protean
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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 /ˌpɑːrtjʊˈrɪʃən/

parturition

accouchement
Meaning
The act of giving birth; childbirth.
Example
The doctor explained the stages of parturition to the students.
Le médecin a expliqué les étapes de l'accouchement aux étudiants.
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 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 /pjuːˈtrɛsənt/

putrescent

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

pentad

groupe de cinq
Meaning
A group or set of five things.
Example
The committee was divided into a pentad of working groups.
Le comité a été divisé en cinq groupes de travail.
C2 adjective /ˈpjʊəraɪl/

puerile

infantile
Meaning
childishly silly or immature
Example
His puerile jokes annoyed the audience.
Ses blagues infantiles ont agacé le public.
C2 adjective /ˈpruːdɪʃ/

prudish

prude
Meaning
having or revealing a tendency to be easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity
Example
She was too prudish to watch the movie with her friends.
Elle était trop prude pour regarder le film avec ses amis.
C2 noun /ˈpriːskrɪpt/

prescript

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

Psychographics

L'étude et la classification des personnes en fonction de leurs attitudes, aspirations et autres critères psychologiques
Meaning
The study and classification of people according to their attitudes, aspirations, and other psychological criteria.
Example
Psychographics reveal consumer buying motives.
Les psychographies révèlent les motifs d'achat des consommateurs.
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 noun /ˌpriːdɪˈlɛkʃən/

predilection

prédilection
Meaning
A strong liking or preference for something.
Example
She has a predilection for classical music.
Elle a une prédilection pour la musique classique.
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 noun /ˈfoʊ.nə.ɡræm/

phonogram

symbole phonétique
Meaning
a written symbol representing a speech sound
Example
The teacher showed how each phonogram represents a particular sound.
L'enseignant a montré comment chaque phonogramme représente un son particulier.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃəl/

pestilential

pestilentiel
Meaning
Relating to or causing pestilence; very harmful, troublesome, or dangerous.
Example
The pestilential smell of the garbage filled the street.
L'odeur pestilentielle de la poubelle a rempli la rue.
C2 noun /ˌpɛdəˈɡɒdʒɪks/

pedagogics

pédagogie
Meaning
the science or art of teaching
Example
He studied pedagogics to become a better teacher.
Il a étudié la pédagogie pour devenir un meilleur enseignant.
C2 noun /fɪˈlæt.əl.ɪst/

philatelist

collectionneur de timbres
Meaning
a person who collects or studies postage stamps
Example
The philatelist spent years building a rare stamp collection.
Le philatéliste a passé des années à constituer une collection rare de timbres.
C2 noun /ˈpætrɪˌmoʊni/

patrimony

patrimoine
Meaning
Property or inheritance passed down from one's father or ancestors.
Example
The castle was part of his patrimony from his noble ancestors.
Le château faisait partie de son patrimoine provenant de ses ancêtres nobles.
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 /ˈpjuːɪsəns/

puissance

puissance
Meaning
Great power, strength, or influence.
Example
The empire showed its puissance through vast armies.
L'empire a montré sa puissance à travers de vastes armées.
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 verb /ˈproʊtjuːbəreɪt/

protuberate

gonfler
Meaning
To swell out or bulge.
Example
The roots began to protuberate from the ground.
Les racines ont commencé à gonfler du sol.
C2 noun /ˈpɒl.iˌθi.ɪz.əm/

polytheism

polythéisme
Meaning
the belief in or worship of multiple gods
Example
Ancient Greeks practiced polytheism, worshiping gods like Zeus and Athena.
Les anciens Grecs pratiquaient le polythéisme, en adorant des dieux comme Zeus et Athéna.
C2 adjective /pʌɡˈneɪʃəs/

pugnacious

agressif
Meaning
Having a quarrelsome or combative nature; eager to fight.
Example
His pugnacious attitude often got him into trouble.
Son attitude agressive le mettait souvent dans des ennuis.
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 /ˈplɛdʒɔːr/

pledgeor

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

pentagram

pentagramme
Meaning
A five-pointed star often used as a symbol in magic, mysticism, or religion.
Example
The wizard drew a pentagram on the floor as part of the ritual.
Le magicien a tracé un pentagramme sur le sol dans le cadre du rituel.
C2 adjective /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 adjective /prɪˈpɒndərənt/

preponderant

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

perspicuity

perspicuité
Meaning
Clarity and ease in speech or writing; the quality of being clearly expressed.
Example
The perspicuity of his lecture made it easy for students to understand complex topics.
La perspicuité de sa conférence a facilité la compréhension des sujets complexes par les étudiants.
C2 noun /pəˈlɛmɪks/

polemics

polémique
Meaning
the art or practice of engaging in controversial debate or dispute
Example
The conference was full of polemics on economic reforms.
La conférence était pleine de polémiques sur les réformes économiques.
C2 noun /ˈpɜr.fɪ.di/

Perfidy

perfide
Meaning
deliberate breach of faith or trust; treachery; betrayal of trust
Example
His perfidy shocked all who had trusted him.
Sa perfidie choqua tous ceux qui lui avaient fait confiance.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛndjʊləs/

pendulous

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

porphyry

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

photometer

photomètre
Meaning
an instrument for measuring the intensity of light
Example
The scientist used a photometer to measure the light in the laboratory.
Le scientifique a utilisé un photomètre pour mesurer la lumière dans le laboratoire.
C2 noun, verb /ˌpæm.fləˈtɪər/

pamphleteer

écrivain de pamphlets
Meaning
a person who writes or distributes pamphlets, often to promote a political or social cause
Example
In the 18th century, many pamphleteers influenced public opinion.
Au XVIIIe siècle, de nombreux écrivains de pamphlets ont influencé l'opinion publique.
C2 adjective /ˈprɛʃənt/ or /ˈpriːʃənt/

prescient

prévoyant
Meaning
having or showing knowledge of events before they take place
Example
The prescient investor sold his shares just before the market crashed.
L'investisseur prévoyant a vendu ses actions juste avant que le marché ne s'effondre.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːrsɪmoʊni/

parsimony

avarice
Meaning
extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources
Example
His parsimony was evident in the way he avoided any unnecessary expenses.
Son avarice était évidente dans la façon dont il évitait toute dépense inutile.
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 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 adjective /ˈpɛkənt/

peccant

coupable
Meaning
Guilty of a moral offense or wrongdoing; sinful.
Example
The judge declared the peccant official unfit for office.
Le juge a déclaré l'officiel coupable inapte à son poste.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊ.ə.si/

poesy

poésie
Meaning
poetry; the art or composition of poems
Example
The anthology was filled with romantic poesy.
L'anthologie était remplie de poésie romantique.
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 /ˈpæn.ə.pli/

panoply

panoplie
Meaning
A complete or impressive collection of things; a full set of armor.
Example
The museum displayed a panoply of ancient weapons.
Le musée a présenté une panoplie d'armements anciens.
C2 adjective /ˌpɑːrsɪˈmoʊniəs/

parsimonious

avare
Meaning
unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy
Example
The company was too parsimonious to invest in better equipment.
L'entreprise était trop avare pour investir dans de meilleurs équipements.
C2 noun /ˈpjuːdʒɪlɪzəm/

pugilism

boxe
Meaning
The practice or sport of boxing.
Example
He studied the art of pugilism in his youth.
Il a étudié l'art de la boxe dans sa jeunesse.
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, noun /pləˈbiːən/

plebian

commun, du peuple
Meaning
alternate spelling of 'plebeian'; common or ordinary
Example
His tastes were rather plebian, favoring simple food and clothes.
Ses goûts étaient assez communs, il préférait la nourriture simple et des vêtements simples.
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 /proʊˈdʒɛnɪtər/

progenitor

ancêtre
Meaning
a direct ancestor; a person or thing that originates something
Example
Researchers traced the custom back to a common progenitor.
Les chercheurs ont retracé la coutume jusqu'à un ancêtre commun.
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 /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 /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 /ˈplɛntɪtjuːd/

plentitude

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

Pomfret

poisson pomfret
Meaning
A deep-bodied marine fish with silvery scales, popular in Asian cuisine
Example
The restaurant serves delicious pomfret curry with rice.
Le restaurant sert un délicieux curry de pomfret avec du riz.
C2 noun /ˌfoʊ.nəˈlɑː.dʒi/

phonology

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

peremptory

péremptoire
Meaning
Insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a commanding way.
Example
The officer gave a peremptory order to evacuate the building.
L'officier a donné un ordre péremptoire d'évacuer le bâtiment.
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 /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 verb /pɜːrl/

purl

couler avec un bruit de murmure
Meaning
To knit with a purl stitch; to flow with a murmuring sound (as a stream).
Example
The brook purled softly through the meadow.
Le ruisseau purla doucement à travers la prairie.
C2 noun /pæˈstiːʃ/

pastiche

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

protuberance

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

Per boiled rice

riz précuit
Meaning
Rice that has been partially boiled in the husk before milling; parboiled rice
Example
Per boiled rice retains more nutrients than regular white rice.
Le riz précuit conserve plus de nutriments que le riz blanc ordinaire.
C2 noun /prɪˈzɛntmənt/

presentment

présentation formelle
Meaning
The act of presenting something formally or officially; a formal statement or document.
Example
The lawyer made a presentment of the evidence to the court.
L'avocat a fait une présentation des preuves devant le tribunal.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛneɪt/

pennate

en forme de plume
Meaning
Having parts or structures arranged like a feather; feather-shaped.
Example
The fern has a pennate leaf structure.
La structure de la feuille de fougère est en forme de plume.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊ.ɪˌtæs.tər/

poetaster

un poète inférieur ou trivial
Meaning
an inferior or trivial poet
Example
He was mocked as a poetaster by the literary critics.
Il a été moqué comme un poétasteur par les critiques littéraires.
C2 adjective /pəˈnjʊəriəs/

penurious

extrêmement pauvre
Meaning
extremely poor; poverty-stricken; miserly
Example
The penurious family struggled to buy food.
La famille extrêmement pauvre peinait à acheter de la nourriture.
C2 noun /ˌfɑːrməkəˈpiːə/

pharmacopoeia

pharmacopée
Meaning
An official book listing medicinal drugs, their effects, and directions for use.
Example
The doctor referred to the pharmacopoeia to check the drug's proper dosage.
Le médecin a consulté la pharmacopée pour vérifier la dose correcte du médicament.
C2 noun /ˈpær.ɪ.saɪd/

parricide

parricide
Meaning
The act of killing one's father, mother, or other close relative.
Example
The court tried him for parricide after the tragic incident.
Le tribunal l'a jugé pour parricide après l'incident tragique.
C2 noun /ˈpiːən/

paean

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

prelacy

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

pyre

bûcher funéraire
Meaning
A heap of combustible material, especially one used for burning a corpse as part of a funeral ceremony.
Example
The villagers built a pyre to honor the deceased.
Les villageois ont construit un bûcher pour honorer le défunt.
C2 noun /ˈplɔːdɪt/

plaudit

éloge
Meaning
an expression of praise or approval
Example
The actor received plaudit for his outstanding performance.
L'acteur a reçu des éloges pour sa performance exceptionnelle.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəl/

penitential

pénitent
Meaning
Relating to or expressing penitence or penance.
Example
The priest delivered a penitential sermon on forgiveness.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon pénitent sur le pardon.
C2 adjective ˌpɜː.spɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs

perspicacious

perspicace
Meaning
Having keen insight and understanding; showing acute mental discernment.
Example
The detective's perspicacious nature helped solve the mystery.
La nature perspicace du détective a aidé à résoudre le mystère.
C2 adjective /ˌfærɪˈseɪɪkəl/

pharisaical

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

prate

bavarder de manière insensée
Meaning
to talk foolishly or at tedious length about something
Example
He would prate endlessly about his minor achievements.
Il parlait sans fin de ses petites réussites.
C2 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 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 noun /ˌprɒdɪˈɡæləti/

prodigality

prodigalité
Meaning
the quality of being wastefully extravagant
Example
His prodigality with money left him bankrupt.
Sa prodigalité avec l'argent l'a laissé en faillite.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrsɪflɑːʒ/

persiflage

moquerie légère
Meaning
light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter
Example
Their conversation was full of persiflage and jokes.
Leurs conversations étaient pleines de moquerie légère et de blagues.
C2 noun /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 /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 adjective /ˌfæntæzməˈɡɒrɪkəl/

phantasmagorical

fantasmagorique
Meaning
Having a fantastic, dreamlike, or surreal appearance, often shifting or illusory.
Example
The movie created a phantasmagorical vision of another world.
Le film a créé une vision fantasmagorique d'un autre monde.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdɪmənt/

pediment

fronton triangulaire
Meaning
a triangular gable found above the horizontal structure of a building, often in classical architecture
Example
The ancient temple had a pediment decorated with sculptures.
Le temple antique avait un fronton décoré de sculptures.
C2 noun /ˌpɛrəɡrɪˈneɪʃən/

peregrination

pérégrination
Meaning
A long journey or wandering, especially on foot.
Example
Their peregrination across Asia lasted two years.
Leurs pérégrinations à travers l'Asie ont duré deux ans.
C2 noun /ˈpeɪpəsi/

papacy

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

proselyte

prosélyte
Meaning
A person who has converted from one belief, opinion, or religion to another.
Example
She became a proselyte after converting to a new faith.
Elle est devenue un prosélyte après s'être convertie à une nouvelle foi.
C2 verb /prɪˈpɒndəreɪt/

preponderate

prépondérer
Meaning
To be greater in influence, weight, or number.
Example
In the debate, logical arguments preponderated over emotional appeals.
Dans le débat, les arguments logiques ont prépondéré sur les appels émotionnels.
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 adjective /ˌfoʊtoʊɪˈlɛktrɪk/

photoelectric

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

philanderer

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

posse

gang / groupe d'amis
Meaning
A group of people, often friends or a group organized to support or enforce the law.
Example
He arrived at the party with his posse of friends.
Il est arrivé à la fête avec son groupe d'amis.
C2 adjective /prɪˈzʌmptɪv/

presumptive

présumé
Meaning
Based on probability or assumption rather than proof.
Example
She is the presumptive nominee for the party.
Elle est la candidate présumée pour le parti.
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 /ˈpærəpɛt/

parapet

mur de protection
Meaning
A low protective wall along the edge of a roof, balcony, or bridge.
Example
The soldier hid behind the parapet for protection.
Le soldat s'est caché derrière le parapet pour sa protection.
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 noun /ˌpærəˈnɔɪæk/

paranoiac

personne paranoïaque
Meaning
A person who suffers from paranoia or exhibits extreme, irrational distrust and suspicion.
Example
The paranoiac refused to leave his house, fearing everyone was against him.
La personne paranoïaque a refusé de quitter sa maison, craignant que tout le monde soit contre lui.
C2 noun /prəˈfjuːʒən/

profusion

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

polymath

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

phlegmatic

phlegmatique
Meaning
having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition
Example
Despite the chaos, he remained phlegmatic and composed.
Malgré le chaos, il est resté flégmatique et composé.
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 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 /ˌpɛkəˈdɪloʊ/

peccadillo

petite erreur
Meaning
a small or minor fault or sin
Example
Forgetting to call was just a small peccadillo, not a serious mistake.
Oublier de téléphoner était juste une petite erreur, pas une grosse faute.
C2 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 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 adjective /pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv/

pejorative

péjoratif
Meaning
Expressing contempt or disapproval.
Example
He used pejorative terms to insult his opponents.
Il a utilisé des termes péjoratifs pour insulter ses adversaires.