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C2 noun /ɔːˈreɪʃən/

oration

discours
Meaning
A formal speech, especially one given on a ceremonial occasion
Example
The president delivered an inspiring oration.
Le président a prononcé un discours inspirant.
C2 noun /laɪər/

lyre

lyre
Meaning
a stringed musical instrument of ancient Greece
Example
The musician played a melody on the lyre.
Le musicien a joué une mélodie sur la lyre.
C2 adjective /bruːsk/ or /brʌsk/

brusque

brusque
Meaning
abrupt or blunt in manner or speech, often seen as rude
Example
His brusque reply ended the conversation.
Sa réponse brusque a mis fin à la conversation.
C2 noun /ˈɡɔːntlɪt/

gauntlet

gant / défi
Meaning
a protective glove; a challenge or trial; to 'throw down the gauntlet' means to issue a challenge
Example
The knight threw down his gauntlet as a sign of challenge.
Le chevalier jeta son gant comme signe de défi.
C2 adjective /sɛpˈtɛnɪəl/

septennial

septennal
Meaning
Occurring every seven years.
Example
The festival is a septennial tradition in the village.
Le festival est une tradition septennale dans le village.
C2 noun /ˌluːkjʊˈbreɪʃən/

lucubration

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

bandy

échanger
Meaning
To pass (words, ideas, or gossip) back and forth in a casual or argumentative way.
Example
They bandied jokes across the table.
Ils échangeaient des blagues à travers la table.
C2 noun /ˈæpəfθɛm/

apophthegm

dicton ou maxime courte, concise et éducative
Meaning
A short, pithy, and instructive saying or maxim.
Example
She always had a witty apophthegm to share at meetings.
Elle avait toujours un apophtegme spirituel à partager lors des réunions.
C2 adjective /ˌseɪpiˈɛnʃəl/

sapiential

relatif à la sagesse
Meaning
Relating to wisdom or knowledge, often in a religious or philosophical sense.
Example
The monk shared sapiential teachings with his students.
Le moine a partagé des enseignements relatifs à la sagesse avec ses étudiants.
C2 verb /ɪˈfjuːz/

effuse

effuser
Meaning
To pour out or express feelings freely and openly.
Example
She effused gratitude for the help she received.
Elle a exprimé sa gratitude pour l'aide qu'elle a reçue.
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 /ˌæs.əˈfet.ɪ.də/

Asafoetida

asafoetida
Meaning
a pungent spice derived from the resin of a plant, commonly used in Indian cooking
Example
A pinch of asafoetida adds a distinctive flavor to the lentil curry.
Une pincée d'asafoetida ajoute une saveur distinctive au curry de lentilles.
C2 adjective /ˈnɒti/

knotty

compliqué
Meaning
Complicated, difficult to solve or full of knots.
Example
He faced a knotty legal issue.
Il a fait face à un problème juridique compliqué.
C2 adjective /ˈklɔɪ.ɪŋ/

cloying

écoeurant
Meaning
too sweet, rich, or sentimental, making it unpleasant
Example
The dessert was so cloying that I couldn't finish it.
Le dessert était tellement écoeurant que je n'ai pas pu le finir.
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 adjective /ɔːˈrɔːrəl/

auroral

relatif à l'aurore
Meaning
Relating to or resembling the aurora, especially the northern lights.
Example
The scientists observed auroral activity in the night sky.
Les scientifiques ont observé une activité aurorale dans le ciel nocturne.
C2 noun /ˈwɔːrˌmʌŋɡər/

warmonger

belliciste
Meaning
A person who advocates or promotes war or conflict.
Example
The leader was criticized as a warmonger by his opponents.
Le leader a été critiqué comme un belliciste par ses opposants.
C2 noun /θiˈɒkrəsi/

theocracy

théocratie
Meaning
A system of government in which priests or religious leaders rule in the name of God or a deity.
Example
The country was governed as a theocracy where religious leaders had supreme authority.
Le pays était gouverné comme une théocratie où les dirigeants religieux avaient l'autorité suprême.
C2 noun /ˈbærəˌɡræf/

barograph

instrument qui enregistre les variations de pression atmosphérique
Meaning
an instrument that records changes in atmospheric pressure
Example
The scientist checked the barograph for pressure variations.
Le scientifique a vérifié le barographe pour les variations de pression.
C2 noun /trɪˈplɪs.ə.ti/

triplicity

triplécité
Meaning
The state of being triple or consisting of three parts.
Example
The design shows a triplicity of forms combined harmoniously.
Le design montre une triplécité de formes combinées harmonieusement.
C2 noun /ˈræpsədi/

rhapsody

chanson exaltée/éloge
Meaning
an expression of great enthusiasm or an epic musical composition
Example
The singer’s performance was a rhapsody of emotions.
La performance du chanteur était une rhapsodie d'émotions.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/

disinclination

désintérêt
Meaning
a lack of willingness or desire to do something
Example
She showed a clear disinclination to join the meeting.
Elle a montré un désintérêt évident à rejoindre la réunion.
C2 noun /lækˈteɪʃən/

lactation

production de lait
Meaning
the secretion of milk by the mammary glands of female mammals
Example
The doctor explained that lactation is a natural process after childbirth.
Le médecin a expliqué que la lactation est un processus naturel après l'accouchement.
C2 verb /ɪnˈtriːt/

entreat

supplier
Meaning
To ask earnestly or beg someone to do something.
Example
She entreated him to stay a little longer.
Elle le supplia de rester un peu plus longtemps.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪb.ɪt/

Gibbet

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

billowing

ondulant
Meaning
Describing something that swells or surges outward in waves or large masses.
Example
She walked through the billowing curtains.
Elle marcha à travers les rideaux ondulants.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvaɪələbl/

inviolable

inviolable
Meaning
never to be broken, dishonored, or violated
Example
Human rights are considered inviolable in modern democracies.
Les droits de l'homme sont considérés comme inviolables dans les démocraties modernes.
C2 noun /ˈfræŋkɪnsɛns/

frankincense

encens
Meaning
An aromatic gum resin used in incense and perfumes, often in religious ceremonies.
Example
The temple was filled with the sweet smell of burning frankincense.
Le temple était rempli de l'odeur douce de l'encens brûlant.
C2 verb /dɪˈmɜːr/

demur

objecter
Meaning
to raise doubts, objections, or show reluctance
Example
She agreed to help without demur.
Elle accepta d'aider sans objection.
C2 verb /ˈprætəl/

prattle

bavarder
Meaning
to talk at length in a foolish or inconsequential way
Example
The children would prattle on about their games.
Les enfants bavardaient de leurs jeux.
C2 noun /θrɔːl/

thrall

esclavage, soumission
Meaning
The state of being in someone's power or under strong influence; slavery or bondage.
Example
He was in thrall to the powerful leader.
Il était sous l'emprise du puissant leader.
C2 noun /ˈtoʊ.di/

Toady

lèche-bottes
Meaning
a person who acts obsequiously to gain favor; a sycophant
Example
He was known as a toady who always agreed with the boss.
Il était connu comme un lèche-bottes qui était toujours d'accord avec le patron.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːrmərənt/

cormorant

un grand oiseau marin noir qui attrape des poissons
Meaning
a large black sea bird that catches fish by diving
Example
The cormorant perched on the rock, drying its wings after a dive.
Le cormoran était perché sur la roche, séchant ses ailes après un plongeon.
C2 noun /ˈθɝː.moʊ.klaɪn/

thermocline

thermocline
Meaning
A layer in a body of water in which temperature changes rapidly with depth.
Example
The thermocline separates warm surface water from cold deep water.
La thermocline sépare l'eau chaude de la surface de l'eau froide en profondeur.
C2 adjective /ˈʌndjʊləs/

undulous

ondulé
Meaning
Having a wavy surface or form.
Example
The artist painted the undulous sea at sunset.
L'artiste a peint la mer ondulée au coucher du soleil.
C2 verb /məˈtrɪkjʊˌleɪt/

matriculate

matriculer
Meaning
To enroll as a student in a college or university.
Example
She matriculated at Oxford University last year.
Elle s'est inscrite à l'Université d'Oxford l'année dernière.
C2 noun /ɡæf/

gaff

gaffe
Meaning
A social blunder or mistake; also a hook or device used in fishing or theater.
Example
He made a major gaff during the meeting by forgetting the client's name.
Il a fait une grosse gaffe pendant la réunion en oubliant le nom du client.
C2 adjective /ˈkɑːrnəl/

carnal

carnel
Meaning
Relating to physical, especially sexual, desires and appetites.
Example
The book explores the conflict between spiritual and carnal desires.
Le livre explore le conflit entre les désirs spirituels et carnels.
C2 adjective /dʒɪˈdʒuːn/

jejune

naïf / superficiel / insipide
Meaning
Naive, simplistic, and superficial; also dull or uninteresting.
Example
The professor dismissed the essay as jejune and lacking depth.
Le professeur a rejeté l'essai comme naïf et sans profondeur.
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 adjective /pɪˈskætɔːrɪəl/

piscatorial

relatif à la pêche
Meaning
relating to fishing or fishermen
Example
He has a deep knowledge of piscatorial techniques and fish species.
Il a une connaissance approfondie des techniques piscatoires et des espèces de poissons.
C2 noun /ʌnˈkloʊðɪŋ/

unclothing

déshabillage
Meaning
the act or process of removing clothing
Example
The child quickly ran inside for unclothing after playing in the mud.
L'enfant est rapidement allé à l'intérieur pour le déshabillage après avoir joué dans la boue.
C2 noun /ɡreɪˈdeɪʃən/

gradation

gradation
Meaning
A gradual change from one stage, tone, or degree to another.
Example
The artist used subtle gradation of colors in her painting.
L'artiste a utilisé une gradation subtile des couleurs dans sa peinture.
C2 noun /ˈæk.rɪ.moʊ.ni/

acrimony

acrimonie
Meaning
Bitterness and anger, especially in speech or behavior.
Example
The divorce was filled with acrimony and disputes.
Le divorce était rempli d'acrimonie et de disputes.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈtɛmpərd/

untempered

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

svelte

svelte
Meaning
Attractively thin, graceful, and elegant in appearance or movement.
Example
She looked svelte in the elegant black dress.
Elle avait l'air svelte dans la robe noire élégante.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈprɒvɪdənt/

improvident

imprudent
Meaning
Not having or showing foresight; spending wastefully or without thought for the future.
Example
His improvident habits left him with no savings.
Ses habitudes imprudentes l'ont laissé sans économies.
C2 noun /kənˈtraɪ.vəns/

contrivance

appareil ou plan
Meaning
a device or plan that is cleverly or artificially created
Example
The clock was an intricate contrivance of gears and springs.
L'horloge était un dispositif complexe de rouages et de ressorts.
C2 adjective /rəˈʃɛrʃ/

recherche

exclusif
Meaning
Rare, exotic, or obscure, often in a sophisticated or refined way.
Example
The gallery displayed many recherche artworks from unknown artists.
La galerie a exposé de nombreuses œuvres d'art exclusives d'artistes inconnus.
C2 noun /sɜːrˈsiːs/

surcease

cessation
Meaning
a temporary or final ending or stopping of something
Example
The noise finally came to a surcease after midnight.
Le bruit a finalement cessé après minuit.
C2 adjective /ˈɛdɪfaɪɪŋ/

edifying

édifiant
Meaning
Providing moral or intellectual instruction or enlightenment.
Example
The documentary was both entertaining and edifying.
Le documentaire était à la fois divertissant et édifiant.
C2 adjective /əˈbɪs.əl/

abyssal

relatif à l'océan profond
Meaning
Related to or characteristic of the deep ocean, especially the zone below 4000 meters.
Example
Abyssal creatures survive in extreme pressure conditions.
Les créatures abyssales survivent dans des conditions de pression extrême.
C2 adjective /ɪˈlɪmɪtəbl/

illimitable

illimité
Meaning
Without limits or bounds.
Example
The universe is often described as illimitable.
L'univers est souvent décrit comme illimité.
C2 noun /ˈiːɒn/ or /ˈiːən/

aeon

éon
Meaning
An indefinitely long period of time; an age or eternity.
Example
Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of aeons ago.
Les dinosaures ont parcouru la Terre il y a des millions d'éons.
C2 verb /ˈɪŋkʌlpeɪt/

inculpate

accuser
Meaning
To blame or accuse someone of wrongdoing.
Example
The evidence seemed to inculpate the suspect in the crime.
Les preuves semblaient accuser le suspect dans le crime.
C2 verb /rɪˈtrɛntʃ/

retrench

réduire les dépenses, licencier des employés
Meaning
to reduce costs, spending, or staff to save resources
Example
The company had to retrench employees due to financial difficulties.
L'entreprise a dû licencier des employés à cause de difficultés financières.
C2 noun /ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ/

fledgeling

oiseau débutant
Meaning
A young bird that has just developed its feathers and is learning to fly; a beginner.
Example
The fledgeling was trying hard to take its first flight.
L'oiseau débutant essayait de prendre son premier envol.
C2 adjective /ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl/

metaphysical

métaphysique
Meaning
Relating to the branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality and existence.
Example
He spent years studying metaphysical questions about life and being.
Il a passé des années à étudier des questions métaphysiques sur la vie et l'être.
C2 noun /ˈkʌstərd ˈæpəl/

Custard Apple

pomme à la crème
Meaning
a tropical fruit with sweet creamy white flesh and black seeds
Example
The custard apple has a sweet and creamy texture.
La pomme à la crème a une texture douce et crémeuse.
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 /əbˈstɛtrɪks/

obstetrics

obstétrique
Meaning
The branch of medicine dealing with childbirth and care of women giving birth.
Example
She is studying obstetrics to become a specialist in childbirth.
Elle étudie l'obstétrique pour devenir spécialiste de l'accouchement.
C2 noun /koʊˈædʒətər/

coadjutor

adjoint
Meaning
a person who helps or assists another, especially in a religious or official capacity
Example
The bishop appointed a coadjutor to assist him with his duties.
L'évêque a nommé un adjoint pour l'aider dans ses devoirs.
C2 noun /ræŋˈɡuːn ˈkriːpər/

Rangoon creeper

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

heteromorphic

hétéromorphique
Meaning
Having different forms or shapes, especially in the same species or organism.
Example
Butterflies are heteromorphic during their life cycle, changing forms from larva to adult.
Les papillons sont hétéromorphes pendant leur cycle de vie, changeant de forme de larve à adulte.
C2 noun /ˈjuːʒəri/

usury

usure
Meaning
The practice of lending money at unreasonably high interest rates.
Example
The law strictly prohibits usury.
La loi interdit strictement l'usure.
C2 adverb /pəˈfɔːs/

perforce

inévitablement
Meaning
by necessity; inevitably
Example
He had to perforce accept the decision.
Il a dû accepter la décision inévitablement.
C2 verb /prɪˈpɒndəreɪt/

preponderate

prépondérer
Meaning
To be greater in influence, weight, or number.
Example
In the debate, logical arguments preponderated over emotional appeals.
Dans le débat, les arguments logiques ont prépondéré sur les appels émotionnels.
C2 noun /ˈlɛvi/

levee

levée
Meaning
An embankment built to prevent the overflow of a river or to hold back water.
Example
The town built a levee to protect itself from flooding.
La ville a construit une levée pour se protéger des inondations.
C2 noun /ˈbaɪpɛd/

biped

bipède
Meaning
An animal that walks on two feet.
Example
Humans are examples of biped creatures.
Les humains sont des exemples d'êtres bipèdes.
C2 adjective /ˈvɔːntɪd/

vaunted

excessivement vanté
Meaning
praised or boasted about, especially excessively
Example
The vaunted technology failed to deliver the expected results.
La technologie excessivement vantée n'a pas donné les résultats attendus.
C2 noun /ɪksˈtʃɛkər/

exchequer

trésorerie
Meaning
The treasury of a state or country.
Example
The government announced new measures to improve the exchequer.
Le gouvernement a annoncé de nouvelles mesures pour améliorer la trésorerie.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪskəmˈbɑːbjuleɪtɪd/

discombobulated

désorienté
Meaning
confused and disoriented; feeling unsettled
Example
She looked discombobulated after hearing the unexpected news.
Elle avait l'air désorientée après avoir entendu la nouvelle inattendue.
C2 noun /ˈɔː.rɪ.fɪs/

orifice

orifice
Meaning
an opening or hole, especially in the body or a device
Example
The medicine was applied through a small orifice in the device.
Le médicament a été appliqué par un petit orifice dans l'appareil.
C2 noun /ˌlɪk.wəˈfeɪ.ʃənt/

liquefacient

liquéfiant
Meaning
a substance that causes something to become liquid
Example
The chemist explained how the liquefacient worked in the experiment.
Le chimiste a expliqué comment le liquide fonctionnait dans l'expérience.
C2 noun /ˌænəlˈdʒiːziə/

analgesia

analgésie
Meaning
The inability to feel pain while still conscious.
Example
The doctor induced analgesia before performing the procedure.
Le médecin a induit l'analgésie avant de réaliser la procédure.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈpɒndərəbl̩/

imponderable

impondérable
Meaning
Something difficult or impossible to estimate, assess, or understand
Example
The outcome of the election depends on many imponderable factors.
Le résultat des élections dépend de nombreux facteurs impondérables.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɜːrnəl/

diurnal

diurne
Meaning
active during the day; occurring daily
Example
Most birds are diurnal creatures, active in daylight hours.
La plupart des oiseaux sont des créatures diurnes, actives pendant les heures de clarté.
C2 adjective /ˈkwɛrʊləs/

querulous

plaignant
Meaning
Complaining in a whining or irritable manner.
Example
The querulous customer kept finding fault with every detail.
Le client plaintif continuait à trouver des défauts dans chaque détail.
C2 verb /ˈmæsəˌreɪt/

macerate

attendrir
Meaning
to soften or break up something, especially food, by soaking in liquid
Example
The chef macerated the fruit in wine before serving.
Le chef a macéré les fruits dans le vin avant de les servir.
C2 adjective /ˈmiː.di.əl/

medial

médial
Meaning
Situated in or pertaining to the middle; located toward the midline of the body or structure.
Example
The medial side of the knee is more prone to injury.
Le côté médial du genou est plus sujet aux blessures.
C2 noun /ˈrɪvjʊlət/

rivulet

ruisseau
Meaning
a small stream of water; a tiny brook
Example
A rivulet ran down the hillside after the rain.
Un ruisseau a descendu la colline après la pluie.
C2 noun /ˈkɒnsənəns/

consonance

consonance, harmonie
Meaning
Agreement or harmony among parts; a pleasing combination of sounds in music or words.
Example
The consonance between their ideas made the project successful.
La consonance entre leurs idées a rendu le projet réussi.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒnfluənt/

confluent

confluant
Meaning
Flowing together or merging; coming together at one point.
Example
The confluent streams formed a mighty river.
Les ruisseaux confluent pour former une grande rivière.
C2 adjective /ˈfɪliəl/

filial

relatif à un fils ou une fille ; montrer du respect ou de l'affection envers les parents
Meaning
relating to a son or daughter; showing respect or affection toward parents
Example
He showed filial respect by caring for his aging parents.
Il a montré du respect filial en prenant soin de ses parents âgés.
C2 noun /kəˈdɛnzə/

cadenza

un passage solo élaboré
Meaning
An elaborate solo passage in a piece of music, usually near the end.
Example
The pianist performed a brilliant cadenza before the final movement.
Le pianiste a exécuté une brillante cadenza avant le dernier mouvement.
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 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 /ˈɡæŋ.ɡli/

gangly

grand et maladroit
Meaning
Tall, thin, and awkward in movement or appearance.
Example
The gangly teenager stumbled while trying to dance.
Le garçon maladroit trébucha en essayant de danser.
C2 verb /ˈbleɪzən/

blazon

afficher
Meaning
to display prominently or vividly
Example
The slogan was blazoned across the banner in bold letters.
Le slogan a été affiché en lettres grasses sur la bannière.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːɪsəns/

puissance

puissance
Meaning
Great power, strength, or influence.
Example
The empire showed its puissance through vast armies.
L'empire a montré sa puissance à travers de vastes armées.
C2 adjective kaɪˈmɛr.ɪ.kəl

chimerical

chimérique, irréalisable
Meaning
Illusory or impossible to achieve; existing only in imagination.
Example
His chimerical ideas often baffled realists.
Ses idées chimériques déconcertent souvent les réalistes.
C2 verb /ˌsɜːrkəmˈnævɪɡeɪt/

circumnavigate

faire le tour du monde
Meaning
to travel all the way around something, especially the earth
Example
Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the globe.
Magellan fut le premier à faire le tour du monde.
C2 noun /ˈskɪnˌflɪnt/

skinflint

avare
Meaning
a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
Example
The landlord was such a skinflint that he never repaired anything.
Le propriétaire était tellement avare qu'il n'a jamais réparé quoi que ce soit.
C2 adjective /sɪˈkweɪʃəs/

sequacious

suiveur aveugle
Meaning
Lacking independence of thought; blindly following.
Example
The sequacious students never questioned their teacher's opinions.
Les étudiants séquacieux n'ont jamais remis en question les opinions de leur professeur.
C2 verb /əˈɡlɒməˌreɪt/

agglomerate

agglomérer
Meaning
To collect or form into a mass or group.
Example
The dust particles began to agglomerate into larger clusters.
Les particules de poussière ont commencé à s'agglomérer en grands amas.
C2 noun /ˈɡæŋ.weɪ/

gangway

passerelle
Meaning
A narrow passage or walkway; also an exclamation used to clear the way.
Example
The sailors lowered the gangway for passengers to board.
Les marins ont abaissé la passerelle pour permettre aux passagers de monter.
C2 noun /ˈræʃənəlɪzəm/

rationalism

rationalisme
Meaning
a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than religious belief or emotion
Example
Rationalism emphasizes logic and reasoning over faith.
Le rationalisme met l'accent sur la logique et le raisonnement plutôt que sur la foi.
C2 noun /blæk biː/

Black-bee

abeille noire
Meaning
a large dark-colored bee that makes a loud buzzing sound
Example
The black-bee was buzzing around the flowers in the garden.
L'abeille noire bourdonnait autour des fleurs dans le jardin.
C2 verb /ˌɪn.trəˈmɪt/

intromit

introduire
Meaning
To insert or introduce something into a place or body.
Example
The doctor carefully intromitted the instrument into the wound.
Le médecin a introduit soigneusement l'instrument dans la plaie.
C2 noun /ˌɪrɪˈdɛsəns/

iridescence

brillance iridescente
Meaning
a play of lustrous, changing colors like those of a rainbow
Example
The butterfly's wings shimmered with iridescence.
Les ailes du papillon brillaient d'une brillance iridescente.
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 adjective /ˈdjuːtiəs/

duteous

obéissant
Meaning
dutiful; obedient and respectful
Example
The duteous child always followed her parents’ instructions.
L'enfant obéissant suivait toujours les instructions de ses parents.
C2 noun /ɪmˈprɑːvɪdəns/

improvidence

imprévoyance
Meaning
Lack of foresight or care for future needs.
Example
His improvidence led to financial difficulties.
Son imprévoyance l'a conduit à des difficultés financières.
C2 noun /ˈæl.kə.laɪ ækt/

Alkali Act

Loi de l'Alcalinité
Meaning
A British law passed in 1863 to regulate the emission of hydrochloric acid gas from alkali works, representing one of the first pieces of environmental legislation.
Example
The Alkali Act of 1863 was one of the first environmental laws.
La Loi de l'Alcalinité de 1863 fut l'une des premières lois environnementales.
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 adjective /ˈtriːkli/

treacly

Excessivement sucré ou sentimental, comme de la mélasse.
Meaning
Excessively sweet or sentimental, like treacle.
Example
The movie was too treacly for my taste.
Le film était trop sirupeux pour mon goût.
C2 verb /ʌnˈɑːrm/

unarm

désarmer
Meaning
to remove weapons from someone or to deprive of means of attack or defense
Example
The soldiers were ordered to unarm the prisoners.
Les soldats ont reçu l'ordre de désarmer les prisonniers.
C2 noun /ˈɡrændɪləkwəns/

grandiloquence

langage pompeux
Meaning
Pompous or extravagant language, style, or manner, often intended to impress
Example
The politician’s speech was full of empty grandiloquence.
Le discours du politicien était rempli de langage pompeux et vide.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːprəˈmʌndeɪn/

supramundane

supramondain
Meaning
beyond the physical or ordinary world; transcendent
Example
The monk spoke of supramundane peace beyond material life.
Le moine a parlé de la paix supramondaine au-delà de la vie matérielle.
C2 adverb /əˈsɪdʒuəsli/

assiduously

assidûment
Meaning
with great care and persistence
Example
He worked assiduously to complete the project before the deadline.
Il a travaillé assidûment pour terminer le projet avant la date limite.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːrklət/

circlet

diadème
Meaning
A small circular band, typically worn as an ornament on the head.
Example
The princess wore a golden circlet on her forehead.
La princesse portait un diadème en or sur le front.
C2 noun /sɛkˈstɛt/

sextet

sextuor
Meaning
a group of six people playing music or a piece written for six performers
Example
The jazz sextet filled the small club with a warm, layered sound.
Le sextuor de jazz a rempli le petit club avec un son chaud et superposé.
C2 noun /ˈklæŋər/

clangor

bruit, fracas
Meaning
A loud, resonant, and continuous noise, often metallic.
Example
The clangor of the church bells filled the town square.
Le fracas des cloches de l'église remplissait la place du village.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪnəri/

vinery

vignoble
Meaning
A place where vines are cultivated, especially a vineyard or greenhouse for vines.
Example
The old vinery was filled with grapevines.
Le vieux vignoble était rempli de vignes.
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 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 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 noun /fluːk/

fluke

coup de chance
Meaning
A stroke of luck; an unexpected piece of good fortune.
Example
Winning the lottery was a complete fluke.
Gagner à la loterie était un véritable coup de chance.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒndʒʊɡəl/

conjugal

conyugal
Meaning
relating to marriage or the relationship between husband and wife
Example
They enjoyed a long life of conjugal happiness.
Ils ont vécu une longue vie de bonheur conjugal.
C2 noun /ˌæv.oʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/

avocation

loisir
Meaning
a hobby or minor occupation pursued in addition to one's main work
Example
Painting is his avocation after office hours.
La peinture est son loisir après les heures de bureau.
C2 noun /sneɪk ɡɔːrd/

Snake gourd

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