picayune
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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 verb /ɪˈfeɪs/

efface

effacer
Meaning
To erase or wipe out something; to make oneself inconspicuous.
Example
Time had effaced the letters on the old gravestone.
Le temps avait effacé les lettres sur la vieille pierre tombale.
C2 verb /ˈkɒr.ʌ.skeɪt/

coruscate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or flash brightly
Example
The fireworks coruscated across the night sky.
Les feux d'artifice scintillèrent à travers le ciel nocturne.
C2 noun ˌsaɪ.bəˈnet.ɪks

cybernetics

cybernétique
Meaning
The science of communications and automatic control systems in both machines and living things.
Example
Cybernetics plays a crucial role in artificial intelligence.
La cybernétique joue un rôle crucial dans l'intelligence artificielle.
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 /ˈbʌlbəs/

bulbous

bulbeux / arrondi
Meaning
Bulging, round, or swollen in shape; resembling a bulb.
Example
The frog had a bulbous nose and big eyes.
La grenouille avait un nez bulbeux et de grands yeux.
C2 adjective /dɪˈrɒɡətɪv/

derogative

dérogatoire
Meaning
Expressing a low opinion or showing lack of respect.
Example
He made a derogative remark about her work.
Il a fait une remarque dérogatoire sur son travail.
C2 adjective /ˈtɪmərəs/

timorous

craintif
Meaning
showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or lack of confidence
Example
The timorous student hesitated to ask the teacher a question.
L'étudiant craintif a hésité à poser une question au professeur.
C2 noun /ˌkɔːrnjuˈkoʊpiə/

cornucopia

une abondance ou un approvisionnement débordant de quelque chose
Meaning
an abundance or overflowing supply of something
Example
The festival offered a cornucopia of fruits and sweets.
Le festival a offert une cornucopia de fruits et de bonbons.
C2 adjective /ˌɪn.trəˈmjʊə.rəl/

intramural

à l'intérieur de l'institution
Meaning
Occurring within the walls of a single institution, especially a school or college.
Example
The college organizes intramural sports competitions every semester.
Le collège organise des compétitions sportives intramuros chaque semestre.
C2 noun /əˌɡlɒməˈreɪʃən/

agglomeration

agglomération
Meaning
A mass or collection of things, sometimes clustered together.
Example
The city is an agglomeration of diverse cultures and communities.
La ville est une agglomération de cultures et de communautés diverses.
C2 adjective /ˌmɒnəkrəˈmætɪk/

monochromatic

monochromatique
Meaning
Consisting of or displaying only one color.
Example
The artist created a striking monochromatic painting in shades of blue.
L'artiste a créé une peinture monochromatique frappante dans des nuances de bleu.
C2 adjective /haɪˈbɜːrnəl/

hibernal

hivernal
Meaning
Relating to or occurring in winter.
Example
The hibernal season is often harsh in the mountains.
La saison hivernale est souvent rude dans les montagnes.
C2 noun /ˈniːəˌfaɪt/

neophyte

néophyte
Meaning
A beginner or novice in a subject, skill, or belief.
Example
As a neophyte in programming, she often asked for guidance from her mentor.
En tant que néophyte en programmation, elle demandait souvent des conseils à son mentor.
C2 noun əˌklaɪ.mə.tɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

acclimatization

acclimatation
Meaning
The process of adapting to a new environment or condition.
Example
The hikers needed time for acclimatization to high altitudes.
Les randonneurs ont eu besoin de temps pour l'acclimatation aux hautes altitudes.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəˈmoʊd/

discommode

déranger
Meaning
To cause inconvenience or trouble to someone.
Example
I hope my request does not discommode you.
J'espère que ma demande ne vous dérangera pas.
C2 noun /ˈɔːfəl/

offal

abats
Meaning
the internal organs and entrails of an animal used as food; waste parts
Example
The butcher prepared sausages using pork offal.
Le boucher a préparé des saucisses en utilisant des abats de porc.
C2 adjective /ˈmɪn.dʒi/

Mingy

avare; pingre
Meaning
mean or stingy; unwilling to spend money
Example
He is too mingy to spend money on anything but necessities.
Il est trop radin pour dépenser de l'argent pour autre chose que les nécessités.
C2 verb /əbˈvɜːrt/

obvert

inverser
Meaning
To turn something so as to face in a different direction; in logic, to convert a proposition by negating both subject and predicate.
Example
The teacher asked the students to obvert the statement for practice.
Le professeur a demandé aux étudiants de convertir la déclaration pour s'exercer.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːr.kə.tri/

parquetry

l'art de poser des planchers en parquet
Meaning
The art or technique of laying parquet floors.
Example
The craftsman specialized in parquetry for luxury homes.
L'artisan s'est spécialisé dans la parqueterie pour les maisons de luxe.
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 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 verb /kəˈnoʊt/

connote

connoter
Meaning
To suggest or imply an additional meaning beyond the literal one.
Example
The word 'youthful' connotes energy and vitality.
Le mot 'juvénile' connoté énergie et vitalité.
C2 adjective /ˌɪntəˈrɒɡətəri/

interrogatory

interrogatif
Meaning
expressed in the form of a question; relating to questioning
Example
The lawyer’s interrogatory tone made the witness uncomfortable.
Le ton interrogatif de l'avocat a rendu le témoin mal à l'aise.
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 noun /əˈkwaɪərmənt/

acquirement

acquisition; accomplissement
Meaning
the act of acquiring something; something that has been acquired, especially a skill or possession
Example
Language proficiency is an important acquirement for global careers.
La maîtrise des langues est une acquisition importante pour les carrières mondiales.
C2 noun /ˈkɒnsəvəˌtwɑː/

conservatoire

conservatoire
Meaning
A school specializing in the study of music or drama.
Example
She trained as a pianist at the Paris Conservatoire.
Elle s'est formée comme pianiste au Conservatoire de Paris.
C2 noun /ˈkælvəri/

calvary

calvaire
Meaning
A place or experience of intense suffering, originally the site of Jesus’s crucifixion.
Example
For many refugees, the journey across the desert was a calvary.
Pour de nombreux réfugiés, le voyage à travers le désert fut un calvaire.
C2 noun /draɪ ˈmæŋgoʊ ˈpaʊdər/

Dry Mango Powder

amchur
Meaning
a tangy powder made from dried raw mangoes, used as a spice in Indian cuisine
Example
The chef sprinkled dry mango powder over the chaat for extra tanginess.
Le chef a saupoudré de la poudre de mangue sèche sur le chaat pour ajouter de l'acidité.
C2 adjective /ˈəʊ.dər.əs/

Odorous

parfumé; aromatique
Meaning
having a strong smell; fragrant; aromatic
Example
The garden was filled with odorous flowers.
Le jardin était rempli de fleurs parfumées.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtrɪfjʊɡəl/

centrifugal

centrifuge
Meaning
Moving or tending to move away from a center.
Example
The centrifugal force pushes the clothes to the sides of the washing machine.
La force centrifuge pousse les vêtements vers les bords de la machine à laver.
C2 noun /ˈpær.əkˌsɪz.əm/

paroxysm

crise soudaine
Meaning
A sudden, violent outburst of emotion or activity.
Example
She was seized by a paroxysm of laughter.
Elle a été saisie par une crise de rire.
C2 adjective /ˈkɪŋ.ki/

Kinky

pratiques sexuelles non conventionnelles; cheveux frisés ou bouclés
Meaning
having or involving unconventional sexual practices; having tight curls or bends
Example
His kinky hair made him look unique.
Ses cheveux frisés le rendaient unique.
C2 verb /ɪnˈfætʃueɪt/

infatuate

fasciner
Meaning
to inspire with an intense but short-lived passion or admiration
Example
He was infatuated with her beauty.
Il était fasciné par sa beauté.
C2 noun /ˌniːoʊˈpeɪɡənɪzəm/

neopaganism

néopaganisme
Meaning
Modern religious movements influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe.
Example
Neopaganism has gained popularity as people seek spiritual alternatives to mainstream religions.
Le néopaganisme a gagné en popularité à mesure que les gens recherchent des alternatives spirituelles aux religions dominantes.
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 /ˈlæɡ.ərd/

Laggard

personne qui fait des progrès lents et qui reste derrière les autres
Meaning
a person who makes slow progress and falls behind others; someone who is slow to act
Example
The laggard student finally submitted his assignment after the deadline.
L'étudiant en retard a finalement soumis son devoir après la date limite.
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 verb /fɔɪst/

foist

imposer de force
Meaning
To impose something unwelcome or unnecessary on someone.
Example
He tried to foist his old books onto his friends.
Il a essayé d'imposer ses vieux livres à ses amis.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪmbər/

limber

souple et agile
Meaning
Flexible and agile in body or movement.
Example
Dancers need to stay limber to perform well.
Les danseurs doivent rester souples pour bien performer.
C2 adjective /ˈpeɪli/

paly

rayé
Meaning
striped with different colors, usually used in heraldry
Example
The knight’s shield was decorated with paly stripes of red and gold.
Le bouclier du chevalier était décoré de rayures rayées rouges et dorées.
C2 noun /ˈkærəm/

Carom

carvi
Meaning
aromatic seeds of a plant used as a spice, especially in Indian cooking
Example
Carom seeds are often used in traditional Indian bread recipes.
Les graines de carvi sont souvent utilisées dans les recettes traditionnelles de pain indien.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪfɪdənt/

diffident

diffident
Meaning
Shy or lacking confidence in one's own abilities.
Example
He was too diffident to ask a question in class.
Il était trop diffident pour poser une question en classe.
C2 noun /ˈoʊpiət/

opiate

opiacé
Meaning
a drug containing opium or its derivatives, used to relieve pain or cause sleep
Example
The doctor prescribed an opiate to relieve the patient's pain.
Le docteur a prescrit un opiacé pour soulager la douleur du patient.
C2 verb /hjuː/

hew

couper
Meaning
To chop or cut something, especially wood or stone, with a tool.
Example
The workers hewed logs to build the cabin.
Les travailleurs ont coupé des bûches pour construire la cabane.
C2 noun /ˈdɪti/

ditty

petite chanson
Meaning
a short, simple song or poem
Example
She sang a cheerful little ditty while cooking.
Elle chanta une petite chanson joyeuse en cuisinant.
C2 adjective /ˈtriːzənəbl/

treasonable

trahison
Meaning
Relating to or involving the crime of treason.
Example
The general was accused of treasonable conduct.
Le général a été accusé de conduite traitresse.
C2 adjective /əˈsiːtɪk/

acetic

acétique
Meaning
relating to or containing acetic acid; sour or vinegary in taste or smell
Example
The acetic smell of vinegar filled the kitchen.
L'odeur acétique du vinaigre a rempli la cuisine.
C2 adjective /ˌpɑːrsɪˈmoʊniəs/

parsimonious

avare
Meaning
unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy
Example
The company was too parsimonious to invest in better equipment.
L'entreprise était trop avare pour investir dans de meilleurs équipements.
C2 noun prəˈklɪv.ə.ti

proclivity

propension
Meaning
A tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing.
Example
She has a proclivity for learning new languages.
Elle a une propension pour apprendre de nouvelles langues.
C2 noun /niˈɒlədʒi/

neology

l'utilisation de nouveaux mots ou l'étude de leur origine
Meaning
The use of new words or the study of their origin.
Example
The professor specialized in neology, studying the creation of modern slang.
Le professeur s'est spécialisé en néologie, étudiant la création du jargon moderne.
C2 verb /ˈstjuːpɪˌfaɪ/

stupefy

stupéfier
Meaning
to make someone unable to think clearly, usually because of surprise or shock
Example
The magician's tricks stupefied the audience.
Les tours du magicien ont stupéfié le public.
C2 noun /əˌkædəˈmɪʃən/

academician

académicien
Meaning
a member of an academy; a scholar or expert in a field of study
Example
The academicians gathered to discuss the future of education.
Les académiciens se sont réunis pour discuter de l'avenir de l'éducation.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɜːrnəlaɪz/

journalize

enregistrer dans un journal
Meaning
to record daily transactions or events in a journal, especially in accounting
Example
The accountant will journalize all financial transactions at the end of the day.
Le comptable enregistrera toutes les transactions financières à la fin de la journée.
C2 verb /ˈɑːbdʒərˌɡeɪt/

objurgate

réprimander sévèrement
Meaning
to scold or rebuke severely
Example
The teacher objurgated the student for being dishonest.
Le professeur a réprimandé sévèrement l'élève pour son malhonnêteté.
C2 noun /niːp/

neap

marée basse
Meaning
A tide just after the first or third quarters of the moon when the difference between high and low tide is least.
Example
During a neap tide, the water level change is minimal.
Pendant une marée basse, le changement du niveau de l'eau est minimal.
C2 noun /hɪˈdʒɛməni/ or /ˈhɛdʒəmoʊni/

hegemony

hégémonie
Meaning
leadership or dominance, especially by one state or group over others
Example
The empire maintained its hegemony over neighboring states.
L'empire a maintenu sa hégémonie sur les états voisins.
C2 noun /broʊɡ/

brogue

chaussure robuste; accent
Meaning
A strong outdoor shoe; also a marked accent, especially Irish or Scottish.
Example
He bought a pair of stylish brogues for the wedding.
Il a acheté une paire de brogues élégantes pour le mariage.
C2 adjective /ˈæʒər/

azure

azur
Meaning
A bright blue color like that of a clear sky.
Example
The clear sky was painted in a deep shade of azure.
Le ciel clair était peint d'une teinte profonde d'azur.
C2 noun /ɒmˈnɪpətəns/

omnipotence

omnipotence
Meaning
The quality of having unlimited power or authority.
Example
Many religions describe God’s omnipotence as absolute.
De nombreuses religions décrivent l'omnipotence de Dieu comme absolue.
C2 verb /bɪˈstruː/

bestrew

répandre
Meaning
To scatter or cover something with objects or substances.
Example
The ground was bestrewn with autumn leaves.
Le sol était couvert de feuilles d'automne.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈkɒnʃənəbl/

unconscionable

injustifiable
Meaning
shockingly unfair or unreasonable
Example
The company made unconscionable profits from the crisis.
L'entreprise a réalisé des bénéfices injustifiables pendant la crise.
C2 adjective rɪˈtɛn.tɪv

retentive

rétentif
Meaning
Having strong memory or the ability to retain information for a long time.
Example
Students with a retentive memory excel in academics.
Les étudiants ayant une mémoire rétentive excellent dans leurs études.
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 adjective /ˈɡʌstəˌtɔːri/

gustatory

gustatif
Meaning
relating to the sense of taste
Example
The restaurant offered a gustatory experience unlike any other.
Le restaurant a offert une expérience gustative unique.
C2 verb /ˈvaɪtəlaɪz/

vitalize

vitaliser
Meaning
To give life, energy, or strength to something.
Example
Fresh air and exercise can vitalize the body and mind.
L'air frais et l'exercice peuvent vitaliser le corps et l'esprit.
C2 noun /kəˈmɛstɪbəl/

comestible

comestible
Meaning
An item of food that can be eaten.
Example
The picnic basket was full of delicious comestibles.
Le panier de pique-nique était plein de délicieuses comestibles.
C2 noun /hoʊ/

Hoe

binette
Meaning
a gardening tool with a thin metal blade used for breaking up soil and removing weeds
Example
The farmer used a hoe to remove weeds from his vegetable garden.
Le fermier a utilisé une binette pour enlever les mauvaises herbes de son jardin de légumes.
C2 adjective /ˈrɛkriənt/

recreant

lâche, traître
Meaning
cowardly or unfaithful to duty
Example
The recreant soldier abandoned his post in fear.
Le soldat lâche abandonna son poste par peur.
C2 noun /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/

grotto

grotte
Meaning
a small picturesque cave, often artificial
Example
Tourists visited the grotto hidden behind the waterfall.
Les touristes ont visité la grotte cachée derrière la cascade.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːldrən/

caldron

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

burgher

bourgeois
Meaning
A citizen of a town, typically a member of the wealthy middle class.
Example
The burgher was respected as a prosperous merchant in the city.
Le bourgeois était respecté comme un marchand prospère dans la ville.
C2 noun /niːˈɒlədʒɪzəm/

neologism

néologisme
Meaning
A newly coined word or expression.
Example
The internet has given rise to many neologisms like 'selfie' and 'hashtag'.
Internet a donné naissance à de nombreux néologismes comme 'selfie' et 'hashtag'.
C2 verb /trænsˈfjuːz/

transfuse

transférer du sang ou un autre liquide dans une veine ou une partie du corps
Meaning
to transfer blood or another fluid into a vein or body part; to instill a quality or idea into someone or something
Example
The doctor had to transfuse blood into the patient after the surgery.
Le médecin a dû transfuser du sang au patient après la chirurgie.
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 /ˌvɛəriəˈɡeɪʃən/

variegation

variété
Meaning
The appearance of differently colored zones in the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants.
Example
Variegation makes the foliage look more attractive.
La variegation rend le feuillage plus attrayant.
C2 adjective /ˈflɪpənt/

flippant

désinvolte
Meaning
not showing a serious or respectful attitude
Example
His flippant remarks annoyed the teacher.
Ses remarques désinvoltes ont agacé le professeur.
C2 noun /ˈtʃɜː.nɪŋ stɪk/

Churning stick

bâton de barattage
Meaning
a wooden stick used for stirring and churning butter, milk, or other liquids
Example
Grandmother used a churning stick to make fresh butter.
La grand-mère a utilisé un bâton de barattage pour faire du beurre frais.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɒsɪsən/

diocesan

relatif à un diocèse
Meaning
relating to a diocese or the district under the supervision of a bishop in the Christian Church
Example
The diocesan council met to discuss church affairs.
Le conseil diocésain s'est réuni pour discuter des affaires de l'église.
C2 verb /kənˈtɛm/

contemn

mépriser
Meaning
to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt
Example
He would never contemn honest work, no matter how humble.
Il ne mépriserait jamais un travail honnête, peu importe à quel point il est modeste.
C2 adjective /əˈθɜːrst/

athirst

asif, avideux
Meaning
Very eager or desirous for something.
Example
The explorer was athirst for adventure.
L'explorateur était asif d'aventure.
C2 noun /ˈfʊl.krəm/

fulcrum

point d'appui
Meaning
The point or support on which a lever pivots; a central or essential point of activity or support.
Example
The teacher became the fulcrum of change in the school.
Le professeur est devenu le fulcrum du changement à l'école.
C2 adjective /ˌævəˈrɪʃəs/

avaricious

avide
Meaning
having or showing extreme greed for wealth or material gain
Example
The avaricious landlord increased the rent unfairly.
Le propriétaire avide a augmenté le loyer de manière injuste.
C2 noun /dɪˈmeɪn/

demesne

terres attachées à un manoir
Meaning
Land attached to a manor and retained for the owner's use.
Example
The castle was surrounded by its vast demesne.
Le château était entouré par ses vastes terres attachées à un manoir.
C2 noun /ˈvæləns/

valance

valance décorative
Meaning
A decorative drapery hung across the top of a window or bed.
Example
She chose a floral valance to match the curtains in her bedroom.
Elle a choisi une valance florale pour assortir les rideaux de sa chambre.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒr.ə.ɡeɪ.tɪd/

corrugated

ondulé ou plié
Meaning
shaped into ridges and grooves; wrinkled or folded
Example
The roof was made of corrugated metal sheets.
Le toit était fait de feuilles de métal ondulé.
C2 adjective /ˈdaʊti/

doughty

courageux
Meaning
brave, valiant, courageous
Example
The doughty soldier never backed down from a challenge.
Le soldat courageux n'a jamais reculé face à un défi.
C2 noun /zɪˈnɑːnə/

Zenanna

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

maraud

piller
Meaning
to roam in search of things to steal or attack
Example
The bandits marauded through the village at night.
Les bandits ont pillé le village la nuit.
C2 adjective /dæŋk/

dank

humide et froid
Meaning
unpleasantly damp and cold
Example
The basement was dark and dank, filled with a musty smell.
Le sous-sol était sombre et humide, rempli d'une odeur nauséabonde.
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 /ˈʒɑːndɑːrm/

gendarme

gendarme
Meaning
A French police officer, especially a member of a military-style police force.
Example
The gendarme stopped the car for a routine check.
Le gendarme a arrêté la voiture pour un contrôle de routine.
C2 noun /ˌhæŋ.ər ˈɒn/

hanger-on

accro
Meaning
a person who spends time with a powerful or famous person to gain benefits.
Example
The celebrity was always surrounded by hangers-on.
La célébrité était toujours entourée d'accros.
C2 noun (plural) /ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/

machinations

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

bathetic

sentiment insignifiant
Meaning
displaying insincere or trivial emotion; producing an unintended ridiculous effect through sudden change from serious to silly
Example
The movie's ending was unintentionally bathetic rather than tragic.
La fin du film était bathétique au lieu d'être tragique.
C2 adjective /bjuːˈkɒlɪk/

bucolic

bucolique
Meaning
Relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.
Example
They enjoyed a bucolic picnic by the river.
Ils ont apprécié un pique-nique bucolique au bord de la rivière.
C2 verb /səˈbɔːrn/

suborn

suborner
Meaning
to bribe or induce someone unlawfully to perform an act, especially to commit perjury
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to suborn a witness.
L'avocat a été accusé d'avoir tenté de suborner un témoin.
C2 adjective /ˌfæntæzməˈɡɒrɪkəl/

phantasmagorical

fantasmagorique
Meaning
Having a fantastic, dreamlike, or surreal appearance, often shifting or illusory.
Example
The movie created a phantasmagorical vision of another world.
Le film a créé une vision fantasmagorique d'un autre monde.
C2 noun ˈtræn.zi.əns

transience

éphémérité
Meaning
The state or fact of lasting only for a short time; impermanence.
Example
The transience of youth makes it more precious.
La transience de la jeunesse la rend plus précieuse.
C2 verb /rɪˈfrækt/

refract

réfracter
Meaning
To bend light, sound, or heat as it passes through a medium.
Example
The water refracts light, making the straw look bent.
L'eau réfracte la lumière, faisant apparaître la paille comme courbée.
C2 noun /kɔːrˈteɪʒ/

cortege

cortège funèbre
Meaning
a solemn procession, especially for a funeral
Example
A cortege of mourners followed the hearse to the cemetery.
Un cortège de pleureurs a suivi le corbillard jusqu'au cimetière.
C2 noun /ˈjɪərlɪŋ/

yearling

un animal d'un an, surtout un cheval
Meaning
an animal that is one year old, especially a horse
Example
The farmer sold the yearling at the livestock market.
Le fermier a vendu le yearling au marché du bétail.
C2 adjective /ˈlaɪðsəm/

lithesome

souple et gracieux
Meaning
gracefully flexible and supple
Example
Her lithesome figure allowed her to move like a ballerina.
Sa silhouette souple lui permettait de bouger comme une ballerine.
C2 noun /ˈɪsməs/ or /ˈɪsθməs/

isthmus

isthme
Meaning
A narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas, often with water on either side.
Example
The Panama Canal cuts through the Isthmus of Panama.
Le canal de Panama traverse l'isthme de Panama.
C2 verb /ˈsæŋktɪfaɪ/

sanctify

sanctifier
Meaning
to make holy or sacred; to purify
Example
The priest will sanctify the marriage ceremony.
Le prêtre sanctifiera la cérémonie de mariage.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪbə/

belabour

s'appesantir sur
Meaning
to explain something repeatedly or with excessive detail; to criticize or attack verbally at length
Example
The teacher did not belabour the point once the students understood it.
Le professeur ne s'est pas appesanti sur le point une fois que les élèves ont compris.
C2 verb /ˈmɔːrtɪfaɪ/

mortify

mortifier
Meaning
to cause someone to feel great embarrassment or shame
Example
She was mortified when she tripped on stage.
Elle était mortifiée lorsqu'elle a trébuché sur scène.
C2 noun /ˈprɛlət/

prelate

haut membre du clergé
Meaning
A high-ranking member of the clergy, especially a bishop or abbot.
Example
The prelate delivered a sermon to the congregation.
Le prélat a prononcé un sermon devant la congrégation.
C2 noun /ˌpɜːrspɪˈkjuːəti/

perspicuity

perspicuité
Meaning
Clarity and ease in speech or writing; the quality of being clearly expressed.
Example
The perspicuity of his lecture made it easy for students to understand complex topics.
La perspicuité de sa conférence a facilité la compréhension des sujets complexes par les étudiants.
C2 noun /ˈplænɪsfɪr/

planisphere

planisphère
Meaning
a rotating star chart used to display the visible stars for any time and date
Example
The astronomer used a planisphere to identify the constellations.
L'astronome a utilisé un planisphère pour identifier les constellations.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrkɔːrt/

forecourt

cour
Meaning
an open area in front of a large building, especially a petrol station or hotel
Example
The car was parked in the hotel forecourt.
La voiture était garée dans la cour de l'hôtel.
C2 noun /ˈbroʊɡən/

brogan

chaussure lourde
Meaning
A heavy, sturdy shoe, often made of leather.
Example
The farmer wore old brogans while working in the field.
Le fermier portait de vieux brogans pendant qu'il travaillait dans le champ.
C2 noun /ˈɒfərtɔːri/

offertory

offrande
Meaning
The part of a religious service when offerings are collected; the offering itself.
Example
The offertory was taken during the Sunday service.
L'offrande a été prise pendant le service du dimanche.
C2 noun /ˈdeɪ.mæn/

day-man

travailleur journalier
Meaning
a worker employed by the day; a day laborer
Example
The farmer hired a day-man to help with the harvest.
Le fermier a embauché un travailleur journalier pour aider à la récolte.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.lət/

islet

îlot
Meaning
A very small island.
Example
The fishermen rested on a tiny islet before continuing their journey.
Les pêcheurs se sont reposés sur un petit îlot avant de continuer leur voyage.
C2 adjective /pəˈlædʒ.ɪk/

pelagic

relatif à l'océan ouvert
Meaning
Relating to the open sea or ocean water column, away from the shore.
Example
Pelagic fish like tuna are found far from the coast.
Les poissons pélagiques comme le thon se trouvent loin de la côte.
C2 verb /kəˈraʊz/

carouse

faire la fête bruyamment
Meaning
to drink and enjoy oneself noisily, often with others
Example
They stayed up all night to carouse after the victory.
Ils sont restés éveillés toute la nuit pour faire la fête après la victoire.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/

viscount

vicomte
Meaning
A British nobleman ranking below an earl and above a baron.
Example
The viscount inherited the estate from his father.
Le vicomte a hérité du domaine de son père.
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 /ˌɑːpərˈtuːnɪzəm/

opportunism

opportunisme
Meaning
The practice of taking advantage of opportunities regardless of principles or ethics.
Example
His decision was driven by opportunism, not values.
Sa décision a été motivée par l'opportunisme, pas par des valeurs.