polymath
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C2 noun /ˈpɒl.i.mæθ/

polymath

polymathe
Meaning
a person with knowledge of many different subjects
Example
Leonardo da Vinci was a true polymath, excelling in art, science, and engineering.
Leonardo da Vinci était un véritable polymathe, excellant dans l'art, la science et l'ingénierie.
C2 noun /ˈkætɪtʃuː/

Catechu

catechu
Meaning
an extract from a tropical Asian plant, used in tanning and dyeing
Example
Catechu extract is commonly used in traditional medicine.
L'extrait de catechu est couramment utilisé dans la médecine traditionnelle.
C2 adjective /ˈbɛlɪˌkoʊs/

bellicose

belliqueux
Meaning
Showing a tendency to argue or fight; aggressive.
Example
His bellicose attitude often got him into unnecessary conflicts.
Son attitude belliqueuse le mettait souvent dans des conflits inutiles.
C2 noun /ˈpærəmʊr/

paramour

amant
Meaning
a lover, especially an illicit one
Example
The secret paramour was finally revealed.
L'amant secret a finalement été révélé.
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 adjective /ˌstaʊtˈhɑːrtɪd/

stouthearted

courageux
Meaning
Brave, determined, and courageous
Example
The stouthearted soldier never gave up.
Le soldat courageux n'a jamais abandonné.
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 /vɛnˈdɪʃən/

vendition

vente
Meaning
The act of selling; sale.
Example
The auction was a formal vendition of the estate's assets.
La vente aux enchères était une vente formelle des actifs de la propriété.
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 /ˌæfɛkˈteɪʃən/

affectation

affectation
Meaning
an unnatural behavior or speech intended to impress others
Example
Her British accent was just an affectation to sound sophisticated.
Son accent britannique n'était qu'une affectation destinée à paraître sophistiquée.
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 noun /ˌʃæŋɡriˈlɑː/

shangri-la

paradis imaginaire
Meaning
a remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life is perfect and peaceful
Example
They described the island as a modern-day Shangri-La.
Ils ont décrit l'île comme un Shangri-La moderne.
C2 verb /ɪnˈhjuːm/

inhume

inhumer
Meaning
to bury a dead body in the ground
Example
They inhumed the warrior with full honors.
Ils ont inhumé le guerrier avec tous les honneurs.
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 adjective /prɪˈpɒndərənt/

preponderant

prépondérant
Meaning
Having superior weight, force, influence, or importance.
Example
The preponderant influence of the media shapes public opinion.
L'influence prépondérante des médias façonne l'opinion publique.
C2 adjective əˈdrɔɪt

adroit

habile, astucieux, adroit
Meaning
clever or skillful in using the hands or mind.
Example
She is adroit at solving complex problems.
Elle est habile à résoudre des problèmes complexes.
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 verb, noun /blæb/

blab

bavarder; divulguer un secret
Meaning
to talk too much or reveal secrets carelessly; excessive or foolish talk
Example
He accidentally blabbed the surprise to everyone.
Il a révélé la surprise par erreur.
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 adjective /əˈfɪʃəs/

officious

médicule
Meaning
Excessively eager to offer unwanted help or advice; meddlesome.
Example
The officious guard kept interrupting the visitors with unnecessary instructions.
Le garde médicule interrompait les visiteurs avec des instructions inutiles.
C2 verb /ˈæktʃueɪt/

actuate

activer
Meaning
to put into action or motion; to motivate or activate
Example
The engineer actuated the machine with a simple switch.
L'ingénieur a activé la machine avec un simple interrupteur.
C2 noun /ˈreɪləri/

raillery

moqueries amicales
Meaning
good-humored teasing or joking
Example
Their friendship was full of light-hearted raillery.
Leur amitié était pleine de railleries légères.
C2 noun /fluː/

flue

conduit de fumée
Meaning
A pipe or channel for smoke and waste gases produced by a fire, gas heater, or power station.
Example
The chimney flue needs to be cleaned regularly.
Le conduit de fumée de la cheminée doit être nettoyé régulièrement.
C2 noun /reɪθ/

wraith

spectre
Meaning
A ghost or ghostlike image of someone, especially seen shortly before or after their death.
Example
A wraith appeared in the fog near the old castle.
Un spectre est apparu dans le brouillard près du vieux château.
C2 noun /buːb/

boob

idiot; sein (familier)
Meaning
a foolish or clumsy person; an informal and sometimes rude term for a woman's breast
Example
He felt like a complete boob after forgetting the meeting.
Il s'est senti comme un idiot complet après avoir oublié la réunion.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdənt/

pedant

personne pédante
Meaning
A person who is excessively concerned with minor details or rules, often in a showy way.
Example
The professor was criticized as a pedant who focused too much on trivial details.
Le professeur a été critiqué comme un pédant qui se concentrait trop sur des détails triviaux.
C2 noun /ˈpʌndʒənsi/

pungency

pungence
Meaning
The quality of having a strong, sharp taste or smell.
Example
The pungency of garlic filled the kitchen.
La pungence de l'ail a rempli la cuisine.
C2 verb /ˌweɪˈleɪ/

waylay

arrêter / attaquer de manière inattendue
Meaning
to stop or interrupt someone unexpectedly, often to attack or detain them
Example
He was waylaid by reporters as he left the courthouse.
Il a été attaqué par des journalistes alors qu'il quittait le tribunal.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪər.brænd/

firebrand

un agitateur
Meaning
a person who is passionate about a cause, often inciting change or action
Example
The activist was a true firebrand, inspiring everyone around him to join the protest.
L'activiste était un véritable agitateur, inspirant tout le monde autour de lui à rejoindre la protestation.
C2 adjective /ˌsɒfəˈmɒrɪk/

sophomoric

immature
Meaning
showing immaturity and overconfidence, like a sophomore
Example
His sophomoric behavior embarrassed his friends.
Son comportement immature a embarrassé ses amis.
C2 noun /ˈʌmbrɪdʒ/

umbrage

mécontentement, offense
Meaning
A feeling of resentment or offense.
Example
She took umbrage at his rude remark.
Elle s'est vexée par sa remarque grossière.
C2 noun /ˈsteɪtkraft/

statecraft

art de gouverner
Meaning
The art of governing and managing state affairs effectively.
Example
The leader was praised for his exceptional statecraft in handling international relations.
Le leader a été félicité pour son art de gouverner exceptionnel dans la gestion des relations internationales.
C2 noun /miːd/

mead

hydromel
Meaning
An alcoholic drink made from fermented honey and water.
Example
The Vikings were known to drink large amounts of mead during feasts.
Les Vikings étaient connus pour boire de grandes quantités d'hydromel lors des festins.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.ɪˈbraɪ.ə.ti/

inebriety

ivresse
Meaning
the state of being drunk or intoxicated
Example
His frequent inebriety led to the loss of his job.
Son inconstance dans l'ivresse l'a conduit à perdre son travail.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪstri/

sophistry

sophistique
Meaning
the use of clever but false arguments, often to deceive
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophistry.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophistique.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈɛksərəbl/

inexorable

inexorable
Meaning
Impossible to stop or prevent; relentless.
Example
The inexorable rise of technology is changing every aspect of life.
La montée inexorable de la technologie change chaque aspect de la vie.
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 /əˈnæθəmə/

anathema

anathème / chose détestée
Meaning
something or someone intensely disliked or strongly condemned
Example
Violence is anathema to her peaceful nature.
La violence est un anathème pour sa nature pacifique.
C2 adjective /ˈbuːtləs/

bootless

inutile
Meaning
Useless or futile; of no benefit.
Example
His bootless attempt to fix the machine only wasted time.
Sa tentative inutile de réparer la machine n'a fait que perdre du temps.
C2 adjective /ˈtɔɪl.səm/

toilsome

épuisant
Meaning
Involving hard or exhausting work; laborious.
Example
The workers had a toilsome day in the hot sun.
Les travailleurs ont eu une journée épuisante sous le soleil chaud.
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 /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 adjective /ˌsɒpəˈrɪfɪk/

soporific

bonheur
Meaning
tending to induce drowsiness or sleep; causing sleepiness
Example
The professor's lecture was so soporific that half the class fell asleep.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /sɪnˈtɪl.ə/

scintilla

petite étincelle
Meaning
A tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.
Example
There wasn’t a scintilla of doubt in her mind.
Il n'y avait pas une étincelle de doute dans son esprit.
C2 noun ˌmɛtəkɒɡˈnɪʃən

metacognition

penser à la pensée
Meaning
Awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes
Example
Metacognition enhances problem-solving abilities.
La métacognition améliore les capacités de résolution de problèmes.
C2 noun /ˈmɪsɪv/

missive

missive
Meaning
a written message, especially a formal or official letter
Example
He sent a long missive to the governor.
Il a envoyé une longue missive au gouverneur.
C2 noun /ˌɪnsəˈrɛkʃən/

insurrection

insurrection
Meaning
A violent uprising against an authority or government.
Example
The army was called in to suppress the insurrection.
L'armée a été appelée pour réprimer l'insurrection.
C2 noun /ˌkælɪsˈθɛnɪks/

calisthenics

exercice physique
Meaning
exercises that use body weight for strength and flexibility
Example
She practices calisthenics every morning in the park.
Elle pratique la calisthénie chaque matin dans le parc.
C2 noun /ˈbiː.təl nʌt/

Betel-nut

noix de bétel
Meaning
seed of the areca palm tree, often chewed as a stimulant
Example
Betel-nut is commonly chewed in many South Asian countries.
La noix de bétel est couramment mâchée dans de nombreux pays d'Asie du Sud.
C2 adjective /ɪˈnɪm.ɪ.tə.bəl/

inimitable

inimitable
Meaning
So good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique.
Example
His inimitable writing style made him a literary legend.
Son style d'écriture inimitable a fait de lui une légende littéraire.
C2 noun /ˈvɪtrioʊl/

vitriol

critique acerbe
Meaning
harsh and bitter criticism
Example
The politician faced vitriol from the public.
Le politicien a fait face à une critique acerbe du public.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌmp.tʃuˌɛr.i/

sumptuary

relatif aux lois ou règlements limitant les dépenses personnelles pour des articles de luxe
Meaning
Relating to laws or regulations intended to limit personal spending on luxury goods.
Example
In medieval Europe, sumptuary laws restricted the wearing of expensive fabrics to the nobility.
Dans l'Europe médiévale, les lois somptuaires restreignaient le port de tissus coûteux à la noblesse.
C2 noun /ˈʃʊərəti/

surety

caution
Meaning
a person who takes responsibility for another's performance of an undertaking, such as appearing in court or paying a debt
Example
The landlord required a surety before renting the apartment.
Le propriétaire a exigé une caution avant de louer l'appartement.
C2 noun /ˈtruːɪzəm/

truism

vérité banale
Meaning
a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting
Example
It is a truism that hard work leads to success.
C'est une vérité banale que le travail acharné mène au succès.
C2 noun /ɪˈlɪksər/

elixir

élixir
Meaning
A magical or medicinal potion believed to cure illnesses or grant immortality.
Example
The old legend spoke of an elixir that could grant eternal youth.
La vieille légende parlait d'un élixir qui pourrait accorder la jeunesse éternelle.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪəri/

leery

méfiant
Meaning
Cautious or wary due to suspicion or distrust.
Example
She was leery of investing in the new business.
Elle était méfiante à l'idée d'investir dans le nouveau business.
C2 noun /ˈbriːtʃɪz/

Breeckes

pantalons jusqu'aux genoux
Meaning
knee-length trousers; short pants
Example
He wore riding breeches for the equestrian event.
Il portait des pantalons jusqu'aux genoux pour l'événement équestre.
C2 noun /ˈdʒʌŋk.tʃər/

jucture

moment critique
Meaning
a particular point in time, especially one of great importance or crisis
Example
At this critical jucture, the company must decide whether to expand or downsize.
À ce moment critique, l'entreprise doit décider si elle doit s'étendre ou se réduire.
C2 adjective /ˈɑːsɪˌfaɪd/

ossified

transformé en os, rigide
Meaning
Turned into bone or become rigid; unwilling to change.
Example
The company had an ossified management structure that resisted innovation.
L'entreprise avait une structure de gestion rigide qui résistait à l'innovation.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒɔːr/

pledgeor

garant
Meaning
a person who gives or offers a pledge or security
Example
The bank accepted the jewelry from the pledgeor as collateral for the loan.
La banque a accepté les bijoux du garant comme garantie pour le prêt.
C2 noun /rɪˈfræk.tər/

refractor

réfracteur
Meaning
A type of telescope that uses lenses to focus light.
Example
Refractor telescopes use lenses to focus light.
Les télescopes réfracteurs utilisent des lentilles pour focaliser la lumière.
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 /ˈɒn.rʌʃ/

onrush

ruée
Meaning
A sudden powerful forward or downward rush or flow.
Example
The onrush of water swept away the bridge.
La ruée d'eau emporta le pont.
C2 adjective /ˈfrɪski/

Frisky

vivant; énergique; joueur; espiègle
Meaning
lively; energetic; playful; mischievous
Example
The frisky puppy ran around the garden playfully.
Le chiot frisky courait autour du jardin de manière enjouée.
C2 adjective /ˈdəʊ.lə.rəs/

dolorous

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

transalpine

au-delà des Alpes
Meaning
situated beyond or across the Alps, especially from the viewpoint of Italy
Example
The Romans referred to France as Transalpine Gaul.
Les Romains appelaient la France la Gaule transalpine.
C2 verb /ɛnˈkɪndl/

enkindle

enflammer, inspirer
Meaning
to set on fire or inspire strong emotion
Example
The speech enkindled hope in the audience.
Le discours a enflammé l'espoir dans l'auditoire.
C2 verb /miːt/

mete

distribuer
Meaning
To dispense or allot justice, punishment, or harsh treatment.
Example
The judge will mete out punishment according to the crime.
Le juge distribuera la punition en fonction du crime.
C2 noun /ˌmɪsˈnoʊmər/

misnomer

mauvais nom
Meaning
A wrong or inaccurate name or designation.
Example
Calling the tiny dog a 'giant' is a misnomer.
Appeler le petit chien un 'géant' est un mauvais nom.
C2 adjective /ˈtrʌŋkeɪtɪd/

truncated

raccourci
Meaning
shortened by cutting off a part; cut short
Example
The meeting was truncated due to time constraints.
La réunion a été raccourcie en raison des contraintes de temps.
C2 noun /oʊf/

Oaf

une personne maladroite, stupide ou insensible
Meaning
a clumsy, stupid, or insensitive person
Example
Don't be such an oaf - handle the dishes carefully!
Ne sois pas un oaf - manipule les plats avec soin !
C2 verb /lɪm/

limn

décrire / représenter
Meaning
to depict or describe something vividly in words or art.
Example
The author limned the beauty of the countryside.
L'auteur a décrit la beauté de la campagne de manière vivante.
C2 adjective /ˈstraɪ.eɪ.tɪd/

striated

striée
Meaning
marked with thin lines, grooves, or stripes
Example
The muscle fibers appeared striated under the microscope.
Les fibres musculaires apparaissaient striées sous le microscope.
C2 adjective /ɪˈmɛrɪtəs/

emeritus

professeur émérite
Meaning
having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honor
Example
He is a professor emeritus at the university.
Il est professeur émérite à l'université.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnˈekspɜːrt/

inexpert

inexpérimenté
Meaning
not skilled or experienced; lacking expertise
Example
The inexpert handling of the machine caused several mistakes.
La manipulation inexpérimentée de la machine a causé plusieurs erreurs.
C2 verb /ˌfɔːrɔːrˈdeɪn/

foreordain

prédestiner
Meaning
to determine or decree something in advance; to predestine
Example
Some believe that our lives are foreordained by fate.
Certains croient que nos vies sont prédestinées par le destin.
C2 adverb /ˌɪnsəʊˈmʌtʃ/

insomuch

tant
Meaning
to such an extent
Example
He was insomuch tired that he could hardly stand.
Il était tellement fatigué qu'il pouvait à peine se tenir debout.
C2 noun /ˈpɔːrfəri/

porphyry

une roche ignée dure
Meaning
A hard igneous rock containing crystals, often used for decorative or building purposes.
Example
The ancient Romans used porphyry to make columns and statues.
Les anciens Romains ont utilisé le porphyre pour fabriquer des colonnes et des statues.
C2 noun /ˌædʒʊˈreɪʃən/

adjuration

supplication solennelle
Meaning
a solemn urging or appeal
Example
The priest made an adjuration for peace and unity.
Le prêtre a fait une supplication solennelle pour la paix et l'unité.
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 /dʒərˈmeɪn/

germane

pertinent
Meaning
Relevant and appropriate to the subject being considered.
Example
Her comments were not germane to the discussion.
Ses commentaires n'étaient pas pertinents pour la discussion.
C2 adverb /ʌnˈɜːrɪŋli/

unerringly

sans erreur
Meaning
Without making any mistakes; always accurate
Example
The archer aimed unerringly at the target.
L'archer a visé sans erreur la cible.
C2 noun, verb /ˈmaɪər/

mire

marécage / enchevêtrement
Meaning
A stretch of swampy or boggy ground; as a verb, to entangle or involve someone in a difficult situation.
Example
The car was stuck in the mire after the heavy rain.
La voiture est restée coincée dans la boue après la forte pluie.
C2 noun /ˈɡɪbən/

gibbon

gibbon
Meaning
a small to medium-sized tailless ape with long arms, native to the forests of Southeast Asia
Example
The gibbon swung gracefully through the trees using its long arms.
Le gibbon se balançait gracieusement entre les arbres avec ses longs bras.
C2 noun /ˈdiːɪst/

deist

déiste
Meaning
a person who believes in the existence of a supreme being but rejects organized religion
Example
The philosopher identified himself as a deist.
Le philosophe s'est identifié comme un déiste.
C2 noun /ˈbækənæl/

bacchanal

fête sauvage
Meaning
A noisy party involving drinking and revelry.
Example
The festival turned into a wild bacchanal by midnight.
Le festival s'est transformé en une fête sauvage à minuit.
C2 noun /ˈæl.mɪ.rə/

Almirah

armoire
Meaning
a large cupboard or wardrobe used for storing clothes and other items
Example
I keep all my clothes in the wooden almirah.
Je garde tous mes vêtements dans l'armoire en bois.
C2 noun /kɒnˌtek.stʃu.ə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/

contextualization

contextualisation
Meaning
The process of placing something in its proper context or setting to understand it better.
Example
Contextualization of historical events helps students understand them better.
La contextualisation des événements historiques aide les étudiants à mieux les comprendre.
C2 adjective /ˌlɛvəlˈhɛdɪd/

levelheaded

calme et sensé
Meaning
calm and sensible; showing good judgment.
Example
She remained levelheaded during the crisis.
Elle est restée calme pendant la crise.
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 /dɪsˈpɔːrt/

disport

se divertir
Meaning
To amuse oneself in a lively or playful way.
Example
The children disported themselves in the garden.
Les enfants se sont amusés dans le jardin.
C2 verb ˈlev.ɪ.teɪ.tɪŋ

levitating

lévitation
Meaning
Rising and hovering in the air, especially as a result of supernatural or magical power.
Example
The levitating structure is an engineering marvel.
La structure lévitante est une merveille d'ingénierie.
C2 noun /ˈɒlɪv brɑːntʃ/

olive-branch

branche d'olivier
Meaning
A symbol of peace or reconciliation; an offer to end conflict.
Example
He extended an olive-branch to his rival after years of hostility.
Il a tendu une branche d'olivier à son rival après des années d'hostilité.
C2 noun /ˈæntiruːm/

anteroom

antichambre
Meaning
A small room leading to a main one, often used as a waiting area.
Example
The guests waited in the anteroom before being called inside.
Les invités ont attendu dans l’antichambre avant d’être appelés à l’intérieur.
C2 noun /maɪˈæzmə/

miasma

air vicié
Meaning
An unpleasant or unhealthy smell or atmosphere.
Example
A miasma of decay hung over the abandoned house.
Un miasme de décomposition flottait au-dessus de la maison abandonnée.
C2 noun /əˈsɜːrbəti/

acerbity

acerbité
Meaning
bitterness or sharpness of tone, manner, or taste
Example
The acerbity of his remarks left everyone silent.
L'acerbité de ses remarques a laissé tout le monde en silence.
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 noun /məˈrɔː.dər/

marauder

pillard
Meaning
a person who roams around in search of things to steal or people to attack
Example
Villagers feared the marauders who raided their homes.
Les villageois craignaient les pillards qui attaquaient leurs maisons.
C2 noun /ˈsʌfərəns/

sufferance

tolérance
Meaning
patient endurance of pain, hardship, or delay; passive consent or tolerance
Example
He lived in poverty with quiet sufferance.
Il vivait dans la pauvreté avec une tolérance silencieuse.
C2 verb /beɪst/

baste

verser ou badigeonner de la graisse fondue, du jus ou du liquide sur la viande pendant la cuisson pour la garder humide
Meaning
to pour or brush melted fat, juices, or liquid over meat during cooking to keep it moist
Example
She basted the turkey every 30 minutes to keep it juicy.
Elle a badigeonné la dinde toutes les 30 minutes pour la garder juteuse.
C2 verb /ˈkæn.tər/

canter

galop lent
Meaning
To ride a horse at a controlled, easy pace between a trot and a gallop.
Example
She cantered her horse across the field with ease.
Elle a canter son cheval à travers le champ avec aisance.
C2 noun /kiˌɑːrəˈskjʊəroʊ/

chiaroscuro

contraste dramatique entre lumière et ombre
Meaning
The use of strong contrasts between light and dark in art or literature to create a dramatic effect.
Example
The artist's painting used chiaroscuro to highlight the figure's face.
Le tableau de l'artiste a utilisé le chiaroscuro pour mettre en valeur le visage de la figure.
C2 noun /səbˈsɜːviəns/

subservience

servilité
Meaning
the condition of being too willing to obey or serve others
Example
His subservience to authority annoyed his colleagues.
Sa servilité envers l'autorité agaçait ses collègues.
C2 noun /ˈsɪbɪləns/

sibilance

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

awl

alêne
Meaning
a small pointed tool used for making holes, especially in leather
Example
The cobbler used an awl to punch holes in the leather.
Le cordonnier a utilisé une alêne pour faire des trous dans le cuir.
C2 noun /ˈlæki/

lackey

domestique
Meaning
a person who is overly willing to serve or obey someone else
Example
He treated his assistant like a mere lackey.
Il a traité son assistant comme un simple domestique.
C2 noun /hæp/

hap

chance, fortune, hasard
Meaning
luck, fortune, or chance occurrence
Example
By sheer hap, he discovered the old letter hidden in the drawer.
Par pur hasard, il a découvert la vieille lettre cachée dans le tiroir.
C2 verb /kædʒ/

cadge

quémander
Meaning
To beg or obtain something, especially food or money, without paying for it.
Example
He tried to cadge a free meal from the restaurant.
Il a essayé de quémander un repas gratuit au restaurant.
C2 noun /ˈsuːpsɒ̃/

soupcon

une petite quantité
Meaning
a very small quantity of something; a trace
Example
She added just a soupcon of spice to the dish.
Elle a ajouté juste une petite quantité d'épices au plat.
C2 noun /ˈʌŋɡwənt/

unguent

onguent
Meaning
A soothing or healing ointment applied to the skin.
Example
The doctor applied an unguent to heal the burn.
Le médecin a appliqué un onguent pour guérir la brûlure.
C2 verb /əˈmælɡəmeɪt/

amalgamate

fusionner
Meaning
to combine or unite to form one organization or structure; to merge
Example
The two companies decided to amalgamate their operations.
Les deux entreprises ont décidé de fusionner leurs opérations.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnəˈsweɪdʒd/

unassuaged

inquiet
Meaning
Not made less intense or relieved; unrelieved.
Example
His grief remained unassuaged despite the passage of time.
Sa douleur est restée inquiète malgré le passage du temps.
C2 adjective /ˈtrɛmjələs/

tremulous

tremblant
Meaning
shaking or quivering slightly, often from nervousness or weakness
Example
Her voice was tremulous as she gave her speech.
Sa voix était tremblante lorsqu'elle a donné son discours.
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 noun /ˈriːbəs/

rebus

rébus
Meaning
a puzzle in which words are represented by pictures, symbols, or letters
Example
The children enjoyed solving the rebus puzzles in the magazine.
Les enfants ont adoré résoudre les rébus dans le magazine.
C2 noun /ˌnɒvəˈlɛt/

novellette

novellette
Meaning
A short novel or long short story.
Example
The author published a novellette as a preview of her upcoming series.
L'auteur a publié une novellette en avant-première de sa prochaine série.
C2 verb /ˈblʌdʒən/

bludgeon

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

arability

arabilité
Meaning
The quality of land being suitable for growing crops.
Example
The arability of land depends on soil quality and water availability.
L'arabilité du sol dépend de la qualité du sol et de la disponibilité de l'eau.
C2 adjective /ˌæntɪdəˈluːviən/

antediluvian

désuet
Meaning
extremely old-fashioned; belonging to the time before the biblical flood
Example
His views on women are positively antediluvian.
Ses opinions sur les femmes sont positivement démodées.
C2 noun /foʊˈtɑːmɪtri/

photometry

science de la mesure de la lumière
Meaning
the science of measuring visible light in terms of its perceived brightness to human eyes
Example
Photometry helps in designing efficient lighting systems.
La photométrie aide à concevoir des systèmes d'éclairage efficaces.