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C2 noun /ˈəʊpəs/

opus

œuvre créative
Meaning
A creative work, especially a large and important piece of music or art.
Example
The composer considered the symphony his greatest opus.
Le compositeur considérait la symphonie comme sa plus grande œuvre créative.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.kəˌroʊl/

barcarole

barcarole
Meaning
a traditional Venetian boat song, often in 6/8 time
Example
The orchestra played a beautiful barcarole that reminded me of Venice.
L'orchestre a joué une belle barcarole qui m'a rappelé Venise.
C2 adjective /ˌtɛmɪˈrɛəriəs/

temerarious

téméraire
Meaning
Reckless or rash; showing a lack of caution.
Example
It was a temerarious decision to cross the river during the storm.
C'était une décision téméraire de traverser la rivière pendant la tempête.
C2 noun /prɪˈpɒndərəns/

preponderance

prépondérance
Meaning
The quality or fact of being greater in number, quantity, or importance.
Example
There was a preponderance of evidence against the defendant.
Il y avait une prépondérance de preuves contre l'accusé.
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 noun /ˌɪntərˈrɛɡnəm/

interregnum

interrègne
Meaning
A period between rulers or governments when normal leadership is suspended.
Example
The country faced instability during the interregnum after the king’s death.
Le pays a connu de l’instabilité pendant l’interrègne après la mort du roi.
C2 noun /ˈsælvər/

salver

plateau en argent
Meaning
A tray, typically made of silver, used for serving food or drinks.
Example
The butler brought in the tea on a silver salver.
Le majordome a apporté le thé sur un plateau en argent.
C2 verb /bɪˈnʌm/

benumb

engourdir
Meaning
to make physically numb or without sensation; to make mentally dull or insensitive
Example
The freezing wind seemed to benumb his fingers within minutes.
Le vent glacial semblait lui engourdir les doigts en quelques minutes.
C2 adjective /ˌpɪkəˈrɛsk/

picaresque

histoire d'un héros malicieux
Meaning
relating to a style of fiction depicting the adventures of a roguish hero
Example
The novel is a picaresque tale of a clever vagabond.
Le roman est une histoire picaresque d'un vagabond rusé.
C2 adjective/adverb /feɪn/

fain

volontiers, avec plaisir
Meaning
gladly, willingly, or with pleasure
Example
I would fain help you if I had the time.
Si j'avais le temps, je t'aiderais volontiers.
C2 noun /ɡruːəl/

Gruel

bouillie
Meaning
a thin liquid food of oatmeal or another meal boiled in milk or water
Example
The sick patient could only eat gruel.
Le patient malade n'a pu manger que de la bouillie.
C2 verb /dɪˈskraɪ/

descry

apercevoir au loin
Meaning
to catch sight of something, especially something distant or obscure
Example
From the hilltop, they descried a small village in the distance.
Depuis le sommet de la colline, ils ont aperçu un petit village au loin.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtəni/

litany

litanie
Meaning
a long, repetitive, or tedious account or list; originally a form of prayer
Example
The politician gave a litany of promises during the campaign.
Le politicien a donné une longue liste de promesses pendant la campagne.
C2 noun prɒkˈsiː.mɪks

proxemics

l'étude de l'utilisation de l'espace personnel
Meaning
The study of how people use space and distance to indicate relationships
Example
Understanding proxemics helps in improving interpersonal communication.
Comprendre la proxémique aide à améliorer la communication interpersonnelle.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvɛtərət/

inveterate

invétéré
Meaning
having a long-established habit, activity, or interest that is unlikely to change
Example
He is an inveterate reader who spends hours in the library every day.
Il est un lecteur invétéré qui passe des heures à la bibliothèque chaque jour.
C2 noun /wɛlp/

whelp

chiot
Meaning
a young offspring of a dog or other carnivorous mammal; sometimes used to mean an impudent young person
Example
The farmer found a wolf whelp hiding near the barn.
Le fermier a trouvé un chiot de loup caché près de la grange.
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 verb /əˈdʒʌdʒ/

adjudge

juger
Meaning
to consider or declare officially in a legal or formal manner
Example
He was adjudged guilty by the court.
Il a été déclaré coupable par le tribunal.
C2 noun /aɪˈkɒnəklæst/

iconoclast

iconoclaste
Meaning
A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs, traditions, or institutions.
Example
He was known as an iconoclast who challenged old traditions.
Il était connu comme un iconoclaste qui défiait les anciennes traditions.
C2 adjective /ɛmˈpaɪriəl/

empyreal

céleste
Meaning
Heavenly, divine, or relating to the highest heavens.
Example
The poet described the empyreal beauty of the stars.
Le poète a décrit la beauté céleste des étoiles.
C2 noun /ˈbiːtənd raɪs/

Beatened rice

riz battu
Meaning
flattened rice; rice that has been parboiled, dried, and beaten into flat flakes
Example
Beaten rice is commonly eaten with milk and sugar for breakfast.
Le riz battu est généralement mangé avec du lait et du sucre au petit-déjeuner.
C2 noun /ɪˈbʊliəns/

ebullience

exubérance
Meaning
the quality of being cheerful, enthusiastic, and full of energy
Example
The teacher's ebullience inspired her students.
L'enthousiasme de l'enseignante a inspiré ses élèves.
C2 noun /ˈmɒdɪkəm/

modicum

une petite quantité
Meaning
a small or moderate amount of something, especially something valuable or desirable
Example
She showed a modicum of patience during the long meeting.
Elle a montré une petite quantité de patience pendant la longue réunion.
C2 verb ˈɑːb.fə.skeɪt

obfuscate

obscurcir, embrouiller, mystifier
Meaning
Render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
Example
Politicians often obfuscate facts to mislead people.
Les politiciens obfusquent souvent les faits pour induire les gens en erreur.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsnɛər/

ensnare

piéger
Meaning
to catch or trap, often by trickery or deceit
Example
The hunter ensnared the rabbit with a net.
Le chasseur a piégé le lapin avec un filet.
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 verb /ˈpɜː.fə.reɪt/

perforate

perforer
Meaning
to make a hole or holes through something
Example
The machine can perforate sheets of paper for easy tearing.
La machine peut perforer des feuilles de papier pour faciliter la déchirure.
C2 noun /ʃəˈɡrɪn/

chagrin

chagrin
Meaning
Distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated.
Example
She left the room in chagrin after forgetting her lines.
Elle a quitté la pièce dans le chagrin après avoir oublié ses répliques.
C2 noun /mɪˈtɒnɪmi/

metonymy

métaphore par substitution
Meaning
A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted with another closely related word or concept.
Example
In the phrase 'the crown will decide,' 'crown' is a metonymy for monarchy.
Dans l'expression 'la couronne décidera', 'couronne' est une métaphore par substitution pour la monarchie.
C2 adjective /ˈfɛkləs/

feckless

inefficace, irresponsable
Meaning
lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible
Example
His feckless attitude at work caused several missed deadlines.
Son attitude inefficace au travail a causé plusieurs délais manqués.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɛriˌmændər/

gerrymander

manipuler les limites des circonscriptions électorales
Meaning
to manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constituency to favor one party or class
Example
The ruling party was accused of trying to gerrymander the districts to secure more seats.
Le parti au pouvoir a été accusé de manipuler les districts pour obtenir plus de sièges.
C2 adjective /kəˈpeɪ.ʃəs/

Capacious

spacieux; grand; vaste;
Meaning
having a lot of space inside; roomy and spacious
Example
The capacious hall can accommodate five hundred people.
La salle spacieuse peut accueillir cinq cents personnes.
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 /sfɛˈrɪsɪti/

sphericity

sphéricité
Meaning
The quality or state of being spherical; roundness.
Example
The sphericity of the ball made it roll smoothly on the ground.
La sphéricité de la balle lui a permis de rouler doucement sur le sol.
C2 verb /ˈbaʊdləˌraɪz/

bowdlerize

supprimer les parties offensantes
Meaning
to remove or modify parts of a text considered offensive or inappropriate
Example
The editor bowdlerized the novel to make it suitable for children.
L'éditeur a baudelérisé le roman pour le rendre adapté aux enfants.
C2 adjective /ˈɪnˌbrɛd/

inbred

inné
Meaning
existing naturally in a person or animal; also related to reproduction within a limited community
Example
He has an inbred sense of loyalty.
Il a un sens inné de la loyauté.
C2 adjective /ˈærənt/

arrant

complet, absolu
Meaning
complete or utter (used negatively, e.g., 'arrant nonsense')
Example
His excuse was arrant nonsense.
Son excuse était des bêtises complètes.
C2 noun /bəˈkuːl/

Bakul

fleur bakul
Meaning
a fragrant white flower native to South Asia, scientifically known as Mimusops elengi
Example
The sweet fragrance of bakul flowers filled the evening air in the village.
La douce fragrance des fleurs bakul a rempli l'air du soir dans le village.
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 verb /ɪkˈskruːʃieɪt/

excruciate

excrucier
Meaning
to cause intense pain or suffering
Example
The injury excruciated him with unbearable pain.
La blessure l'excruciait avec une douleur insupportable.
C2 adjective /ˈfluːviəl/

fluvial

fluvial
Meaning
relating to or found in a river
Example
The fluvial deposits indicated the presence of an ancient river system.
Les dépôts fluviaux ont indiqué la présence d'un ancien système fluvial.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkoʊˈɜːrsəbl̩/

incoercible

incoercible
Meaning
Not capable of being forced, compelled, or restrained.
Example
Her incoercible spirit inspired others to fight for justice.
Son esprit incoercible a inspiré les autres à lutter pour la justice.
C2 noun /ɪnˌtɜːrpəˈleɪʃən/

interpolation

interpolation
Meaning
The act of inserting something into a text or estimating values within a sequence of data.
Example
The scientist used interpolation to predict the missing data points.
Le scientifique a utilisé l'interpolation pour prédire les points de données manquants.
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 noun /ˈfɪl.ɪ.staɪn/

philistine

personne indifférente ou hostile à la culture et aux arts
Meaning
a person who is indifferent or hostile to culture and the arts
Example
He was criticized as a philistine for dismissing modern art.
Il a été critiqué comme un philistin pour avoir rejeté l'art moderne.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛl.ɪˈtɪə.ri.əs/

deleterious

nuisible
Meaning
Causing physical or mental harm or damage.
Example
Smoking has deleterious effects on health.
Fumer a des effets nuisibles sur la santé.
C2 noun /sɪlf/

sylph

sylphide
Meaning
A mythical spirit of the air; also refers to a slender, graceful woman.
Example
She moved across the stage like a sylph, light and graceful.
Elle se déplaçait sur la scène comme une sylphide, légère et gracieuse.
C2 verb /ˈblækˌbɔːl/

blackball

exclure
Meaning
to exclude someone socially or vote against their membership in a group or club
Example
He was blackballed from the club after the controversy.
Il a été exclu du club après la controverse.
C2 adjective /kɔːrˈpɔːriəl/

corporeal

corporel, matériel
Meaning
relating to the physical body; material or tangible
Example
Ghosts are often described as having no corporeal form.
Les fantômes sont souvent décrits comme n'ayant pas de forme corporelle.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprəˈsɑːrioʊ/

impresario

impresario
Meaning
A person who organizes or finances concerts, plays, or operas.
Example
The impresario arranged a series of concerts for the rising star.
L'impresario a organisé une série de concerts pour la star montante.
C2 verb /dɪˈfreɪ/

defray

financer
Meaning
to provide money to pay the costs of something
Example
The grant will help defray the cost of education.
La bourse aidera à financer le coût de l'éducation.
C2 adjective /rɪˈsplɛndənt/

resplendent

resplendissant
Meaning
Shining brilliantly; dazzling in appearance or effect
Example
The bride looked resplendent in her wedding gown.
La mariée semblait resplendissante dans sa robe de mariée.
C2 noun (compound/erroneous entry) /ɪnˈɛksərəbl ɑːrmi/

inexorableinexorablearmy

armée imparable
Meaning
This appears to be a corrupted or concatenated form; interpreted as 'inexorable army' — an unstoppable or relentless force.
Example
The rebels feared the inexorable army approaching their stronghold.
Les rebelles craignaient l'armée imparable qui approchait de leur bastion.
C2 noun ˈvɜː.mɪ.kʌl.tʃər

vermiculture

vermiculture
Meaning
The cultivation of earthworms, especially for use in composting organic waste.
Example
Vermiculture enriches soil with natural nutrients.
La vermiculture enrichit le sol avec des nutriments naturels.
C2 verb /məˈmɔːriəlaɪz/

memorialize

commémorer
Meaning
to preserve the memory of a person or event, often through a ceremony, monument, or record
Example
The city decided to memorialize the hero with a statue in the central square.
La ville a décidé de commémorer le héros avec une statue sur la place centrale.
C2 adjective /ˌmʌl.tɪˈfeə.ri.əs/

Multifarious

multiforme; varié
Meaning
having many different aspects or forms; diverse and varied
Example
The company has multifarious business interests including technology, finance, and healthcare.
L'entreprise a des intérêts commerciaux multifacétiques, y compris la technologie, la finance et les soins de santé.
C2 adjective /ɪˈfjuːsɪv/

effusive

effusif
Meaning
Expressing feelings of gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner.
Example
She gave him an effusive welcome after his long journey.
Elle lui a réservé un accueil effusif après son long voyage.
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 /ɪnhɑːrˈmoʊniəs/

Inharmonious

inharmonieux
Meaning
lacking harmony; discordant in sound; not in tune
Example
The inharmonious sounds from the broken piano made everyone cover their ears.
Les sons inharmonieux du piano cassé ont obligé tout le monde à se couvrir les oreilles.
C2 noun /ˈbɒnəmi/

bonhomie

bonhomie
Meaning
Cheerful friendliness and geniality.
Example
The meeting was filled with laughter and bonhomie.
La réunion était pleine de rires et de bonhomie.
C2 adjective /ˈθrɛdˌbɛr/

threadbare

usé et mince à cause d'une utilisation excessive
Meaning
Worn out and thin from too much use; shabby.
Example
His threadbare coat could not keep him warm in winter.
Son manteau usé ne pouvait pas le garder au chaud en hiver.
C2 noun /nɛl/

knell

glas
Meaning
The sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral; a signal of the end or failure of something.
Example
The knell of the church bell echoed through the valley at dusk.
Le glas de l'église résonnait à travers la vallée au crépuscule.
C2 adjective /ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːrfəs/

anthropomorphous

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

irremediable

irrémédiable
Meaning
Impossible to cure, repair, or remedy.
Example
The damage to the ancient manuscript was irremediable.
Les dommages au manuscrit ancien étaient irrémédiables.
C2 noun /əˈkjuːtnəs/

acuteness

acuité; intensité
Meaning
sharpness of mind or senses; severity or intensity of a condition
Example
Her acuteness allowed her to notice details others missed.
Son acuité lui a permis de remarquer des détails que les autres ont manqués.
C2 noun /ˈleɪ.ɪ.ti/

laity

laïcs
Meaning
Ordinary members of a religious community who are not clergy.
Example
The church welcomed the laity to participate in the event.
L'église a accueilli les laïcs pour participer à l'événement.
C2 adjective /ˌɪntərˈlɒkjətəri/

interlocutory

provisoire
Meaning
Given during the course of a legal action, not final but temporary or provisional.
Example
The judge issued an interlocutory order to maintain the status quo until the hearing.
Le juge a émis une ordonnance provisoire pour maintenir le statu quo jusqu'à l'audience.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈɛstɪməbl/

inestimable

inestimable
Meaning
Too great or valuable to be measured or estimated.
Example
Her contribution to the project was of inestimable value.
Sa contribution au projet avait une valeur inestimable.
C2 noun /ˈkɪzmɛt/

kismet

destin
Meaning
Destiny or fate.
Example
Meeting her on that day felt like pure kismet.
La rencontrer ce jour-là a ressemblé à un pur destin.
C2 verb /fɪˈneɪɡəl/

finagle

obtenir quelque chose par astuce ou tromperie
Meaning
to obtain something by cleverness or trickery
Example
He finagled a free ticket by pretending to be a VIP guest.
Il a obtenu un billet gratuit en prétendant être un invité VIP.
C2 noun /ˈɪrɪtənsi/

irritancy

irritation
Meaning
the quality or state of causing irritation; legal or formal invalidation
Example
The constant noise became an irritancy to the neighbors.
Le bruit constant est devenu une irritation pour les voisins.
C2 adjective /rɪˈfʌldʒənt/

refulgent

resplendissant
Meaning
Shining brightly; radiant.
Example
The refulgent sun lit up the entire valley.
Le soleil resplendissant éclaira toute la vallée.
C2 noun /kəmˈpɒz.ɪ.tər/

Compositor

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

Ironwood

bois de fer
Meaning
a hard, dense wood from various trees; also the tree itself that produces small flowers
Example
The ironwood tree blooms with tiny white flowers.
L'arbre de bois de fer fleurit avec de petites fleurs blanches.
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 noun/adjective /ɪˈmɒliənt/

emollient

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

brindled

bringé
Meaning
Having a brownish or tawny color with streaks or spots of another color.
Example
The farmer owned a brindled cow with distinctive stripes.
L'agriculteur possédait une vache bringée avec des rayures distinctes.
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 verb /dɪsˈtɛnd/

distend

gonfler
Meaning
to swell or expand by pressure from within
Example
Her stomach began to distend after the large meal.
Son ventre a commencé à se distendre après le grand repas.
C2 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 verb /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/

debilitate

affaiblir
Meaning
to weaken or make someone or something infirm
Example
The long illness debilitated his strength.
La longue maladie a affaibli sa force.
C2 noun /vəˈliːɪti/

velleity

désir faible
Meaning
A wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action.
Example
His interest in painting never grew beyond a mere velleity.
Son intérêt pour la peinture n'a jamais dépassé un simple désir faible.
C2 noun /ˈɛksplɪkeɪtər/

explicator

explicateur
Meaning
a person who explains or interprets something in detail
Example
The critic served as an explicator of the poet’s complex works.
Le critique a servi d'explicateur des œuvres complexes du poète.
C2 verb /ˈnɔːzieɪt/

nauseate

provoquer des nausées
Meaning
To make someone feel sick, with an inclination to vomit.
Example
The spoiled food nauseated him quickly.
La nourriture avariée l'a rendu nauséeux rapidement.
C2 noun /ˈtɛsteɪtər/

testator

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

dissentient

dissident
Meaning
Expressing or holding opinions that are opposed to the majority or official view.
Example
Only a few dissentient voices were heard during the debate.
Seules quelques voix dissidentes ont été entendues lors du débat.
C2 verb /ˈɛdɪfaɪ/

edify

édifier
Meaning
To instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually.
Example
Good books can both entertain and edify the reader.
Les bons livres peuvent à la fois divertir et édifier le lecteur.
C2 noun /ˈkæriən/

carrion

charogne
Meaning
the decaying flesh of dead animals
Example
Vultures feed on carrion left in the fields.
Les vautours se nourrissent de la charogne laissée dans les champs.
C2 verb /mʌlkt/

mulct

amender / frauder
Meaning
to punish by a fine or to defraud someone of money
Example
The corrupt official was mulcted for his misconduct.
L'officiel corrompu a été condamné à une amende pour sa mauvaise conduite.
C2 noun /ˌkɒnfəˈriː/

conferee

participant à la conférence
Meaning
a person who takes part in a conference
Example
Each conferee received a badge at the registration desk.
Chaque participant à la conférence a reçu un badge au comptoir d'inscription.
C2 verb /ˈoʊɡəl/

ogle

regarder avec désir
Meaning
To look at someone with obvious sexual interest.
Example
He kept ogling the models on the runway.
Il n'arrêtait pas de regarder les mannequins sur le podium.
C2 noun /ˈfoʊ.li.oʊ/

folio

grand livre ou manuscrit
Meaning
A sheet of paper folded once to form two leaves (four pages) of a book; also a term for a large book or manuscript.
Example
The library houses an ancient Shakespeare folio.
La bibliothèque abrite un ancien folio de Shakespeare.
C2 noun /ɡəˈruːlɪti/

garrulity

bavardage excessif
Meaning
Excessive talkativeness, especially about trivial matters.
Example
His garrulity made it hard to focus during the meeting.
Son bavardage excessif rendait difficile la concentration pendant la réunion.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtrɪpɪtəl/

centripetal

centripète
Meaning
Moving or directed toward a center.
Example
Centripetal force keeps the planets in orbit around the sun.
La force centripète maintient les planètes en orbite autour du soleil.
C2 noun/verb /ˈpɪləri/

pillory

dispositif de châtiment public
Meaning
a device for publicly punishing someone / to expose to public ridicule
Example
The corrupt official was placed in the pillory for the town to jeer at.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a été mis en pilori pour que la ville se moque de lui.
C2 adjective /ˈwɜːkmənˌlaɪk/

workmanlike

professionnel
Meaning
Showing efficient, competent, and practical skill, but without flair or creativity.
Example
The carpenter delivered a workmanlike performance on the project.
Le charpentier a livré une performance de travail sur le projet.
C2 noun /ˈɪn.fɪ.del/

Infidel

infidèle
Meaning
a person who does not believe in religion or whose religious beliefs differ from one's own
Example
In historical contexts, crusaders often referred to their enemies as infidels.
Dans des contextes historiques, les croisés se référaient souvent à leurs ennemis comme des infidèles.
C2 verb /kənˈdʒiːl/

congeal

congeler
Meaning
to become thick or solid, especially from cooling
Example
The soup began to congeal after being left on the table.
La soupe a commencé à se congeler après avoir été laissée sur la table.
C2 noun, verb /ˈkæŋkər/

canker

cancro
Meaning
A fungal disease of plants; an ulcerous sore in the mouth; to corrupt or destroy slowly
Example
The tree was infected with a canker that damaged its bark.
L'arbre était infecté par un chancre qui endommagait son écorce.
C2 noun /ˈkæʒuɪstri/

casuistry

casuistique
Meaning
The use of clever but false reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions.
Example
The lawyer’s argument was dismissed as mere casuistry.
L'argument de l'avocat a été rejeté comme étant une simple casuistique.
C2 adjective /ɪˈpɪstələri/

epistolary

épistolaire
Meaning
Related to the writing of letters; expressed in or through letters.
Example
The novel is written in an epistolary style, consisting of letters between characters.
Le roman est écrit dans un style épistolaire, composé de lettres échangées entre les personnages.
C2 verb /fɪˈlɪsɪˌteɪt/

felicitate

féliciter
Meaning
to congratulate; to express good wishes
Example
We felicitated the graduating students at the ceremony.
Nous avons félicité les étudiants diplômés lors de la cérémonie.
C2 noun /rɪˈpʌɡ.nəns/

repugnance

répulsion
Meaning
intense disgust or strong aversion towards something
Example
She felt deep repugnance at the cruelty of the act.
Elle ressentit une profonde répulsion envers la cruauté de l'acte.
C2 noun /wɪt/

whit

une très petite quantité
Meaning
a very small part or amount
Example
He doesn't care a whit about the outcome.
Il ne se soucie pas d'un iota du résultat.
C2 noun /ɪnˈsɪpiəns/

incipience

début
Meaning
the beginning or initial stage of something
Example
The project was still in its incipience when funding was approved.
Le projet en était encore à ses débuts lorsque le financement a été approuvé.
C2 adjective /ˌæk.si.əˈmæt.ɪk/

axiomatic

autoévident, évidemment vrai sans besoin de preuve
Meaning
Self-evident, obviously true without need for proof
Example
It is axiomatic that hard work leads to success.
Il est autoévident que le travail acharné mène au succès.
C2 noun /ˌɔːskʌlˈteɪʃən/

auscultation

auscultation
Meaning
The act of listening to internal sounds of the body, typically using a stethoscope.
Example
The doctor performed auscultation to check the patient’s lungs.
Le médecin a effectué une auscultation pour vérifier les poumons du patient.
C2 noun /ˈseɪ.li.əns/

salience

saillance
Meaning
The quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.
Example
The salience of the issue was highlighted in the debate.
La saillance de la question a été mise en évidence lors du débat.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃəl/

pestilential

pestilentiel
Meaning
Relating to or causing pestilence; very harmful, troublesome, or dangerous.
Example
The pestilential smell of the garbage filled the street.
L'odeur pestilentielle de la poubelle a rempli la rue.
C2 noun /ˈsweɪʒən/

suasion

persuasion
Meaning
the act of persuading or influencing someone
Example
The leader used gentle suasion to win support for the plan.
Le leader a utilisé une suasion douce pour obtenir le soutien pour le plan.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈfrændʒɪbəl/

irrefrangible

irréfragable
Meaning
Not to be broken, violated, or infringed
Example
The constitution guarantees certain irrefrangible rights to every citizen.
La constitution garantit certains droits irréfragables à chaque citoyen.
C2 adjective /ɪkˈsɛpʃənəbl/

exceptionable

contestable
Meaning
Open to objection; causing disapproval.
Example
His rude remarks were considered exceptionable by everyone present.
Ses remarques grossières ont été jugées contestables par tous les présents.
C2 adjective /pəˈrɛmptəri/

peremptory

péremptoire
Meaning
Insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a commanding way.
Example
The officer gave a peremptory order to evacuate the building.
L'officier a donné un ordre péremptoire d'évacuer le bâtiment.
C2 noun /ˌpɑːrtjʊˈrɪʃən/

parturition

accouchement
Meaning
The act of giving birth; childbirth.
Example
The doctor explained the stages of parturition to the students.
Le médecin a expliqué les étapes de l'accouchement aux étudiants.
C2 adjective /məˈlɪfluəs/

mellifluous

mélodieux
Meaning
Sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.
Example
The singer’s mellifluous voice enchanted the audience.
La voix mélodieuse du chanteur a enchanté le public.
C2 noun /ˈɡraɪndstoʊn/

grindstone

meule
Meaning
a thick disc of stone used for grinding, sharpening, or polishing tools
Example
The blacksmith sharpened his blade on the grindstone.
Le forgeron a affûté sa lame sur la meule.
C2 noun /ˌmɪnəˈrɛt/

minaret

minaret
Meaning
A tall, slender tower of a mosque, from which the call to prayer is announced.
Example
The minaret of the mosque could be seen from miles away.
Le minaret de la mosquée était visible à des kilomètres à la ronde.
C2 noun /kəmˈpleɪsəns/

complaisance

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

Sponse gourd

courge éponge
Meaning
a fibrous gourd that becomes sponge-like when dried, used for cleaning and in cooking when young
Example
The sponge gourd can be eaten when young or dried to make natural scrubbers.
La courge éponge peut être mangée lorsqu'elle est jeune ou séchée pour fabriquer des éponges naturelles.
C2 noun /tʃæf/

Chaff

balles; choses sans valeur; plaisanteries légères
Meaning
the husks of corn or other seed separated by winnowing; worthless things; light-hearted joking
Example
The farmer separated the wheat from the chaff using traditional methods.
Le fermier a séparé le blé de la balle en utilisant des méthodes traditionnelles.