powwow
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C2 noun /ˈpaʊ.waʊ/

powwow

réunion informelle
Meaning
an informal meeting or conference to discuss something
Example
The team held a quick powwow before the presentation.
L'équipe a tenu une réunion rapide avant la présentation.
C2 noun /priˈɛmpʃən/

preemption

droit de préemption
Meaning
The act of taking action before someone else; the right to purchase or act before others.
Example
The company exercised preemption to acquire the land before competitors.
L'entreprise a exercé son droit de préemption pour acquérir le terrain avant les concurrents.
C2 noun /ˈpɒlɪɡæmɪst/

polygamist

polygame
Meaning
a person who has more than one spouse at the same time
Example
The polygamist had three wives living in different houses.
Le polygame avait trois femmes vivant dans des maisons différentes.
C2 noun /prəˈpɪŋkwɪti/

propinquity

proximité
Meaning
the state of being close to someone or something; proximity
Example
The propinquity of their houses made them close friends.
La proximité de leurs maisons les a rendus amis proches.
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 noun /ˈplætɪtjuːd/

platitude

platitude, lieu commun
Meaning
a remark or statement that is overused and unoriginal
Example
He kept repeating the same platitudes during the speech.
Il n'a cessé de répéter les mêmes platitudes pendant son discours.
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 /prəˈtuːbərənt/

protuberant

proéminent
Meaning
Sticking out or bulging.
Example
His protuberant belly showed after the meal.
Son ventre proéminent est apparu après le repas.
C2 noun /ˈpælɪˌnoʊd/

palinode

palinodie
Meaning
a poem or statement in which the writer retracts something said in an earlier work
Example
The poet wrote a palinode to apologize for his earlier harsh words.
Le poète a écrit une palinodie pour s'excuser de ses paroles sévères précédentes.
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 adjective /ˈprɑːflɪɡət/

profligate

dissipateur
Meaning
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in resources
Example
The king was known for his profligate lifestyle.
Le roi était connu pour son style de vie dissipateur.
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 noun /ˌfəʊ.təʊ.sen.sɪˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/

photosensitivity

sensibilité à la lumière
Meaning
Sensitivity to light, especially abnormal sensitivity that may cause discomfort or damage.
Example
Overrubbing can increase photosensitivity.
Un frottement excessif peut augmenter la sensibilité à la lumière.
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 verb /priːˈdɛstɪn/

predestine

prédestiner
Meaning
to determine or decide something in advance, often regarded as being fixed by fate or divine will
Example
They believed their paths were predestined by fate.
Ils croyaient que leurs chemins étaient prédestinés par le destin.
C2 adjective /ˈpjuːɪsənt/

puissant

puissant
Meaning
having great power or influence; mighty
Example
The king was a puissant ruler whose word was law.
Le roi était un souverain puissant dont la parole faisait loi.
C2 noun /ˈpɪnjən/

pinion

un petit engrenage ou la partie extérieure de l'aile d'un oiseau ; restreindre ou immobiliser
Meaning
a small gear or the outer part of a bird's wing; to restrain or immobilize
Example
The bird's pinion was injured, preventing it from flying.
Le pinion de l'oiseau était blessé, l'empêchant de voler.
C2 adjective /prəˈpʌlsɪv/

propulsive

propulsif
Meaning
Having the power to drive or push something forward.
Example
The propulsive force of the rocket lifted it off the ground.
La force propulsive de la fusée l'a soulevée du sol.
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 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 adjective /ˈpʌdʒi/

pudgy

rond
Meaning
slightly fat or chubby in a way that is often cute
Example
The baby had pudgy cheeks that everyone adored.
Le bébé avait des joues rondes que tout le monde adorait.
C2 noun /pruːd/

prude

personne excessivement prude
Meaning
A person who is easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity; someone overly modest.
Example
He was called a prude for blushing at the movie scenes.
Il a été traité de prude pour avoir rougi devant les scènes du film.
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 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 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, 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 noun /ˌpæliˈeɪʃən/

palliation

soulagement
Meaning
relief of symptoms without curing the underlying disease or problem
Example
Palliation is often the focus of care for terminally ill patients.
Le soulagement est souvent l'objectif principal des soins pour les patients en phase terminale.
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 /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 /ˌpɜːrtərˈbeɪʃn/

perturbation

perturbation
Meaning
A state of anxiety, disturbance, or disorder.
Example
The announcement caused a perturbation in the financial markets.
L'annonce a causé une perturbation sur les marchés financiers.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɪˈstæblɪʃ/

preestablish

préalablement établir
Meaning
To establish or set up beforehand.
Example
Certain rules were preestablished before the meeting.
Certaines règles ont été préétablies avant la réunion.
C2 adjective /ˌpriːpəˈzɛsɪŋ/

prepossessing

attirant
Meaning
Attractive or appealing in appearance or manner.
Example
She had a prepossessing smile that charmed everyone.
Elle avait un sourire attrayant qui a charmé tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈpæk.ɪ.dɜːrm/

pachyderm

grand mammifère à peau épaisse
Meaning
a large mammal with thick skin, such as an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus
Example
The zoo had several pachyderms, including elephants and rhinos.
Le zoo avait plusieurs pachydermes, y compris des éléphants et des rhinocéros.
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 /ˌprɛsɪˈdɛnʃəl/

precedential

précédent
Meaning
Relating to, or serving as, a precedent; having authority as an example.
Example
The court’s decision has precedential value.
La décision de la cour a une valeur précédente.
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 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 /pɛnˈtæmɪtər/

pentameter

pentamètre
Meaning
A line of verse consisting of five metrical feet.
Example
Shakespeare often wrote his plays in iambic pentameter.
Shakespeare écrivait souvent ses pièces en pentamètre iambique.
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 /ˈpɑːrləns/

parlance

jargon
Meaning
a particular way of speaking or using words, common to a group
Example
In legal parlance, the term has a different meaning.
En langage juridique, le terme a une signification différente.
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 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 noun prɒkˈsiː.mɪks

proxemics

l'étude de l'utilisation de l'espace personnel
Meaning
The study of how people use space and distance to indicate relationships
Example
Understanding proxemics helps in improving interpersonal communication.
Comprendre la proxémique aide à améliorer la communication interpersonnelle.
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 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 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 adjective /ˈpaɪbɔːld/

piebald

à taches de deux couleurs
Meaning
having irregular patches of two colors, especially black and white
Example
The farmer owns a piebald horse with black and white spots.
Le fermier possède un cheval piebald avec des taches noires et blanches.
C2 adjective /prɪˈhɛnsaɪl/

prehensile

préhensile
Meaning
adapted for seizing or grasping, especially by wrapping around an object
Example
The monkey used its prehensile tail to hang from the branch.
Le singe a utilisé sa queue préhensile pour se suspendre à la branche.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɪɡˈzɪst/

preexist

exister au préalable
Meaning
to exist beforehand or before something else
Example
These customs preexist the arrival of modern technology.
Ces coutumes existaient avant l'arrivée de la technologie moderne.
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 /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 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 verb /ˈpjuːtrɪfaɪ/

putrefy

putréfier
Meaning
to decay or rot, producing a foul smell
Example
The meat began to putrefy in the heat.
La viande a commencé à pourrir sous la chaleur.
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 /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 /ˌpærəˈdɪɡmətɪk/

paradigmatic

paradigmatique
Meaning
Serving as a typical example or model of something.
Example
Her success story is paradigmatic of the opportunities education can provide.
Son histoire de succès est paradigmatique des opportunités que l'éducation peut offrir.
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 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 /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 /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 adjective /prəˈpɪʃəs/

propitious

propice
Meaning
giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
Example
The sunny weather was a propitious start to the picnic.
Le temps ensoleillé était un début propice pour le pique-nique.
C2 verb /ˈpʌkər/

pucker

froncer
Meaning
to tighten or contract into small folds or wrinkles
Example
She puckered her lips before kissing the child.
Elle a froncé les lèvres avant d'embrasser l'enfant.
C2 noun /ˌpaɪroʊˈmeɪniæk/

pyromaniac

personne avec un désir incontrôlable d'incendier des choses
Meaning
A person with an uncontrollable desire to set things on fire.
Example
The pyromaniac was arrested for setting several buildings ablaze.
Le pyromane a été arrêté pour avoir incendié plusieurs bâtiments.
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 /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 /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/adjective /prɪˈsɪpɪtənt/

precipitant

précipitant
Meaning
As a noun: a substance that causes a substance to be deposited from a solution; as an adjective: acting hastily or impulsively.
Example
The chemist added a precipitant to the solution to observe the reaction.
Le chimiste a ajouté un précipitant à la solution pour observer la réaction.
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 /prɪˈsɛntɪmənt/

presentiment

présentiment
Meaning
An intuitive feeling about the future, especially of something bad about to happen.
Example
He had a strong presentiment that the plan would fail.
Il avait un fort pressentiment que le plan échouerait.
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 adjective /ˈprəʊ.lɪks/

prolix

trop long
Meaning
using too many words; tediously lengthy
Example
The professor’s prolix lecture put many students to sleep.
Le cours prolixe du professeur a endormi de nombreux étudiants.
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 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 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 /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 adjective /prɪˈskrɪptɪbəl/

prescriptible

prescriptible
Meaning
Capable of being prescribed or laid down as a rule or directive.
Example
Certain regulations are prescriptible under the law.
Certaines régulations sont prescrites par la loi.
C2 adjective /pruːˈdɛnʃəl/

prudential

prudentiel
Meaning
involving or showing prudence, especially in financial or business matters
Example
The bank has set prudential rules to protect depositors.
La banque a mis en place des règles prudentielles pour protéger les déposants.
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 noun /ˈpɪərɪdʒ/

peerage

noblesse
Meaning
the title or rank of a peer; the nobility as a group
Example
He was elevated to the peerage by the king.
Il a été élevé à la noblesse par le roi.
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 /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 /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 verb /ˈpælpɪˌteɪt/

palpitate

palpiter rapidement
Meaning
to beat rapidly and strongly, often because of fear, excitement, or illness
Example
Her heart began to palpitate with fear.
Son cœur a commencé à palpiter de peur.
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 adjective /ˌpɜːrtɪˈneɪʃəs/

pertinacious

têtu
Meaning
holding firmly to an opinion, purpose, or course of action; stubbornly persistent
Example
The pertinacious lawyer refused to give up the case.
L'avocat têtu a refusé d'abandonner l'affaire.
C2 verb /ˈprætəl/

prattle

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

perambulate

flâner
Meaning
To walk through or travel around, especially for leisure.
Example
They perambulated the old town, enjoying the sights.
Ils ont flâné dans la vieille ville, profitant des vues.
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 /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 adjective /ˈprɒmɪsəri/

promissory

promissoire
Meaning
Containing or conveying a promise, especially in writing.
Example
He signed a promissory note to repay the loan.
Il a signé un billet à ordre pour rembourser le prêt.
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 /ˈfærɪsiː/

pharisee

personne hypocrite
Meaning
A member of an ancient Jewish sect; by extension, a self-righteous or hypocritical person.
Example
He acted like a pharisee, judging others while ignoring his own faults.
Il agissait comme un pharisien, jugeant les autres tout en ignorant ses propres défauts.
C2 adverb /pəˈfɔːs/

perforce

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

parvenu

nouveau riche
Meaning
A person who has recently gained wealth or influence but is not yet accepted socially.
Example
He was seen as a parvenu who lacked refinement despite his riches.
Il a été vu comme un parvenu qui manquait de raffinement malgré sa richesse.
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 /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 /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 /ˌpɛrənˈθɛtɪkəl/

parenthetical

commentaire entre parenthèses
Meaning
Relating to or expressed in parentheses; a side remark or digression.
Example
He added a parenthetical comment during the lecture.
Il a ajouté un commentaire entre parenthèses pendant la conférence.
C2 noun /ˈfɪl.ə.dʒɪ.nɪst/

philogynist

personne qui aime ou admire les femmes
Meaning
a person who loves or admires women
Example
As a known philogynist, he advocated for women's education.
En tant que philogyniste connu, il a plaidé en faveur de l'éducation des femmes.
C2 noun /ˌprɛsiˈɒsɪti/

preciosity

raffinement excessif
Meaning
Excessive refinement or affected elegance in language, style, or behavior.
Example
The author's preciosity made the novel difficult to read for some audiences.
La preciosité de l'auteur a rendu le roman difficile à lire pour certains lecteurs.
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 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 noun /ˈpɛtjʊləns/

petulance

pétulance
Meaning
The quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
Example
His petulance during the meeting annoyed everyone.
Sa pétulance pendant la réunion a agacé tout le monde.
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 /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 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 /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 /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 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 /pərˈfɛktəbl/

perfectible

perfectible
Meaning
capable of being made perfect or improved
Example
Human nature is imperfect but perfectible.
La nature humaine est imparfaite, mais perfectible.
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 noun /fɪˈlɒl.ə.dʒɪst/

philologist

philologue
Meaning
a person who studies languages and their history
Example
The philologist analyzed ancient texts to understand language evolution.
Le philologue a analysé des textes anciens pour comprendre l'évolution du langage.
C2 verb /prəˈpaʊnd/

propound

proposer
Meaning
To put forward an idea, theory, or point for consideration.
Example
The professor propounded a new theory on climate change.
Le professeur a proposé une nouvelle théorie sur le changement climatique.
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 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 adjective /ˈpjʊəraɪl/

puerile

infantile
Meaning
childishly silly or immature
Example
His puerile jokes annoyed the audience.
Ses blagues infantiles ont agacé le public.
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 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 /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.