recant
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 verb /rɪˈkænt/

recant

rétracter
Meaning
to withdraw or renounce a statement or belief formally
Example
He recanted his previous statement in court.
Il a rétracté sa déclaration précédente au tribunal.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪ ˈfloʊn/

high-flown

grandiloquent
Meaning
Using fancy or pretentious language; lofty in style but often overblown.
Example
The politician gave a high-flown speech full of promises.
Le politicien a donné un discours grandiloquent plein de promesses.
C2 noun /ˈmiːliərɪzəm/

meliorism

méliorisme
Meaning
The belief that the world tends to improve and that humans can aid its betterment.
Example
Her philosophy of meliorism kept her hopeful during difficult times.
Sa philosophie du méliorisme l'a maintenue pleine d'espoir pendant les moments difficiles.
C2 noun /fiːf/

fief

un terrain de terre détenu sous le système féodal ; un domaine ou une zone de contrôle
Meaning
an estate of land held under the feudal system; a domain or area of control
Example
The knight was granted a fief by the lord for his service.
Le chevalier a reçu un fief du seigneur pour ses services.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌsti/

busty

à forte poitrine
Meaning
having a large or full bust; describing a woman with a prominent chest
Example
The actress was often described as busty in fashion magazines.
L’actrice était souvent décrite comme à forte poitrine dans les magazines de mode.
C2 adjective /əˈsiːtɪk/

acetic

acétique
Meaning
relating to or containing acetic acid; sour or vinegary in taste or smell
Example
The acetic smell of vinegar filled the kitchen.
L'odeur acétique du vinaigre a rempli la cuisine.
C2 verb /ˈbæstərdaɪz/

bastardize

dénaturer
Meaning
to corrupt or debase something by altering it from its original form; to change in a way that reduces quality or purity
Example
Critics argue that the remake bastardized the original novel.
Les critiques disent que le remake a dénaturé l’œuvre originale.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvaɪələbl/

inviolable

inviolable
Meaning
never to be broken, dishonored, or violated
Example
Human rights are considered inviolable in modern democracies.
Les droits de l'homme sont considérés comme inviolables dans les démocraties modernes.
C2 noun ˌkɒdʒɪˈteɪʃən

cogitation

réflexion, méditation
Meaning
The action of thinking deeply about something; contemplation
Example
After much cogitation, he made the final decision.
Après beaucoup de réflexion, il prit la décision finale.
C2 noun /lɒŋ ˈwɪskəd ˈkætfɪʃ/

Long whiskered catfish

poisson-chat à longues moustaches
Meaning
A type of freshwater fish with long whisker-like barbels around its mouth
Example
The fisherman caught a long whiskered catfish in the river.
Le pêcheur a attrapé un poisson-chat à longues moustaches dans la rivière.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɛmpərəns/

intemperance

intempérance
Meaning
Lack of moderation or self-control, especially with drinking or eating.
Example
His intemperance in drinking ruined his health.
Son intempérance dans l'alcool a ruiné sa santé.
C2 adjective /ˌpɪkəˈrɛsk/

picaresque

histoire d'un héros malicieux
Meaning
relating to a style of fiction depicting the adventures of a roguish hero
Example
The novel is a picaresque tale of a clever vagabond.
Le roman est une histoire picaresque d'un vagabond rusé.
C2 noun dʒʊˈdɪʃəsnɪs

judiciousness

jugement judicieux, sagesse
Meaning
Having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense.
Example
Her judiciousness in making decisions was appreciated.
Sa sagesse dans la prise de décision a été appréciée.
C2 adjective /ˈæməˌtɔːri/

amatory

amoureux
Meaning
Relating to or expressing sexual love.
Example
The poet’s verses were filled with amatory themes.
Les vers du poète étaient remplis de thèmes amoureux.
C2 noun /ˌɡaɪnəˈkɒkrəsi/

gynecocracy

gynécocratie
Meaning
a society or government ruled by women
Example
The ancient tribe was known for its gynecocracy, where women held all positions of power.
La tribu ancienne était connue pour sa gynécocratie, où les femmes détenaient toutes les positions de pouvoir.
C2 adjective /ˈrævənɪŋ/

ravening

affamé et avide
Meaning
Extremely hungry and greedy; voracious.
Example
The ravening wolves circled the camp.
Les loups affamés ont encerclé le camp.
C2 noun /kəˈpriːs/

caprice

caprice
Meaning
a sudden, unpredictable change of mood or behavior
Example
She bought the expensive dress on a caprice.
Elle a acheté la robe chère sur un caprice.
C2 noun /ˌɛpɪˈdɜːrmɪs/

epidermis

couche externe de la peau
Meaning
the outer layer of cells covering the body of an organism, especially the skin
Example
The epidermis protects the body from harmful bacteria.
L'épiderme protège le corps des bactéries nuisibles.
C2 verb /ɪnˈvaɪərən/

environ

entourer
Meaning
to surround or enclose; to encircle
Example
Mountains environ the small valley.
Les montagnes entourent la petite vallée.
C2 noun /ˈræpsədi/

rhapsody

chanson exaltée/éloge
Meaning
an expression of great enthusiasm or an epic musical composition
Example
The singer’s performance was a rhapsody of emotions.
La performance du chanteur était une rhapsodie d'émotions.
C2 verb /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛs/

convalesce

se rétablir, récupérer la santé et la force après une maladie ou un traitement médical
Meaning
to recover health and strength after illness or medical treatment
Example
After the surgery, she spent several weeks convalescing at home.
Après l'opération, elle a passé plusieurs semaines à récupérer chez elle.
C2 noun /mɛnˈdæsəti/

mendacity

faux
Meaning
the tendency to be untruthful; dishonesty
Example
The journalist exposed the mendacity of the officials.
Le journaliste a exposé la fausseté des responsables.
C2 verb /ˈmɒlɪfaɪ/

mollify

apaiser
Meaning
To calm or soothe someone's anger or anxiety.
Example
The manager tried to mollify the angry customers with discounts.
Le responsable a essayé d'apaiser les clients en colère avec des réductions.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈpruːdənt/

imprudent

imprudent
Meaning
Not showing care for the consequences of an action.
Example
It was imprudent to drive in such stormy weather.
C'était imprudent de conduire par un temps aussi orageux.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnɪkˈsɛpʃənəbl/

unexceptionable

irréprochable
Meaning
Not open to objection; acceptable and unobjectionable
Example
His behavior was unexceptionable throughout the event.
Son comportement était irréprochable tout au long de l'événement.
C2 noun /ˈæpədʒiː/

apogee

apogée
Meaning
the highest or most distant point; the climax or peak of something
Example
The empire reached its apogee during the 18th century.
L'empire a atteint son apogée au XVIIIe siècle.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈplækəbl/

implacable

implacable
Meaning
unable to be appeased, calmed, or pacified
Example
The soldiers faced an implacable enemy who refused to surrender.
Les soldats ont affronté un ennemi implacable qui a refusé de se rendre.
C2 noun /ˈɛpɪtɑːf/

epitaph

épitaphe
Meaning
A short text written on a tombstone in memory of the deceased.
Example
The gravestone bore an epitaph honoring the soldier’s bravery.
La pierre tombale portait une épitaphe honorant le courage du soldat.
C2 adjective /ˈspaɪnəs/

spinous

épineux
Meaning
Having spines or thorn-like projections
Example
The spinous cactus was difficult to handle without gloves.
Le cactus épineux était difficile à manipuler sans gants.
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 /koʊˈædʒətər/

coadjutor

adjoint
Meaning
a person who helps or assists another, especially in a religious or official capacity
Example
The bishop appointed a coadjutor to assist him with his duties.
L'évêque a nommé un adjoint pour l'aider dans ses devoirs.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪlədʒi/

antilogy

antilogie
Meaning
A contradiction in terms or ideas; inconsistency in speech or writing.
Example
The politician's statement was criticized for its antilogy.
La déclaration du politicien a été critiquée pour son antilogie.
C2 verb /ɛnˈdʒɔɪn/

enjoin

ordonner, interdire
Meaning
to instruct or urge someone to do something; to prohibit legally
Example
The judge enjoined the company from continuing its activities.
Le juge a interdit à l'entreprise de poursuivre ses activités.
C2 adjective /ˈdʌlsɪt/

dulcet

doux
Meaning
sweet and soothing (often used ironically)
Example
She was enchanted by his dulcet voice.
Elle était enchantée par sa voix douce.
C2 adjective /ˈɪm.pi.əs/

Impious

impie; blasphématoire
Meaning
irreligious; lacking reverence for religion; blasphemous
Example
The impious act shocked the religious community.
L'acte impie a choqué la communauté religieuse.
C2 verb /əˈkuːtər/

accouter

équiper
Meaning
to equip or outfit, typically with military or ceremonial attire
Example
The soldiers were accoutered in full battle gear.
Les soldats étaient équipés de tout l'équipement de combat.
C2 noun /ˈkɒŋ.kɔː.dæt/

concordat

concordat
Meaning
An agreement or treaty, especially between the Vatican and a secular government.
Example
The concordat established the rights of the church within the country.
Le concordat a établi les droits de l'église dans le pays.
C2 noun /ˈændaɪərn/

andiron

support en métal pour bois
Meaning
a metal support used in a fireplace to hold logs
Example
The logs rested on the andirons in the old fireplace.
Les bûches reposaient sur les andirons dans l'ancienne cheminée.
C2 noun /ˌpriːɪɡˈzɪstəns/

preexistence

préexistence
Meaning
the state of existing before something else
Example
Philosophers often debated the preexistence of the soul.
Les philosophes débattaient souvent de la préexistence de l'âme.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɛsteɪt/

gestate

gestation
Meaning
to carry and develop in the womb during pregnancy; to develop an idea over a period of time
Example
The mother whale gestates her calf for over a year.
La baleine mère gestate son baleineau pendant plus d'un an.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪˈliː/

bailee

dépositaire
Meaning
a person or party who temporarily receives possession of goods or property from another under a legal agreement
Example
The bailee must take reasonable care of the goods while they are in his possession.
Le dépositaire doit prendre soin des biens.
C2 noun /əˈkwaɪərmənt/

acquirement

acquisition; accomplissement
Meaning
the act of acquiring something; something that has been acquired, especially a skill or possession
Example
Language proficiency is an important acquirement for global careers.
La maîtrise des langues est une acquisition importante pour les carrières mondiales.
C2 verb /ɪnˈveɪɡəl/

inveigle

manipuler
Meaning
To persuade someone to do something by deception or flattery.
Example
She inveigled him into signing the contract.
Elle l'a dupé pour qu'il signe le contrat.
C2 adjective /ˌsɛm.iˈsɪv.ə.laɪzd/

semicivilized

semi-civilisé
Meaning
Partially civilized; having some aspects of civilization but not fully developed.
Example
The tribe was described as semicivilized by early explorers.
La tribu a été décrite comme semi-civilisée par les premiers explorateurs.
C2 verb /ˈdʒæbər/

jabber

bavarder
Meaning
To talk quickly and excitedly but with little sense.
Example
The children jabbered happily after the show.
Les enfants bavardaient joyeusement après le spectacle.
C2 noun /ˈkɒntrətɑː̃/

contretemps

malentendu inattendu
Meaning
an unexpected and unfortunate event or disagreement; a minor dispute
Example
There was a small contretemps between the two colleagues during the meeting.
Il y a eu un petit malentendu entre les deux collègues pendant la réunion.
C2 adverb /bɪˈtaɪmz/

betimes

tôt
Meaning
early; in good time
Example
She rose betimes to finish her work.
Elle s'est levée tôt pour finir son travail.
C2 noun /dɪˈsɛnʃən/

dissension

dissension
Meaning
Strong disagreement or difference of opinion, especially leading to discord within a group.
Example
The meeting ended in dissension among the committee members.
La réunion s'est terminée par une dissension parmi les membres du comité.
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 noun /ˈmɔːreɪz/

mores

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

mottled

tacheté
Meaning
Marked with spots, streaks, or blotches of different shades or colors.
Example
The snake's mottled skin helped it blend into the forest floor.
La peau tachetée du serpent l'a aidé à se fondre dans le sol de la forêt.
C2 noun /ɪmˈpaɪ.ə.ti/

Impiety

impiété
Meaning
lack of piety or reverence, especially for a god; disrespect or irreverence toward religious matters
Example
His impiety shocked the religious community when he mocked their sacred ceremonies.
Son impiété a choqué la communauté religieuse lorsqu'il s'est moqué de leurs cérémonies sacrées.
C2 adjective /ˌrɒŋˈhɛd.ɪd/

wrongheaded

à l'esprit tordu
Meaning
Having or showing bad judgment or stubbornly holding to wrong ideas.
Example
The policy was considered wrongheaded and harmful.
La politique a été considérée comme ayant l'esprit tordu et nuisible.
C2 adjective /səˈræfɪk/

seraphic

angélique
Meaning
Of or like a seraph; angelic, pure, and blissful.
Example
She gave him a seraphic smile that calmed his fears.
Elle lui donna un sourire angélique qui calma ses peurs.
C2 adjective /ˈkʌvətəs/

covetous

convoiteux
Meaning
having or showing a strong desire for someone else's possessions
Example
She gave him a covetous look when he showed his new watch.
Elle lui lança un regard convoiteux lorsqu'il montra sa nouvelle montre.
C2 noun /ˈkʌvən/

coven

un groupe de sorcières
Meaning
a group or gathering of witches
Example
The witches met secretly in a coven in the forest.
Les sorcières se sont réunies secrètement dans un coven dans la forêt.
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 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 /ˈkɒnsəvəˌtwɑː/

conservatoire

conservatoire
Meaning
A school specializing in the study of music or drama.
Example
She trained as a pianist at the Paris Conservatoire.
Elle s'est formée comme pianiste au Conservatoire de Paris.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈplaɪəbl/

impliable

impliquable
Meaning
Capable of being implied or suggested.
Example
The meaning of the statement is not directly clear but is impliable from the context.
Le sens de la déclaration n'est pas directement clair, mais il est impliquable à partir du contexte.
C2 noun /ˈsʊrmə fɪʃ/

Surma fish

poisson Surma
Meaning
a freshwater fish species found in the Surma river system of Bangladesh and northeastern India
Example
Surma fish is native to the rivers of Sylhet region.
Le poisson Surma est originaire des rivières de la région de Sylhet.
C2 noun ˌæb.əˈreɪ.ʃən

aberration

aberration, déviation, anomalie
Meaning
A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome.
Example
The scientist dismissed the data as an aberration.
Le scientifique a rejeté les données comme une aberration.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪtriəs/

vitreous

vitreux
Meaning
having a glass-like appearance or quality
Example
The mineral has a vitreous shine.
Le minéral a un éclat vitreux.
C2 adverb /əˈskæns/

askance

d'un air méfiant
Meaning
With suspicion, mistrust, or disapproval.
Example
She looked askance at his unusual proposal.
Elle regarda sa proposition étrange d'un air méfiant.
C2 noun /ˌmɪsæprɪˈhɛnʃən/

misapprehension

méprise
Meaning
a mistaken belief or misunderstanding
Example
There is a common misapprehension about the causes of the disease.
Il existe une méprise courante sur les causes de la maladie.
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 adjective /ɪnˈsuːpərəbl/

insuperable

insurmontable
Meaning
Impossible to overcome or surpass.
Example
The team faced insuperable challenges during the expedition.
L'équipe a fait face à des défis insurmontables lors de l'expédition.
C2 noun /ˌsuː.pɚˈfluː.ə.t̬i/

superfluity

superfluité
Meaning
An excessive amount of something; more than what is needed.
Example
The room was filled with a superfluity of decorations.
La pièce était remplie d'une superfluité de décorations.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪsəˈfɛktɪd/

disaffected

mécontent
Meaning
Dissatisfied and rebellious, especially against authority or leadership.
Example
The reforms were introduced to calm the disaffected youth.
Les réformes ont été introduites pour calmer la jeunesse mécontente.
C2 noun ˈpær.ə.ɡən

paragon

paragon
Meaning
A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality; a model of excellence.
Example
Neom is a paragon of sustainable urban design.
Neom est un paragon du design urbain durable.
C2 adjective ˌsʌr.əpˈtɪʃ.əs

surreptitious

secret
Meaning
Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of; done stealthily.
Example
She took a surreptitious glance at his notes.
Elle jeta un regard furtif sur ses notes.
C2 noun /ˈpɒlɪti/

polity

politique, système de gouvernement
Meaning
an organized society or form of government
Example
The ancient Greek polity had a system of city-states.
La politique grecque antique avait un système de cités-états.
C2 noun /ˈkɔːrsər/

courser

cheval rapide ou cheval de chasse
Meaning
a swift horse or a hunting horse
Example
The knight rode a fast courser into battle.
Le chevalier monta un coursier rapide au combat.
C2 adjective /ˈtɔːrʃəs/

tortious

acte illicite
Meaning
Relating to or involving a wrongful act leading to legal liability.
Example
The company was found guilty of tortious interference with contracts.
L'entreprise a été reconnue coupable d'interférence illicite avec les contrats.
C2 noun əˌklaɪ.mə.tɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

acclimatization

acclimatation
Meaning
The process of adapting to a new environment or condition.
Example
The hikers needed time for acclimatization to high altitudes.
Les randonneurs ont eu besoin de temps pour l'acclimatation aux hautes altitudes.
C2 noun /ˌɪmpəˈtjuːəsəti/

impetuosity

impétuosité
Meaning
The quality of being rash or impulsive.
Example
His impetuosity often got him into trouble.
Son impétuosité le mettait souvent dans des ennuis.
C2 noun /ˈænsɛstrɪs/

ancestress

ancêtre féminine
Meaning
a female ancestor; a woman from whom one is descended
Example
She discovered that her ancestress came from a small village in Bengal.
Elle a découvert que son ancêtre féminine venait d’un petit village du Bengale.
C2 noun məˌnɒp.ə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən

monopolization

monopolisation
Meaning
The process by which a company gains exclusive control over a commercial activity.
Example
The monopolization of industries can limit consumer choices.
La monopolisation des industries peut limiter les choix des consommateurs.
C2 adjective /əˈɡɒɡ/

agog

Meaning
Highly excited by eagerness, curiosity, or anticipation.
Example
The children were agog with excitement as they waited for the magician to appear.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒθ ˌiːtən/

moth-eaten

mangé par les mites
Meaning
Damaged or worn out, especially by moths or age.
Example
He wore a moth-eaten sweater on the cold day.
Il portait un pull mangé par les mites par une journée froide.
C2 noun /ˈkɜːrtʃɪf/

kerchief

foulard
Meaning
a piece of cloth worn around the head or neck
Example
She wore a red kerchief on her head.
Elle portait un foulard rouge sur la tête.
C2 adjective /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/

decrepit

délabré
Meaning
worn out or weakened by age or neglect
Example
The decrepit old house was on the verge of collapse.
La vieille maison délabrée était sur le point de s'effondrer.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːdəˈrɪfɪk/

sudorific

sudorifique
Meaning
causing or increasing sweating
Example
The doctor prescribed a sudorific drug to help reduce the fever.
Le médecin a prescrit un médicament sudorifique pour réduire la fièvre.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪələˈtɪʃən/

dialectician

dialecticien
Meaning
A person skilled in dialectic or logical argument.
Example
Socrates is often considered the greatest dialectician in history.
Socrate est souvent considéré comme le plus grand dialecticien de l'histoire.
C2 verb /ɪnˈkæmp/

encamp

camper
Meaning
to set up or establish a camp
Example
The soldiers encamped near the river for the night.
Les soldats ont campé près de la rivière pour la nuit.
C2 verb /bɪˈdaɪzən/

bedizen

orner de manière ostentatoire
Meaning
to dress up or decorate in a showy or tasteless way
Example
She was bedizened with cheap jewelry.
Elle était ornée de bijoux bon marché.
C2 noun /ˈseɪ.ɡoʊ/

Sago

sago
Meaning
starchy foodstuff obtained from the pith of various tropical palm stems
Example
She prepared sago pudding for dessert.
Elle a préparé du pudding de sago pour le dessert.
C2 noun /ɡleɪd/

glade

clairière
Meaning
An open space in a forest or woods.
Example
They rested in a sunny glade after their long hike.
Ils se sont reposés dans une clairière ensoleillée après leur longue randonnée.
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 /ˈrɛvəlri/

revelry

fête
Meaning
Lively and noisy festivities, especially involving drinking and dancing.
Example
The sound of revelry could be heard throughout the night.
Le bruit de la fête se faisait entendre toute la nuit.
C2 noun /ˈæntɪk/

antic

farce
Meaning
a playful, funny, or silly act or gesture
Example
The children laughed at the clown’s antics.
Les enfants ont ri des farces du clown.
C2 noun ˌæɡ.roʊˈfɔːr.ɪ.stri

agroforestry

agroforesterie
Meaning
A land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland.
Example
Agroforestry improves soil quality and crop yield.
L'agroforesterie améliore la qualité du sol et le rendement des cultures.
C2 adjective /ˈsɛpərəbəl/

separable

séparable
Meaning
Capable of being separated or divided.
Example
The two issues are separable and should be discussed independently.
Les deux problèmes sont séparables et doivent être discutés indépendamment.
C2 noun /ɪˈrʌp.ʃən/

Irruption

une entrée violente soudaine; une invasion ou une incursion; une explosion ou une éruption soudaine
Meaning
a sudden violent entry; an invasion or raid; a sudden outburst or eruption
Example
The army's irruption into enemy territory caught the opposing forces completely off guard.
L'irruption de l'armée dans le territoire ennemi a pris les forces adverses complètement au dépourvu.
C2 noun /ˈteɪbər/

Tabour

tambour
Meaning
a small side drum or tambourine used especially in folk music
Example
The folk musician played a lively tune on his tabour.
Le musicien folklorique a joué une mélodie animée sur son tambour.
C2 adjective /rɪˈflɛksəbl/

reflexible

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

virtu

goût pour l'art
Meaning
a love of or taste for fine art, antiques, or curiosities
Example
The collector’s house was filled with objects of virtu.
La maison du collectionneur était remplie d'objets de virtu.
C2 verb /læmˈbeɪst/

lambaste

réprimander sévèrement
Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly; to reprimand severely
Example
The teacher lambasted the students for not completing their homework.
Le professeur a sévèrement réprimandé les étudiants pour ne pas avoir fait leurs devoirs.
C2 verb /ˈdɪðər/

dither

hésiter
Meaning
to be indecisive or unable to make a decision
Example
He dithered for hours before choosing a restaurant.
Il a hésité pendant des heures avant de choisir un restaurant.
C2 adjective /ˈhoʊm.spʌn/

homespun

fait maison
Meaning
Simple and unsophisticated; made at home rather than in a factory.
Example
She wore a homespun dress to the village festival.
Elle portait une robe faite maison au festival du village.
C2 adjective /sɪˈlæbɪk/

syllabic

syllabique
Meaning
Relating to or based on syllables.
Example
The teacher explained the syllabic structure of the word.
Le professeur a expliqué la structure syllabique du mot.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkɔːrˈpɔːriəl/

incorporeal

incorporel
Meaning
lacking a physical body; not composed of matter; intangible
Example
Ghosts are often described as incorporeal beings.
Les fantômes sont souvent décrits comme des êtres incorporels.
C2 adjective /ˈɛrzæts/

ersatz

substitut
Meaning
made or used as a substitute, typically an inferior one
Example
The cheap shoes were made of ersatz leather.
Les chaussures bon marché étaient en cuir artificiel.
C2 adjective /ˌnɒndɪˈskrɪpt/

nondescript

banal
Meaning
Lacking distinctive or interesting features; dull and unremarkable.
Example
He lives in a nondescript apartment building on the edge of town.
Il vit dans un immeuble d'appartements banal à la périphérie de la ville.
C2 verb ˈlev.ɪ.teɪ.tɪŋ

levitating

lévitation
Meaning
Rising and hovering in the air, especially as a result of supernatural or magical power.
Example
The levitating structure is an engineering marvel.
La structure lévitante est une merveille d'ingénierie.
C2 noun /ˈʌmbrɪdʒ/

umbrage

mécontentement, offense
Meaning
A feeling of resentment or offense.
Example
She took umbrage at his rude remark.
Elle s'est vexée par sa remarque grossière.
C2 noun /ˈvɜːrbiɪdʒ/

verbiage

verbosité
Meaning
Excessive use of words, often with little content or meaning; wordiness.
Example
The contract was filled with unnecessary legal verbiage.
Le contrat était rempli de verbosité juridique inutile.
C2 noun /ˈmæsəkɪst/

masochist

masochiste
Meaning
a person who derives pleasure from their own pain or humiliation
Example
He was called a masochist for enjoying tough challenges.
Il a été appelé masochiste pour apprécier les défis difficiles.
C2 verb /ˈtrʌk.əl/

truckle

se soumettre
Meaning
To submit or yield obsequiously to someone in power.
Example
He refused to truckle to the demands of the corrupt officials.
Il a refusé de se soumettre aux demandes des fonctionnaires corrompus.
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 /ɡruːəl/

Gruel

bouillie
Meaning
a thin liquid food of oatmeal or another meal boiled in milk or water
Example
The sick patient could only eat gruel.
Le patient malade n'a pu manger que de la bouillie.
C2 noun /ˌɒnəˈreəriəm/

honorarium

honoraires
Meaning
A payment given for professional services that are rendered without a fee.
Example
The guest lecturer received an honorarium for her talk.
Le conférencier invité a reçu un honorarium pour sa conférence.
C2 noun /ˈkʌvi/

covey

un petit groupe d'oiseaux
Meaning
a small group of birds, especially partridges or quails
Example
A covey of quails flew across the field.
Un covey de cailles a volé à travers le champ.
C2 adjective /ˈdaʊti/

doughty

courageux
Meaning
brave, valiant, courageous
Example
The doughty soldier never backed down from a challenge.
Le soldat courageux n'a jamais reculé face à un défi.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪbɪlənt/

sibilant

avec un son sifflant
Meaning
Making or characterized by a hissing sound.
Example
The word 'snake' starts with a sibilant sound.
Le mot 'snake' commence par un son sifflant.
C2 noun /ˈtʃæm.pæk/

Champak

champak
Meaning
a fragrant yellow or white flower from a tree native to South Asia, used in perfumes and religious ceremonies
Example
The champak tree in the temple courtyard bloomed with golden flowers.
L'arbre de champak dans la cour du temple a fleuri avec des fleurs dorées.
C2 verb /ˌrɛprɪˈhɛnd/

reprehend

réprimander
Meaning
to express disapproval or criticism of someone or something
Example
The teacher reprehended the student for being dishonest.
L'enseignant a réprimandé l'élève pour avoir été malhonnête.
C2 noun /əˈnæθəmə/

anathema

anathème / chose détestée
Meaning
something or someone intensely disliked or strongly condemned
Example
Violence is anathema to her peaceful nature.
La violence est un anathème pour sa nature pacifique.
C2 adjective /ˌɛkjʊˈmɛnɪkəl/

ecumenical

unité religieuse œcuménique
Meaning
Promoting unity among different Christian churches or religions.
Example
The leaders gathered for an ecumenical conference to encourage dialogue.
Les dirigeants se sont réunis pour une conférence œcuménique afin de favoriser le dialogue.
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 /ˈkɪldʒɔɪ/

killjoy

rabat-joie
Meaning
a person who spoils the fun or enjoyment of others
Example
Don’t be a killjoy at the party.
Ne sois pas un rabat-joie à la fête.