premonitory
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C2 adjective /prɪˈmɒnɪtəri/ or /ˌpriːməˈnɪtəri/

premonitory

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

sinecure

emploi facile
Meaning
a position requiring little or no work but giving financial benefit or status
Example
He was given a sinecure at the university as a reward for his loyalty.
Il a obtenu un emploi facile à l'université en récompense de sa loyauté.
C2 noun /kəˈraʊzl/

carousal

fête bruyante
Meaning
A noisy or lively drinking party or festivity.
Example
They were exhausted after a night of wild carousal.
Ils étaient épuisés après une nuit de fête bruyante.
C2 adjective /juːˈdʒɛnɪk/

eugenic

génétique
Meaning
Relating to or aiming at improving the genetic quality of a population.
Example
In the early 20th century, some scientists supported eugenic policies.
Au début du 20e siècle, certains scientifiques ont soutenu les politiques eugénistes.
C2 noun /hɒtʃ pɒtʃ/

Hotch potch

pot-au-feu
Meaning
A mixed dish; a hodgepodge of ingredients cooked together
Example
She made a delicious hotch potch with rice, lentils, and vegetables.
Elle a préparé un délicieux hôtch potch avec du riz, des lentilles et des légumes.
C2 noun /ˈnjuː.trɪ.mənt/

nutriment

nutriment
Meaning
Something that nourishes; sustenance or food.
Example
The soil provides nutriment to the plants.
Le sol fournit du nutriment aux plantes.
C2 noun /ˈʃæd.ək/

Shaddock

pomelo
Meaning
a large citrus fruit similar to grapefruit; pomelo
Example
The shaddock is the largest citrus fruit in the world.
Le shadok est le plus grand fruit agrume du monde.
C2 adjective /ˈɡlʌt.ən.əs/

gluttonous

glouton
Meaning
Excessively greedy in eating or consuming.
Example
His gluttonous appetite shocked everyone at the dinner table.
Son appétit glouton a choqué tout le monde à la table du dîner.
C2 noun ˈpɑː.stər.ə.lɪ.zəm

pastoralism

pastoralisme, système de pâturage basé sur l'herbe
Meaning
A form of animal husbandry where domesticated animals are released onto large vegetated outdoor lands for grazing.
Example
Pastoralism is a traditional way of managing livestock.
Le pastoralisme est une manière traditionnelle de gérer le bétail.
C2 noun, adjective /ɪˈklɪptɪk/

ecliptic

écliptique
Meaning
The apparent path of the sun across the sky; relating to eclipses or this path.
Example
The ecliptic is the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun.
L'écliptique est le plan de l'orbite de la Terre autour du Soleil.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɛtsəm/

jetsam

matériaux indésirables ou biens jetés par-dessus bord depuis un navire et échoués sur le rivage
Meaning
Unwanted material or goods thrown overboard from a ship and washed ashore.
Example
The beach was littered with jetsam after the storm.
La plage était couverte de jetsam après la tempête.
C2 adjective /ˈvɛəriəˌɡeɪtɪd/

variegated

bigarré
Meaning
Having different colors, especially in irregular patches or streaks.
Example
The garden was full of variegated plants.
Le jardin était plein de plantes bigarrées.
C2 adjective /ˈdʌktaɪl/

ductile

ductile
Meaning
capable of being stretched into a thin wire without breaking; easily influenced
Example
Gold is a very ductile metal.
L'or est un métal très ductile.
C2 noun /ˈkærɪt/

caret

caret (^)
Meaning
A proofreading symbol (^) used to indicate where something should be inserted.
Example
The editor placed a caret to show where the missing word should go.
L'éditeur a placé un caret pour montrer où le mot manquant devrait aller.
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 /ˈsɪʒ.ən/

scission

scission
Meaning
the act of cutting or dividing something
Example
The political party suffered a scission over ideological disputes.
Le parti politique a subi une scission en raison de différends idéologiques.
C2 adjective /ˈɛstɪməbl/

estimable

estimable
Meaning
Worthy of great respect.
Example
Her estimable achievements inspired the whole community.
Ses réalisations estimables ont inspiré toute la communauté.
C2 verb /bruːt/

bruit

répandre une rumeur
Meaning
to spread a rumor or report widely
Example
The scandal was quickly bruited about the town.
Le scandale s'est rapidement propagé dans la ville.
C2 noun /ˈfjʊr.ʌŋ.kəl/

Furuncle

furoncle; bosse;
Meaning
a painful pus-filled bump under the skin caused by infected, inflamed hair follicles
Example
The doctor prescribed antibiotics to treat the painful furuncle on his neck.
Le médecin a prescrit des antibiotiques pour traiter le furoncle douloureux sur son cou.
C2 adjective /ˈreə.rɪ.faɪd/

rarefied

rarefié
Meaning
Of high moral, intellectual, or cultural value; distant from ordinary life.
Example
He works in the rarefied world of classical music.
Il travaille dans le monde rarefié de la musique classique.
C2 noun /ˈɪntəˌkrɒpɪŋ/

intercropping

cultures intercalaires
Meaning
The agricultural practice of cultivating two or more crops simultaneously in the same field to maximize land use efficiency and improve soil health.
Example
Intercropping can help improve soil fertility and pest control.
Les cultures intercalaires peuvent aider à améliorer la fertilité du sol et à contrôler les ravageurs.
C2 noun /ˌlɛksɪˈkɒɡrəfi/

lexicography

lexicographie
Meaning
The art or practice of compiling dictionaries.
Example
Lexicography requires both linguistic and cultural knowledge.
La lexicographie nécessite à la fois des connaissances linguistiques et culturelles.
C2 noun /ˈmɒdɪkəm/

modicum

une petite quantité
Meaning
a small or moderate amount of something, especially something valuable or desirable
Example
She showed a modicum of patience during the long meeting.
Elle a montré une petite quantité de patience pendant la longue réunion.
C2 adjective /ˈnjuː.ɡə.tɔːr.i/

nugatory

futile
Meaning
Of little or no value; worthless or insignificant.
Example
His efforts were nugatory and did not change the outcome.
Ses efforts étaient futiles et n'ont pas changé le résultat.
C2 adjective /əˌnækrəˈnɪstɪk/

anachronistic

anachronique
Meaning
belonging to a period other than that being portrayed; old-fashioned or outdated
Example
His views on gender roles are considered anachronistic.
Ses opinions sur les rôles de genre sont considérées comme anachroniques.
C2 verb /ˈɑːskjʊleɪt/

osculate

embrasser
Meaning
To kiss.
Example
They osculated under the mistletoe during the party.
Ils se sont embrassés sous le gui pendant la fête.
C2 noun /ˌluː.mɪˈnɛs.əns/

luminescence

luminescence
Meaning
The emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat; a type of cold light.
Example
The luminescence of the fireflies lit up the forest.
La luminescence des lucioles a éclairé la forêt.
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 /ˌfɑːsfəˈrɛsəns/

phosphorescence

phosphorescence
Meaning
the property of emitting light without noticeable heat
Example
The deep-sea creatures displayed a beautiful phosphorescence.
Les créatures des profondeurs marines ont affiché une belle phosphorescence.
C2 adjective /rɪˈflɛksəbl/

reflexible

réfléchissable
Meaning
Capable of being reflected or bent back.
Example
The surface was highly reflexible, bouncing light in different directions.
La surface était très réfléchissable, renvoyant la lumière dans différentes directions.
C2 verb /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/

hoodwink

tromper
Meaning
To deceive or trick someone.
Example
The scammer hoodwinked many people with false promises.
Le fraudeur a trompé de nombreuses personnes avec de fausses promesses.
C2 noun /ˈhɛfər/

heifer

génisse
Meaning
a young cow that has not borne a calf
Example
The farmer raised a heifer for dairy production.
L'agriculteur a élevé une génisse pour la production laitière.
C2 verb /ˈhɛnˌpɛk/

henpeck

être constamment critiqué ou dominé par son épouse
Meaning
To continually criticize, nag, or dominate (especially a husband).
Example
He felt henpecked by his overly controlling wife.
Il se sentait constamment critiqué par sa femme dominante.
C2 adjective /ˈvɛdʒɪtəl/

vegetal

végétal
Meaning
relating to or consisting of plants or vegetation
Example
The soup had a distinct vegetal flavor.
La soupe avait une saveur végétale distincte.
C2 adjective /ɔːˈɡʌst/

august

auguste
Meaning
Respected and impressive; inspiring reverence or admiration.
Example
The king entered the hall with an august presence.
Le roi entra dans la salle avec une présence auguste.
C2 noun /ˈæpəplɛksi/

apoplexy

Perte soudaine de conscience ou de contrôle due à un AVC ou à une colère extrême
Meaning
A sudden loss of consciousness or control due to stroke or extreme anger.
Example
The old man nearly had apoplexy when he heard the shocking news.
Le vieil homme a failli avoir une apoplexie lorsqu'il a entendu la nouvelle choquante.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌksəm/

buxom

femme ronde et attrayante
Meaning
Plump, with a full figure and often large-breasted, especially used to describe women.
Example
The actress was described as a cheerful and buxom woman.
L'actrice a été décrite comme une femme joyeuse et ronde.
C2 noun/verb /ˈmæn.ə.kəl/

manacle

entrave
Meaning
A metal shackle for fastening someone's hands or ankles; also to restrain with such shackles.
Example
The prisoner was manacled before being taken to court.
Le prisonnier a été enchaîné avant d'être emmené au tribunal.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪloʊɪŋ/

billowing

ondulant
Meaning
Describing something that swells or surges outward in waves or large masses.
Example
She walked through the billowing curtains.
Elle marcha à travers les rideaux ondulants.
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 /ˈdʒʊntə/

junta

junte militaire
Meaning
A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force.
Example
The junta seized power after the coup.
La junte a pris le pouvoir après le coup d'État.
C2 noun /oʊˈtɜːr/

hauteur

hauteur
Meaning
disdainful pride; arrogance
Example
His hauteur made it difficult for others to approach him.
Sa hauteur rendait difficile pour les autres de l'approcher.
C2 noun /əˈpɒθəˌkɛri/

apothecary

apothicaire
Meaning
A historical term for a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs.
Example
The village apothecary provided remedies for many common illnesses.
L'apothicaire du village a fourni des remèdes pour de nombreuses maladies courantes.
C2 noun /ˈtjuːtɪlɪdʒ/

tutelage

tutelle
Meaning
The act of guarding, protecting, or guiding; instruction or teaching.
Example
She studied painting under the tutelage of a famous artist.
Elle a étudié la peinture sous la tutelle d'un artiste célèbre.
C2 verb /ˌɪmpɔːrˈtuːnd/

importuned

demander de manière insistante
Meaning
asked someone persistently and pressingly for something
Example
She importuned her boss for a raise until he finally gave in.
Elle demandait de manière insistante une augmentation à son patron jusqu'à ce qu'il cède enfin.
C2 noun /ˈswɑːvɪti/

suavity

douceur et charme
Meaning
smoothness and charm in manner
Example
His suavity made him popular in social gatherings.
Sa douceur et son charme le rendaient populaire dans les rassemblements sociaux.
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 /foʊl fʊt/

Foal-foot

fleur de sabot de cheval
Meaning
a yellow flowering plant with leaves shaped like a horse's hoof, also known as coltsfoot
Example
The foal-foot plant grows wild in many meadows and is often the first flower to bloom in spring.
La plante de fleur de sabot de cheval pousse sauvagement dans de nombreuses prairies et est souvent la première à fleurir au printemps.
C2 noun /əˈdɛndəm/

addendum

addenda
Meaning
an additional item or piece of information added at the end of a document or book
Example
The report included an addendum with updated statistics.
Le rapport incluait un addenda avec des statistiques mises à jour.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪlətɔːri/

dilatory

dilatoire
Meaning
Tending to cause delay; slow to act.
Example
The committee was criticized for its dilatory response to the crisis.
Le comité a été critiqué pour sa réponse dilatoire à la crise.
C2 noun /ˈmæn.li.nəs/

manliness

virilité
Meaning
The quality of being manly; courage, strength, and honor associated with men.
Example
His manliness was admired by his peers.
Sa virilité a été admirée par ses pairs.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsteɪt/

instate

installer
Meaning
To set up in position, office, or authority.
Example
The board decided to instate her as the new director.
Le conseil a décidé de l'instaurer en tant que nouveau directeur.
C2 noun /ˈɡʌl.i/

gully

ravin, fossé
Meaning
A narrow channel or ravine worn away by water.
Example
After the storm, the road was cut by a deep gully.
Après la tempête, la route a été coupée par un ravin profond.
C2 adjective /ˈmɛtrɪkəl/

metrical

métrique
Meaning
Relating to or composed in a regular rhythmic pattern of beats or meter, especially in poetry.
Example
The poet carefully followed metrical rules in his verses.
Le poète a suivi soigneusement les règles métriques dans ses vers.
C2 noun /ˈseɪ.li.əns/

salience

saillance
Meaning
The quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.
Example
The salience of the issue was highlighted in the debate.
La saillance de la question a été mise en évidence lors du débat.
C2 verb /ˈkɔː.tə.raɪz/

cauterize

cautériser
Meaning
to burn tissue to stop bleeding or prevent infection
Example
The doctor cauterized the wound to stop the bleeding.
Le médecin a cautérisé la blessure pour arrêter le saignement.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.vɔɪd/

ovoid

ovale
Meaning
egg-shaped; resembling an oval or ellipse
Example
The artist painted an ovoid shape in the center of the canvas.
L'artiste a peint une forme ovale au centre de la toile.
C2 noun /ˌkiː.təʊˈdʒen.ɪ.sɪs/

ketogenesis

processus de production de cétones
Meaning
The metabolic process by which the liver produces ketones from fatty acids, providing an alternative energy source during low carbohydrate availability.
Example
Ketogenesis occurs during fasting or low-carb diets.
La cétogenèse se produit lors du jeûne ou des régimes pauvres en glucides.
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 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 adjective /kəˈnaɪ.vɪŋ/

conniving

rusé
Meaning
secretly scheming or plotting to help in wrongdoing
Example
He is a conniving politician who manipulates people for power.
C'est un homme politique rusé qui manipule les gens pour le pouvoir.
C2 noun /ˈɪndɪkənt/

indicant

indicateur
Meaning
Something that indicates or points to a fact or condition.
Example
High fever is often an indicant of infection.
La fièvre élevée est souvent un indicateur d'infection.
C2 verb /rɪˈkwaɪt/

requite

rendre
Meaning
to return or repay a favor, service, or feeling
Example
She requited his kindness with a thoughtful gift.
Elle a rendu sa gentillesse avec un cadeau réfléchi.
C2 noun /brɪˈtæniə/

britannia

Britannia
Meaning
the personification of Britain, often shown as a woman with a helmet and shield
Example
Britannia has been a symbol of Britain since Roman times.
Britania est un symbole de la Grande-Bretagne depuis l'époque romaine.
C2 noun /ˈhɑː.mə.li/

Homily

homélie; discours religieux
Meaning
a religious discourse delivered as part of a church service; a tedious moralizing lecture
Example
The priest delivered an inspiring homily about compassion and forgiveness during Sunday service.
Le prêtre a prononcé une homélie inspirante sur la compassion et le pardon lors du service du dimanche.
C2 verb /dɪˈtruːd/

detrude

pousser vers le bas ou vers l'extérieur
Meaning
To thrust or force something downward or outward.
Example
The violent waves detruded rocks from the cliff.
Les vagues violentes ont poussé les roches de la falaise.
C2 adjective /ˌæn.θrə.pəˈdʒen.ɪk/

anthropogenic

anthropogénique
Meaning
Originating in human activity; caused by humans.
Example
Climate change is largely due to anthropogenic activities.
Le changement climatique est en grande partie dû à des activités anthropogéniques.
C2 noun /ɪmˈprɑːvɪdəns/

improvidence

imprévoyance
Meaning
Lack of foresight or care for future needs.
Example
His improvidence led to financial difficulties.
Son imprévoyance l'a conduit à des difficultés financières.
C2 noun /ˌsuːdəˈnɪmɪti/

pseudonymity

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

jurisprudence

jurisprudence
Meaning
The theory, philosophy, or science of law.
Example
She is a professor of jurisprudence at the university.
Elle est professeure de jurisprudence à l'université.
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 adjective /ˈliːwərd/

leeward

côté abrité du vent
Meaning
On or toward the sheltered side away from the wind.
Example
They built their camp on the leeward side of the hill.
Ils ont installé leur camp du côté abrité du vent de la colline.
C2 noun /ˈætəvɪzəm/

atavism

atavisme
Meaning
The recurrence of traits or characteristics from a remote ancestor.
Example
The scientist noted atavism in the child’s physical features.
Le scientifique a noté de l'atavisme dans les caractéristiques physiques de l'enfant.
C2 noun /ˈluː.nə.si/

lunacy

folie
Meaning
Extreme foolishness or madness; insanity.
Example
It was sheer lunacy to go hiking in the storm.
C'était de la pure folie de faire de la randonnée sous la tempête.
C2 adjective /ˈɪkθiɪk/

ichthyic

ichtyique
Meaning
Relating to or resembling fish.
Example
The artist's painting had an ichthyic quality.
La peinture de l'artiste avait une qualité ictyique.
C2 noun /əˈblɪkwɪti/

obliquity

obliquité
Meaning
Deviation from moral or usual conduct; indirectness or lack of straightforwardness.
Example
The politician was criticized for the obliquity of his answers.
Le politicien a été critiqué pour l'obliquité de ses réponses.
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 /ˈmiːzli/

measly

insignifiant
Meaning
contemptibly small or insignificant
Example
He was paid a measly sum for the hard work.
Il a été payé une somme insignifiante pour le travail acharné.
C2 noun /rɪˈfɛktəri/

refectory

réfectoire
Meaning
a dining hall, especially in a monastery, convent, or school
Example
Students had lunch in the refectory.
Les étudiants ont déjeuné dans le réfectoire.
C2 verb /prɪˈværɪkeɪt/

prevaricate

échapper à dire la vérité
Meaning
to avoid telling the truth by not giving a direct answer
Example
The politician began to prevaricate when asked about the scandal.
Le politicien a commencé à éviter lorsqu'on lui a posé des questions sur le scandale.
C2 verb /ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/

lionize

lioniser
Meaning
to treat someone as a celebrity or give a lot of public attention
Example
The press began to lionize the young scientist after his discovery.
La presse a commencé à lioniser le jeune scientifique après sa découverte.
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 noun /ˈpɒliˌɑːrki/

polyarchy

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

counting-house

bureau de comptabilité
Meaning
a business office where accounts are kept and financial transactions are managed
Example
The merchant spent most of his day in the counting-house reviewing ledgers.
Le marchand passait la majeure partie de sa journée dans le bureau de comptabilité à examiner les livres de comptes.
C2 verb /slʌf/ or /sluː/

slough

mue de peau / zone marécageuse
Meaning
To shed or cast off (like dead skin); also a swampy or muddy area.
Example
The snake sloughed off its old skin.
Le serpent s'est débarrassé de sa vieille peau.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɛstəsi/

intestacy

décès sans testament
Meaning
The condition of dying without having made a valid will.
Example
His estate was divided according to the laws of intestacy.
Sa succession a été divisée selon les lois de l'intestat.
C2 adjective /ˈvɛntrəl/

ventral

ventral
Meaning
relating to the underside or abdominal part of an animal or organ
Example
The fish has a white ventral surface.
Le poisson a une surface ventrale blanche.
C2 noun /ˈæn.ə.lɪst/

annalist

annaliste
Meaning
A person who writes annals or records events year by year.
Example
The annalist carefully documented the events of the king's reign.
L'annaliste a soigneusement documenté les événements du règne du roi.
C2 noun /ˈmɔːreɪz/

mores

mœurs
Meaning
the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a community
Example
Social mores often dictate how people behave in public.
Les mœurs sociales dictent souvent comment les gens se comportent en public.
C2 adjective /ˌpriːtərˈnætʃərəl/

preternatural

prétérnaturel
Meaning
Beyond what is normal or natural; extraordinary or supernatural.
Example
She had a preternatural ability to remain calm in any crisis.
Elle avait une capacité préternaturelle à rester calme dans n'importe quelle crise.
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 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 /ˌmæləˈdɪkʃən/

Malediction

malédiction
Meaning
A magical word used to invoke a curse; an evil spell
Example
The witch uttered a terrible malediction upon her enemies.
La sorcière a prononcé une terrible malédiction sur ses ennemis.
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 verb /ɪnˈskɒns/

ensconce

s'installer confortablement, cacher
Meaning
to settle comfortably or securely in a place; to hide or shelter firmly
Example
She ensconced herself in a cozy armchair by the fireplace.
Elle s'est installée confortablement dans un fauteuil près de la cheminée.
C2 verb /ɜːrk/

irk

agacer
Meaning
to annoy or irritate someone
Example
It irks me when people are late without calling.
Ça m'agace quand les gens arrivent en retard sans appeler.
C2 noun /kɒɡˈnoʊmən/

cognomen

nom de famille / surnom
Meaning
A family name or surname; an additional name or nickname.
Example
His cognomen became widely known in literary circles.
Son nom de famille est devenu largement connu dans les cercles littéraires.
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 adjective /ʌpˈrɔːr.i.əs/

uproarious

extrêmement drôle
Meaning
Extremely funny or noisy; causing loud laughter or commotion.
Example
The comedian's jokes were absolutely uproarious.
Les blagues du comédien étaient absolument extrêmement drôles.
C2 noun /ˈdɒɡ roʊz/

Dog-rose

églantier
Meaning
A wild rose species with pink or white flowers and thorny stems, common in hedgerows
Example
The dog-rose bush grew wild along the countryside path.
Le buisson d'églantier a poussé sauvagement le long du chemin de campagne.
C2 noun /ˈdʒæz.mɪn/

Jesmine

jasmin
Meaning
a climbing shrub with fragrant white or yellow flowers
Example
The jasmine flowers filled the garden with their sweet fragrance.
Les fleurs de jasmin remplissaient le jardin de leur douce fragrance.
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 adjective /ˌʌnsɛrəˈmoʊniəs/

unceremonious

sans cérémonie/rude
Meaning
Done without formality or courtesy; abrupt or rude.
Example
He made an unceremonious exit from the party.
Il a fait une sortie sans cérémonie de la fête.
C2 noun /ˈkwɪzlɪŋ/

quisling

traître
Meaning
A traitor who collaborates with an enemy force occupying their country.
Example
During the war, he was branded a quisling for aiding the invaders.
Pendant la guerre, il a été étiqueté comme un quisling pour avoir aidé les envahisseurs.
C2 noun /ɪˈfjuːʒən/

effusion

effusion
Meaning
An unrestrained outpouring of words, feelings, or emotions.
Example
His letter was an effusion of love and longing.
Sa lettre était une effusion d'amour et de désir.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪvəˈɡeɪʃən/

divagation

divagation
Meaning
digression; wandering from a path or subject
Example
His lecture was full of divagation, making it hard to follow the main point.
Sa conférence était pleine de divagations, ce qui rendait difficile de suivre le point principal.
C2 noun (plural) /maɪˈnjuːʃiiː/

minutiae

minuties
Meaning
the small, precise, or trivial details of something
Example
The lawyer focused on the minutiae of the contract.
L'avocat s'est concentré sur les minuties du contrat.
C2 adjective /ˈnjuː.trɪ.tɪv/

nutritive

nutritif
Meaning
Relating to nutrition; having nourishing qualities.
Example
The nutritive value of the fruit is very high.
La valeur nutritive du fruit est très élevée.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsnɛər/

ensnare

piéger
Meaning
to catch or trap, often by trickery or deceit
Example
The hunter ensnared the rabbit with a net.
Le chasseur a piégé le lapin avec un filet.
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 adjective /ˈtɔːdri/

tawdry

bon marché et voyante mais de mauvaise qualité
Meaning
cheap and showy but of poor quality
Example
She wore a tawdry necklace that broke easily.
Elle portait un collier bon marché et voyante qui s'est cassé facilement.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪˌbraʊ/

highbrow

intellectuellement supérieur
Meaning
intellectually superior or cultured; often describing art, literature, or activities appealing to intellectual tastes
Example
The museum is known for its highbrow exhibitions.
Le musée est connu pour ses expositions intellectuelles.
C2 adjective /ˈæpəˌleɪt/

appellate

relatif aux appels
Meaning
relating to appeals in a court of law
Example
The case was taken to an appellate court.
L'affaire a été portée devant un tribunal d'appel.
C2 noun /ˈiːdʒɪs/

aegis

protection
Meaning
The protection, backing, or support of a particular person or organization.
Example
The project was carried out under the aegis of the United Nations.
Le projet a été réalisé sous l'égide des Nations Unies.
C2 noun /ɪˈlɪziəm/

elysium

élysée
Meaning
A place or state of perfect happiness; in Greek mythology, the afterlife paradise.
Example
For her, the garden was a personal elysium.
Pour elle, le jardin était un élysée personnel.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪd.baʊnd/

hidebound

borné
Meaning
unwilling or unable to change because of tradition or convention
Example
He is too hidebound to accept new ideas.
Il est trop borné pour accepter de nouvelles idées.
C2 noun /ɡəˈruːlɪti/

garrulity

bavardage excessif
Meaning
Excessive talkativeness, especially about trivial matters.
Example
His garrulity made it hard to focus during the meeting.
Son bavardage excessif rendait difficile la concentration pendant la réunion.
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 /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.