rigmarole
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C2 noun /ˈrɪɡməˌroʊl/

rigmarole

perte de temps
Meaning
a long, complicated, and confusing process or story
Example
Getting a visa was such a rigmarole of paperwork and interviews.
Obtenir un visa a été une perte de temps entre papiers et entretiens.
C2 adjective /rɪˈzɪstləs/

resistless

irrésistible
Meaning
Impossible to resist; having an overpowering effect.
Example
She felt a resistless urge to laugh at the joke.
Elle a ressenti une envie irrésistible de rire à la blague.
C2 adjective /ˈtɛnɪbrəs/

tenebrous

ténébreux
Meaning
dark, shadowy, or obscure
Example
The cave was damp and tenebrous, filled with eerie sounds.
La grotte était humide et ténébreuse, remplie de bruits étranges.
C2 noun /ˈoʊvərlɔːrd/

overlord

seigneur
Meaning
A ruler, master, or person of great power and authority over others.
Example
The peasants were forced to pay taxes to their overlord.
Les paysans ont été forcés de payer des impôts à leur seigneur.
C2 noun /ˈɡɜːrdər/

girder

poutre (en acier)
Meaning
a large, strong beam used to support buildings or bridges
Example
The steel girders held the weight of the bridge.
Les poutres en acier ont soutenu le poids du pont.
C2 noun /ˈrʊkəri/

rookery

nid d'oiseaux
Meaning
a place where rooks or other birds breed and nest in colonies
Example
We saw a rookery full of noisy birds near the forest.
Nous avons vu un nid d'oiseaux plein d'oiseaux bruyants près de la forêt.
C2 noun, verb /ˈkæŋkər/

canker

cancro
Meaning
A fungal disease of plants; an ulcerous sore in the mouth; to corrupt or destroy slowly
Example
The tree was infected with a canker that damaged its bark.
L'arbre était infecté par un chancre qui endommagait son écorce.
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 noun /ˌkəʊ.əˈles.əns/

coalescence

coalescence, fusion
Meaning
The process of coming together to form one mass or whole.
Example
The coalescence of different cultures creates diversity.
La coalescence de différentes cultures crée de la diversité.
C2 noun /kɔˈrɪkə soˈbɔrnə/

Corica soborna

poisson kachki
Meaning
a small silvery fish species found in South Asian rivers, commonly used in local cuisine
Example
Corica soborna is a popular ingredient in traditional Bengali fish curry.
Corica soborna est un ingrédient populaire dans le curry de poisson bengali traditionnel.
C2 noun /məˈnæʒəri/

menagerie

collection d'animaux sauvages
Meaning
a collection of wild animals kept for exhibition; a diverse or strange group of people or things
Example
The circus had a menagerie of exotic animals.
Le cirque avait une collection d'animaux exotiques.
C2 adjective /ˈfæn.sɪ.ləs/

fanciless

sans imagination, ordinaire
Meaning
without imagination or creativity; plain or ordinary
Example
His drawings were simple and fanciless.
Ses dessins étaient simples et sans imagination.
C2 noun /kənˈtrɪʃ.ən/

contrition

contrition
Meaning
the state of feeling remorseful and repentant
Example
His contrition was evident after the apology.
Sa contrition était évidente après des excuses.
C2 adjective /ˈæsɪnaɪn/

asinine

absurde
Meaning
Extremely foolish or stupid.
Example
It was an asinine idea to drive into the storm without checking the weather.
C'était une idée absurde de conduire dans la tempête sans vérifier la météo.
C2 verb /ˌfɔːrˈrʌn/

forerun

précéder
Meaning
To go before; to precede in time, place, or action.
Example
Dark clouds often forerun a storm.
Les nuages sombres annoncent souvent une tempête.
C2 noun /ˈθiːɪzəm/

theism

théisme
Meaning
Belief in the existence of a god or gods, especially a creator who intervenes in the universe.
Example
Theism is central to many world religions.
Le théisme est central dans de nombreuses religions du monde.
C2 adjective /ˈroʊziət/

roseate

rosé, optimiste
Meaning
Having a pink color; optimistic or idealistic.
Example
She looked at the future with roseate optimism.
Elle regarda l'avenir avec un optimisme rose.
C2 noun /ɪˈmɛtɪk/

emetic

émétique
Meaning
a substance that causes vomiting
Example
The doctor administered an emetic to remove the poison.
Le médecin a administré un émétique pour éliminer le poison.
C2 verb /ɪˈvɪsəˌreɪt/

eviscerate

éviscérer, détruire
Meaning
to remove the internal organs of; to deprive of essential content
Example
The critics eviscerated the movie for its weak storyline.
les critiques ont détruit le film à cause de son histoire faible.
C2 noun /ˈliːdʒənəri/

legionary

soldat romain
Meaning
a soldier in the Roman army
Example
Each legionary carried a shield and a short sword.
Chaque légionnaire portait un bouclier et une épée courte.
C2 adjective /ˈflʌməksd/

flummoxed

déconcerté
Meaning
Completely confused or bewildered.
Example
He looked flummoxed after hearing the strange question.
Il avait l'air déconcerté après avoir entendu la question étrange.
C2 adjective /ˈbaɪ.fərˌkeɪ.tɪd/

bifurcated

divisé en deux parties
Meaning
Divided into two branches or parts.
Example
The river became bifurcated as it flowed around the island.
Le fleuve est devenu bifurqué en deux parties lorsqu'il a traversé l'île.
C2 noun /ˈmɒnəkl/

monocle

monocle
Meaning
A single round lens for one eye, used to correct or enhance vision.
Example
The old gentleman wore a monocle at formal events.
Le vieux monsieur portait un monocle lors des événements officiels.
C2 verb /ˈoʊɡəl/

ogle

regarder avec désir
Meaning
To look at someone with obvious sexual interest.
Example
He kept ogling the models on the runway.
Il n'arrêtait pas de regarder les mannequins sur le podium.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈwəʊntɪd/

unwonted

inhabituel
Meaning
Unusual, uncommon, or out of the ordinary.
Example
She spoke with an unwonted gentleness that surprised everyone.
Elle parla avec une douceur inhabituelle qui surprit tout le monde.
C2 verb /ˈfrʌktɪˌfaɪ/

fructify

fructifier
Meaning
To make fruitful or productive; to bear fruit.
Example
The new policies will help fructify the economic potential of the region.
Les nouvelles politiques aideront à fructifier le potentiel économique de la région.
C2 noun /ˈsɛntɔːr/

centaur

centaure
Meaning
A mythological creature with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse.
Example
The centaur is a well-known figure in Greek mythology.
Le centaure est une figure bien connue de la mythologie grecque.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈeɪliənəbl/

inalienable

inaliénable
Meaning
Unable to be taken away or transferred; absolute and permanent.
Example
Freedom of speech is an inalienable right.
La liberté d'expression est un droit inaliénable.
C2 noun /ˌfaɪ.təʊˈkem.ɪ.kəlz/

phytochemicals

phytocomposés
Meaning
Natural chemical compounds produced by plants that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, often having antioxidant properties.
Example
Phytochemicals in green tea help reduce inflammation.
Les phytocomposés dans le thé vert aident à réduire l'inflammation.
C2 noun /ˌɪnjuːˈɛndəʊ/

innuendo

sous-entendu
Meaning
An allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one.
Example
The manager's innuendo was directed towards his competitor.
L'allusion du directeur était dirigée vers son concurrent.
C2 noun /ˈdʒes.tər/

Jester

bouffon; comique
Meaning
a professional joker or fool at a medieval court; someone who jokes a lot
Example
The court jester entertained the king with witty remarks and amusing tricks.
Le bouffon de la cour divertissait le roi avec des remarques pleines d'esprit et des tours amusants.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkəmˈbʌstəbl/

incombustible

incombustible
Meaning
Not capable of catching fire or burning.
Example
This material is incombustible and safe for construction.
Ce matériau est incombustible et sûr pour la construction.
C2 verb /ɪnˈkʌmbər/

encumber

encombrer
Meaning
to burden or weigh down something, making it difficult to move or progress
Example
She was encumbered by the heavy luggage during her journey.
Elle était encombrée par les bagages lourds pendant son voyage.
C2 noun /ˌhaɪdroʊdaɪˈnæmɪks/

hydrodynamics

hydrodynamique
Meaning
The branch of science concerned with the motion of fluids, especially liquids, and the forces acting on solid bodies immersed in fluids.
Example
Hydrodynamics is essential in designing efficient ship hulls.
L'hydrodynamique est essentielle pour concevoir des coques de navires efficaces.
C2 noun /lækˈteɪʃən/

lactation

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

earshot

plage d'audition
Meaning
the range or distance within which a sound can be heard
Example
The children whispered secrets out of earshot of their parents.
Les enfants ont chuchoté des secrets hors de portée de leurs parents.
C2 verb /ɪɡˈzɪləreɪt/

exhilarate

exalter
Meaning
To make someone feel very happy, animated, or excited.
Example
The mountain view exhilarated the travelers.
La vue des montagnes a exalté les voyageurs.
C2 noun /nɪt/

nit

œuf de pou
Meaning
The egg or young form of a louse or other parasitic insect.
Example
The teacher noticed nits in the child’s hair.
L'enseignant a remarqué des œufs de pou dans les cheveux de l'enfant.
C2 adjective /ɔːˈrɔːrəl/

auroral

relatif à l'aurore
Meaning
Relating to or resembling the aurora, especially the northern lights.
Example
The scientists observed auroral activity in the night sky.
Les scientifiques ont observé une activité aurorale dans le ciel nocturne.
C2 verb /ɜːrk/

irk

agacer
Meaning
to annoy or irritate someone
Example
It irks me when people are late without calling.
Ça m'agace quand les gens arrivent en retard sans appeler.
C2 noun /ræpˈskæliən/

rapscallion

personne espiègle
Meaning
A mischievous or cheeky person; a rascal.
Example
The little rapscallion hid his brother’s shoes as a prank.
Le petit rapscallion a caché les chaussures de son frère pour une farce.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.kən/

oaken

fait de chêne
Meaning
made of or resembling oak wood
Example
The villagers gathered around the oaken table in the hall.
Les villageois se sont rassemblés autour de la table en chêne dans la salle.
C2 noun /ˈmɛtələ(r)dʒi/

metallurgy

métallurgie
Meaning
The science and technology of metals, including their extraction from ores and their processing.
Example
Metallurgy plays a vital role in industrial development.
La métallurgie joue un rôle essentiel dans le développement industriel.
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 /ɪnˈvaɪərən/

environ

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

novellette

novellette
Meaning
A short novel or long short story.
Example
The author published a novellette as a preview of her upcoming series.
L'auteur a publié une novellette en avant-première de sa prochaine série.
C2 noun ˈbaɪəʊˌsaɪd

biocide

biocide
Meaning
A chemical substance or microorganism intended to destroy, deter, render harmless, or exert a controlling effect on any harmful organism.
Example
Biocides help control pests and reduce the spread of diseases.
Les biocides aident à contrôler les ravageurs et à réduire la propagation des maladies.
C2 noun/verb /ˈkʌdʒ.əl/

cudgel

matraque
Meaning
A short, thick stick used as a weapon; to beat with a cudgel.
Example
The guard used a cudgel to chase away the thief.
Le garde a utilisé une matraque pour chasser le voleur.
C2 adjective /spɪk/

Spick

extrêmement propre et ordonné; immaculé
Meaning
extremely clean and neat; immaculate
Example
The house was spick and span after the cleaning.
La maison était parfaitement propre et ordonnée après le nettoyage.
C2 noun /əbˈstrʌkʃənɪst/

obstructionist

obstructionniste
Meaning
a person who deliberately delays or prevents progress by being uncooperative or oppositional
Example
The obstructionist in the committee kept delaying the decision-making process.
L'obstructionniste au sein du comite a continue a retarder le processus de prise de decision.
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 /ˈplɛnɪtjuːd/

plenitude

plénitude
Meaning
the condition of being full or abundant; a great quantity
Example
The garden was a plenitude of flowers in spring.
Le jardin était plein de plénitude de fleurs au printemps.
C2 verb /ˈɪŋkʌlpeɪt/

inculpate

accuser
Meaning
To blame or accuse someone of wrongdoing.
Example
The evidence seemed to inculpate the suspect in the crime.
Les preuves semblaient accuser le suspect dans le crime.
C2 verb /əˈkuːtə/

accoutre

accoutrer
Meaning
to dress or equip, especially in something impressive or elaborate
Example
The knight was accoutred in shining armor.
Le chevalier était accoutré en armure brillante.
C2 noun /ænˈtɪpədiːz/

antipodes

antipodes
Meaning
places on opposite sides of the Earth; also refers to things that are direct opposites
Example
Australia and Britain are often considered antipodes of each other.
L'Australie et la Grande-Bretagne sont souvent considérées comme des antipodes l'une de l'autre.
C2 noun /ˈkaʊntɪŋˌhaʊs/

counting-house

bureau de comptabilité
Meaning
a business office where accounts are kept and financial transactions are managed
Example
The merchant spent most of his day in the counting-house reviewing ledgers.
Le marchand passait la majeure partie de sa journée dans le bureau de comptabilité à examiner les livres de comptes.
C2 adjective /sɪˈkweɪʃəs/

sequacious

suiveur aveugle
Meaning
Lacking independence of thought; blindly following.
Example
The sequacious students never questioned their teacher's opinions.
Les étudiants séquacieux n'ont jamais remis en question les opinions de leur professeur.
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 /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 (plural) /ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/

machinations

machinations
Meaning
complicated and secret plans, often intended to cause harm
Example
The politician was brought down by his own machinations.
Le politicien a été abattu par ses propres machinations.
C2 adjective /kwaɪˈesnt/

Quiescent

inactif; calme; paisible;
Meaning
quiet; peaceful; inactive; dormant; at rest
Example
The volcano has been quiescent for over a century.
Le volcan est resté inactif pendant plus d'un siècle.
C2 noun /ˌænɪˈmɒmɪtər/

anemometer

anémomètre
Meaning
An instrument used to measure the speed and direction of wind.
Example
The scientist used an anemometer to record the wind speed during the storm.
Le scientifique a utilisé un anémomètre pour enregistrer la vitesse du vent pendant la tempête.
C2 noun /ˈæstər/

Aster

fleur d'aster
Meaning
a flowering plant with daisy-like flowers that typically bloom in fall
Example
The purple asters bloomed beautifully in the autumn garden.
Les asters violets ont fleuri magnifiquement dans le jardin d'automne.
C2 noun /lænˈtɑː.nə/

Lantana

lantana
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with clusters of small colorful flowers
Example
The lantana flowers attract butterflies to the garden.
Les fleurs de lantana attirent les papillons dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːpərˈæn.ju.eɪ.tɪd/

superannuated

obsolète
Meaning
old and no longer useful or valid; retired due to age
Example
The factory was filled with superannuated machines that slowed production.
L'usine était remplie de machines obsolètes qui ralentissaient la production.
C2 adjective /ˈɛkstənt/

extant

existent
Meaning
Still in existence; surviving.
Example
Only a few manuscripts from the ancient library are extant.
Seules quelques manuscrits de l'ancienne bibliothèque sont encore existants.
C2 adjective /sɪˈnæp.tɪk/

synaptic

synaptique
Meaning
Related to the signal transmission process between nerve cells.
Example
Learning strengthens synaptic connections in the brain.
L'apprentissage renforce les connexions synaptiques dans le cerveau.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪstəl/

distal

distal
Meaning
situated away from the center of the body or from the point of attachment
Example
The doctor examined the distal end of the patient’s arm.
Le médecin a examiné l'extrémité distale du bras du patient.
C2 adjective /ˈluːsənt/

lucent

lumineux
Meaning
shining or glowing with light
Example
The lucent stars brightened the night sky.
Les étoiles lumineuses ont illuminé le ciel nocturne.
C2 verb /ˈræŋ.kəl/

rankle

agacer
Meaning
To cause continuing annoyance or resentment.
Example
His unfair criticism continued to rankle her for days.
Sa critique injuste a continué de la contrarier pendant des jours.
C2 adjective /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔːri/

desultory

désordonné
Meaning
lacking a clear plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
Example
His desultory conversation bored the audience.
Sa conversation désordonnée ennuyait le public.
C2 noun /ˈhɛklər/

heckler

perturbateur
Meaning
A person who interrupts a speaker with rude or aggressive comments.
Example
The politician remained calm despite the heckler shouting from the crowd.
Le politicien est resté calme malgré le perturbateur criant depuis la foule.
C2 noun /ˈʌp.wel.ɪŋ/

upwelling

Un phénomène océanographique impliquant le mouvement de l'eau dense, froide et riche en nutriments vers la surface de l'océan.
Meaning
An oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface.
Example
Upwelling brings nutrients to the ocean surface.
L'upwelling apporte des nutriments à la surface de l'océan.
C2 noun /ˈdjʊərəns/

durance

prison
Meaning
imprisonment or confinement
Example
The prisoner spent years in durance before his release.
Le prisonnier a passé des années en prison avant sa libération.
C2 noun /noʊl/

Knoll

petite colline; monticule
Meaning
a small rounded hill or mound
Example
The old oak tree stood majestically on top of the grassy knoll.
Le vieux chêne se dressait majestueusement au sommet de la petite colline herbeuse.
C2 adjective /ˈtɪmərəs/

timorous

craintif
Meaning
showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or lack of confidence
Example
The timorous student hesitated to ask the teacher a question.
L'étudiant craintif a hésité à poser une question au professeur.
C2 adjective /ˈkʌsɪd/

cussed

têtu
Meaning
Annoyingly stubborn or difficult.
Example
He was too cussed to admit his mistake.
Il était trop têtu pour admettre son erreur.
C2 noun /ˈtæksɪˌdɜːrmi/

taxidermy

taxidermie
Meaning
The art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals for display.
Example
The museum had a large collection of taxidermy animals.
Le musée avait une grande collection d'animaux empaillés.
C2 noun /sɑːrˈkɒfəɡəs/

sarcophagus

cercueil en pierre
Meaning
A stone coffin, often decorated, used in ancient times.
Example
The museum displayed a beautifully carved sarcophagus from ancient Egypt.
Le musée a exposé un cercueil en pierre magnifiquement sculpté de l'Égypte ancienne.
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 /ˈræŋ.kər/

rancor

rancune
Meaning
A feeling of deep and bitter anger or resentment.
Example
There was a rancor between the two rivals that never faded.
Il y avait une rancune entre les deux rivaux qui ne s'est jamais estompée.
C2 adjective /roʊˈtʌnd/

rotund

rond
Meaning
round or plump in shape; full in sound
Example
The rotund cat struggled to climb the fence.
Le chat rond avait du mal à grimper la clôture.
C2 noun /kɒˈkeɪd/

cockade

rosette en ruban
Meaning
a rosette or knot of ribbon, usually worn on a hat as a badge of office or party
Example
The soldier wore a red cockade on his cap.
Le soldat portait une rosette en ruban rouge sur son chapeau.
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 adjective fɔːˈtjuː.ɪ.təs

fortuitous

fortuit
Meaning
Happening by accident or chance rather than design; lucky or fortunate.
Example
Their meeting was purely fortuitous.
Leur rencontre était purement fortuite.
C2 noun /ɡænˈdʒɛtɪk liːf fɪʃ/

Gangetic Leaf Fish

poisson-feuille gangétique
Meaning
a small freshwater fish species found in the Ganges river system, known for its leaf-like appearance
Example
The Gangetic Leaf Fish is commonly found in the rivers of Bangladesh.
Le poisson-feuille gangétique se trouve couramment dans les rivières du Bangladesh.
C2 adjective /ˈæmbjələˌtɔːri/

ambulatory

ambulatoire
Meaning
Relating to or able to walk; relating to outpatient medical care.
Example
The patient is ambulatory and does not require bed rest.
Le patient est ambulatoire et n'a pas besoin de repos au lit.
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 noun /ˈbʊlrʌʃ/

bulrush

jonc
Meaning
A tall plant with long leaves that grows in or near water, also known as a cattail.
Example
The pond was surrounded by tall bulrushes swaying in the wind.
L'étang était entouré de hauts jonc swaying dans le vent.
C2 noun /sɜːrˈsiːs/

surcease

cessation
Meaning
a temporary or final ending or stopping of something
Example
The noise finally came to a surcease after midnight.
Le bruit a finalement cessé après minuit.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɪkˈspiːdiənt/

inexpedient

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

beatify

béatifier
Meaning
to make blessed or holy, especially in the Roman Catholic Church, to declare a deceased person to be among the blessed
Example
The pope decided to beatify the martyr for his faith and sacrifice.
Le pape a décidé de béatifier le martyr pour sa foi et son sacrifice.
C2 noun /ˈdɛsɪkənt/

desiccant

dessicant
Meaning
a substance that absorbs moisture and keeps things dry
Example
Silica gel packets are commonly used as a desiccant in packaging.
Les paquets de gel de silice sont couramment utilisés comme dessicant dans les emballages.
C2 verb /ˈbækˌslaɪd/

backslide

rétrograder
Meaning
To relapse into bad habits, undesirable practices, or moral decline.
Example
After months of progress, he began to backslide into old habits.
Après des mois de progrès, il a commencé à revenir à ses anciennes habitudes.
C2 noun /ˌlɛdʒərdəˈmeɪn/

legerdemain

magie, tromperie
Meaning
skillful use of one's hands when performing tricks; deception or trickery
Example
The magician's legerdemain left the audience amazed.
La magie du magicien a laissé le public émerveillé.
C2 adjective /ˈpɜːrviəs/

pervious

perméable
Meaning
Allowing water, air, or other substances to pass through; permeable.
Example
The soil here is pervious to rainwater.
Le sol ici est perméable à l'eau de pluie.
C2 adjective /kəˈmɛnʃərət/

commensurate

proportionnel
Meaning
corresponding in size, degree, or extent; proportionate
Example
Salary will be commensurate with experience.
Le salaire sera proportionnel à l'expérience.
C2 adjective /ˌmɒnəkrəˈmætɪk/

monochromatic

monochromatique
Meaning
Consisting of or displaying only one color.
Example
The artist created a striking monochromatic painting in shades of blue.
L'artiste a créé une peinture monochromatique frappante dans des nuances de bleu.
C2 noun /ˈsætər/

satyr

bonheur
Meaning
a creature from Greek mythology depicted as a lustful being, often half-man and half-goat; by extension, a lecherous man
Example
In the museum mural, a satyr plays the panpipes while dancing in the woods.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒn.teɪn/

montane

relatif aux régions montagneuses; trouvé dans les environnements montagneux
Meaning
Relating to mountainous regions; found in mountain environments.
Example
Montane forests host a variety of unique species.
Les forêts montagnardes abritent une variété d'espèces uniques.
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 verb /ˈbɒtənaɪz/

botanize

étudier les plantes
Meaning
to study plants in their natural environment
Example
They went to the forest to botanize during their vacation.
Ils sont allés dans la forêt pour étudier les plantes pendant leurs vacances.
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 noun /ɪkˈspiːdiənsi/

expediency

opportunisme
Meaning
the quality of being convenient and practical despite possibly being improper or immoral
Example
He acted out of political expediency rather than principle.
Il a agi par opportunisme politique plutôt que par principe.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈlɛtəd/

unlettered

analphabète
Meaning
lacking education or the ability to read and write; illiterate
Example
The unlettered villagers relied on oral traditions to preserve their history.
Les villageois analphabètes dépendaient des traditions orales pour préserver leur histoire.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪdeɪt/

antedate

antérioriser
Meaning
to be earlier in time; to assign a date earlier than the actual one
Example
The manuscript antedates the modern printing press.
Le manuscrit précède l'invention de l'imprimerie moderne.
C2 noun /ˈvæsəl/

vassal

vassal
Meaning
A person or country in a subordinate position to another, especially in feudal times under a lord.
Example
The king granted land to his vassal in return for loyalty and service.
Le roi a accordé des terres à son vassal en échange de loyauté et de service.
C2 noun /ˈmɪn.i.ən/

minion

minion
Meaning
A follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile one.
Example
The dictator was surrounded by loyal minions who carried out his orders.
Le dictateur était entouré de ministres fidèles qui exécutaient ses ordres.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːˌɡɪvər/

lawgiver

législateur
Meaning
A person who creates or enforces laws; a legislator.
Example
Moses is often regarded as a great lawgiver in history.
Moïse est souvent considéré comme un grand législateur dans l'histoire.
C2 verb /diːˈlɪmɪt/

delimit

délimiter
Meaning
to fix the boundaries or limits of something
Example
The treaty was signed to delimit the borders of the two countries.
Le traité a été signé pour délimiter les frontières des deux pays.
C2 noun /prɪˈsɛʃən/

precession

précession
Meaning
The slow movement of the axis of a spinning body around another axis, often referring to Earth's rotation.
Example
Astronomers study the precession of the equinoxes.
Les astronomes étudient la précession des équinoxes.
C2 noun /ˈfiːæt/

fiat

décret, mandat
Meaning
an official order or decree; authoritative command
Example
The new policy was enacted by royal fiat.
La nouvelle politique a été mise en œuvre par un décret royal.
C2 adjective /ˌæk.rɪˈmoʊ.ni.əs/

acrimonious

amer et en colère
Meaning
Bitter and angry, often involving harsh words.
Example
The debate turned acrimonious after the controversial remark.
Le débat est devenu acrimonieux après le commentaire controversé.
C2 noun /ˈkærɪlɒn/

carillon

carillon
Meaning
A set of bells played using a keyboard, usually in a tower.
Example
The carillon bells rang across the town square.
Les cloches du carillon ont résonné à travers la place de la ville.
C2 noun /laʊt/

lout

vulgaire
Meaning
An uncouth or aggressive man or boy.
Example
The drunken lout caused a scene at the party.
Le loubard ivre a causé une scène à la fête.
C2 noun /laɪər/

lyre

lyre
Meaning
a stringed musical instrument of ancient Greece
Example
The musician played a melody on the lyre.
Le musicien a joué une mélodie sur la lyre.
C2 noun /ˈmɪsəl/

missal

missel
Meaning
a book containing the texts used in the Catholic Mass throughout the year
Example
The priest read from the missal during the ceremony.
Le prêtre a lu dans le missel pendant la cérémonie.
C2 adjective ˌɪn.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs

inefficacious

inefficace
Meaning
Not producing any or the desired effect; ineffective.
Example
The treatment was inefficacious in curing the disease.
Le traitement a été inefficace pour guérir la maladie.
C2 noun əˌmæl.ɡəˈmeɪ.ʃən

amalgamation

fusion, amalgame, intégration
Meaning
The action, process, or result of combining or uniting.
Example
The amalgamation of AI and big data is transforming industries.
La fusion de l'IA et des grandes données transforme les industries.
C2 adjective /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːrmənət/

indeterminate

indéterminé
Meaning
Not exactly known, defined, or established; vague or uncertain.
Example
The project was delayed for an indeterminate amount of time.
Le projet a été retardé pour une période indéterminée.
C2 adjective /ˈmiːliˌmaʊðd/

mealymouthed

parler de manière évasive
Meaning
not willing to speak directly and honestly; evasive in speech
Example
The politician gave a mealymouthed response to the tough question.
Le politicien a donné une réponse évasive à la question difficile.