbre
Meaning
tree-shaped or branching like a tree
Example
The coral has a dendroid structure.
Le corail a une structure dendroïde.
C2 noun /ˈdɛskænt/

descant

mélodie supplémentaire
Meaning
An additional melody or counterpoint sung or played above the main melody.
Example
The choir added a beautiful descant to the hymn.
Le chœur a ajouté une belle mélodie supplémentaire à l'hymne.
C2 noun /fɪˈlæt.əl.i/

philately

philatélie
Meaning
the collection and study of postage stamps
Example
Philately is a hobby enjoyed by people of all ages.
La philatélie est un passe-temps apprécié des personnes de tous âges.
C2 noun /ˌpaɪrəˈmeɪniə/

pyromania

désir incontrôlable de mettre le feu à des choses
Meaning
An uncontrollable desire to set things on fire.
Example
The suspect was diagnosed with pyromania after repeated incidents of arson.
Le suspect a été diagnostiqué avec la pyromanie après plusieurs incidents d'incendie criminel.
C2 adjective /ˌrɛpərˈtɔːriəl/

repertorial

répertorial
Meaning
Relating to or characteristic of a repertoire, especially in journalism or performance contexts.
Example
The journalist's repertorial style captured every detail of the unfolding story.
Le style répertorial du journaliste a capturé chaque détail de l'histoire en cours.
C2 noun /əˈzeɪ.li.ə/

azalea

azalée
Meaning
a flowering shrub with brightly colored blooms, often grown ornamentally
Example
The garden was full of blooming azaleas in spring.
Le jardin était plein d'azalées en fleurs au printemps.
C2 verb /ˌɪnkəˈpæsɪteɪt/

incapacitate

incapaciter
Meaning
to deprive someone or something of the ability or strength to function
Example
The severe injury incapacitated the player for the rest of the season.
La blessure grave a rendu le joueur incapable pour le reste de la saison.
C2 noun /ˌsaɪ.kəʊˈɡræf.ɪks/

Psychographics

L'étude et la classification des personnes en fonction de leurs attitudes, aspirations et autres critères psychologiques
Meaning
The study and classification of people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria.
Example
Psychographics reveal consumer buying motives.
Les psychographies révèlent les motifs d'achat des consommateurs.
C2 noun /ˈpraɪəri/

priory

prieuré
Meaning
a small monastery or convent governed by a prior or prioress
Example
The old priory was converted into a museum.
L'ancien prieuré a été transformé en musée.
C2 noun /sɪˈrɒkoʊ/

sirocco

vent chaud et sec
Meaning
A hot, dry wind blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.
Example
The sirocco made the city unbearably hot and dusty.
Le sirocco a rendu la ville insupportablement chaude et poussiéreuse.
C2 noun /ˈkɒnk.leɪv/

conclave

conclave secret
Meaning
a private meeting, especially a secret or important one
Example
The leaders met in a secret conclave to discuss the strategy.
Les dirigeants se sont réunis dans un conclave secret pour discuter de la stratégie.
C2 verb /ˈɪndjʊˌreɪt/

indurate

endurcir
Meaning
To harden or make something physically or emotionally tough.
Example
Years of hardship indurated his spirit.
Des années de difficultés ont induré son esprit.
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 noun /ˈdɒkɪt/

docket

registre
Meaning
a list or schedule of cases to be tried in a court or items to be done
Example
The judge reviewed the docket before starting the session.
Le juge a examiné le registre avant de commencer la séance.
C2 noun /skʌlˈdʌɡəri/

skulduggery

fraude
Meaning
underhanded or dishonest behavior
Example
The politician was accused of financial skulduggery.
Le politicien a été accusé de fraude financière.
C2 noun /ˌɪlɪbəˈræləti/

illiberality

intolérance
Meaning
The quality of being illiberal; lack of tolerance or generosity.
Example
The illiberality of the new laws alarmed the citizens.
L'illibéralité des nouvelles lois a alarmé les citoyens.
C2 adjective /ˈræŋ.kər.əs/

rancorous

rancunier
Meaning
Characterized by bitterness or resentment.
Example
Their rancorous debate lasted for hours.
Leurs débats rancuniers ont duré des heures.
C2 noun /fɪntʃ/

finch

pinson (petit oiseau chanteur)
Meaning
a small songbird with a short, stout bill
Example
A colorful finch perched on the branch singing sweetly.
Un pinson coloré s'est posé sur la branche chantant doucement.
C2 verb /dɪsˈbɜːrs/

disburse

distribuer
Meaning
to pay out money, especially from a fund
Example
The organization will disburse the funds to the affected families.
L'organisation va distribuer les fonds aux familles affectées.
C2 adjective /ˈdɛsɪkeɪtɪd/

desiccated

desséché
Meaning
completely dried, having had all moisture removed
Example
The museum displayed desiccated specimens of plants.
Le musée a exposé des spécimens desséchés de plantes.
C2 noun /ɡɑːrˈdiː.ni.ə/

Gardenia

gardénia
Meaning
a white or yellow fragrant flower with waxy petals
Example
The gardenia bush produced beautiful white flowers with a lovely scent.
Le buisson de gardénia a produit de belles fleurs blanches avec un parfum charmant.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪt ˈnwɑːr/

bete noire

une chose détestée
Meaning
A person or thing that one particularly dislikes or fears.
Example
Grammar has always been his bete noire.
La grammaire a toujours été sa bête noire.
C2 noun /ˈdæl.i.əns/

Dalliance

flirt; aventure; liaison éphémère
Meaning
a casual romantic or sexual relationship; a brief involvement or experiment
Example
His dalliance with photography lasted only a few months before he lost interest.
Son flirt avec la photographie n'a duré que quelques mois avant qu'il perde de l'intérêt.
C2 adjective /ʌkˈsɔːriəs/

uxorious

excessivement dévoué à sa femme
Meaning
excessively fond of or submissive to one's wife
Example
He was so uxorious that he agreed with everything his wife said.
Il était tellement uxorien qu'il était d'accord avec tout ce que sa femme disait.
C2 verb /ˈpjuːtrɪfaɪ/

putrefy

putréfier
Meaning
to decay or rot, producing a foul smell
Example
The meat began to putrefy in the heat.
La viande a commencé à pourrir sous la chaleur.
C2 noun /vɜːrˈtuː/

virtu

goût pour l'art
Meaning
a love of or taste for fine art, antiques, or curiosities
Example
The collector’s house was filled with objects of virtu.
La maison du collectionneur était remplie d'objets de virtu.
C2 adjective /ˈdɒdərɪŋ/

doddering

tremblant / faible
Meaning
Weak, shaky, or unsteady, especially due to old age.
Example
The doddering professor struggled to climb the stairs.
Le professeur doddering avait du mal à monter les escaliers.
C2 noun /ˌdɛkləˈmeɪʃən/

declamation

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

Cabal

cabal
Meaning
a secret political clique or faction
Example
The journalists exposed a cabal of corrupt politicians working together.
Les journalistes ont exposé un cabal de politiciens corrompus travaillant ensemble.
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 /læmˈbeɪst/

lambaste

réprimander sévèrement
Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly; to reprimand severely
Example
The teacher lambasted the students for not completing their homework.
Le professeur a sévèrement réprimandé les étudiants pour ne pas avoir fait leurs devoirs.
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 noun /ˈlɪŋ.ɡoʊ/

lingo

jargon spécialisé
Meaning
Specialized or informal language used by a particular group that is often difficult for outsiders to understand.
Example
The manual was written in technical lingo that confused the new employees.
Le manuel était écrit en jargon technique qui a embrouillé les nouveaux employés.
C2 verb /ˈvɪʃieɪt/

vitiate

vicié
Meaning
to spoil, weaken, or make something less effective
Example
One careless remark can vitiate the entire argument.
Une remarque imprudente peut vicié tout l'argument.
C2 noun /doʊlt/

dolt

imbécile
Meaning
A stupid or slow-witted person.
Example
Only a dolt would believe such a story.
Seul un imbécile croirait à une telle histoire.
C2 noun /ˈɛpəʊd/

epode

une forme de poème lyrique
Meaning
A form of lyric poem written in couplets, often following a strophe and antistrophe in classical Greek poetry.
Example
The poet concluded his ode with a striking epode.
Le poète a conclu son ode avec un épode frappant.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪkweɪt/

antiquate

antiquée
Meaning
To make something old-fashioned or obsolete.
Example
The rise of digital cameras antiquated traditional film photography.
L'essor des appareils photo numériques a rendu obsolète la photographie sur film traditionnelle.
C2 noun /ˈʌm.brə/

Umbra

ombre totale, région sombre d'une tache solaire
Meaning
the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object; the dark center of a sunspot
Example
During the eclipse, we stood in the moon's umbra.
Pendant l'éclipse, nous nous sommes tenus dans l'ombre de la lune.
C2 adjective /ˈɪl bred/

Ill-bred

mal eleve
Meaning
lacking good manners; rude; showing poor upbringing
Example
His ill-bred behavior shocked everyone at the dinner party.
His ill-bred behavior shocked everyone at the dinner party.
C2 noun /ˈɪmɪˌteɪtər/

imitator

imitateur
Meaning
a person who copies the behavior, style, or actions of others
Example
He became famous as an imitator of popular singers.
Il est devenu célèbre en tant qu'imitateur de chanteurs populaires.
C2 noun /ˈæntɪfɒn/

antiphon

antienne
Meaning
a short chant or verse sung responsively in Christian worship, typically sung before or after a psalm or canticle
Example
The choir sang the antiphon before beginning the main hymn.
Le chœur a chanté l'antienne avant de commencer l'hymne principal.
C2 adjective /ˈvɒl.jʊ.bəl/

Voluble

bavard; volubile
Meaning
speaking fluently and readily; talkative; having a continuous flow of words
Example
The voluble salesman talked for hours about his products.
Le vendeur bavard a parlé pendant des heures de ses produits.
C2 adjective /pɔːrˈtɛntəs/

portentous

portentueux, grave
Meaning
Giving a sign or warning that something, often bad or serious, is going to happen; or overly solemn and pompous.
Example
His portentous tone made everyone nervous about the news.
Son ton porteur de présages a rendu tout le monde nerveux à propos des nouvelles.
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 noun /ˌɪnvəˈkeɪʃən/

invocation

invocation
Meaning
the act of calling upon a higher power for help, blessing, or inspiration
Example
The ceremony began with an invocation to the gods.
La cérémonie a commencé par une invocation aux dieux.
C2 adjective /ˈæsənənt/

assonant

assonant
Meaning
Having or characterized by assonance; repeating similar vowel sounds.
Example
The poem is filled with assonant words that create a musical rhythm.
Le poème est rempli de mots assonants qui créent un rythme musical.
C2 noun /ˈɔːɡjʊri/

augury

augure
Meaning
A sign or omen that is believed to predict future events.
Example
The dark clouds were seen as an augury of an approaching storm.
Les nuages sombres étaient vus comme un augure d'une tempête imminente.
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 /pɪˈnɒlədʒi/

penology

pénologie
Meaning
The study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation.
Example
He decided to specialize in penology to help improve the prison system.
Il a décidé de se spécialiser en pénologie pour améliorer le système pénitentiaire.
C2 adjective /ˈtjuːtɪlɑːr/

tutelar

tutélaire
Meaning
Serving as a guardian or protector.
Example
The tutelar spirit of the forest was believed to protect travelers.
On croyait que l'esprit tutélaire de la forêt protégeait les voyageurs.
C2 noun /ˈwɑːmpəm/

wampum

colliers en coquillage
Meaning
beads made by Native Americans from shells, used as money or decoration
Example
The tribe traded furs for wampum.
La tribu a échangé des fourrures contre des colliers en coquillage.
C2 noun /ˌdɛkəˈsɪləbəl/

decasyllable

décasyllabe
Meaning
A line of verse with ten syllables.
Example
The poet often wrote in decasyllable form.
Le poète écrivait souvent en forme de décasyllabe.
C2 noun/adjective /rɪˈmɒnstrənt/

remonstrant

protestataire
Meaning
A person who makes a forceful protest (noun); protesting or objecting (adjective).
Example
He was a remonstrant voice in the assembly.
Il était une voix de protestation dans l'assemblée.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊmiːn/

bromine

brome
Meaning
a dark red, dense, toxic liquid element used in making dyes, flame retardants, and medications
Example
Bromine is commonly used in water treatment chemicals.
Le brome est couramment utilisé dans les produits chimiques pour le traitement de l'eau.
C2 noun /loʊd/

lode

filons minéraux
Meaning
A rich source of something, often a vein of valuable metal in the earth.
Example
The miners discovered a rich lode of silver.
Les mineurs ont découvert un riche filon d'argent.
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 /ɪɡˈzɛmplɑːr/

exemplar

exemple
Meaning
A model or pattern to be copied or imitated.
Example
She is an exemplar of kindness and generosity.
Elle est un exemple de gentillesse et de générosité.
C2 noun /ˌɡrɛnəˈdɪə/

grenadier

grenadier
Meaning
A soldier who specialized in throwing grenades; later used to describe an elite infantryman.
Example
The grenadier stood proudly at the front of the regiment.
Le grenadier se tenait fièrement devant le régiment.
C2 verb /ˈkɒndʒʊɡeɪt/

conjugate

conjuguer
Meaning
to list the different forms of a verb according to tense, person, and number
Example
Students are asked to conjugate the verb 'to be'.
Les étudiants sont invités à conjuguer le verbe 'être'.
C2 noun /ˈtrɒɡlədaɪt/

troglodyte

troglodyte
Meaning
A person who lives in a cave or is considered old-fashioned and out of touch.
Example
Some called him a troglodyte for refusing to use modern technology.
Certains l'ont traité de troglodyte pour avoir refusé d'utiliser la technologie moderne.
C2 adjective /ˌeθ.noʊˈsen.trɪk/

ethnocentric

ethnocentrique
Meaning
evaluating other cultures according to the standards of one's own culture
Example
His ethnocentric attitude made it hard for him to appreciate foreign traditions.
Son attitude ethnocentrique lui rendait difficile d'apprécier les traditions étrangères.
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 ˌæɡ.roʊ.iˈkɒl.ə.dʒi

agroecology

agroécologie
Meaning
A scientific discipline that studies agricultural systems by applying ecological concepts and principles.
Example
Agroecology promotes eco-friendly farming.
L'agroécologie favorise l'agriculture écologique.
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 /ˌsɪŋ.krəˈnɪs.ɪ.ti/

synchronicity

synchronicité
Meaning
The meaningful coincidence of two or more events that are not planned.
Example
The synchronicity of their thoughts amazed everyone.
La synchronicité de leurs pensées a étonné tout le monde.
C2 adjective /kɒnˈsæŋɡwɪn/

consanguine

consanguin
Meaning
Of the same blood or origin; related by birth.
Example
The two families were consanguine through their grandparents.
Les deux familles étaient consanguines par leurs grands-parents.
C2 noun /kəˈlɒsəti/

callosity

peau épaissie
Meaning
A thickened or hardened area of skin; insensitivity or hardness of character.
Example
Years of manual labor left callosity on his hands.
Des années de travail manuel ont laissé de la callosité sur ses mains.
C2 noun /ˈflæɡ ˌɒfɪsər/

flag-officer

officier de pavillon
Meaning
a senior naval officer entitled to fly a flag to mark the command
Example
The flag-officer reviewed the fleet before the ceremony.
L'officier de pavillon a examiné la flotte avant la cérémonie.
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 verb /dɪˈtruːd/

detrude

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

proselyte

prosélyte
Meaning
A person who has converted from one belief, opinion, or religion to another.
Example
She became a proselyte after converting to a new faith.
Elle est devenue un prosélyte après s'être convertie à une nouvelle foi.
C2 noun /ˈɛərəˌstæt/

aerostat

aérostat
Meaning
A lighter-than-air craft, such as a balloon, that is lifted by gas.
Example
The military used an aerostat for surveillance over the border.
L'armée a utilisé un aérostat pour la surveillance de la frontière.