recrimination
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C2 noun /rɪˌkrɪmɪˈneɪʃən/

recrimination

contre-accusation
Meaning
an accusation made in response to an accusation; mutual blaming
Example
The debate quickly descended into mutual recriminations.
Le débat a rapidement dégénéré en contre-accusations mutuelles.
C2 noun /ˈæpəˌlɔːɡ/

apologue

récit moral
Meaning
a short moral story or fable intended to teach a lesson
Example
The teacher used an old apologue to explain honesty to the children.
Le professeur a utilisé un ancien récit moral pour expliquer l'honnêteté aux enfants.
C2 verb /kənˈtɛm/

contemn

mépriser
Meaning
to treat or regard with disdain, scorn, or contempt
Example
He would never contemn honest work, no matter how humble.
Il ne mépriserait jamais un travail honnête, peu importe à quel point il est modeste.
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 verb /dɔːb/

daub

badigeonner
Meaning
to spread a thick or sticky substance carelessly on a surface
Example
The children daubed paint all over the walls.
Les enfants ont badigeonné la peinture partout sur les murs.
C2 adjective /juːˈnɪsənənt/

unisonant

harmonieux
Meaning
Sounding together or in harmony.
Example
The unisonant voices created a powerful effect.
Les voix harmonieuses ont créé un effet puissant.
C2 adjective /ˈslæp.dæʃ/

slapdash

fait à la va-vite
Meaning
done too quickly and carelessly; hasty and careless
Example
The report was written in a slapdash manner, full of errors.
Le rapport a été rédigé à la va-vite, plein d'erreurs.
C2 noun /ˈslæt.ən/

slattern

femme négligée
Meaning
a woman who is untidy or slovenly in appearance or habits
Example
The house looked as if a slattern lived there.
La maison avait l'air d'avoir une femme négligée qui y vivait.
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 /ˈmeɪsə/

mesa

mesa
Meaning
An isolated flat-topped hill with steep sides, found in arid regions.
Example
The hikers stopped to admire the mesa rising above the desert floor.
Les randonneurs se sont arrêtés pour admirer la méssa qui s'élevait au-dessus du sol du désert.
C2 adjective /ɛkˈstrɪnzɪk/

extrinsic

extrinsèque
Meaning
Not part of the essential nature of someone or something; coming from outside.
Example
His motivation was largely extrinsic, driven by rewards and recognition.
Sa motivation était en grande partie extrinsèque, motivée par des récompenses et de la reconnaissance.
C2 adjective /pʌŋkˈtɪliəs/

punctilious

pointilleux
Meaning
Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
Example
She was punctilious in her attention to etiquette.
Elle était pointilleuse dans son attention à l'étiquette.
C2 noun /ˈbuː.jɒ̃/

bouillon

bouillon
Meaning
A clear, seasoned broth made by simmering meat, fish, or vegetables in water.
Example
She added vegetables to the bouillon for extra flavor.
Elle a ajouté des légumes au bouillon pour plus de saveur.
C2 noun /hɜːrˈbɛəriəm/

herbarium

herbier
Meaning
A collection of preserved plant specimens and associated data used for scientific study.
Example
The university maintains a large herbarium for research and education.
L'université maintient un grand herbier pour la recherche et l'éducation.
C2 adjective /ˈhaɪdrəs/

hydrous

hydraté
Meaning
Containing water, especially water of crystallization.
Example
The mineral is hydrous because it contains water molecules in its structure.
Le minéral est hydraté car il contient des molécules d'eau dans sa structure.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈdɛkərəs/

indecorous

indécent
Meaning
Not in keeping with good taste and propriety; improper.
Example
His indecorous behavior shocked the audience.
Son comportement indécent a choqué l'audience.
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 noun ˌmɛtəkɒɡˈnɪʃən

metacognition

penser à la pensée
Meaning
Awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes
Example
Metacognition enhances problem-solving abilities.
La métacognition améliore les capacités de résolution de problèmes.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈtraɪkʌlər/

tricolor

drapeau tricolore
Meaning
A flag with three colors; consisting of three colors.
Example
The French tricolor is one of the most famous national flags in the world.
Le drapeau tricolore français est l'un des drapeaux nationaux les plus célèbres au monde.
C2 noun /ˈnæfθə/

naphtha

naphta
Meaning
A flammable oil containing hydrocarbons, obtained from petroleum or coal tar, used as fuel or solvent.
Example
The factory stored barrels of naphtha for industrial use.
L'usine stockait des barils de naphta pour un usage industriel.
C2 adjective /ˌkloʊs ˈhɔːld/

close-hauled

naviguer aussi près que possible du vent
Meaning
of a sailing ship, sailing as nearly as possible towards the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Example
The yacht was close-hauled as it cut through the waves.
Le yacht était naviguant aussi près que possible du vent en coupant les vagues.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːprəˈmʌndeɪn/

supramundane

supramondain
Meaning
beyond the physical or ordinary world; transcendent
Example
The monk spoke of supramundane peace beyond material life.
Le moine a parlé de la paix supramondaine au-delà de la vie matérielle.
C2 verb /næʃ/

gnash

grincer des dents
Meaning
to grind or strike the teeth together, often in anger or frustration
Example
He began to gnash his teeth in rage.
Il a commencé à grincer des dents de rage.
C2 noun /slaɪt/

sleight

habileté
Meaning
Skill or dexterity, especially in performing tricks.
Example
The magician amazed the crowd with his sleight of hand.
Le magicien a étonné la foule avec son habileté des mains.
C2 adjective /ˈvɒl.jʊ.bəl/

Voluble

bavard; volubile
Meaning
speaking fluently and readily; talkative; having a continuous flow of words
Example
The voluble salesman talked for hours about his products.
Le vendeur bavard a parlé pendant des heures de ses produits.
C2 noun /ˈkɒn.tɪ.nəns/

continence

continence
Meaning
self-restraint, especially regarding bodily functions or desires
Example
He practiced continence to maintain focus on his studies.
Il a pratiqué la continence pour maintenir son attention sur ses études.
C2 noun /ˈhæk.ni ˈkær.ɪdʒ/

Hackney carriage

voiture de location
Meaning
A taxi; a car licensed to carry passengers for hire
Example
I called a hackney carriage to get to the airport.
J'ai appelé une voiture de location pour aller à l'aéroport.
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 noun /ˌɛfləˈrɛsəns/

efflorescence

floraison
Meaning
the process of flowering or reaching an optimal stage of development
Example
The garden was at the peak of its efflorescence in spring.
Le jardin était au sommet de sa floraison au printemps.
C2 verb /ˈdæli/

dally

traîner
Meaning
To act or move slowly; to waste time; also to engage in a casual romantic relationship.
Example
He dallied in the garden instead of starting his work.
Il a traîné dans le jardin au lieu de commencer son travail.
C2 noun /ˌrep.ɑːˈtiː/

Repartee

réplique
Meaning
conversation or speech characterized by quick, witty comments or replies
Example
The dinner party was filled with brilliant repartee between the guests.
Le dîner était rempli de répliques brillantes entre les invités.
C2 noun /ɪˈmɒljʊmənt/

emolument

salaire
Meaning
payment for work or services; salary or fees
Example
The professor received his annual emolument from the university.
Le professeur a reçu son salaire annuel de l'université.
C2 adjective /rɪˈtɪkjʊlət/

reticulate

réticulé
Meaning
Having a net-like pattern or structure.
Example
The leaf had a reticulate pattern of veins.
La feuille avait un motif réticulé de veines.
C2 noun /ˌæfɛkˈteɪʃən/

affectation

affectation
Meaning
an unnatural behavior or speech intended to impress others
Example
Her British accent was just an affectation to sound sophisticated.
Son accent britannique n'était qu'une affectation destinée à paraître sophistiquée.
C2 noun /njʊˈrældʒə/

neuralgia

douleur nerveuse
Meaning
intense, often intermittent pain along a nerve pathway
Example
The patient suffers from neuralgia in her face.
Le patient souffre de névralgie dans son visage.
C2 verb /ɪkˈstɛmpəraɪz/

extemporize

improviser
Meaning
To speak or perform without preparation; improvise.
Example
The actor had to extemporize when he forgot his lines.
L'acteur a dû improviser lorsqu'il a oublié ses répliques.
C2 verb /ˈsɪbəleɪt/

sibilate

prononcer avec un sifflement
Meaning
To pronounce with a hissing sound.
Example
The actor sibilated his lines for dramatic effect.
L'acteur a prononcé ses répliques avec un sifflement pour un effet dramatique.
C2 noun /ˈdɛrɪk/

derrick

tour de forage
Meaning
A framework or tower used for supporting a crane, especially for oil drilling or lifting heavy loads.
Example
The workers assembled a derrick at the oil drilling site.
Les ouvriers ont assemblé une tour de forage sur le site de forage de pétrole.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːndrəs/

laundress

blanchisseuse
Meaning
A woman whose job is washing clothes and linens.
Example
The laundress delivered the freshly cleaned clothes to the household.
La blanchisseuse a livré les vêtements fraîchement lavés à la maison.
C2 noun /ˌpɒl.iˈsɪl.ə.bəl/

polysyllable

mot polysyllabique
Meaning
a word with more than one syllable
Example
The word 'elephant' is a polysyllable because it has three syllables.
Le mot 'éléphant' est un mot polysyllabique car il a trois syllabes.
C2 noun /ˌbeɪt ˈnwɑːr/

bete noire

une chose détestée
Meaning
A person or thing that one particularly dislikes or fears.
Example
Grammar has always been his bete noire.
La grammaire a toujours été sa bête noire.
C2 noun /ˈænɪməs/

animus

hostilité / but
Meaning
A strong feeling of hostility; motivation or purpose behind an action.
Example
His speech was driven by animus against the policy.
Son discours était motivé par l'hostilité envers la politique.
C2 noun /ˌbluː ˈblʌd/

Blue-blood

sang bleu
Meaning
a person of noble birth; aristocrat
Example
She came from a family of blue-bloods with centuries of royal heritage.
Elle venait d'une famille de sang bleu avec des siècles d'héritage royal.
C2 adjective hjʊˈrɪs.tɪk

heuristic

heuristique
Meaning
Enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves; experimental learning approach.
Example
Teachers use heuristic techniques to encourage self-learning.
Les enseignants utilisent des techniques heuristiques pour encourager l'auto-apprentissage.
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 adjective /ˈlæmbənt/

lambent

luisant doucement
Meaning
glowing or flickering softly; having a gentle radiance
Example
The lambent light of the candle filled the room with warmth.
La lumière luisante de la bougie remplit la pièce de chaleur.
C2 verb /bɪˈstruː/

bestrew

répandre
Meaning
To scatter or cover something with objects or substances.
Example
The ground was bestrewn with autumn leaves.
Le sol était couvert de feuilles d'automne.
C2 adjective /ˈlaʊtɪʃ/

loutish

grossier
Meaning
Clumsy, rude, or aggressive in behavior.
Example
His loutish remarks offended everyone at the meeting.
Ses remarques grossières ont offensé tout le monde à la réunion.
C2 verb /ɪmˈpɛnd/

impend

se profiler
Meaning
to be about to happen; to loom threateningly
Example
Dark clouds suggested that a storm was impeding.
Les nuages sombres suggéraient qu'une tempête était imminente.
C2 noun /ˌfɪzɪˈɑːkrəsi/

physiocracy

fisiocratie
Meaning
an economic theory that land and its natural products are the source of wealth
Example
Physiocracy emphasized the importance of agriculture in national wealth.
La fisiocratie a souligné l'importance de l'agriculture dans la richesse nationale.
C2 noun /ˈpiːs ɡʊdz/

Piece-goods

tissu au mètre
Meaning
textiles or fabrics sold by the yard or meter; cloth materials
Example
The tailor bought piece-goods from the wholesale market to make custom dresses.
Le tailleur a acheté des tissus au mètre au marché de gros pour fabriquer des robes sur mesure.
C2 adjective /loʊˈkweɪʃəs/

loquacious

loquace
Meaning
tending to talk a great deal; very talkative
Example
The loquacious child entertained everyone with endless stories.
L'enfant loquace a diverti tout le monde avec des histoires sans fin.
C2 noun /ˈtɜːrnkoʊt/

turncoat

traître
Meaning
a person who switches allegiance, often betraying a cause or group
Example
He was branded a turncoat after joining the rival political party.
Il a été qualifié de traître après avoir rejoint le parti politique rival.
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 adjective /ˈtɪd.li/

Tiddley

légèrement ivre; petit ou minuscule
Meaning
slightly drunk; small or tiny
Example
After a few drinks, he felt a bit tiddley.
Après quelques verres, il se sentit un peu tiddley.
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 noun /ˈsaɪnɪkjʊər/

sinecure

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

rococo

rococo
Meaning
characterized by ornate detail and elaborate decoration, especially in art, architecture, and design
Example
The palace was decorated in a lavish rococo style.
Le palais a été décoré dans un style rococo luxueux.
C2 adjective /ˈsæ.loʊ/

sallow

jaunâtre
Meaning
Of an unhealthy yellow or pale brown color, often referring to skin.
Example
His sallow complexion made him look tired and sickly.
Son teint jaunâtre le faisait paraître fatigué et malade.
C2 noun /ˈkɪzmɛt/

kismet

destin
Meaning
Destiny or fate.
Example
Meeting her on that day felt like pure kismet.
La rencontrer ce jour-là a ressemblé à un pur destin.
C2 noun /ɪkˈsɔːr.ə/

Ixora

ixora
Meaning
a tropical flowering shrub with clusters of small bright red, orange, or yellow flowers
Example
The bright red ixora bushes lined the pathway to the tropical garden.
Les buissons d'ixora rouges brillants bordaient le chemin menant au jardin tropical.
C2 adjective /ˌkɑːmənˈsɛnsɪkəl/

commonsensical

raisonnable
Meaning
based on or showing sound practical judgment; sensible
Example
It was commonsensical to carry an umbrella on a rainy day.
Il était raisonnable d’emporter un parapluie un jour de pluie.
C2 noun /mjuːz/

mews

impasse/rue étroite
Meaning
A row or street of houses or apartments that have been converted from stables or built to look like former stables.
Example
They rented a small flat in a quiet London mews.
Ils ont loué un petit appartement dans un mews tranquille de Londres.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈlɪdʒəs/

irreligious

irréligieux
Meaning
Indifferent or hostile to religion
Example
Some people in the community consider him irreligious because he never attends religious services.
Certaines personnes dans la communauté le considèrent comme irréligieux car il ne va jamais aux services religieux.
C2 adjective /ˌhæfˈbeɪkt/

half-baked

à moitié cuit
Meaning
poorly thought out or badly planned
Example
The manager quickly rejected his half-baked proposal.
Le manager a rapidement rejeté sa proposition à moitié cuite.
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 /ɪkˈsɪʒən/

excision

excision
Meaning
the act of cutting something out, especially by surgical removal
Example
The excision of the infected tissue prevented further complications.
L'excision du tissu infecté a empêché d'autres complications.
C2 noun /ˈfriːˌθɪŋkər/

freethinker

librepenseur
Meaning
A person who forms opinions based on reason and independent thought rather than tradition or authority.
Example
Voltaire was considered a great freethinker of his time.
Voltaire a été considéré comme un grand librepenseur de son époque.
C2 adjective /əˈvʌŋkjələr/

avuncular

sympathique comme un oncle
Meaning
kind and friendly, like an uncle
Example
He had an avuncular manner that made everyone feel comfortable.
Il avait une manière avunculaire qui mettait tout le monde à l'aise.
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, verb /ˈtræməl/

trammel

entrave
Meaning
A restriction or impediment to freedom of action; to restrict.
Example
The strict rules trammel the creativity of the students.
Les règles strictes entravent la créativité des étudiants.
C2 adjective /ˈflæs.ɪd/

Flaccid

flasque; mou; tombant;
Meaning
soft and limp; lacking firmness; drooping
Example
The plant's leaves became flaccid after days without water.
Les feuilles de la plante sont devenues flasques après plusieurs jours sans eau.
C2 noun /ˈɪnfəmi/

infamy

bonheur
Meaning
the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed
Example
His name will live in infamy for the crimes he committed.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /ˈbʊljən/

bullion

or ou argent en vrac
Meaning
Gold or silver in bulk before being coined or made into jewelry.
Example
The bank stores gold bullion in its vaults.
La banque conserve de l'or en vrac dans ses coffres.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːθɔːrn/

hawthorn

arbuste épineux
Meaning
A thorny shrub or small tree with white or pink flowers, often used for hedges.
Example
The garden was lined with blooming hawthorn bushes.
Le jardin était bordé de buissons de prunelliers en fleurs.
C2 noun /ˈkɒmɪti/

comity

courtoisie, respect mutuel
Meaning
Courtesy and considerate behavior towards others; mutual respect.
Example
The meeting was conducted with comity and respect.
La réunion s'est déroulée avec courtoisie et respect.
C2 noun /trænsˈluːsəns/

translucence

semi-transparence
Meaning
the quality of allowing light to pass through but not detailed shapes
Example
The translucence of the curtains filled the room with soft light.
La semi-transparence des rideaux remplissait la pièce de lumière douce.
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 adjective /ˈsɜː.kəm.spekt/

circumspect

prudent, réfléchi, circonspect
Meaning
Wary and unwilling to take risks; careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences.
Example
Investors must be circumspect before making decisions.
Les investisseurs doivent être circonspects avant de prendre des décisions.
C2 noun /ˈskɪnˌflɪnt/

skinflint

avare
Meaning
a person who spends as little money as possible; a miser
Example
The landlord was such a skinflint that he never repaired anything.
Le propriétaire était tellement avare qu'il n'a jamais réparé quoi que ce soit.
C2 noun /kəˈmɛstɪbəl/

comestible

comestible
Meaning
An item of food that can be eaten.
Example
The picnic basket was full of delicious comestibles.
Le panier de pique-nique était plein de délicieuses comestibles.
C2 adjective /ˌiːvənˈhændɪd/

evenhanded

impartial
Meaning
Fair and impartial; showing no bias or favoritism.
Example
The judge was praised for her evenhanded approach to the case.
Le juge a été félicité pour son approche impartiale du cas.
C2 adjective /dɪˈstreɪ/

distrait

distrait
Meaning
deeply distracted or absent-minded, often due to worry or grief
Example
He looked distrait after hearing the sad news.
Il avait l'air distrait après avoir entendu les mauvaises nouvelles.
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 adjective /ˈslɪpʃɒd/

slipshod

négligé, bâclé
Meaning
done in a careless, sloppy, or untidy way
Example
The project failed due to slipshod planning.
Le projet a échoué en raison d'une planification négligée.
C2 adjective /ˌɪndaɪˈdʒestəbəl/

Indigestible

indigeste; difficile à digérer
Meaning
difficult or impossible to digest; hard to process in the stomach
Example
The old bread became hard and indigestible.
Le vieux pain est devenu dur et indigeste.
C2 verb /aʊtˈraɪd/

outride

dépasser
Meaning
to ride faster, farther, or better than someone else
Example
The young rider managed to outride his competitors in the race.
Le jeune cavalier a réussi à dépasser ses concurrents dans la course.
C2 verb /məˈtrɪkjʊˌleɪt/

matriculate

matriculer
Meaning
To enroll as a student in a college or university.
Example
She matriculated at Oxford University last year.
Elle s'est inscrite à l'Université d'Oxford l'année dernière.
C2 adjective /ˈeksɪkrəbl/

execrable

exécrable
Meaning
Extremely bad or unpleasant.
Example
The movie was so execrable that many people left the theater early.
Le film était tellement exécrable que beaucoup de gens sont partis tôt du cinéma.
C2 noun /ɜːrˈbænɪti/

urbanity

urbanité
Meaning
refined courtesy, elegance, and sophistication in manner
Example
Her urbanity made her popular among diplomats and leaders.
Son urbanité la rendait populaire parmi les diplomates et les dirigeants.
C2 noun ˌbaɪ.oʊ.əˈveɪ.lə.bɪl.ə.ti

bioavailability

capacité d'absorption du corps
Meaning
The degree to which a substance can be absorbed and used by the body.
Example
Turmeric's bioavailability increases when consumed with black pepper.
La biodisponibilité du curcuma augmente lorsqu'il est consommé avec du poivre noir.
C2 adjective ˈmiː.ni.əl

menial

mineur
Meaning
Not requiring much skill and lacking prestige.
Example
He refused to do menial work.
Il a refusé de faire des travaux mineurs.
C2 noun /ˈbɪɡ.ə.mi/

bigamy

bigamie
Meaning
The act of marrying one person while still legally married to another.
Example
He was charged with bigamy after his second marriage was discovered.
Il a été accusé de bigamie après que son second mariage ait été découvert.
C2 noun /ˌbædɪˈnɑːʒ/

badinage

badinage, conversation plaisante
Meaning
Playful and humorous conversation; banter.
Example
The friends enjoyed a light badinage over coffee.
Les amis ont apprécié une légère badinage autour du café.
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 /ˌær.əˈbesk/

arabesque

design orné
Meaning
a complex, ornate design featuring intertwined flowing lines, often used in architecture or ballet poses
Example
The ceiling was decorated with delicate arabesque patterns.
Le plafond était décoré de délicats motifs arabesques.
C2 noun /ˌiː.tiˈɒ.lə.dʒi/

etiology

étiologie
Meaning
the cause or origin of a disease or condition
Example
Doctors are studying the etiology of the new virus.
Les médecins étudient l'étiologie du nouveau virus.
C2 noun /ˈɪmpjʊdəns/

impudence

impudence
Meaning
Rude and disrespectful behavior.
Example
The student's impudence shocked the entire class.
L'impudence de l'étudiant a choqué toute la classe.
C2 noun /ˈɡʌmp.ʃən/

gumption

courage, initiative
Meaning
Courage, resourcefulness, or initiative.
Example
It takes real gumption to start your own business.
Il faut du vrai courage pour démarrer son propre entreprise.
C2 adjective /ˌsɪkəˈfæntɪk/

sycophantic

flatteur
Meaning
Behaving in a way that is excessively obedient or servile to gain favor.
Example
His sycophantic behavior annoyed his colleagues.
Son comportement flatteur agacé ses collègues.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈdjuːbɪtəbl/

indubitable

indubitable
Meaning
Impossible to doubt; unquestionable.
Example
It is indubitable that hard work leads to success.
Il est indubitable que le travail acharné mène au succès.
C2 noun /boʊ/

beau

amant
Meaning
a male admirer or boyfriend; a fashionable young man
Example
She arrived at the party with her beau.
Elle est arrivée à la fête avec son amant.
C2 verb /dʒɛˈstɪkjʊleɪt/

gesticulate

gesticuler
Meaning
to use gestures, especially dramatic ones, instead of speaking or to emphasize one's words
Example
He gesticulated wildly to get their attention.
Il gesticulait sauvagement pour attirer leur attention.
C2 adjective /ˈfrɛtfəl/

fretful

agité
Meaning
Feeling or showing distress or irritation.
Example
The baby was fretful all night and could not sleep.
Le bébé était agité toute la nuit et n'a pas pu dormir.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrˌnɑːlɪdʒ/

foreknowledge

prémonition
Meaning
Awareness of something before it happens or exists.
Example
The prophet claimed to have foreknowledge of the event.
Le prophète a affirmé avoir la prémonition de l'événement.
C2 noun /rɪˈpoʊst/

riposte

réplique acérée
Meaning
a quick and clever reply to criticism or an insult
Example
Her sharp riposte left everyone in silence.
Sa réplique acérée laissa tout le monde sans voix.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈæpt/

Inapt

inapproprié; inapte
Meaning
not suitable; inappropriate; unfit
Example
His comment was inapt for the formal meeting.
Son commentaire était inapproprié pour la réunion formelle.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtrɪfjʊɡəl/

centrifugal

centrifuge
Meaning
Moving or tending to move away from a center.
Example
The centrifugal force pushes the clothes to the sides of the washing machine.
La force centrifuge pousse les vêtements vers les bords de la machine à laver.
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 /ˈvɪtrioʊl/

vitriol

critique acerbe
Meaning
harsh and bitter criticism
Example
The politician faced vitriol from the public.
Le politicien a fait face à une critique acerbe du public.
C2 noun, adjective /ˌæntiˌspæzˈmɒdɪk/

antispasmodic

antispasmodique
Meaning
A drug or agent that relieves or prevents muscle spasms.
Example
The doctor prescribed an antispasmodic to ease the pain.
Le médecin a prescrit un antispasmodique pour soulager la douleur.
C2 adjective /ˈliːənaɪn/

leonine

léonin
Meaning
Of or resembling a lion.
Example
His leonine hair made him stand out in the crowd.
Ses cheveux léonins le faisaient ressortir dans la foule.
C2 adjective /məˈlɪfluəs/

mellifluous

mélodieux
Meaning
Sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.
Example
The singer’s mellifluous voice enchanted the audience.
La voix mélodieuse du chanteur a enchanté le public.
C2 verb /rɪˈmɒnstreɪt/

remonstrate

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

antedated

daté antérieurement
Meaning
assigned to an earlier date than the actual one; happened earlier
Example
The letter was antedated to appear more official.
La lettre a été antidatée pour paraître plus officielle.
C2 noun /kəˈdɛnzə/

cadenza

un passage solo élaboré
Meaning
An elaborate solo passage in a piece of music, usually near the end.
Example
The pianist performed a brilliant cadenza before the final movement.
Le pianiste a exécuté une brillante cadenza avant le dernier mouvement.
C2 verb /əˈbeɪs/

abase

abaisser
Meaning
to belittle or degrade someone
Example
He refused to abase himself before the king.
Il a refusé de s'abaisser devant le roi.
C2 adjective /ˌmʌl.tɪˈfeə.ri.əs/

Multifarious

multiforme; varié
Meaning
having many different aspects or forms; diverse and varied
Example
The company has multifarious business interests including technology, finance, and healthcare.
L'entreprise a des intérêts commerciaux multifacétiques, y compris la technologie, la finance et les soins de santé.
C2 noun /kæd/

Cad

scélérat; grossier
Meaning
a man who behaves dishonorably, especially toward women
Example
Everyone at the party avoided him because he was known to be a cad.
Tout le monde à la fête l'a évité parce qu'il était connu pour être un scélérat.
C2 adjective /ˈwɪspi/

wispy

fins et fragiles
Meaning
Thin, delicate, and weak in appearance or form.
Example
Her wispy hair blew gently in the breeze.
Ses cheveux fins soufflaient doucement dans la brise.