puerile
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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 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 /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 /ˈpɛdənt/

pedant

personne pédante
Meaning
A person who is excessively concerned with minor details or rules, often in a showy way.
Example
The professor was criticized as a pedant who focused too much on trivial details.
Le professeur a été critiqué comme un pédant qui se concentrait trop sur des détails triviaux.
C2 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 /pəˈrɒnɪməs/

paronymous

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

platitude

platitude, lieu commun
Meaning
a remark or statement that is overused and unoriginal
Example
He kept repeating the same platitudes during the speech.
Il n'a cessé de répéter les mêmes platitudes pendant son discours.
C2 noun /ˈplɛbɪsaɪt/

plebiscite

référendum populaire
Meaning
a direct vote by the electorate on an important public question
Example
The government held a plebiscite to decide on the new constitution.
Le gouvernement a organisé un référendum populaire pour décider de la nouvelle constitution.
C2 adjective /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 adjective /ˈpɛnɪtrəbl/

penetrable

pénétrable
Meaning
Capable of being passed through or entered.
Example
The thin wall was easily penetrable.
Le mur mince était facilement pénétrable.
C2 verb /ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡ/

pettifog

discuter de futilités
Meaning
to argue or quibble over trivial matters; to engage in petty, dishonest practices
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to pettifog instead of addressing the real issue.
L'avocat a été accusé d'essayer de discuter de questions futiles au lieu de traiter le vrai problème.
C2 adjective /prəˈhɪbɪtɔːri/

prohibitory

interdisant
Meaning
Serving or tending to prohibit or forbid.
Example
The prohibitory laws were strictly enforced in the region.
Les lois interdisant ont été strictement appliquées dans la région.
C2 adjective /pəˈluːsɪd/

pellucid

transparent
Meaning
Transparently clear; easy to understand.
Example
The lake water was so pellucid that you could see the stones at the bottom.
L'eau du lac était tellement transparente que vous pouviez voir les pierres au fond.
C2 noun /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 /pɛnˈtæmɪtər/

pentameter

pentamètre
Meaning
A line of verse consisting of five metrical feet.
Example
Shakespeare often wrote his plays in iambic pentameter.
Shakespeare écrivait souvent ses pièces en pentamètre iambique.
C2 adjective /prɪˈskrɪptɪbəl/

prescriptible

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

pseudapostle

faux apôtre
Meaning
a false or pretended apostle
Example
The preacher was condemned as a pseudapostle.
Le prédicateur a été condamné en tant que faux apôtre.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛrɪpəˈtɛtɪk/

peripatetic

nomade
Meaning
Traveling from place to place, especially for work or based on lifestyle.
Example
He led a peripatetic life as a traveling teacher.
Il menait une vie de nomade en tant qu'enseignant itinérant.
C2 noun /prɒɡˌnɒstɪˈkeɪʃən/

prognostication

prédiction
Meaning
The act of foretelling or predicting future events.
Example
The astrologer's prognostication fascinated the audience.
La prédiction de l'astrologue a fasciné l'audience.
C2 noun /ˌpɜː.spɪˈkæs.ɪ.ti/

perspicacity

perspicacité
Meaning
Sharp insight, keen understanding and discernment.
Example
Her perspicacity in business decisions led to success.
Sa perspicacité dans les décisions commerciales a mené au succès.
C2 adjective, noun /pləˈbiːən/

plebeian

personne commune
Meaning
common, ordinary, or belonging to the lower social classes
Example
The festival was enjoyed by both plebeian and noble citizens.
Le festival a été apprécié tant par les plébéiens que par les citoyens nobles.
C2 adjective /ˈprɒvɪdənt/

provident

prévoyant
Meaning
making or indicative of timely preparation for the future
Example
She was provident in saving money for her children’s education.
Elle était prévoyante en économisant de l'argent pour l'éducation de ses enfants.
C2 noun /prəˈlɪksɪti/

prolixity

prolixité
Meaning
the quality of being tediously wordy and long
Example
The book’s prolixity made it difficult to read in one sitting.
La prolixité du livre rendait difficile de le lire en une seule séance.
C2 noun /ˈpɒntɪf/

pontiff

pape ou un évêque de haut rang
Meaning
the pope or a high-ranking bishop in the Christian church
Example
The pontiff addressed the nation in a televised speech.
Le pape a adressé la nation dans un discours télévisé.
C2 verb /ˈprɛsɪdʒ/

presage

présage
Meaning
to be a sign or warning that something will happen; to foreshadow
Example
Dark clouds presage a storm.
Les nuages sombres présagent une tempête.
C2 verb /priːˈdɛstɪn/

predestine

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

propitious

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

palpitate

palpiter rapidement
Meaning
to beat rapidly and strongly, often because of fear, excitement, or illness
Example
Her heart began to palpitate with fear.
Son cœur a commencé à palpiter de peur.
C2 noun /ˈpɪkəloʊ/

piccolo

petite flûte
Meaning
a small flute, higher in pitch than the regular flute
Example
She played a lively tune on the piccolo during the concert.
Elle a joué une mélodie vive sur le piccolo pendant le concert.
C2 noun /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/verb /ˈpɪləri/

pillory

dispositif de châtiment public
Meaning
a device for publicly punishing someone / to expose to public ridicule
Example
The corrupt official was placed in the pillory for the town to jeer at.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a été mis en pilori pour que la ville se moque de lui.
C2 noun /ˈpæk.ɪ.dɜːrm/

pachyderm

grand mammifère à peau épaisse
Meaning
a large mammal with thick skin, such as an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus
Example
The zoo had several pachyderms, including elephants and rhinos.
Le zoo avait plusieurs pachydermes, y compris des éléphants et des rhinocéros.
C2 noun /foʊˈtɑːmɪtri/

photometry

science de la mesure de la lumière
Meaning
the science of measuring visible light in terms of its perceived brightness to human eyes
Example
Photometry helps in designing efficient lighting systems.
La photométrie aide à concevoir des systèmes d'éclairage efficaces.
C2 noun /ˈpɛtrəˌɡræf/

petrograph

description des roches
Meaning
a description or representation of rocks, especially in detailed scientific writing
Example
The scientist studied the petrograph to understand the rock composition.
Le scientifique a étudié le pétrographe pour comprendre la composition de la roche.
C2 noun /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 /ˈpoʊtənˌteɪt/

potentate

potentat
Meaning
A monarch or ruler, especially one with absolute power.
Example
The ancient land was ruled by a powerful potentate.
L'ancienne terre était gouvernée par un puissant potentat.
C2 verb /ˈprɑː.məl.ɡeɪt/

promulgate

promulguer
Meaning
To announce or make a law, decree, or idea officially known.
Example
The government promulgated new regulations on data privacy.
Le gouvernement a promulgué de nouvelles régulations sur la confidentialité des données.
C2 adjective /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 /ˈplænɪsfɪr/

planisphere

planisphère
Meaning
a rotating star chart used to display the visible stars for any time and date
Example
The astronomer used a planisphere to identify the constellations.
L'astronome a utilisé un planisphère pour identifier les constellations.
C2 verb /proʊˈskraɪb/

proscribe

interdire
Meaning
to forbid something by law or authority
Example
The new law will proscribe the use of harmful chemicals in farming.
La nouvelle loi interdira l'utilisation de produits chimiques nuisibles dans l'agriculture.
C2 noun /priˈɛmpʃən/

preemption

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

polygamist

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

pertness

effronterie
Meaning
boldness or forwardness in speech or behavior; sauciness
Example
Her pertness during the meeting surprised everyone.
Son effronterie lors de la réunion a surpris tout le monde.
C2 noun /pəˈtruːn/

poltroon

lâche
Meaning
a cowardly person
Example
He acted like a poltroon during the crisis.
Il a agi comme un lâche pendant la crise.
C2 noun /pərˈdɪʃən/

perdition

bonheur
Meaning
A state of eternal spiritual ruin, often referring to hell or damnation.
Example
The preacher warned that greed would lead to perdition.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
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 /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 /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 /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 /pɒmˈpɒsəti/

pomposity

pomposité, arrogance
Meaning
self-important behavior or exaggerated dignity
Example
His speech was full of pomposity and arrogance.
Son discours était plein de pomposité et d'arrogance.
C2 noun /ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk/

panegyric

panégyrique, éloge
Meaning
a formal speech or piece of writing in praise of someone or something
Example
The author wrote a panegyric on the bravery of the soldiers.
L'auteur a écrit un panégyrique sur le courage des soldats.
C2 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 /prəˈpɪŋkwɪti/

propinquity

proximité
Meaning
the state of being close to someone or something; proximity
Example
The propinquity of their houses made them close friends.
La proximité de leurs maisons les a rendus amis proches.
C2 verb /fɪˈlændər/

philander

flirter
Meaning
to engage in casual or frivolous romantic or sexual relationships
Example
He was known to philander with many women in town.
Il était connu pour flirter avec de nombreuses femmes en ville.
C2 noun /ˈper.ɪ.dʒiː/

perigee

le point le plus proche dans l'orbite de la lune ou d'un satellite de la Terre
Meaning
the point in the orbit of the moon or a satellite at which it is nearest to the Earth
Example
The moon appeared much larger during its perigee.
La lune apparaissait beaucoup plus grande pendant son périgée.
C2 noun /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 noun /ˌpɒlɪˈhiːdrən/

polyhedron

solide à faces polygonales planes
Meaning
a solid object with flat polygonal faces, straight edges, and vertices
Example
The mathematician studied a complex polyhedron model.
Le mathématicien a étudié un modèle complexe de polyèdre.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɪɡˈzɪst/

preexist

exister au préalable
Meaning
to exist beforehand or before something else
Example
These customs preexist the arrival of modern technology.
Ces coutumes existaient avant l'arrivée de la technologie moderne.
C2 adjective /ˈplændʒənt/

plangent

son plaintif ou résonnant
Meaning
having a loud, mournful sound; resonant
Example
The plangent toll of the church bell echoed through the village.
Le son plaintif de la cloche de l'église résonnait à travers le village.
C2 adjective /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 /ˈpɛnjʊri/

penury

pauvreté extrême
Meaning
extreme poverty or destitution
Example
He grew up in penury but became successful later in life.
Il a grandi dans la pénurie, mais il est devenu prospère plus tard dans la vie.
C2 adverb /ˈprɒksɪmətli/

proximately

près
Meaning
In a near or close manner; nearly.
Example
The village lies proximately to the river.
Le village est près de la rivière.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɒnəmi/

physiognomy

étude des traits du visage
Meaning
the study of facial features to judge character or personality
Example
He believed in physiognomy and tried to read people's personalities from their faces.
Il croyait à la physiognomonie et essayait de lire la personnalité des gens à partir de leurs visages.
C2 verb /ˈpʌkər/

pucker

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

pyromaniac

personne avec un désir incontrôlable d'incendier des choses
Meaning
A person with an uncontrollable desire to set things on fire.
Example
The pyromaniac was arrested for setting several buildings ablaze.
Le pyromane a été arrêté pour avoir incendié plusieurs bâtiments.
C2 noun /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 /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 /ˈpraɪəri/

priory

prieuré
Meaning
a small monastery or convent governed by a prior or prioress
Example
The old priory was converted into a museum.
L'ancien prieuré a été transformé en musée.
C2 noun /ˌperəˈreɪʃən/

peroration

discours de conclusion
Meaning
The concluding part of a speech, often intended to inspire or persuade.
Example
The politician's peroration left the audience applauding enthusiastically.
La pérotation du politicien a fait applaudir le public avec enthousiasme.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒiː/

pledgee

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

pertinacious

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

padre

prêtre
Meaning
A title for a priest, especially in the Roman Catholic Church; also used informally for 'father'.
Example
The soldiers attended mass led by the padre.
Les soldats ont assisté à la messe dirigée par le prêtre.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrljuː/

purlieu

zone périphérique
Meaning
The area near or surrounding a place; an outlying or neighboring district.
Example
They spent the afternoon exploring the purlieus of the ancient city.
Ils ont passé l'après-midi à explorer les purlieus de la ville ancienne.
C2 verb /ˈpɛkjʊˌleɪt/

peculate

détourner
Meaning
To embezzle or steal money, especially public funds.
Example
The corrupt official was found guilty of peculating government funds.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a été reconnu coupable d'avoir détourné des fonds publics.
C2 noun /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 /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 adjective /pərˈspɪkjuəs/

perspicuous

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

palter

parler de manière floue, tromper
Meaning
to act insincerely or deceitfully; to equivocate or lie
Example
He paltered when asked about his involvement in the deal.
Il a évité la question lorsqu'on lui a demandé son implication dans l'accord.
C2 verb /poʊˈtɛnʃiˌeɪt/

potentiate

potentialiser
Meaning
To increase the power, effect, or likelihood of something.
Example
Caffeine can potentiate the effects of some medicines.
La caféine peut potentialiser les effets de certains médicaments.
C2 verb /pəˈræmbjʊˌleɪt/

perambulate

flâner
Meaning
To walk through or travel around, especially for leisure.
Example
They perambulated the old town, enjoying the sights.
Ils ont flâné dans la vieille ville, profitant des vues.
C2 adjective /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 /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 /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 adjective /ˌpjuːsɪˈlænɪməs/

pusillanimous

timoré
Meaning
showing a lack of courage or determination; timid
Example
The pusillanimous leader avoided making tough decisions.
Le leader timoré évitait de prendre des décisions difficiles.
C2 noun /praɪˈveɪʃən/

privation

privation, manque
Meaning
A state in which things essential for human well-being such as food and warmth are lacking.
Example
The refugees suffered great privation during the harsh winter.
Les réfugiés ont souffert de grande privation pendant l'hiver rigoureux.
C2 noun /ˈpɜr.kwɪ.zɪt/

Perquisite

avantage
Meaning
an additional benefit or privilege given to an employee beyond their regular salary; a special right or advantage
Example
Company car was one of the perquisites of his executive position.
La voiture de fonction etait l'un des avantages lies a son poste de cadre.
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 /ˌpæliˈeɪʃən/

palliation

soulagement
Meaning
relief of symptoms without curing the underlying disease or problem
Example
Palliation is often the focus of care for terminally ill patients.
Le soulagement est souvent l'objectif principal des soins pour les patients en phase terminale.
C2 adjective /pɒnˈtɪfɪkəl/

pontifical

relatif à un pape ou un évêque ; pompeux ou prétentieux
Meaning
relating to a pope or bishop; pompous or self-important
Example
His pontifical manner annoyed the other members of the committee.
Son comportement prétentieux agaçait les autres membres du comité.
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 /ˈpoʊltɪs/

poultice

cataplasme chaud aux herbes
Meaning
a soft, moist mass of material applied to the body to relieve soreness and inflammation
Example
The nurse applied a warm poultice to his injured leg.
L'infirmière a appliqué un cataplasme chaud sur sa jambe blessée.
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 /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 adjective /ˌpærəˈdɪɡmətɪk/

paradigmatic

paradigmatique
Meaning
Serving as a typical example or model of something.
Example
Her success story is paradigmatic of the opportunities education can provide.
Son histoire de succès est paradigmatique des opportunités que l'éducation peut offrir.
C2 noun /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 adjective /ˈpɪrɪk/

pyrrhic

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

philistine

personne indifférente ou hostile à la culture et aux arts
Meaning
a person who is indifferent or hostile to culture and the arts
Example
He was criticized as a philistine for dismissing modern art.
Il a été critiqué comme un philistin pour avoir rejeté l'art moderne.
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 noun /pəˈlæv.ər/

palaver

discussion inutile / agitation
Meaning
prolonged and idle discussion; fuss or unnecessary talk
Example
After much palaver, they finally agreed on the plan.
Après beaucoup de discussion inutile, ils ont finalement accepté le plan.
C2 noun /ˌpætrəˈnɪmɪk/

patronymic

patronymique
Meaning
a name derived from the name of a father or ancestor
Example
In many cultures, surnames are patronymic in origin.
Dans de nombreuses cultures, les noms de famille sont d'origine patronymique.
C2 noun /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 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 /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 noun /ˌpɜːrspɪˈkjuːəti/

perspicuity

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

prepossessing

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

plutocracy

gouvernement des riches
Meaning
a system of government where the wealthy hold power
Example
The country was ruled as a plutocracy.
Le pays était dirigé comme une ploutocratie.
C2 noun /ˈpɜːrkwɪzɪt raɪt/

perquisiteperquisiteright

droit aux avantages supplémentaires
Meaning
a legal right to certain benefits or privileges associated with a job or office
Example
The judge enjoyed certain perquisite rights attached to his position.
Le juge a profité de certains droits supplémentaires liés à sa fonction.
C2 noun /ˈpɔl.zi/

Palsy

paralysie
Meaning
paralysis, especially that which is accompanied by involuntary tremors; loss of muscle control
Example
The elderly man suffered from palsy in his hands.
L'homme âgé souffrait de la paralysie dans ses mains.
C2 adjective /ˈprɛfətɔːri/

prefatory

prélude
Meaning
serving as an introduction or preface
Example
He made some prefatory remarks before the lecture began.
Il a fait quelques remarques préliminaires avant que la conférence ne commence.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛrənˈθɛtɪkəl/

parenthetical

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

pluperfect

plus-que-parfait
Meaning
a verb tense expressing an action completed before another past action
Example
By the time she arrived, he had finished his homework, showing the pluperfect tense.
Quand elle est arrivée, il avait déjà terminé ses devoirs, montrant le plus-que-parfait.
C2 noun /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 /ˈpjuːɪsənt/

puissant

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

propitiate

apaiser
Meaning
to win or regain the favor of someone by doing something that pleases them
Example
He offered gifts to propitiate the angry gods.
Il a offert des cadeaux pour apaiser les dieux en colère.
C2 noun /ˌpɪəriəˈdɪsɪti/

periodicity

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