pontificate
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All CEFR A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Content locale
EN Anglais BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Espagnol FR Français DE Allemand RU Russe ZH Chinois JA Japonais
All Vocabulary Cards All Vocabularies
C2 verb /ˈpɒntɪfɪkeɪt/

pontificate

parler ou agir de manière pompeuse ou dogmatique; officier en tant que pontife
Meaning
to speak or act in a pompous or dogmatic way; to officiate as a pontiff
Example
He pontificated on the importance of education for over an hour.
Il a pontifié pendant plus d'une heure sur l'importance de l'éducation.
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 /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 /ˈpriːskrɪpt/

prescript

prescription
Meaning
An authoritative rule or direction; something laid down as a command.
Example
The prescript of the organization required strict punctuality.
Le prescript de l'organisation exigeait une ponctualité stricte.
C2 adjective /ˈpɑːrtəbl/

partible

divisible
Meaning
capable of being divided or separated
Example
The estate was partible among the heirs.
Le bien était divisible entre les héritiers.
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 adjective /pjuːˈtrɛsənt/

putrescent

en décomposition
Meaning
undergoing the process of decay; rotting
Example
The putrescent odor made everyone leave the room.
L'odeur en décomposition fit fuir tout le monde hors de la pièce.
C2 adjective /ˈpɒndərəbl/

ponderable

qui peut être considéré, pensable
Meaning
able to be considered or thought about
Example
The evidence was substantial and ponderable.
La preuve était substantielle et pensable.
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 /ˌpriːpəˈzɛʃən/

prepossession

préjugé
Meaning
An opinion or feeling formed beforehand; a prejudice or preoccupation.
Example
His prepossession in favor of tradition made him resist change.
Son préjugé en faveur de la tradition l'a fait résister au changement.
C2 adjective /ˈpruːdɪʃ/

prudish

prude
Meaning
having or revealing a tendency to be easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity
Example
She was too prudish to watch the movie with her friends.
Elle était trop prude pour regarder le film avec ses amis.
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 adjective /ˈpɛndjʊləs/

pendulous

bonheur
Meaning
hanging down loosely; drooping
Example
The pendulous fruit weighed down the branch.
Elle ne pouvait cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle reçut le prix.
C2 noun /ˌpætrəˈnɪmɪk/

patronymic

patronymique
Meaning
a name derived from the name of a father or ancestor
Example
In many cultures, surnames are patronymic in origin.
Dans de nombreuses cultures, les noms de famille sont d'origine patronymique.
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 noun /ˌprɪnsɪˈpæləti/

principality

principauté
Meaning
a state ruled by a prince
Example
Monaco is a famous principality in Europe.
Monaco est une principauté célèbre en Europe.
C2 noun /proʊˈskrɪp.ʃən/

proscription

interdiction
Meaning
the act of forbidding something, especially by law
Example
The proscription of child labor is an important human rights achievement.
L'interdiction du travail des enfants est une réalisation importante des droits humains.
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 /ˈpɛntəˌɡræm/

pentagram

pentagramme
Meaning
A five-pointed star often used as a symbol in magic, mysticism, or religion.
Example
The wizard drew a pentagram on the floor as part of the ritual.
Le magicien a tracé un pentagramme sur le sol dans le cadre du rituel.
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 noun /prəˈfjuːʒən/

profusion

profusion
Meaning
an abundance or large quantity of something
Example
Spring brought a profusion of wildflowers to the valley.
Le printemps a apporté une profusion de fleurs sauvages dans la vallée.
C2 adjective /ˈpɔːrtli/

portly

corpulent
Meaning
Having a stout or somewhat fat body, often implying dignity or authority.
Example
The portly man entered the room with confidence.
L'homme corpulent est entré dans la pièce avec confiance.
C2 noun /ˌpraɪvəˈtɪə/

privateer

corsaire
Meaning
A privately owned armed ship authorized by a government to attack enemy ships during war.
Example
The privateer captured several enemy vessels during the conflict.
Le corsaire a capturé plusieurs navires ennemis pendant le conflit.
C2 noun /proʊˈbɑːsɪs/

proboscis

trompe
Meaning
The long, flexible nose of some animals, especially an elephant, or a tubular feeding and sucking organ in insects.
Example
The elephant used its proboscis to grab food.
L'éléphant a utilisé sa trompe pour attraper de la nourriture.
C2 noun /pæˈstiːʃ/

pastiche

pastiche
Meaning
a work of art, literature, or music that imitates the style of another artist, period, or genre
Example
The film was a clever pastiche of 1950s detective movies.
Le film était un habile pastiche des films policiers des années 1950.
C2 noun /prəˈtuːbərəns/

protuberance

protubérance
Meaning
A rounded swelling or lump on a surface.
Example
The doctor examined the small protuberance on his arm.
Le médecin a examiné la petite protubérance sur son bras.
C2 adverb /ˈprɒksɪmətli/

proximately

près
Meaning
In a near or close manner; nearly.
Example
The village lies proximately to the river.
Le village est près de la rivière.
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 /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 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 /ˌfærɪˈseɪɪkəl/

pharisaical

pharisaïque
Meaning
Excessively concerned with formal rules or outward show of morality, often in a hypocritical way.
Example
His pharisaical behavior made people doubt his sincerity.
Son comportement pharisaïque a fait douter les gens de sa sincérité.
C2 adjective /prəˈvaɪzəri/

provisory

provisoire
Meaning
conditional; depending on certain terms being met
Example
The arrangement was only provisory until the final contract was signed.
L'arrangement était seulement provisoire jusqu'à ce que le contrat final soit signé.
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 /ˈpɒntɪf/

pontiff

pape ou un évêque de haut rang
Meaning
the pope or a high-ranking bishop in the Christian church
Example
The pontiff addressed the nation in a televised speech.
Le pape a adressé la nation dans un discours télévisé.
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 /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 /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 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 adjective /pərˈspɪkjuəs/

perspicuous

clair
Meaning
Clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid.
Example
The teacher gave a perspicuous explanation of the theory.
L'enseignant a donné une explication claire de la théorie.
C2 noun /ˈper.ɪ.dʒiː/

perigee

le point le plus proche dans l'orbite de la lune ou d'un satellite de la Terre
Meaning
the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is nearest to the Earth
Example
The moon appeared much larger during its perigee.
La lune apparaissait beaucoup plus grande pendant son périgée.
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 /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 adjective /ˌfoʊtoʊɪˈlɛktrɪk/

photoelectric

photoélectrique
Meaning
relating to the emission of electrons or other free carriers when light shines on a material
Example
The photoelectric effect is fundamental in solar panels.
L'effet photoélectrique est fondamental dans les panneaux solaires.
C2 noun ˌpɜː.tɪˈnæs.ɪ.ti

pertinacity

détermination ferme et persévérance
Meaning
Firm determination and persistence in achieving something.
Example
His pertinacity in achieving his goals was inspiring.
Sa détermination inébranlable à atteindre ses objectifs était inspirante.
C2 adjective /ˈpɪrɪk/

pyrrhic

victoire pyrrhique
Meaning
A victory won at such a great cost that it is almost equivalent to defeat.
Example
The general declared the battle a pyrrhic victory due to heavy losses.
Le général a déclaré la bataille comme une victoire pyrrhique en raison des lourdes pertes.
C2 noun /ˌpɪəriəˈdɪsɪti/

periodicity

périodicité
Meaning
The quality or state of being regular or recurring at intervals.
Example
The periodicity of the moon’s phases has fascinated humans for centuries.
La périodicité des phases de la lune fascine les humains depuis des siècles.
C2 verb /ˈpɛrəɡrɪˌneɪt/

peregrinate

bonheur
Meaning
To travel or wander from place to place.
Example
He loved to peregrinate across the countryside during summer.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur quand elle a reçu le prix.
C2 verb /ˈprɒsəˌlaɪtaɪz/

proselytize

tenter de convertir
Meaning
To try to persuade someone to convert to a different belief or religion.
Example
They tried to proselytize the villagers with their new ideas.
Ils ont essayé de prosélytiser les villageois avec leurs nouvelles idées.
C2 adjective /prɪˈhɛnsɪbəl/

prehensible

préhensible
Meaning
capable of being grasped or seized
Example
The tool has a prehensible handle that improves safety.
L'outil a une prise préhensible qui améliore la sécurité.
C2 noun /ˈpɛd.ən.tri/

pedantry

préoccupation excessive pour les détails ou les règles mineures
Meaning
Excessive concern with minor details or rules.
Example
His pedantry made the meeting unnecessarily long.
Sa pédanterie a rendu la réunion inutilement longue.
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 adjective /ˈpɛstɪlənt/

pestilent

pestilentiel
Meaning
Causing or tending to cause death or destruction; harmful or pernicious.
Example
The pestilent atmosphere of the swamp made people sick.
L'atmosphère pestilentielle du marais rendait les gens malades.
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 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 verb /pərˈveɪ/

purvey

fournir
Meaning
to supply or provide goods, services, or information, often as a business
Example
The company purveys organic food to health-conscious customers.
L'entreprise fournit des aliments biologiques aux clients soucieux de leur santé.
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 noun /prɪˈpɒndərəns/

preponderance

prépondérance
Meaning
The quality or fact of being greater in number, quantity, or importance.
Example
There was a preponderance of evidence against the defendant.
Il y avait une prépondérance de preuves contre l'accusé.
C2 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 /ˈpɔːrtɛnt/

portent

prémonition
Meaning
A sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen.
Example
The sudden drop in stock prices was seen as a portent of economic trouble.
La chute soudaine des prix des actions a été vue comme une prémonition de problèmes économiques.
C2 noun /ˈplɛntɪtjuːd/

plentitude

abondance
Meaning
the condition of being full or abundant
Example
The garden offered a plentitude of flowers in spring.
Le jardin offrait une abondance de fleurs au printemps.
C2 noun /ˈpruːdəri/

prudery

pruderie
Meaning
the behavior or attitude of people who are too easily shocked or offended by sexual matters
Example
His prudery often made others uncomfortable during open discussions.
Sa pruderie rendait souvent les autres mal à l'aise lors des discussions ouvertes.
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 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 noun, verb /ˌpæm.fləˈtɪər/

pamphleteer

écrivain de pamphlets
Meaning
a person who writes or distributes pamphlets, often to promote a political or social cause
Example
In the 18th century, many pamphleteers influenced public opinion.
Au XVIIIe siècle, de nombreux écrivains de pamphlets ont influencé l'opinion publique.
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 verb /ˈprɑː.məl.ɡeɪt/

promulgate

promulguer
Meaning
To announce or make a law, decree, or idea officially known.
Example
The government promulgated new regulations on data privacy.
Le gouvernement a promulgué de nouvelles régulations sur la confidentialité des données.
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 verb /pɑːrtʃ/

parch

sècher
Meaning
to make something extremely dry, especially by exposure to heat
Example
The scorching sun began to parch the fields.
Le soleil brûlant a commencé à sécher les champs.
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 /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 /ˌpɒlɪˈhiːdrən/

polyhedron

solide à faces polygonales planes
Meaning
a solid object with flat polygonal faces, straight edges, and vertices
Example
The mathematician studied a complex polyhedron model.
Le mathématicien a étudié un modèle complexe de polyèdre.
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 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 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 /pɪˈdɒl.ə.dʒi/

pedology

science des sols
Meaning
The study of soils in their natural environment.
Example
Pedology helps scientists understand soil fertility.
La pédologie aide les scientifiques à comprendre la fertilité du sol.
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 /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 noun /pʌɡˈnæsɪti/

pugnacity

pugnacité
Meaning
A natural disposition to be combative or aggressive.
Example
The coach admired the player's pugnacity on the field.
L'entraîneur admirait la pugnacité du joueur sur le terrain.
C2 noun /ˈpeɪpəsi/

papacy

papauté
Meaning
The office or authority of the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church.
Example
The papacy played a significant role in medieval European politics.
La papauté a joué un rôle important dans la politique médiévale européenne.
C2 noun /fɪˈlæt.əl.i/

philately

philatélie
Meaning
the collection and study of postage stamps
Example
Philately is a hobby enjoyed by people of all ages.
La philatélie est un passe-temps apprécié des personnes de tous âges.
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 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 noun /prɒɡˌnɒstɪˈkeɪʃən/

prognostication

prédiction
Meaning
The act of foretelling or predicting future events.
Example
The astrologer's prognostication fascinated the audience.
La prédiction de l'astrologue a fasciné l'audience.
C2 adjective /ˈprɪɡɪʃ/

priggish

moraliste et prétentieux
Meaning
self-righteously moralistic and superior
Example
He came across as priggish when correcting everyone's manners.
Il semblait moraliste et prétentieux lorsqu'il corrigeait les manières de tout le monde.
C2 adjective /pəˈrɒnɪməs/

paronymous

paronymes
Meaning
Words that are derived from the same root or sound alike.
Example
The words 'effect' and 'effective' are paronymous.
Les mots ‘effect’ et ‘effective’ sont des paronymes.
C2 noun /ˈfænˌtæzəm/

phantasm

fantôme
Meaning
an illusion, ghost, or figment of the imagination
Example
The child claimed to see a phantasm in the old house.
L'enfant prétendait avoir vu un fantôme dans la vieille maison.
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 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 /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 adjective /ˈpʌkɪʃ/

puckish

espiègle
Meaning
playfully mischievous
Example
The child gave a puckish grin before hiding the toy.
L'enfant a donné un sourire espiègle avant de cacher le jouet.
C2 noun /pɪˈlɑːf/

Pillaw

pilav
Meaning
a dish of rice cooked in seasoned broth, often with meat and vegetables
Example
We enjoyed a delicious chicken pillaw for dinner.
Nous avons dégusté un délicieux pilav au poulet pour le dîner.
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 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 /ˈpiːən/

paean

hymne de louange
Meaning
A song or piece of writing expressing great praise or triumph.
Example
The article was a paean to the beauty of nature.
L'article était un hymne à la beauté de la nature.
C2 noun /ˌfoʊˈtɑːmɪtər/

photometer

photomètre
Meaning
an instrument for measuring the intensity of light
Example
The scientist used a photometer to measure the light in the laboratory.
Le scientifique a utilisé un photomètre pour mesurer la lumière dans le laboratoire.
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 noun /ˈpɛstɪləns/

pestilence

peste
Meaning
A deadly or virulent epidemic disease that spreads rapidly.
Example
The medieval city was devastated by a pestilence.
La ville médiévale a été dévastée par une peste.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɑːɡrəfi/

physiography

physiographie
Meaning
the study of the physical features of the earth's surface
Example
He specialized in physiography to understand the landscape of the region.
Il s'est spécialisé en physiographie pour comprendre le paysage de la région.
C2 noun /ˌfoʊ.nəˈlɑː.dʒi/

phonology

phonologie
Meaning
the study of the sound system of a language
Example
She is studying phonology to understand how sounds function in English.
Elle étudie la phonologie pour comprendre comment les sons fonctionnent en anglais.
C2 verb /ˈpʌlvəraɪz/

pulverize

pulvériser
Meaning
To crush or grind something into a fine powder; to completely defeat or destroy.
Example
The machine can pulverize stones into dust.
La machine peut pulvériser des pierres en poussière.
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 noun /prɔːŋ/

prong

dent de fourchette
Meaning
a projecting pointed part, such as one of the pointed ends of a fork
Example
The fork has four prongs.
La fourchette a quatre dents.
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 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 /ˈprɑːflɪɡəsi/

profligacy

dépense excessive
Meaning
reckless wastefulness or extravagance
Example
His profligacy with money led him to bankruptcy.
Sa dépense excessive l'a conduit à la faillite.
C2 noun /fɪˈlændərər/

philanderer

volage
Meaning
a man who habitually engages in casual romantic or sexual affairs
Example
The politician was exposed as a notorious philanderer.
Le politicien a été exposé comme un célèbre volage.
C2 noun /ˈpiːs ɡʊdz/

Piece-goods

tissu au mètre
Meaning
textiles or fabrics sold by the yard or meter; cloth materials
Example
The tailor bought piece-goods from the wholesale market to make custom dresses.
Le tailleur a acheté des tissus au mètre au marché de gros pour fabriquer des robes sur mesure.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊ.ɪˌtæs.tər/

poetaster

un poète inférieur ou trivial
Meaning
an inferior or trivial poet
Example
He was mocked as a poetaster by the literary critics.
Il a été moqué comme un poétasteur par les critiques littéraires.
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 /ˈprɛləsi/

prelacy

prélature
Meaning
The office, dignity, or system of church government by prelates.
Example
The medieval church was dominated by prelacy and its traditions.
L'Église médiévale était dominée par la prélature et ses traditions.
C2 verb /prəˈroʊɡ/

prorogue

suspendre une session
Meaning
to discontinue a session of a parliament or assembly without dissolving it
Example
The president decided to prorogue parliament until the crisis was resolved.
Le président a décidé de suspendre le parlement jusqu'à ce que la crise soit résolue.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒiː/

pledgee

la personne à qui quelque chose est attribué comme garantie
Meaning
a person to whom something is pledged or given as security
Example
The bank is the pledgee of the collateral until the loan is repaid.
La banque est le créancier du bien jusqu'à ce que le prêt soit remboursé.
C2 noun, adjective /pəˈtrɪʃən/

patrician

patricien
Meaning
A person of noble rank or high social standing; relating to aristocracy.
Example
The patrician families of Rome wielded great power in politics.
Les familles patriciennes de Rome exerçaient une grande puissance en politique.
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 ˌpɜː.spɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs

perspicacious

perspicace
Meaning
Having keen insight and understanding; showing acute mental discernment.
Example
The detective's perspicacious nature helped solve the mystery.
La nature perspicace du détective a aidé à résoudre le mystère.
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 /ˌperəˈreɪʃən/

peroration

discours de conclusion
Meaning
The concluding part of a speech, often intended to inspire or persuade.
Example
The politician's peroration left the audience applauding enthusiastically.
La pérotation du politicien a fait applaudir le public avec enthousiasme.
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 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 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 ˈfaɪ.təʊˌnjuː.tri.ənt

phytonutrient

phytonutriment
Meaning
Chemical compounds produced by plants that are beneficial to human health but not essential nutrients.
Example
Broccoli is rich in phytonutrients that enhance immunity.
Le brocoli est riche en phytonutriments qui renforcent l'immunité.