salience
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C2 noun /ˈseɪ.li.əns/

salience

saillance
Meaning
The quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.
Example
The salience of the issue was highlighted in the debate.
La saillance de la question a été mise en évidence lors du débat.
C2 noun /ˈʃɪbəˌlɛθ/

shibboleth

expression ou croyance distinctive d'un groupe particulier
Meaning
A custom, phrase, or belief distinguishing a particular group of people, often used to identify outsiders.
Example
The phrase became a political shibboleth during the campaign.
La phrase est devenue un chibboleth politique pendant la campagne.
C2 noun /ˈspuːnərɪzəm/

spoonerism

spounérisme
Meaning
A verbal error in which the initial sounds of words are swapped to create a humorous effect.
Example
He made a spoonerism by saying 'queer old dean' instead of 'dear old queen'.
Il a fait un spounérisme en disant 'vieux doyen bizarre' au lieu de 'vieille reine chère'.
C2 verb /ˈsɛreɪt/

serrate

faire un bord dentelé
Meaning
To make a saw-toothed edge or notched margin.
Example
The craftsman serrated the knife blade for better cutting.
L'artisan a séré la lame du couteau pour une coupe meilleure.
C2 adjective /səˈleɪʃəs/

salacious

lascif
Meaning
Having or conveying undue or inappropriate sexual interest.
Example
The tabloid published a salacious story about the celebrity.
Le tabloïd a publié une histoire lascive sur la célébrité.
C2 noun /ˈʃʊərəti/

surety

caution
Meaning
a person who takes responsibility for another's performance of an undertaking, such as appearing in court or paying a debt
Example
The landlord required a surety before renting the apartment.
Le propriétaire a exigé une caution avant de louer l'appartement.
C2 noun /ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛndəns/

superintendence

supervision
Meaning
the act of overseeing, supervising, or managing
Example
The superintendence of the school is the principal’s duty.
La supervision de l'école est le devoir du principal.
C2 noun /ˈstætɪks/

statics

statique
Meaning
The branch of mechanics dealing with bodies at rest and forces in equilibrium.
Example
She is studying statics as part of her engineering course.
Elle étudie la statique dans le cadre de son cours d'ingénierie.
C2 noun /sɛnˈsɔːrɪəm/

sensorium

centre sensoriel
Meaning
The part of the brain or mind concerned with the reception and interpretation of sensory stimuli.
Example
The patient’s sensorium was clouded after the accident.
Le sensorium du patient était brouillé après l'accident.
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 verb, adjective /ˈstraɪeɪt/

striate

striée
Meaning
to mark with stripes or grooves; striped or streaked in appearance
Example
The rock surface was striated by glacial movement.
La surface de la roche a été striée par le mouvement glaciaire.
C2 adjective /sʌbˈdʒeɪsənt/

subjacent

sous-jacent
Meaning
lying immediately beneath; underlying
Example
The geological survey revealed subjacent layers of rock.
L'enquête géologique a révélé des couches sous-jacentes de roche.
C2 verb /ˈsʌblɪmeɪt/

sublimate

transformer en activités supérieures
Meaning
to redirect strong emotions or desires into socially acceptable activities or channels
Example
She sublimated her anger into painting beautiful landscapes.
Elle a sublimé sa colère en peignant de beaux paysages.
C2 verb /ˈskærɪfaɪ/

scarify

scarifier
Meaning
to make shallow cuts or scratches; to loosen the surface of soil
Example
The farmer scarified the soil before planting seeds.
L'agriculteur a scarifié le sol avant de planter les graines.
C2 noun /ˈsʌfərəns/

sufferance

tolérance
Meaning
patient endurance of pain, hardship, or delay; passive consent or tolerance
Example
He lived in poverty with quiet sufferance.
Il vivait dans la pauvreté avec une tolérance silencieuse.
C2 noun /səˈɡæs.ə.t̬i/

sagacity

sagesse profonde
Meaning
The quality of being sagacious; having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment.
Example
His sagacity made him a great leader.
Sa sagacité faisait de lui un grand leader.
C2 adjective /ˈsiːmli/

seemly

approprié
Meaning
proper or appropriate in behavior or appearance
Example
It was not seemly to argue loudly during the ceremony.
Il n'était pas approprié de discuter bruyamment pendant la cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˈsɛnʃəns/

sentience

sensibilité
Meaning
The capacity to feel, perceive, or experience subjectively.
Example
Many argue that animals possess sentience.
Beaucoup soutiennent que les animaux possèdent la sensibilité.
C2 noun /stɛp/

steppe

steppe
Meaning
A large flat area of unforested grassland, especially in southeastern Europe or Siberia.
Example
The nomads traveled across the vast steppe with their herds.
Les nomades ont voyagé à travers la vaste steppe avec leurs troupeaux.
C2 verb /ˈsʌbdʒʊˌɡeɪt/

subjugate

soumettre
Meaning
To bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.
Example
The empire sought to subjugate the neighboring kingdoms.
L'empire a cherché à soumettre les royaumes voisins.
C2 noun /səbˈsɜːviəns/

subservience

servilité
Meaning
the condition of being too willing to obey or serve others
Example
His subservience to authority annoyed his colleagues.
Sa servilité envers l'autorité agaçait ses collègues.
C2 adjective /sɒmˈnɪfərəs/

somniferous

somnifère
Meaning
Tending to induce sleep; soporific.
Example
The professor's somniferous lecture put half the class to sleep.
Le cours somnifère du professeur a endormi la moitié de la classe.
C2 adjective /ˈʃɑːpwɔːrn/

shopworn

usé / vieilli
Meaning
worn or faded from being displayed in a shop; no longer fresh or original
Example
The shopworn shoes were sold at a discount.
Les chaussures shopworn ont été vendues à prix réduit.
C2 noun /sɪlf/

sylph

sylphide
Meaning
A mythical spirit of the air; also refers to a slender, graceful woman.
Example
She moved across the stage like a sylph, light and graceful.
Elle se déplaçait sur la scène comme une sylphide, légère et gracieuse.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛnd/

superintend

superviser
Meaning
to oversee and direct the work or operation of something
Example
She was hired to superintend the construction project.
Elle a été engagée pour superviser le projet de construction.
C2 adjective /stəˈkɑː.təʊ/

staccato

détaché
Meaning
short and detached in sound or style, often used in music
Example
The pianist played the notes in a staccato rhythm.
Le pianiste a joué les notes dans un rythme détaché.
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 noun /ˈsɪlədʒɪzəm/

syllogism

syllelogisme
Meaning
A form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed premises.
Example
The philosopher explained the concept of syllogism using simple examples.
Le philosophe a expliqué le concept du syllogisme en utilisant des exemples simples.
C2 noun /ʃiːt fɪʃ/

Sheat-fish

silure
Meaning
A large freshwater catfish with a broad flat head and long barbels
Example
The sheat-fish is one of the largest freshwater fish in South Asia.
Le silure est l’un des plus grands poissons d’eau douce d’Asie du Sud.
C2 noun /ˈsɪŋkrəˌnɪzəm/

synchronism

synchronisme
Meaning
The simultaneous occurrence of events or actions.
Example
The synchronism of the dancers' movements amazed the audience.
Le synchronisme des mouvements des danseurs a émerveillé le public.
C2 adjective /sɪˈnɒptɪk/

synoptic

synoptique
Meaning
giving a general overview or summary; presenting a broad view
Example
The report offers a synoptic view of climate trends over the past century.
Le rapport offre une vue synoptique des tendances climatiques du siècle dernier.
C2 noun /ˈstiː.vəˌdɔːr/

stevedore

dockeur
Meaning
A person employed to load and unload cargo from ships.
Example
The stevedores worked tirelessly to unload the cargo before dawn.
Les dockeurs ont travaillé sans relâche pour décharger la cargaison avant l'aube.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪlvən/

sylvan

boisé
Meaning
Relating to or characteristic of the woods or forest.
Example
The cottage was set in a sylvan landscape full of tall trees.
Le chalet était situé dans un paysage boisé plein de grands arbres.
C2 verb /ˈstjuːpɪˌfaɪ/

stupefy

stupéfier
Meaning
to make someone unable to think clearly, usually because of surprise or shock
Example
The magician's tricks stupefied the audience.
Les tours du magicien ont stupéfié le public.
C2 noun /seɪn/

seine

grand filet
Meaning
A large fishing net that hangs vertically in the water.
Example
The fishermen cast their seine into the river.
Les pêcheurs ont jeté leur grand filet dans la rivière.
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 adjective /spæzˈmɒdɪk/

spasmodic

spasmodique
Meaning
occurring irregularly or in sudden bursts
Example
The patient experienced spasmodic coughing during the night.
Le patient a eu des toux spasmodiques pendant la nuit.
C2 adjective /ˈseɪpiənt/

sapient

sage
Meaning
Wise, or appearing to be wise.
Example
The professor gave a sapient response to the complex question.
Le professeur a donné une réponse sage à la question complexe.
C2 noun /ˈsɪmpəltən/

simpleton

imbécile
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person
Example
They treated him like a simpleton who could not understand anything complex.
Ils l'ont traité comme un imbécile qui ne pouvait rien comprendre de complexe.
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 /ˌsæv.wɑːr ˈfeər/

savoir-faire

habileté sociale
Meaning
The ability to act or speak appropriately in social situations; polished social skills.
Example
She handled the delicate situation with remarkable savoir-faire.
Elle a géré la situation délicate avec un remarquable savoir-faire.
C2 noun /sɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/

Similitude

similitude; ressemblance
Meaning
the quality or state of being similar; resemblance
Example
The similitude between the two paintings suggested they were by the same artist.
La similitude entre les deux peintures a suggéré qu'elles avaient été réalisées par le même artiste.
C2 noun /sɛkˈstɛt/

sextet

sextuor
Meaning
a group of six people playing music or a piece written for six performers
Example
The jazz sextet filled the small club with a warm, layered sound.
Le sextuor de jazz a rempli le petit club avec un son chaud et superposé.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərˈæn.ju.eɪt/

superannuate

retirer avec pension
Meaning
to retire someone with a pension, usually due to age or long service
Example
The company decided to superannuate its senior employees after thirty years of service.
L'entreprise a décidé de retirer avec pension ses employés seniors après trente ans de service.
C2 noun /ˌsɪɡnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

signification

signification
Meaning
the meaning or sense conveyed by a word, action, or symbol
Example
The signification of the gesture was misunderstood.
La signification du geste a été mal comprise.
C2 verb /ʃʌk/

shuck

éplucher
Meaning
To remove the outer covering, such as the husk of corn or shell of shellfish.
Example
She learned how to shuck oysters quickly.
Elle a appris à ouvrir les huîtres rapidement.
C2 noun /ˈspæŋɡəl/

spangle

paillettes
Meaning
A small shiny piece of metal or plastic used for decoration on clothes.
Example
Her dress was covered with silver spangles that glittered in the light.
Sa robe était couverte de paillettes argentées qui brillaient à la lumière.
C2 noun /ˈsfɛrɔɪd/

spheroid

sphéroïde
Meaning
A three-dimensional shape that is almost spherical but slightly flattened or elongated.
Example
The Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid.
La Terre n'est pas une sphère parfaite mais un sphéroïde oblat.
C2 noun /ˈspɛndˌθrɪft/

spendthrift

dépensier
Meaning
A person who spends money extravagantly or wastefully.
Example
The young prince was known as a spendthrift, wasting his fortune on lavish parties.
Le jeune prince était connu comme un dépensier, gaspillant sa fortune dans des fêtes somptueuses.
C2 verb /skʌlk/

skulk

se faufiler
Meaning
to move or hide secretly, often because you are planning something bad or are feeling guilty
Example
He tried to skulk in the shadows to avoid being seen.
Il a essayé de se faufiler dans l'ombre pour éviter d'être vu.
C2 noun /ˈskɜː.vi/

scurvy

Scorbut
Meaning
A disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, leading to weakness, gum disease, and bleeding.
Example
Sailors often suffered from scurvy during long sea voyages without fresh fruits.
Les marins souffraient souvent du scorbut lors de longs voyages en mer sans fruits frais.
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 adjective /ˌsæsərˈdoʊtl/

sacerdotal

sacerdotal
Meaning
Relating to priests or the priesthood.
Example
The ritual had a distinctly sacerdotal character.
Le rituel avait un caractère distinctement sacerdotal.
C2 noun /sɪnˈtɪl.ə/

scintilla

petite étincelle
Meaning
A tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.
Example
There wasn’t a scintilla of doubt in her mind.
Il n'y avait pas une étincelle de doute dans son esprit.
C2 adjective /ˈstraɪ.eɪ.tɪd/

striated

striée
Meaning
marked with thin lines, grooves, or stripes
Example
The muscle fibers appeared striated under the microscope.
Les fibres musculaires apparaissaient striées sous le microscope.
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 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 adjective, noun /səbˈmɜːrsəbl/

submersible

submersible
Meaning
capable of being submerged; a small underwater craft
Example
The scientists explored the deep ocean using a submersible.
Les scientifiques ont exploré l'océan profond à l'aide d'un submersible.
C2 adjective /ˌsɛm.iˈkɒn.ʃəs/

semiconscious

semi-conscient
Meaning
Only partly conscious; not fully aware of surroundings.
Example
He was semiconscious after the accident and could barely respond.
Il était semi-conscient après l'accident et pouvait à peine répondre.
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 adjective /ˌsuːpərˈnuːmərɛri/

supernumerary

supplémentaire
Meaning
Exceeding the usual number; extra or unnecessary.
Example
The play included several supernumerary actors to fill the background scenes.
La pièce a inclus plusieurs acteurs supplémentaires pour remplir les scènes de fond.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪbɪlaɪn/

sibylline

sibyllin
Meaning
Prophetic, mysterious, or cryptic in meaning.
Example
The old woman gave a sibylline warning about the future.
La vieille femme a donné un avertissement sibyllin sur l'avenir.
C2 adjective /səˈɡeɪ.ʃəs/

sagacious

sage
Meaning
Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; wise.
Example
His sagacious leadership saved the company from failure.
Sa direction sage a sauvé l'entreprise de l'échec.
C2 adjective /ˈsiːmi/

seamy

dégradé, sordide
Meaning
Morally degraded, unpleasant, or sordid.
Example
The novel reveals the seamy side of city life.
Le roman révèle le côté sordide de la vie en ville.
C2 adjective /ˌsʌpəzɪˈtɪʃəs/

supposititious

supposé
Meaning
Based on assumption rather than fact; not genuine or authentic.
Example
The story turned out to be supposititious, with no evidence to support it.
L'histoire s'est avérée être supposée, sans aucune preuve pour la soutenir.
C2 noun /ˌʃæŋɡriˈlɑː/

shangri-la

paradis imaginaire
Meaning
a remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life is perfect and peaceful
Example
They described the island as a modern-day Shangri-La.
Ils ont décrit l'île comme un Shangri-La moderne.
C2 adjective /stɛnˈtɔːriən/

stentorian

tonitruant
Meaning
Extremely loud and powerful in sound.
Example
The teacher’s stentorian voice quieted the noisy classroom.
La voix tonitruante du professeur a calmé la classe bruyante.
C2 noun /ˌself əˈbeɪs.mənt/

self-abasement

auto-humiliation
Meaning
The act of belittling or humiliating oneself.
Example
His constant self-abasement made others uncomfortable.
Son auto-humiliation constante mettait les autres mal à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˌsɪŋ.krəˈnɪs.ɪ.ti/

synchronicity

synchronicité
Meaning
The meaningful coincidence of two or more events that are not planned.
Example
The synchronicity of their thoughts amazed everyone.
La synchronicité de leurs pensées a étonné tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈsaʊər wʊd ˈæp.əl/

Sour wood apple

pomme d'éléphant
Meaning
a tropical fruit with hard shell and tangy flesh; elephant apple
Example
The sour wood apple has a unique taste that many people enjoy.
La pomme d'éléphant a un goût unique que beaucoup de gens apprécient.
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 verb /ˈseɪʃiˌeɪt/

satiate

satisfaire
Meaning
To satisfy fully, especially with food or desire.
Example
The large meal satiated his hunger.
Le grand repas a satisfait sa faim.
C2 adjective /ˈspiːʃəs/

specious

fallacieux
Meaning
Superficially plausible but actually false; misleading in appearance.
Example
The politician’s argument was specious, sounding convincing but lacking real evidence.
L'argument du politicien était fallacieux, il semblait convaincant mais manquait de preuves réelles.
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 adjective /ˌseɪpiˈɛnʃəl/

sapiential

relatif à la sagesse
Meaning
Relating to wisdom or knowledge, often in a religious or philosophical sense.
Example
The monk shared sapiential teachings with his students.
Le moine a partagé des enseignements relatifs à la sagesse avec ses étudiants.
C2 noun ˌsʌb.dʒʊˈɡeɪ.ʃən

subjugation

soumission ou domination
Meaning
The action of bringing someone or something under domination or control, especially by force.
Example
The subjugation of weaker nations by colonial powers shaped history.
La soumission des nations plus faibles par les puissances coloniales a façonné l'histoire.
C2 noun /ˈsɪnjuː/

sinew

tendon
Meaning
A tendon; figuratively, the source of strength, power, or resilience.
Example
The sinews in his arms stood out as he lifted the heavy box.
Les tendons dans ses bras ressortaient lorsqu'il souleva la boîte lourde.
C2 noun /ˈskæb.ərd/

scabbard

fourreau
Meaning
A sheath for the blade of a sword or dagger, typically made of leather or metal.
Example
The knight drew his sword from the scabbard.
Le chevalier a sorti son épée du fourreau.
C2 noun /sfɪˈrɒmɪtər/

spherometer

sphéromètre
Meaning
An instrument used for measuring the curvature of spherical surfaces.
Example
The scientist used a spherometer to measure the lens curvature.
Le scientifique a utilisé un sphéromètre pour mesurer la courbure de la lentille.
C2 noun /skæd/

scad

scad poisson
Meaning
A type of fish of the jack family; also informally means a large number or quantity.
Example
The fisherman caught a scad in the net.
Le pêcheur a attrapé un scad dans le filet.
C2 adjective /splɪˈnɛtɪk/

splenetic

irritable, colérique
Meaning
bad-tempered, irritable, spiteful
Example
His splenetic remarks offended everyone in the room.
Ses remarques colériques ont offensé tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 adjective /ˈsed.j ə.l ə s/

Sedulous

assidu; diligent;
Meaning
showing dedication and diligence; persistent and careful in work
Example
She was sedulous in her research, spending hours in the library every day.
Elle était assidue dans ses recherches, passant des heures à la bibliothèque chaque jour.
C2 noun /ˈsiːkənt/

secant

sécante
Meaning
A straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points.
Example
In geometry, a secant cuts the circle at two distinct points.
En géométrie, une sécante coupe le cercle en deux points distincts.
C2 adjective /ˈstɒlɪd/

stolid

impassible, stoïque
Meaning
Calm, dependable, and showing little emotion or animation.
Example
Despite the chaos around him, he remained stolid and composed.
Malgré le chaos autour de lui, il resta calme et posé.
C2 verb /sɪˈkwɛstreɪt/

sequestrate

séquestrer
Meaning
To take legal possession of assets until a debt is paid or disputes are resolved.
Example
The court decided to sequestrate the company's property.
Le tribunal a décidé de séquestrer la propriété de l'entreprise.
C2 adjective, adverb /ˈsaɪdlɔːŋ/

sidelong

regard oblique
Meaning
Directed to the side; indirect, furtive, or not straightforward.
Example
She gave him a sidelong glance across the room.
Elle lui lança un regard oblique à travers la pièce.
C2 noun /ˈsɜːfdəm/

serfdom

servage
Meaning
The status or condition of being a serf, bound to work for a lord.
Example
Many peasants in medieval Europe lived under serfdom.
De nombreux paysans de l'Europe médiévale vivaient sous le servage.
C2 noun /ˈswɑːvɪti/

suavity

douceur et charme
Meaning
smoothness and charm in manner
Example
His suavity made him popular in social gatherings.
Sa douceur et son charme le rendaient populaire dans les rassemblements sociaux.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪzəm/

sophism

sophisme
Meaning
a clever but misleading argument; fallacious reasoning
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophism designed to mislead voters.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophisme conçu pour tromper les électeurs.
C2 verb /skwɛltʃ/

squelch

faire un bruit mou, comme marcher dans la boue; réprimer ou faire taire
Meaning
to make a soft sucking sound, such as when walking on mud; to suppress or silence
Example
His boots squelched in the wet ground.
Ses bottes faisaient un bruit de squelch sur le sol mouillé.
C2 noun səˈtaɪ.ə.ti

satiety

satiété
Meaning
The feeling of being satisfied or full, especially with regard to food.
Example
High-fiber foods provide longer satiety.
Les aliments riches en fibres procurent une plus grande satiété.
C2 adjective /ˈsɑːdn/

sodden

saturé
Meaning
thoroughly soaked or saturated with liquid
Example
His clothes were sodden after the heavy rain.
Ses vêtements étaient saturés après la forte pluie.
C2 noun /skʌlˈdʌɡəri/

skulduggery

fraude
Meaning
underhanded or dishonest behavior
Example
The politician was accused of financial skulduggery.
Le politicien a été accusé de fraude financière.
C2 adjective /səˈmætɪk/

somatic

somatique
Meaning
Relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind.
Example
Yoga can improve both somatic and mental health.
Le yoga peut améliorer à la fois la santé somatique et mentale.
C2 adjective /ˈsætərˌnaɪn/

saturnine

saturnien
Meaning
slow and gloomy in mood
Example
His saturnine expression made everyone in the room uncomfortable.
Son expression saturnienne rendait tout le monde dans la pièce mal à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪz.mə.ɡræf/

seismograph

sismographe
Meaning
An instrument that measures and records details of earthquakes, such as force and duration.
Example
The seismograph detected a strong tremor in the area.
Le sismographe a détecté une forte secousse dans la région.
C2 noun /ˈsuːθˌseɪər/

soothsayer

devin
Meaning
a person who claims to predict the future
Example
The king consulted a soothsayer before going to war.
Le roi a consulté un devin avant d'aller à la guerre.
C2 noun /ˈsuːpsɒ̃/

soupcon

une petite quantité
Meaning
a very small quantity of something; a trace
Example
She added just a soupcon of spice to the dish.
Elle a ajouté juste une petite quantité d'épices au plat.
C2 noun /ˈsɔː.dər/

Sawder

flatterie; discours flatteur
Meaning
flattering or wheedling talk; soft soap
Example
His sawder couldn't convince anyone of his sincerity.
Sa flatterie n'a pas pu convaincre qui que ce soit de sa sincérité.
C2 noun /ˈsækrɪsti/

sacristy

sacristie
Meaning
a room in a church where sacred vessels and vestments are kept
Example
The priest entered the sacristy before the mass began.
Le prêtre est entré dans la sacristie avant que la messe ne commence.
C2 verb /ˈstʌltɪfaɪ/

stultify

rendre quelqu'un ou quelque chose stupide ou nuire à l'efficacité et à l'enthousiasme
Meaning
to make someone or something appear foolish, or to hinder effectiveness and enthusiasm
Example
The repetitive tasks seemed to stultify the workers' creativity.
Les tâches répétitives semblaient rendre les travailleurs moins créatifs.
C2 adjective /səˈluːtəˌtɔri/

salutatory

discours de salutation
Meaning
Relating to or expressing a greeting or an address, especially at the beginning of a speech.
Example
She delivered a salutatory address at the graduation ceremony.
Elle a prononcé un discours de salutation lors de la cérémonie de remise des diplômes.
C2 adjective /ˌsuː.pɚˈsɪl.i.əs/

supercilious

arrogant
Meaning
Behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others; arrogant and disdainful.
Example
She gave him a supercilious smile as if he was beneath her.
Elle lui a fait un sourire arrogant comme s'il était en dessous d'elle.
C2 adjective /svelt/

svelte

svelte
Meaning
Attractively thin, graceful, and elegant in appearance or movement.
Example
She looked svelte in the elegant black dress.
Elle avait l'air svelte dans la robe noire élégante.
C2 noun /ˌsɪnjuˈɒsɪti/

sinuosity

sinuité
Meaning
The quality or state of being winding, curving, or having many turns.
Example
The sinuosity of the river made navigation challenging.
La sinuité du fleuve rendait la navigation difficile.
C2 noun /skriːd/

screed

écrit long et ennuyeux
Meaning
a long, tedious piece of writing or speech; also a layer of material like cement spread on a surface
Example
He delivered a long screed against corruption.
Il a livré un long discours contre la corruption.
C2 noun /ˈsʌfrədʒɪst/

suffragist

suffragiste
Meaning
a person advocating the extension of suffrage, especially to women
Example
The suffragists organized rallies to demand voting rights for women.
Les suffragistes ont organisé des rassemblements pour revendiquer le droit de vote pour les femmes.
C2 noun /sɪˈnɛrəsɪs/

syneresis

synthérèse
Meaning
The contraction of two adjacent vowels into a single syllable or the separation of liquid from a gel.
Example
The yogurt showed syneresis when liquid separated on top.
Le yaourt a montré une synthérèse lorsque le liquide s'est séparé sur le dessus.
C2 adjective /ˈʃɪft.ləs/

shiftless

paresseux
Meaning
Lacking ambition or the ability to accomplish anything; lazy and unmotivated.
Example
He was seen as a shiftless young man with no goals.
Il a été vu comme un jeune homme paresseux sans objectifs.
C2 adjective /sɪmˈfoʊniəs/

symphonious

harmonieux
Meaning
Harmonious; producing a pleasant sound or agreement of sound.
Example
The choir's voices were symphonious and filled the hall with beauty.
Les voix du chœur étaient harmonieuses et remplissaient la salle de beauté.
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 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 /sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/

sententious

moraliste; qui donne des leçons
Meaning
Given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.
Example
His sententious remarks annoyed the audience.
Ses remarques moralisatrices ont agacé le public.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪnjuːi/

sinewy

musclé et fort
Meaning
Lean and muscular; strong and tough.
Example
The athlete had a sinewy build that showed his strength.
L'athlète avait une silhouette musclée qui montrait sa force.
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 /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 noun /ˈsɪlvər kɑrp/

Silver carp

carpe argentée
Meaning
a large freshwater fish with silvery scales, commonly farmed for food
Example
Silver carp is widely cultivated in fish farms across Asia.
La carpe argentée est largement cultivée dans les fermes piscicoles à travers l’Asie.
C2 verb /slʌf/ or /sluː/

slough

mue de peau / zone marécageuse
Meaning
To shed or cast off (like dead skin); also a swampy or muddy area.
Example
The snake sloughed off its old skin.
Le serpent s'est débarrassé de sa vieille peau.
C2 verb /ˈsnɪvəl/

snivel

pleurer ou se plaindre d'une manière faible ou agaçante
Meaning
to cry or complain in a weak or annoying way
Example
He began to snivel when he didn’t get his way.
Il a commencé à pleurer quand il n'a pas obtenu ce qu'il voulait.
C2 noun /ˈskɪz.əm/ or /ˈsɪz.əm/

schism

bonheur
Meaning
A division or split between strongly opposed parties, often in religion or organizations.
Example
The schism in the church led to the formation of two separate groups.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /sɪˈdɪʃəs/

seditious

séditieux
Meaning
Encouraging rebellion against authority.
Example
The activist spread seditious pamphlets among the crowd.
L'activiste a distribué des tracts séditieux parmi la foule.