prepossession
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 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 /ˌkɒntrəpəˈzɪʃən/

contraposition

contraposition
Meaning
the act of placing two things in opposition for contrast or comparison
Example
The contraposition of the two theories highlighted their differences.
La contraposition des deux théories a mis en lumière leurs différences.
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 /ˈfɒn.dəl/

fondle

caresser
Meaning
To stroke or caress lovingly or gently.
Example
She fondled the kitten gently in her lap.
Elle caressait doucement le chaton dans ses bras.
C2 noun /kəˈbɑːdi/

kabadi

ferrailleur
Meaning
a person who collects and sells scrap or recyclable materials, especially in South Asia
Example
The kabadi came every week to collect old newspapers and bottles.
Le ferrailleur collecte des objets usagés.
C2 verb /fɪˈlɪsɪˌteɪt/

felicitate

féliciter
Meaning
to congratulate; to express good wishes
Example
We felicitated the graduating students at the ceremony.
Nous avons félicité les étudiants diplômés lors de la cérémonie.
C2 verb /kɔːk/

caulk

calfeutrer
Meaning
to seal a crack or gap with a waterproof filler
Example
He caulked the window frames to stop the draft.
Il a calfeutré les cadres de fenêtres pour arrêter le courant d'air.
C2 noun /səbˈsɜːviəns/

subservience

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

declamatory

style déclamatoire
Meaning
speaking in a loud, rhetorical, or dramatic way
Example
The politician’s declamatory style impressed some but irritated others.
Le style déclamatoire du politicien a impressionné certains, mais irrité d'autres.
C2 noun /ˈʃɑːrlətən/

charlatan

charlatan
Meaning
a person who pretends to have knowledge or skills that they do not really possess; a fraud
Example
The so-called healer was exposed as a charlatan.
Le soi-disant guérisseur a été exposé comme un charlatan.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.lət/

islet

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

smarmy

flatteur / fausse politesse
Meaning
Excessively flattering or ingratiating, often insincerely.
Example
The salesman gave a smarmy pitch that felt fake.
Le vendeur a donné un discours flatteur qui semblait faux.
C2 noun /ˈtaɪtwɒd/

tightwad

avare
Meaning
a person who is unwilling to spend money; a miser
Example
Everyone calls him a tightwad because he never buys gifts.
Tout le monde l'appelle avare parce qu'il n'achète jamais de cadeaux.
C2 noun /ˈsɪmpəltən/

simpleton

imbécile
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person
Example
They treated him like a simpleton who could not understand anything complex.
Ils l'ont traité comme un imbécile qui ne pouvait rien comprendre de complexe.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɪkˈspiːdiənt/

inexpedient

déconseillé
Meaning
Not advisable, suitable, or practical in the circumstances.
Example
It would be inexpedient to invest without proper research.
Il serait déconseillé d'investir sans une recherche appropriée.
C2 noun /ˌtrænsfəˈriː/

transferee

cessionnaire
Meaning
A person to whom a right, property, or responsibility is transferred.
Example
The transferee must sign the contract before taking ownership.
Le cessionnaire doit signer le contrat avant de prendre possession.
C2 verb /ʌnˈjoʊk/

unyoke

dételer
Meaning
To release from a yoke or to free from restraint or obligation.
Example
The farmer unyoked the oxen after a long day of work.
Le fermier a dételé les bœufs après une longue journée de travail.
C2 noun /ˌpaɪrəˈmeɪniə/

pyromania

désir incontrôlable de mettre le feu à des choses
Meaning
An uncontrollable desire to set things on fire.
Example
The suspect was diagnosed with pyromania after repeated incidents of arson.
Le suspect a été diagnostiqué avec la pyromanie après plusieurs incidents d'incendie criminel.
C2 noun /ˈkrɛməˌtɔːri/

crematory

crématorium
Meaning
a place where dead bodies are cremated
Example
The crematory was located near the cemetery.
Le crématorium était situé près du cimetière.
C2 noun /ˈtɒnʃər/

tonsure

tonsure
Meaning
the practice of shaving or cutting the hair on the scalp, especially in a religious context
Example
The monk received his tonsure as part of his religious initiation.
Le moine a reçu sa tonsure dans le cadre de son initiation religieuse.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɛɡ.jʊ.mənt/

integument

revêtement externe
Meaning
A natural outer covering, such as skin, shell, or rind.
Example
The snake sheds its integument as it grows.
Le serpent mue de son revêtement externe à mesure qu'il grandit.
C2 noun /vəˈrɑːɡoʊ/

virago

femme autoritaire ou agressive
Meaning
a loud, overbearing woman; historically, a strong or courageous woman
Example
The play depicted the heroine as a fierce virago who defied tradition.
La pièce a dépeint l'héroïne comme une virago féroce qui défiait la tradition.
C2 noun /ˈmɪstəs/

Mengra / Mystus

silure bagride
Meaning
a genus of catfish found in Asia, commonly known as bagrid catfish
Example
The mystus fish is commonly found in rivers and streams of South Asia.
Le poisson Mystus se trouve couramment dans les rivières et les ruisseaux d'Asie du Sud.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkreɪt/

desecrate

désacraliser
Meaning
to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect or violation
Example
The vandals desecrated the ancient temple walls with graffiti.
Les vandales ont désacralisé les murs du temple ancien avec des graffitis.
C2 adverb /ˈɡeɪmli/

gamely

avec courage
Meaning
in a brave, spirited, or determined manner
Example
She gamely accepted the challenge despite the difficulties.
Elle a accepté courageusement le défi malgré les difficultés.
C2 noun /ˈsælvoʊ/

salvo

salve
Meaning
A simultaneous discharge of guns or release of bombs; a sudden outburst of cheers or applause.
Example
The soldiers fired a salvo to honor the fallen general.
Les soldats ont tiré une salve pour honorer le général décédé.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈtɛsteɪt/

intestate

décédé sans testament
Meaning
Having died without leaving a valid will.
Example
She died intestate, so her assets were distributed by law.
Elle est décédée sans testament, donc ses biens ont été répartis par la loi.
C2 verb /ˈtɪtəleɪt/

titillate

exciter
Meaning
To excite or amuse, especially in a slightly sexual or playful way.
Example
The comedian's jokes titillated the audience.
Les blagues du comédien excitaient le public.
C2 noun /ˌɪnvəˈlɪdɪti/

invalidity

invalidité
Meaning
the state of being invalid, legally void, or lacking force or validity
Example
The court ruled that the contract suffered from invalidity.
Le tribunal a jugé que le contrat souffrait d’invalidité.
C2 noun /ˈɛpənɪm/

eponym

personne dont le nom a été donné à une invention ou un lieu
Meaning
A person after whom a discovery, invention, place, or other thing is named.
Example
Sandwich is an eponym named after the Earl of Sandwich.
Sandwich est un éponyme nommé d'après le comte de Sandwich.
C2 noun /ˈkaɪrəˌmænsi/

chiromancy

chiromancie
Meaning
The practice of predicting the future by interpreting the lines on the palms of hands; palmistry.
Example
The old woman practiced chiromancy and told fortunes for travelers.
La vieille femme pratiquait la chiromancie et prédisait l'avenir des voyageurs.
C2 noun /əbˈdʌktər/

abductor

ravisseur
Meaning
a person who kidnaps or forcibly takes someone away
Example
The police arrested the abductor after a nationwide search.
La police a arrêté le ravisseur après une longue recherche.
C2 adjective /rɪˈflɛktɪbəl/

reflectible

réfléchissable
Meaning
capable of being reflected, as light or an image
Example
The surface of the lake is highly reflectible in the morning sun.
La surface du lac est hautement réfléchissable sous le soleil du matin.
C2 adjective /ˌæktʃuˈɛəriəl/

actuarial

actuariel
Meaning
Relating to actuaries or their work of analyzing financial risk and uncertainty, especially in insurance and pensions.
Example
The company relied on actuarial reports to set insurance premiums.
L'entreprise s'est appuyée sur des rapports actuariels pour fixer les primes d'assurance.
C2 noun /ˈrɛkluːsəri/

reclusory

lieu de retraite
Meaning
A place for seclusion or retreat, especially for a recluse or hermit.
Example
The monk spent years in the reclusory away from society.
Le moine a passé des années dans le lieu de retraite loin de la société.
C2 adjective /ˈrɪz.ə.bəl/

risible

risible
Meaning
so absurd or ridiculous that it deserves to be laughed at
Example
The idea of flying pigs is completely risible.
L'idée de cochons volants est complètement risible.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪnəri/

finery

vêtements ou décorations luxueux
Meaning
expensive or elaborate clothes, decorations, or accessories
Example
She attended the party in her finest finery.
Elle est allée à la fête vêtue de sa plus belle tenue.
C2 adjective /ˌɛkstrəˌdʒuːˈdɪʃəl/

extrajudicial

extrajudiciaire
Meaning
done outside the authority of the legal system or judicial process
Example
The activists condemned the extrajudicial killings.
Les militants ont condamné les meurtres extrajudiciaires.
C2 adjective /ɪˈfɛktʃuəl/

effectual

efficace
Meaning
producing a desired or intended effect, often used in formal contexts
Example
Her effectual efforts brought peace to the community.
Ses efforts efficaces ont apporté la paix à la communauté.
C2 noun /tɛkˈnɒɡrəfi/

technography

technographie
Meaning
the descriptive study or writing about the practical arts, technologies, or technical methods of a society
Example
The anthropologist specialized in technography to understand indigenous tool-making traditions.
L'anthropologue s'est spécialisé en technographie pour comprendre les traditions autochtones de fabrication d'outils.
C2 noun /ˈmɪsɪv/

missive

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

discursive

discursif
Meaning
Tending to digress or move from topic to topic; lengthy and rambling.
Example
His discursive style made the lecture hard to follow.
Son style discursif a rendu la conférence difficile à suivre.
C2 noun /ˈæntiˌkraɪst/

antichrist

antéchrist
Meaning
A person regarded as the supreme opponent of Christ, often seen as a figure of ultimate evil.
Example
Some people fear the rise of an Antichrist in the future.
Certaines personnes redoutent l'ascension d'un Antéchrist dans le futur.
C2 adjective /lɪˈtɪdʒəs/

litigious

litigieux
Meaning
prone to engage in lawsuits or overly inclined to argue legally
Example
He is known as a litigious neighbor who often sues people.
Il est connu comme un voisin litigieux qui poursuit fréquemment les gens.
C2 noun /ˈrɛtɪnjuː/

retinue

suite
Meaning
A group of attendants or followers accompanying an important person.
Example
The king entered the hall followed by his retinue.
Le roi est entré dans la salle suivi de sa suite.
C2 noun /dɪˈbɛntʃər/

debenture

obligation
Meaning
a type of debt instrument not secured by physical assets or collateral
Example
The company raised capital by issuing debentures to investors.
L'entreprise a levé des fonds en émettant des obligations auprès des investisseurs.
C2 noun /vɛkˈseɪʃən/

vexation

vexation
Meaning
the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried
Example
She could not hide her vexation after the repeated delays.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher sa vexation après les retards répétés.
C2 noun /ɪnˈvɛstɪtʃər/

investiture

cérémonie d'investiture
Meaning
the formal ceremony of conferring authority, rank, or office
Example
The king held an investiture ceremony for the new knight.
Le roi a organisé une cérémonie d'investiture pour le nouveau chevalier.
C2 verb /kənˈdəʊl/

condole

exprimer des condoléances
Meaning
To express sympathy for someone who is suffering or grieving.
Example
Neighbors came to condole with the family after the tragedy.
Les voisins sont venus exprimer des condoléances à la famille après la tragédie.
C2 adjective ˌnjʊəroʊˈkɒɡnɪtɪv

neurocognitive

neurocognitif
Meaning
Related to brain information processing and memory power
Example
Neurocognitive functions decline due to lack of sleep.
Les fonctions neurocognitives déclinent en raison du manque de sommeil.
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 noun /ˈbɪvuˌæk/

bivouac

bivouac
Meaning
a temporary camp without tents or cover, usually used by soldiers or mountaineers
Example
The climbers set up a bivouac on the mountainside.
Les grimpeurs ont installé un bivouac sur le flanc de la montagne.
C2 verb /ˈbeɪɪŋ/

baying

aboyer
Meaning
making a loud, prolonged barking or howling sound, especially of dogs
Example
The baying of the hounds echoed through the forest.
Les aboiements des chiens résonnaient à travers la forêt.
C2 noun /ˈɡæŋ.ɡriːn/

gangrene

gangrène
Meaning
The death of body tissue due to lack of blood supply or infection.
Example
If untreated, the wound may lead to gangrene.
Si elle n'est pas traitée, la plaie peut conduire à la gangrène.
C2 verb /bɪˈsmɜːrtʃ/

besmirch

ternir
Meaning
to damage someone's reputation; to make dirty or stained
Example
He tried to besmirch her good name with false rumors.
Il a essayé de ternir son bon nom avec de fausses rumeurs.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈdʒɛnjuəs/

ingenuous

ingénu
Meaning
Innocent, naive, and unsuspecting; showing childlike simplicity and sincerity.
Example
Her ingenuous smile revealed her genuine kindness.
Son sourire ingénu révélait sa véritable gentillesse.
C2 noun /ˌmɪstɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

mystification

mystification, confusion
Meaning
the act of making something unclear or confusing; a state of being puzzled or bewildered
Example
The audience watched in mystification as the magician performed his tricks.
Le public regardait dans la mystification pendant que le magicien réalisait ses tours.
C2 adjective /mjuːˈnɪfɪsənt/

munificent

munificent
Meaning
extremely generous; giving freely and abundantly
Example
She made a munificent donation to the orphanage.
Elle a fait un don munificent à l'orphelinat.
C2 verb /ˈbɜːrnɪʃ/

burnish

lustrer
Meaning
To polish something by rubbing; to enhance or improve.
Example
He burnished the old table until it shone.
Il a lustré la vieille table jusqu'à ce qu'elle brille.
C2 noun /ˈtʃænsəri/

chancery

tribunal de chancellerie
Meaning
A court of equity or the office of a chancellor.
Example
The case was taken to the chancery court for resolution.
L'affaire a été portée devant le tribunal de chancellerie pour résolution.
C2 adjective /ˈbuːtləs/

bootless

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

inconstant

inconstant
Meaning
frequently changing; not consistent or dependable
Example
His inconstant moods made it difficult to work with him.
Ses humeurs inconstantes rendaient difficile de travailler avec lui.
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 verb /ˈrʌstɪkeɪt/

rusticate

Aller à la campagne / exclusion temporaire de l'université
Meaning
To go to the countryside or to suspend someone from university.
Example
He decided to rusticate in the village to escape the busy city life.
Il a décidé de se rendre à la campagne dans le village pour échapper à la vie trépidante de la ville.
C2 noun /əˈnæb.ə.lɪ.zəm/

anabolism

anabolisme
Meaning
The set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units, involving tissue repair and growth.
Example
Anabolism is essential for muscle growth and tissue repair.
L'anabolisme est essentiel pour la croissance musculaire et la réparation des tissus.
C2 noun /ˈɔːrzmən/

Oarsman

rameur
Meaning
a person who rows a boat, especially as a member of a racing crew
Example
The experienced oarsman rowed the boat across the river.
Le rameur expérimenté a ramé le bateau à travers le fleuve.
C2 adjective /ˈmʌsti/

musty

moisi, moisissure ou odeur humide
Meaning
having a stale, moldy, or damp smell
Example
The old books had a musty odor.
Les vieux livres avaient une odeur de moisi.
C2 noun /ˈkoʊdə/

coda

coda
Meaning
the concluding passage of a piece of music or a literary work
Example
The novel ends with a reflective coda that ties up the themes.
Le roman se termine par une coda réfléchie qui relie les thèmes.
C2 verb /ˈɡʌzəl/

guzzle

boire goulûment
Meaning
to drink greedily or excessively
Example
He guzzled three cans of soda in a few minutes.
Il a bu trois canettes de soda en quelques minutes.
C2 verb (archaic/rare) /rɛk/

reck

se soucier
Meaning
To care about or be concerned with (something); to have regard for.
Example
He does not reck the dangers of his actions.
Il ne se soucie pas des dangers de ses actions.
C2 adjective /ˈbɑː.bər.əs/

Barbarous

barbare; cruel; sauvage
Meaning
extremely cruel; uncivilized; savage
Example
The barbarous treatment of prisoners was condemned by human rights organizations.
Le traitement barbare des prisonniers a été condamné par les organisations de droits de l'homme.
C2 noun /ˈfetiʃ/

fetich

fétiche
Meaning
an object believed to have magical powers or to be inhabited by a spirit
Example
The villagers treated the statue as a powerful fetich.
Les villageois traitaient la statue comme un fétiche puissant.
C2 verb /rɪˈmɒnstreɪt/

remonstrate

protester
Meaning
To make a forceful protest or objection.
Example
Citizens remonstrated against the new tax policy.
Les citoyens ont protesté contre la nouvelle politique fiscale.
C2 noun /skæd/

scad

scad poisson
Meaning
A type of fish of the jack family; also informally means a large number or quantity.
Example
The fisherman caught a scad in the net.
Le pêcheur a attrapé un scad dans le filet.
C2 adjective /ˈmʌɡi/

muggy

étouffant et humide
Meaning
uncomfortably warm and humid
Example
It was a muggy afternoon in July.
C'était un après-midi étouffant en juillet.
C2 noun /ˈmæl.kənˌtɛnt/

malcontent

personne mécontente
Meaning
A person who is dissatisfied or rebellious; one who is not content.
Example
The malcontent voiced his grievances against the government.
La personne mécontente a exprimé ses plaintes contre le gouvernement.
C2 noun /ˈspɛndˌθrɪft/

spendthrift

dépensier
Meaning
A person who spends money extravagantly or wastefully.
Example
The young prince was known as a spendthrift, wasting his fortune on lavish parties.
Le jeune prince était connu comme un dépensier, gaspillant sa fortune dans des fêtes somptueuses.
C2 noun /ˈfɒpəri/

foppery

esbroufe
Meaning
Foolish or excessive concern with one's appearance or manners; pretentious behavior.
Example
His obsession with fashion was dismissed as mere foppery.
Son obsession pour la mode a été rejetée comme une simple esbroufe.
C2 noun /ɪˈfʌldʒəns/

effulgence

éclat
Meaning
Brilliant radiance or shining brightness.
Example
The effulgence of the sunrise lit up the entire valley.
L'éclat du lever du soleil éclairait toute la vallée.
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 /kəˈmɪŋɡəl/

commingle

mélanger
Meaning
To mix or blend different things together.
Example
The charity does not commingle donations with operational funds.
La charité ne mélange pas les dons avec les fonds opérationnels.
C2 noun /ˈtɪŋktʃər/

tincture

une légère trace, un médicament fabriqué en dissolvant une drogue dans de l'alcool
Meaning
a slight trace of something; a medicine made by dissolving a drug in alcohol
Example
There was a tincture of sadness in her smile.
Il y avait une légère trace de tristesse dans son sourire.
C2 noun /pɛlf/

pelf

argent malhonnête
Meaning
Money, especially when gained dishonorably.
Example
The corrupt official was motivated only by pelf.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu était motivé uniquement par l'argent malhonnête.
C2 noun /əˈpɒfəsɪs/

apophasis

apophase
Meaning
A rhetorical device where the speaker brings up a subject by denying it or pretending to pass over it.
Example
The politician used apophasis by saying, 'I won’t even mention my opponent’s scandals.'
Le politicien a utilisé l'apophase en disant : « Je ne mentionnerai même pas les scandales de mon adversaire. »
C2 verb /ˈmæɡnɪtaɪz/

magnetize

magnétiser
Meaning
to make something magnetic or to strongly attract
Example
The scientist managed to magnetize the iron rod.
Le scientifique a réussi à magnétiser la tige de fer.
C2 noun /ˈfɜːrðərəns/

furtherance

avancement
Meaning
The advancement or promotion of something.
Example
The new policy was introduced in furtherance of social justice.
La nouvelle politique a été introduite en vue de la justice sociale.
C2 noun /ɪˈlɛk.trə.taɪp/

electrotype

électrotype
Meaning
A duplicate printing plate made by electroplating a mold of the original.
Example
The printer used an electrotype to produce multiple copies of the page.
L'imprimeur a utilisé un électrotype pour produire plusieurs copies de la page.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪn.dʒəl/

Brinjal

aubergine
Meaning
a large purple vegetable that is white inside; also called eggplant
Example
My mother cooked brinjal curry for lunch.
Ma mère a cuisiné un curry d'aubergine pour le déjeuner.
C2 noun /ˈtændʒənsi/

tangency

tangence
Meaning
the condition of touching but not intersecting, especially in geometry
Example
The circle and the line are in a state of tangency at one point.
Le cercle et la ligne sont en état de tangence en un point.
C2 adjective ˌeə.rəʊˈstæt.ɪk

aerostatic

aérostatique
Meaning
Relating to or involving gases (especially air) in equilibrium and the equilibrium of balloons or aircraft under the influence of such gases.
Example
Aerostatic designs ensure stability at high altitudes.
Les conceptions aérostatiques assurent la stabilité à haute altitude.
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 adjective /ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːrfəs/

anthropomorphous

anthropomorphe
Meaning
having the form or attributes of a human
Example
The statue had an anthropomorphous shape resembling a human.
La statue avait une forme anthropomorphe ressemblant à un humain.
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 noun /ˈbɑːrtərər/

barterer

barteur
Meaning
A person who trades goods or services without using money.
Example
The barterer exchanged fruits for some pottery.
Le barteur a échangé des fruits contre des pots.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈpælpəbəl/

impalpable

intangible
Meaning
unable to be felt by touch; difficult to grasp or understand
Example
There was an impalpable sense of fear in the room.
Il y avait une sensation intangible de peur dans la pièce.
C2 adjective /ˌbiːəˈtɪfɪk/

beatific

béatifique
Meaning
blissfully happy or showing great joy
Example
She had a beatific smile after hearing the good news.
Elle avait un sourire béatifique après avoir entendu les bonnes nouvelles.
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 noun /ˈæpəˌθɛm/

apothegm

maxime, dicton
Meaning
A short, witty, and instructive saying or maxim.
Example
His speech was filled with apothegms about life and success.
Son discours était rempli de maximes sur la vie et le succès.
C2 noun /ˌæk.rəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/

acrophobia

peur des hauteurs
Meaning
An extreme or irrational fear of heights.
Example
Her acrophobia prevented her from climbing the tall building.
Son acrophobie l'a empêchée de monter dans le grand bâtiment.
C2 noun /lækˈteɪʃən/

lactation

production de lait
Meaning
the secretion of milk by the mammary glands of female mammals
Example
The doctor explained that lactation is a natural process after childbirth.
Le médecin a expliqué que la lactation est un processus naturel après l'accouchement.
C2 verb /ˈvɪtrɪfaɪ/

vitrify

transformer en verre
Meaning
to turn into glass or a glass-like substance by heat
Example
Sand can vitrify under intense heat.
Le sable peut se transformer en verre sous une chaleur intense.
C2 verb /flɛdʒ/

fledge

prêter
Meaning
To develop wing feathers large enough for flight; to bring up until able to fly.
Example
The young birds will fledge in a few weeks.
Les jeunes oiseaux vont se préparer à voler dans quelques semaines.
C2 noun /ˈfaɪəl/

phial

petite fiole
Meaning
a small glass container for liquids, especially medicines
Example
The doctor gave her a phial of medicine.
Le médecin lui a donné un flacon de médicament.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌmpʃəs/

bumptious

prétentieux
Meaning
Arrogantly self-assertive or conceited.
Example
The bumptious student interrupted the teacher several times.
L'étudiant prétentieux a interrompu le professeur plusieurs fois.
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 noun /əˈbrɪdʒmənt/

abridgment

abrégé
Meaning
A shortened version of a larger work, such as a book or speech.
Example
The publisher released an abridgment of the lengthy novel for students.
L'éditeur a publié un abrégé du long roman pour les étudiants.
C2 noun /ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/

chicanery

tromperie
Meaning
The use of trickery or deception to achieve a purpose.
Example
The politician was accused of chicanery to win the election.
Le politicien a été accusé de tromperie pour gagner l'élection.
C2 adjective /ˈsæŋɡwɪˌnɛri/

sanguinary

sanglant
Meaning
Involving or causing much bloodshed; bloodthirsty.
Example
The battle was one of the most sanguinary conflicts of the war.
La bataille a été l'un des conflits les plus sanglants de la guerre.
C2 adjective /rɪˈmjuːnərətɪv/

remunerative

rémunérateur
Meaning
Financially rewarding or profitable.
Example
He chose a remunerative career in medicine.
Il a choisi une carrière rémunératrice en médecine.
C2 noun /ɪmˈpʌlʃən/

impulsion

impulsion
Meaning
a strong urge or drive to act; the act of impelling
Example
His impulsion to travel made him leave his job suddenly.
Son impulsion de voyager l'a poussé à quitter son travail soudainement.
C2 noun /ˈvɛrɪti/

verity

vérité
Meaning
a true principle or belief; the state of being true
Example
The verity of his statement was confirmed by evidence.
La véracité de sa déclaration a été confirmée par des preuves.
C2 noun /ɪɡˈzækʃən/

exaction

exaction
Meaning
the act of demanding or obtaining something, especially unfairly
Example
The peasants suffered under the king's heavy exactions.
Les paysans ont souffert sous les lourdes exactions du roi.
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 /dɪsˈjuːnjən/

disunion

désunion
Meaning
the state of being separated or not united
Example
Civil wars often result from national disunion.
Les guerres civiles résultent souvent de la désunion nationale.
C2 adjective /ˈfʌsti/

fusty

ranci
Meaning
smelling stale, damp, or stuffy; old-fashioned
Example
The room smelled fusty after being closed for months.
La pièce sentait le ranci après avoir été fermée pendant des mois.
C2 adjective /ˈtrɛntʃənt/

trenchant

tranchant
Meaning
expressed strongly, effectively, and clearly; sharp or cutting in style or expression
Example
Her trenchant criticism of the policy left no room for misunderstanding.
Sa critique tranchante de la politique n'a laissé aucune place à des malentendus.
C2 adjective, adverb /ˌmæləprəˈpoʊ/

malapropos

inapproprié
Meaning
inappropriate or unsuitable; at an inconvenient or inappropriate time
Example
His comment was malapropos during the serious discussion.
Son commentaire était inapproprié pendant la discussion sérieuse.
C2 noun /məˈlæsɪz/

Molasses

mélasse
Meaning
thick, dark, sweet syrup made from sugar cane
Example
The recipe calls for molasses to give the bread a rich flavor.
La recette demande de la mélasse pour donner au pain une saveur riche.
C2 verb /dɪsˈroʊb/

disrobe

se déshabiller
Meaning
to remove one's clothes
Example
The monk disrobed before entering the river.
Le moine s'est déshabillé avant d'entrer dans la rivière.