pertness
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C2 noun /ˈpɜːrtnəs/

pertness

effronterie
Meaning
boldness or forwardness in speech or behavior; sauciness
Example
Her pertness during the meeting surprised everyone.
Son effronterie lors de la réunion a surpris tout le monde.
C2 noun /prɪˈzɛntmənt/

presentment

présentation formelle
Meaning
The act of presenting something formally or officially; a formal statement or document.
Example
The lawyer made a presentment of the evidence to the court.
L'avocat a fait une présentation des preuves devant le tribunal.
C2 noun /ˌpoʊpʊˈriː/

potpourri

mélange de fleurs séchées
Meaning
a mixture of dried flowers and spices kept in a bowl to perfume a room; a miscellaneous collection
Example
The living room was filled with the scent of potpourri.
Le salon était rempli du parfum du potpourri.
C2 noun /ˌpæl.ənˈkiːn/

Palanquin

palanquin
Meaning
a covered chair or bed carried on poles by bearers
Example
The bride was carried to the wedding ceremony in an ornate palanquin.
La mariée a été transportée à la cérémonie de mariage dans un palanquin orné.
C2 noun /ˈpætrɪsaɪd/

patricide

patricide
Meaning
The act of killing one's own father.
Example
The ancient myth describes a son committing patricide to take the throne.
Le mythe ancien décrit un fils commettant un patricide pour prendre le trône.
C2 noun /prəˈlɪksɪti/

prolixity

prolixité
Meaning
the quality of being tediously wordy and long
Example
The book’s prolixity made it difficult to read in one sitting.
La prolixité du livre rendait difficile de le lire en une seule séance.
C2 adjective /ˈpɑːmi/

palmy

prospère / glorieux
Meaning
prosperous, flourishing, or relating to palm trees
Example
He often reminisced about the palmy days of his youth.
Il se souvenait souvent des jours prospères de sa jeunesse.
C2 adjective /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/

punctilious

pointilleux
Meaning
Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
Example
She was punctilious in her attention to etiquette.
Elle était pointilleuse dans son attention à l'étiquette.
C2 noun /pluːˈtɒkrəsi/

plutocracy

gouvernement des riches
Meaning
a system of government where the wealthy hold power
Example
The country was ruled as a plutocracy.
Le pays était dirigé comme une ploutocratie.
C2 noun /fɪˈlæt.əl.ɪst/

philatelist

collectionneur de timbres
Meaning
a person who collects or studies postage stamps
Example
The philatelist spent years building a rare stamp collection.
Le philatéliste a passé des années à constituer une collection rare de timbres.
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 /ˈpʌlkrɪˌtjuːd/

pulchritude

beauté
Meaning
physical beauty
Example
The actress was admired for her pulchritude as well as her talent.
L'actrice a été admirée pour sa beauté et son talent.
C2 noun /prɪˈsɛʃən/

precession

précession
Meaning
The slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis, often referring to Earth's rotation.
Example
Astronomers study the precession of the equinoxes.
Les astronomes étudient la précession des équinoxes.
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 adjective /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/

pugnacious

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

philosophize

philosopher
Meaning
to think or talk about the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence
Example
He likes to philosophize about life and its meaning.
Il aime philosopher sur la vie et son sens.
C2 adjective /pəˈluːsɪd/

pellucid

transparent
Meaning
Transparently clear; easy to understand.
Example
The lake water was so pellucid that you could see the stones at the bottom.
L'eau du lac était tellement transparente que vous pouviez voir les pierres au fond.
C2 noun /pəˈræm.bjə.leɪ.tər/

Perambulator

poussette
Meaning
a four-wheeled carriage for a baby; baby stroller or pram
Example
She pushed the perambulator through the park while the baby slept peacefully.
Elle poussait le pérambulateur à travers le parc pendant que le bébé dormait paisiblement.
C2 noun /pɒmˈpɒsəti/

pomposity

pomposité, arrogance
Meaning
self-important behavior or exaggerated dignity
Example
His speech was full of pomposity and arrogance.
Son discours était plein de pomposité et d'arrogance.
C2 noun ˈpær.ə.ɡən

paragon

paragon
Meaning
A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality; a model of excellence.
Example
Neom is a paragon of sustainable urban design.
Neom est un paragon du design urbain durable.
C2 noun /ˈfoʊ.nə.ɡræm/

phonogram

symbole phonétique
Meaning
a written symbol representing a speech sound
Example
The teacher showed how each phonogram represents a particular sound.
L'enseignant a montré comment chaque phonogramme représente un son particulier.
C2 verb /fɪˈlændər/

philander

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

plangent

son plaintif ou résonnant
Meaning
having a loud, mournful sound; resonant
Example
The plangent toll of the church bell echoed through the village.
Le son plaintif de la cloche de l'église résonnait à travers le village.
C2 verb /ˈpɛkjʊˌleɪt/

peculate

détourner
Meaning
To embezzle or steal money, especially public funds.
Example
The corrupt official was found guilty of peculating government funds.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a été reconnu coupable d'avoir détourné des fonds publics.
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 verb /proʊˈskraɪb/

proscribe

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

polemic

attaque polémique
Meaning
a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something
Example
The article was a fierce polemic against the government's policies.
L'article était une attaque polémique contre les politiques du gouvernement.
C2 adjective /ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/

picayune

insignifiant, trivial
Meaning
of little value or importance; trivial
Example
He complained about the picayune details of the contract.
Il se plaignait des détails triviaux du contrat.
C2 noun /ˌpriːɪɡˈzɪstəns/

preexistence

préexistence
Meaning
the state of existing before something else
Example
Philosophers often debated the preexistence of the soul.
Les philosophes débattaient souvent de la préexistence de l'âme.
C2 noun /paɪər/

pyre

bûcher funéraire
Meaning
A heap of combustible material, especially one used for burning a corpse as part of a funeral ceremony.
Example
The villagers built a pyre to honor the deceased.
Les villageois ont construit un bûcher pour honorer le défunt.
C2 noun /ˈpɑr.bəl/

Parbal

courge pointue
Meaning
A green vegetable also known as pointed gourd, commonly used in South Asian cuisine
Example
Mother prepared parbal curry with fish.
Maman a préparé du curry de courge pointue avec du poisson.
C2 noun /ˈpɪkəloʊ/

piccolo

petite flûte
Meaning
a small flute, higher in pitch than the regular flute
Example
She played a lively tune on the piccolo during the concert.
Elle a joué une mélodie vive sur le piccolo pendant le concert.
C2 noun /pɜːr bɔɪld raɪs/

Per boiled rice

riz précuit
Meaning
Rice that has been partially boiled in the husk before milling; parboiled rice
Example
Per boiled rice retains more nutrients than regular white rice.
Le riz précuit conserve plus de nutriments que le riz blanc ordinaire.
C2 verb /ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡ/

pettifog

discuter de futilités
Meaning
to argue or quibble over trivial matters; to engage in petty, dishonest practices
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to pettifog instead of addressing the real issue.
L'avocat a été accusé d'essayer de discuter de questions futiles au lieu de traiter le vrai problème.
C2 noun /ˈpɒliˌɑːrki/

polyarchy

polyarchie
Meaning
government by many people
Example
Polyarchy allows multiple parties to share power.
La polyarchie permet à plusieurs partis de partager le pouvoir.
C2 verb /preɪt/

prate

bavarder de manière insensée
Meaning
to talk foolishly or at tedious length about something
Example
He would prate endlessly about his minor achievements.
Il parlait sans fin de ses petites réussites.
C2 adjective /pərˈsuːənt/

pursuant

conformément
Meaning
in accordance with or following something, especially a law or rule
Example
The decision was made pursuant to the regulations.
La décision a été prise conformément aux règlements.
C2 adjective /ˈproʊtiən/

protean

polyvalent
Meaning
tending or able to change frequently or easily; versatile
Example
She is a protean artist who experiments with many styles.
C'est une artiste polyvalente qui expérimente avec de nombreux styles.
C2 adjective /ˈprɒɡnəθəs/

prognathous

prognathe
Meaning
Having jaws that project forward beyond the rest of the face.
Example
The fossil displayed a distinctly prognathous skull structure.
Le fossile affichait une structure de crâne distinctement prognathe.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊ.ə.si/

poesy

poésie
Meaning
poetry; the art or composition of poems
Example
The anthology was filled with romantic poesy.
L'anthologie était remplie de poésie romantique.
C2 noun /ˈpɛntæd/

pentad

groupe de cinq
Meaning
A group or set of five things.
Example
The committee was divided into a pentad of working groups.
Le comité a été divisé en cinq groupes de travail.
C2 noun /ˈpɜr.kwɪ.zɪt/

Perquisite

avantage
Meaning
an additional benefit or privilege given to an employee beyond their regular salary; a special right or advantage
Example
Company car was one of the perquisites of his executive position.
La voiture de fonction etait l'un des avantages lies a son poste de cadre.
C2 verb /ˈpɔːltər/

palter

parler de manière floue, tromper
Meaning
to act insincerely or deceitfully; to equivocate or lie
Example
He paltered when asked about his involvement in the deal.
Il a évité la question lorsqu'on lui a demandé son implication dans l'accord.
C2 noun /ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk/

panegyric

panégyrique, éloge
Meaning
a formal speech or piece of writing in praise of someone or something
Example
The author wrote a panegyric on the bravery of the soldiers.
L'auteur a écrit un panégyrique sur le courage des soldats.
C2 noun /ˈproʊbɪti/

probity

probité
Meaning
The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
Example
The judge was admired for his integrity and probity.
Le juge a été admiré pour son intégrité et sa probité.
C2 noun /pəˈveɪʒən/

pervasion

pervasion
Meaning
the act of spreading through or being present everywhere in something
Example
There was a pervasion of hope throughout the community.
Il y avait une pervasion d'espoir dans toute la communauté.
C2 noun /ˌfɪzɪˈɑːkrəsi/

physiocracy

fisiocratie
Meaning
an economic theory that land and its natural products are the source of wealth
Example
Physiocracy emphasized the importance of agriculture in national wealth.
La fisiocratie a souligné l'importance de l'agriculture dans la richesse nationale.
C2 noun /ˌsuːdəʊəˈpɒsəl/

pseudapostle

faux apôtre
Meaning
a false or pretended apostle
Example
The preacher was condemned as a pseudapostle.
Le prédicateur a été condamné en tant que faux apôtre.
C2 noun /prəˈfʌn.dɪ.ti/

profundity

profondeur ou perspicacité
Meaning
Deep insight; great depth of knowledge or thought.
Example
The profundity of his words left a lasting impact.
La profondeur de ses paroles a laissé un impact durable.
C2 noun /prɪˈfɜːrmənt/

preferment

promotion
Meaning
promotion or advancement in rank, position, or office
Example
He hoped for preferment in the government office.
Il espérait une promotion dans le bureau du gouvernement.
C2 noun /ˈpriːsɛpt/

precept

précepte
Meaning
A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.
Example
Honesty is a fundamental precept in all religions.
L'honnêteté est un précepte fondamental dans toutes les religions.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊltɪs/

poultice

cataplasme chaud aux herbes
Meaning
a soft, moist mass of material applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation
Example
The nurse applied a warm poultice to his injured leg.
L'infirmière a appliqué un cataplasme chaud sur sa jambe blessée.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrsɪflɑːʒ/

persiflage

moquerie légère
Meaning
light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter
Example
Their conversation was full of persiflage and jokes.
Leurs conversations étaient pleines de moquerie légère et de blagues.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪəl/

phial

petite fiole
Meaning
a small glass container for liquids, especially medicines
Example
The doctor gave her a phial of medicine.
Le médecin lui a donné un flacon de médicament.
C2 adjective /ˈprɒvɪdənt/

provident

prévoyant
Meaning
making or indicative of timely preparation for the future
Example
She was provident in saving money for her children’s education.
Elle était prévoyante en économisant de l'argent pour l'éducation de ses enfants.
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 adjective /ˌpɛrɪpəˈtɛtɪk/

peripatetic

nomade
Meaning
Traveling from place to place, especially for work or based on lifestyle.
Example
He led a peripatetic life as a traveling teacher.
Il menait une vie de nomade en tant qu'enseignant itinérant.
C2 noun /ˌpɒl.iˈsɪl.ə.bəl/

polysyllable

mot polysyllabique
Meaning
a word with more than one syllable
Example
The word 'elephant' is a polysyllable because it has three syllables.
Le mot 'éléphant' est un mot polysyllabique car il a trois syllabes.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛkəbl/

peccable

pécheur
Meaning
liable to sin or error; capable of doing wrong
Example
Humans are peccable, but they strive for goodness.
Les humains sont pécheurs, mais ils s'efforcent de faire le bien.
C2 noun /priːˈɛmɪnəns/

preeminence

prééminence
Meaning
The fact of surpassing all others; superiority.
Example
The university has gained preeminence in medical research.
L'université a gagné la prééminence dans la recherche médicale.
C2 noun /ˈpærəpɛt/

parapet

mur de protection
Meaning
A low protective wall along the edge of a roof, balcony, or bridge.
Example
The soldier hid behind the parapet for protection.
Le soldat s'est caché derrière le parapet pour sa protection.
C2 noun /ˈpætwɑː/

patois

patois
Meaning
a regional or social dialect, especially one considered nonstandard or informal
Example
The guide slipped into local patois when chatting with the fishermen.
Le guide a commencé à parler en patois local en discutant avec les pêcheurs.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊtənˌteɪt/

potentate

potentat
Meaning
A monarch or ruler, especially one with absolute power.
Example
The ancient land was ruled by a powerful potentate.
L'ancienne terre était gouvernée par un puissant potentat.
C2 noun /pɪθ/

pith

partie essentielle, noyau
Meaning
the essential or central part of something
Example
The pith of his argument was that honesty matters most.
La partie essentielle de son argument était que l'honnêteté est la plus importante.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɒnəmi/

physiognomy

étude des traits du visage
Meaning
the study of facial features to judge character or personality
Example
He believed in physiognomy and tried to read people's personalities from their faces.
Il croyait à la physiognomonie et essayait de lire la personnalité des gens à partir de leurs visages.
C2 adjective /pərˈsɪpiənt/

percipient

perspicace
Meaning
Having good understanding or insight; able to perceive things clearly.
Example
As a percipient critic, she recognized the deeper meaning of the play.
En tant que critique perspicace, elle a reconnu la signification plus profonde de la pièce.
C2 adjective /ˌpluːˈpɜːrfɪkt/

pluperfect

plus-que-parfait
Meaning
a verb tense expressing an action completed before another past action
Example
By the time she arrived, he had finished his homework, showing the pluperfect tense.
Quand elle est arrivée, il avait déjà terminé ses devoirs, montrant le plus-que-parfait.
C2 noun /ˈproʊtoʊˌplæzəm/

protoplasm

protoplasme
Meaning
The living substance inside a cell, including the cytoplasm and nucleus.
Example
Scientists observed the movement of protoplasm under the microscope.
Les scientifiques ont observé le mouvement du protoplasme sous le microscope.
C2 noun /ˈpɒm.əl/

pommel

le bouton arrondi sur le pommeau d'une épée ou d'une selle
Meaning
the rounded knob on the handle of a sword or saddle
Example
He gripped the sword firmly by the pommel.
Il saisit fermement l'épée par le pommel.
C2 noun /ˈpɒtˌbɔɪlə/

potboiler

livre de série B
Meaning
a book, play, or film produced quickly to make money rather than for artistic value
Example
The novel was dismissed by critics as a mere potboiler.
Le roman a été rejeté par les critiques comme un simple livre de série B.
C2 adjective /ˌprɒvɪˈdɛnʃəl/

providential

providentiel
Meaning
occurring at a favorable or opportune time, as if guided by divine intervention
Example
Their timely rescue was considered providential.
Leur sauvetage opportun a été considéré comme providentiel.
C2 adjective /ˈpæsɪbəl/

passible

capable de ressentir; susceptible à la souffrance
Meaning
capable of feeling or suffering; susceptible to sensation or emotion (often theological)
Example
In some traditions, deities are described as passible, sharing human emotions.
Dans certaines traditions, les divinités sont décrites comme passibles, partageant des émotions humaines.
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 noun /ˌpliːnɪpəˈtɛnʃəri/

plenipotentiary

plénipotentiaire
Meaning
a person invested with full power to act on behalf of another, especially in diplomacy
Example
The ambassador was a plenipotentiary sent to negotiate the treaty.
L'ambassadeur était un plénipotentiaire envoyé pour négocier le traité.
C2 noun /ˈpɔːpərɪzəm/

pauperism

pauvreté
Meaning
The state of being extremely poor.
Example
The country struggled with rising pauperism in the 19th century.
Le pays a lutté contre le paupérisme croissant au XIXe siècle.
C2 noun /ˈpjuː.pɪ.lɪdʒ/

pupilage

état d'apprenti
Meaning
The state of being a pupil or under instruction.
Example
During his pupilage, he studied law under a senior barrister.
Pendant son état d'apprenti, il a étudié le droit sous un barrister senior.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːdʒɪlɪst/

pugilist

boxeur
Meaning
A professional or skilled boxer.
Example
The pugilist entered the ring with confidence.
Le boxeur est entré dans le ring avec confiance.
C2 adverb /ˌpɛlˈmɛl/

pell-mell

de manière désordonnée
Meaning
In a confused, rushed, or disorderly manner.
Example
The children ran pell-mell through the playground.
Les enfants ont couru de manière désordonnée à travers la cour de récréation.
C2 noun /pərˈsɪpiəns/

percipience

capacité de perception
Meaning
The ability to perceive, understand, or notice things quickly.
Example
His percipience in reading people made him a great negotiator.
Sa capacité de perception en lisant les gens a fait de lui un excellent négociateur.
C2 noun /ˈprɒsədi/

prosody

prosodie
Meaning
The patterns of rhythm and sound used in poetry and speech.
Example
The professor explained how prosody affects the mood of a poem.
Le professeur a expliqué comment la prosodie affecte l'humeur d'un poème.
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 /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 noun /ˈprɒvəndər/

provender

fourrage pour le bétail
Meaning
food or provisions, especially for livestock
Example
The barn was filled with provender for the cattle.
La grange était remplie de fourrage pour le bétail.
C2 adjective /pəˈnjʊəriəs/

penurious

extrêmement pauvre
Meaning
extremely poor; poverty-stricken; miserly
Example
The penurious family struggled to buy food.
La famille extrêmement pauvre peinait à acheter de la nourriture.
C2 noun /ˈplɛnɪtjuːd/

plenitude

plénitude
Meaning
the condition of being full or abundant; a great quantity
Example
The garden was a plenitude of flowers in spring.
Le jardin était plein de plénitude de fleurs au printemps.
C2 adjective /prɪˈmɒnɪtəri/ or /ˌpriːməˈnɪtəri/

premonitory

prémonitoire
Meaning
giving a warning or prediction about something, especially something unpleasant
Example
He ignored the premonitory signs of illness.
Il a ignoré les signes prémonitoires de la maladie.
C2 verb /ˈprɛsɪdʒ/

presage

présage
Meaning
to be a sign or warning that something will happen; to foreshadow
Example
Dark clouds presage a storm.
Les nuages sombres présagent une tempête.
C2 noun, verb /ˈpɑːrli/

parley

parole
Meaning
a discussion between opposing sides, especially to negotiate terms
Example
The generals met to parley over the terms of surrender.
Les généraux se sont rencontrés pour discuter des conditions de la reddition.
C2 noun /ˈpælɪmpsɛst/

palimpsest

palimpseste
Meaning
a manuscript or document that has been written over but still bears traces of earlier writing; something reused or altered but still retaining traces of its earlier form
Example
The ancient manuscript was a palimpsest, showing faint traces of previous texts beneath the new writing.
Le manuscrit ancien était un palimpseste, montrant des traces subtiles de textes précédents sous la nouvelle écriture.
C2 noun /ˈplɛbɪsaɪt/

plebiscite

référendum populaire
Meaning
a direct vote by the electorate on an important public question
Example
The government held a plebiscite to decide on the new constitution.
Le gouvernement a organisé un référendum populaire pour décider de la nouvelle constitution.
C2 noun /proʊˈsiː.ni.əm/

proscenium

proscénium
Meaning
the part of a theater stage in front of the curtain; the arch framing the stage
Example
The actors bowed at the proscenium before leaving the stage.
Les acteurs se sont inclinés devant le proscénium avant de quitter la scène.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəl/

penitential

pénitent
Meaning
Relating to or expressing penitence or penance.
Example
The priest delivered a penitential sermon on forgiveness.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon pénitent sur le pardon.
C2 noun /ˈpɛrɪstaɪl/

peristyle

perronne entourée de colonnes
Meaning
A continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or courtyard.
Example
The Roman villa featured a beautiful peristyle garden.
La villa romaine présentait un beau jardin péristyle.
C2 noun /ˈprɪvɪti/

privity

relation privée, relation contractuelle
Meaning
A close, private, or special relationship; in law, the direct connection between parties to a contract.
Example
There was no privity of contract between the supplier and the customer.
Il n'y avait pas de relation contractuelle entre le fournisseur et le client.
C2 adjective /ˈpliːnəri/

plenary

plénier
Meaning
complete in every way; fully attended or absolute
Example
The committee held a plenary session to discuss all matters of importance.
Le comité a tenu une séance plénière pour discuter de toutes les questions importantes.
C2 adjective /ˈpɪd.lɪŋ/

Piddling

insignifiant; trivial; petite quantité
Meaning
trivial; insignificant; small in amount
Example
He was annoyed by the piddling amount of money he received.
Il était contrarié par la petite quantité d'argent qu'il avait reçue.
C2 adjective /ˌpəʊstˈprændɪəl/

postprandial

postprandial
Meaning
Occurring after a meal.
Example
He went for a postprandial walk after dinner.
Il est allé faire une promenade postprandiale après le dîner.
C2 noun /ˈpæn.θi.ɪ.zəm/

pantheism

panthéisme
Meaning
The belief that God and the universe are identical, or that everything is a manifestation of God.
Example
Spinoza’s philosophy is often associated with pantheism.
La philosophie de Spinoza est souvent associée au panthéisme.
C2 noun /ˌproʊɪˈbɪʃənɪst/

prohibitionist

interdictionniste
Meaning
A person who supports or advocates prohibition, especially of alcohol.
Example
The prohibitionist campaigned against the sale of liquor in the town.
L'interdictionniste a mené une campagne contre la vente d'alcool dans la ville.
C2 verb /pərˈtɪkjələrˌaɪz/

particularize

détailler
Meaning
to mention or describe something in detail
Example
The witness was asked to particularize the events of that night.
Le témoin a été demandé de détailler les événements de cette nuit.
C2 noun /ˌpærəˈnɔɪæk/

paranoiac

personne paranoïaque
Meaning
A person who suffers from paranoia or exhibits extreme, irrational distrust and suspicion.
Example
The paranoiac refused to leave his house, fearing everyone was against him.
La personne paranoïaque a refusé de quitter sa maison, craignant que tout le monde soit contre lui.
C2 noun /ˌsuːdəˈnɪmɪti/

pseudonymity

utilisation de pseudonyme
Meaning
the practice or state of using a pseudonym
Example
The author maintained pseudonymity throughout her career.
L'auteure a maintenu l'utilisation de pseudonyme tout au long de sa carrière.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛnɪtrəbl/

penetrable

pénétrable
Meaning
Capable of being passed through or entered.
Example
The thin wall was easily penetrable.
Le mur mince était facilement pénétrable.
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 noun /ˌpɛkəˈdɪloʊ/

peccadillo

petite erreur
Meaning
a small or minor fault or sin
Example
Forgetting to call was just a small peccadillo, not a serious mistake.
Oublier de téléphoner était juste une petite erreur, pas une grosse faute.
C2 noun /ˈpɪnəs/

pinnace

petit bateau
Meaning
a small boat, often carried by a larger ship
Example
The sailors used a pinnace to reach the shore.
Les marins ont utilisé un petit bateau pour atteindre le rivage.
C2 noun /ˈpɛtrəˌɡræf/

petrograph

description des roches
Meaning
a description or representation of rocks, especially in detailed scientific writing
Example
The scientist studied the petrograph to understand the rock composition.
Le scientifique a étudié le pétrographe pour comprendre la composition de la roche.
C2 verb /priːˈfɪɡjər/

prefigure

préfigurer
Meaning
to represent, show, or foreshadow something in advance
Example
The economic reforms prefigure major social changes.
Les réformes économiques préfigurent des changements sociaux majeurs.
C2 noun /pərˈdɪʃən/

perdition

bonheur
Meaning
A state of eternal spiritual ruin, often referring to hell or damnation.
Example
The preacher warned that greed would lead to perdition.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ˈpɑːrləs/

parlous

périlleux
Meaning
Full of danger or risk; precarious.
Example
The company is in a parlous financial state.
L'entreprise est dans un état financier précaire.
C2 noun ˈfaɪ.təʊˌnjuː.tri.ənts

phytonutrients

phytonutriments
Meaning
Bioactive compounds found in plants that have health benefits beyond basic nutrition.
Example
Green tea contains powerful phytonutrients.
Le thé vert contient des phytonutriments puissants.
C2 noun /pɜːrtʃt raɪs/

Perched rice

riz soufflé
Meaning
puffed rice; rice that has been heated and puffed into light, crispy grains
Example
I enjoy eating puffed rice as a healthy snack.
J'aime manger du riz soufflé comme collation saine.
C2 verb /prɪmp/

primp

bonheur
Meaning
To spend time making minor adjustments to one's appearance.
Example
She primped in front of the mirror before the party.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
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 noun /ˌpɛrəɡrɪˈneɪʃən/

peregrination

pérégrination
Meaning
A long journey or wandering, especially on foot.
Example
Their peregrination across Asia lasted two years.
Leurs pérégrinations à travers l'Asie ont duré deux ans.
C2 adjective /ˌpɒliˈæn.ɪ.ɪʃ/

pollyannaish

excessivement optimiste
Meaning
overly or blindly optimistic
Example
Her pollyannaish attitude ignored the obvious problems.
Son attitude excessivement optimiste ignorait les problèmes évidents.
C2 noun /ˈfeɪlæŋks/

phalanx

phalanx
Meaning
A group of people or things arranged in a compact, close formation; also an ancient Greek military formation.
Example
A phalanx of reporters waited outside the courthouse.
Un groupe de journalistes attendait devant le tribunal.
C2 verb /poʊˈtɛnʃiˌeɪt/

potentiate

potentialiser
Meaning
To increase the power, effect, or likelihood of something.
Example
Caffeine can potentiate the effects of some medicines.
La caféine peut potentialiser les effets de certains médicaments.
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.