sheathe
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C2 verb /ʃiːð/

sheathe

remettre dans le fourreau
Meaning
to put a sword or knife back into its cover
Example
He quickly sheathed his sword after the duel.
Il remit rapidement son épée dans son fourreau après le duel.
C2 noun /ˌpɛdəˈɡɒdʒɪks/

pedagogics

pédagogie
Meaning
the science or art of teaching
Example
He studied pedagogics to become a better teacher.
Il a étudié la pédagogie pour devenir un meilleur enseignant.
C2 adjective /ˌɛsəˈtɛrɪk/

esoteric

ésotérique
Meaning
intended for or understood by only a small number of people with special knowledge
Example
The professor gave an esoteric lecture on ancient philosophy.
Le professeur a donné une conférence ésotérique sur la philosophie ancienne.
C2 noun /ˈɛərəˌnɔːt/

aeronaut

aéronaute
Meaning
A person who travels in an airship, balloon, or other aircraft.
Example
The aeronaut skillfully guided the hot-air balloon across the valley.
L'aéronaute a habilement guidé le ballon à air chaud à travers la vallée.
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 noun /ɪnˈtɒksɪkənt/

intoxicant

intoxiquant
Meaning
a substance, especially alcohol or a drug, that causes intoxication
Example
Alcohol is the most commonly used intoxicant in many cultures.
L'alcool est l'intoxicant le plus couramment utilisé dans de nombreuses cultures.
C2 adjective /pəˈnjʊəriəs/

penurious

extrêmement pauvre
Meaning
extremely poor; poverty-stricken; miserly
Example
The penurious family struggled to buy food.
La famille extrêmement pauvre peinait à acheter de la nourriture.
C2 verb /ˈbɜːrnɪʃ/

burnish

lustrer
Meaning
To polish something by rubbing; to enhance or improve.
Example
He burnished the old table until it shone.
Il a lustré la vieille table jusqu'à ce qu'elle brille.
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 /ɪnˈtɜːrstɪs/

interstice

interstice
Meaning
a small space that lies between things
Example
Light filtered through the narrow interstices of the wall.
La lumière s'est filtrée à travers les étroites interstices du mur.
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 adjective/adverb /feɪn/

fain

volontiers, avec plaisir
Meaning
gladly, willingly, or with pleasure
Example
I would fain help you if I had the time.
Si j'avais le temps, je t'aiderais volontiers.
C2 noun /laʊs/

Louse

Poux
Meaning
a small insect that lives on the hair or skin of people or animals
Example
The child had a louse in his hair.
L'enfant avait un poux dans ses cheveux.
C2 noun /ˌɔːrnɪˈθɒlədʒɪst/

ornithologist

ornithologue
Meaning
a scientist who studies birds
Example
The ornithologist spent years studying migratory birds.
L'ornithologue a passé des années à étudier les oiseaux migrateurs.
C2 noun /ˈræʃənəlɪzəm/

rationalism

rationalisme
Meaning
a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than religious belief or emotion
Example
Rationalism emphasizes logic and reasoning over faith.
Le rationalisme met l'accent sur la logique et le raisonnement plutôt que sur la foi.
C2 noun /dɪˈsɪstəns/

desistance

désistance
Meaning
The act of stopping or ceasing from some action or behavior.
Example
The court urged his desistance from further unlawful activities.
Le tribunal l'a encouragé à cesser toute activité illégale supplémentaire.
C2 adjective /ˌaɪdəˈlɑːtrɪəs/

idolatrious

idolâtre
Meaning
Excessively devoted or reverent towards idols or false gods.
Example
The ancient tribe was known for its idolatrious practices.
La tribu ancienne était connue pour ses pratiques idolâtres.
C2 verb /əˈɡlɒməˌreɪt/

agglomerate

agglomérer
Meaning
To collect or form into a mass or group.
Example
The dust particles began to agglomerate into larger clusters.
Les particules de poussière ont commencé à s'agglomérer en grands amas.
C2 noun /prəˈtuːbərəns/

protuberance

protubérance
Meaning
A rounded swelling or lump on a surface.
Example
The doctor examined the small protuberance on his arm.
Le médecin a examiné la petite protubérance sur son bras.
C2 noun /əˌbɑː.məˈneɪ.ʃən/

abomination

abomination
Meaning
a thing that causes disgust or hatred
Example
Slavery was considered an abomination.
L'esclavage était considéré comme une abomination.
C2 adjective /ˌɛvəˈnɛsənt/

evanescent

éphémère
Meaning
Quickly fading or disappearing; lasting for only a very short time.
Example
The beauty of the sunset was evanescent, fading within minutes.
La beauté du coucher du soleil était éphémère, disparaissant en quelques minutes.
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 /prəˈpʌlsɪv/

propulsive

propulsif
Meaning
Having the power to drive or push something forward.
Example
The propulsive force of the rocket lifted it off the ground.
La force propulsive de la fusée l'a soulevée du sol.
C2 noun /ˈflɪpənsi/

flippancy

légèreté
Meaning
lack of seriousness; showing a disrespectful or trivial attitude
Example
His flippancy during the meeting offended his colleagues.
Sa légèreté pendant la réunion a offensé ses collègues.
C2 verb /ˈpælieɪt/

palliate

atténuer
Meaning
to make a disease, symptoms, or problem less severe without removing the cause
Example
The doctor prescribed medicine to palliate the patient's pain.
Le médecin a prescrit des médicaments pour atténuer la douleur du patient.
C2 verb /sɛkˈstuːpəl/

sextuple

sextupler
Meaning
to make or become six times as great or as many
Example
Within two quarters, the campaign sextupled their daily sign-ups.
En deux trimestres, la campagne a sextuplé leurs inscriptions quotidiennes.
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 noun /ˈræŋɡlər/

wrangler

gardien de bétail
Meaning
a person who argues noisily; or someone who takes care of livestock on a ranch
Example
The cowboy worked as a wrangler on the ranch.
Le cowboy a travaillé comme un rángler dans le ranch.
C2 noun /ˈtrɛntʃərmən/

trencherman

goinfre
Meaning
a person who eats in a hearty or robust manner; a big eater
Example
The trencherman devoured the feast with great enthusiasm.
Le goinfre dévora le festin avec un grand enthousiasme.
C2 noun /juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/

utilitarianism

utilitarisme
Meaning
The ethical theory that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of the majority.
Example
Utilitarianism suggests that we should act to maximize overall happiness.
L'utilitarisme suggère que nous devrions agir pour maximiser le bonheur global.
C2 adjective /ɪˈlɪbərəl/

illiberal

illibéral
Meaning
Opposed to liberal principles; restricting freedom of thought or behavior.
Example
The government was criticized for its illiberal policies.
Le gouvernement a été critiqué pour ses politiques illibérales.
C2 verb /ˌmɪsæprɪˈhɛnd/

misapprehend

mal comprendre
Meaning
to misunderstand or misinterpret something
Example
He misapprehended the teacher’s instructions and did the task incorrectly.
Il a mal compris les instructions du professeur et a fait la tâche incorrectement.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɒs.stɪk/

Joss-stick

encens
Meaning
a thin stick of incense that is burned for its pleasant smell, especially in religious ceremonies
Example
She lit a joss-stick in the temple during her prayers.
Elle a allumé un bâton d'encens dans le temple pendant ses prières.
C2 noun /ˈpɪkəloʊ/

piccolo

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

altruist

altruiste
Meaning
a person who has an unselfish concern for the welfare of others
Example
He is an altruist who always puts others' needs before his own.
Il est un altruiste qui met toujours les besoins des autres avant les siens.
C2 noun /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsəns/

recrudescence

recrudescence
Meaning
a new outbreak or revival of something that had subsided, especially an undesirable condition
Example
Health officials warned of a recrudescence of measles in several districts.
Les responsables de la santé ont averti d'une recrudescence de la rougeole dans plusieurs districts.
C2 adjective /ɪˈmɛrɪtəs/

emeritus

professeur émérite
Meaning
having retired but allowed to retain their title as an honor
Example
He is a professor emeritus at the university.
Il est professeur émérite à l'université.
C2 noun /foʊl fʊt/

Foal-foot

fleur de sabot de cheval
Meaning
a yellow flowering plant with leaves shaped like a horse's hoof, also known as coltsfoot
Example
The foal-foot plant grows wild in many meadows and is often the first flower to bloom in spring.
La plante de fleur de sabot de cheval pousse sauvagement dans de nombreuses prairies et est souvent la première à fleurir au printemps.
C2 adjective /ˈɡæŋ.ɡli/

gangly

grand et maladroit
Meaning
Tall, thin, and awkward in movement or appearance.
Example
The gangly teenager stumbled while trying to dance.
Le garçon maladroit trébucha en essayant de danser.
C2 verb /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/

discomfit

déconcerter
Meaning
to make someone feel uneasy, embarrassed, or confused
Example
The interviewer’s tough questions discomfited the candidate.
Les questions difficiles de l'intervieweur ont déstabilisé le candidat.
C2 verb /rɪˈpruːv/

reprove

réprimander
Meaning
to criticize or correct someone gently or disapprove of their actions
Example
The teacher reproved the student for being late.
L'enseignant a réprimandé l'élève pour son retard.
C2 noun /moʊt/

mote

particule
Meaning
A tiny particle or speck, especially of dust.
Example
A mote of dust floated in the sunlight.
Une particule de poussière flottait dans la lumière du soleil.
C2 noun /ˈkæt.kɪn/

Catkin

Chaton
Meaning
a drooping, often tasseled cluster of small flowers found on willow and birch trees
Example
The willow tree's catkins swayed gently in the spring breeze.
Les chatons du saule se balançaient doucement dans la brise printanière.
C2 verb /ˈtɪpəl/

tipple

boire
Meaning
to drink alcohol, especially regularly or in small amounts
Example
He likes to tipple at the local pub after work.
Il aime boire au pub local après le travail.
C2 noun /ˈfæn.feər/

fanfare

grande pompe, publicité
Meaning
a short ceremonial tune or display of publicity to attract attention
Example
The new product was launched with much fanfare.
Le nouveau produit a été lancé avec beaucoup de fanfare.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒɔːr/

pledgeor

garant
Meaning
a person who gives or offers a pledge or security
Example
The bank accepted the jewelry from the pledgeor as collateral for the loan.
La banque a accepté les bijoux du garant comme garantie pour le prêt.
C2 noun /ˈɪl.i.æd/

iliad

Iliade
Meaning
An ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, describing the events of the Trojan War.
Example
Students studied the Iliad to understand Greek mythology and heroism.
Les étudiants ont étudié l'Iliade pour comprendre la mythologie grecque et l'héroïsme.
C2 verb /ˌriːkruːˈdɛs/

recrudesce

récruder
Meaning
to break out or appear again after a period of dormancy or decline
Example
After months of calm, violence recrudesced in the region.
Après des mois de calme, la violence a recrudé dans la région.
C2 adjective /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsənt/

recrudescent

récidivant
Meaning
reviving or breaking out again after a period of abatement
Example
Recrudescent tensions threatened the fragile ceasefire.
Les tensions récidivantes ont menacé la fragile trêve.
C2 noun /ˈbɛlfri/

belfry

clocher
Meaning
A bell tower, especially one attached to a church or building.
Example
The church belfry housed a large bronze bell.
Le clocher de l'église abritait une grande cloche en bronze.
C2 verb /ˈɡræn.jʊ.leɪt/

granulate

granuler
Meaning
To form or cause to form into grains or small particles.
Example
The sugar began to granulate as it cooled.
Le sucre a commencé à se granuler lorsqu'il a refroidi.
C2 noun /ˌriːkəˌpɪtjʊˈleɪʃən/

recapitulation

récapitulation
Meaning
The act of summarizing or repeating the main points of something.
Example
The professor gave a brief recapitulation of the lecture before ending the class.
Le professeur a donné une brève récapitulation du cours avant de terminer la classe.
C2 adjective /ˌɪntərˈlɒkjətəri/

interlocutory

provisoire
Meaning
Given during the course of a legal action, not final but temporary or provisional.
Example
The judge issued an interlocutory order to maintain the status quo until the hearing.
Le juge a émis une ordonnance provisoire pour maintenir le statu quo jusqu'à l'audience.
C2 adjective /ˈʌndjʊleɪtɪŋ/

undulating

ondulant
Meaning
Having a smoothly rising and falling form or motion like waves.
Example
We drove through undulating hills.
Nous avons conduit à travers des collines ondulantes.
C2 noun /ˈdɪfθɒŋ/

diphthong

diphtongue
Meaning
A complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel and glides into another within the same syllable.
Example
The word 'coin' contains a diphthong.
Le mot 'coin' contient un diphtongue.
C2 noun /ˈɡɜːrn.zi/

Guernsey

pull-over
Meaning
a knitted sweater; a type of woolen pullover
Example
He wore a warm guernsey during the cold winter evening.
Il portait un pull chaud lors de la froide soirée d'hiver.
C2 noun /ˈmæn.li.nəs/

manliness

virilité
Meaning
The quality of being manly; courage, strength, and honor associated with men.
Example
His manliness was admired by his peers.
Sa virilité a été admirée par ses pairs.
C2 adjective /dɪˈluːsəri/

delusory

illusoires
Meaning
Based on illusion; not real.
Example
He was filled with delusory hopes of becoming famous overnight.
Il était rempli de faux espoirs de devenir célèbre du jour au lendemain.
C2 adjective /ˌpjuːsɪˈlænɪməs/

pusillanimous

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

fulgent

éclatant
Meaning
Shining brightly; dazzling.
Example
The fulgent stars lit up the night sky.
Les étoiles éclatantes ont illuminé le ciel nocturne.
C2 adjective /ˈswɔːrði/

swarthy

bronzé
Meaning
Having a dark complexion or skin tone.
Example
The sailor had a swarthy face from years under the sun.
Le marin avait le visage bronzé après des années sous le soleil.
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 /ˈek.stər.peɪt/

extirpate

extirper
Meaning
to completely remove or destroy something unwanted
Example
The government launched a program to extirpate corruption from public offices.
Le gouvernement a lancé un programme pour extirper la corruption des bureaux publics.
C2 noun ˈtɪl.ɪdʒ

tillage

labours agricoles
Meaning
The preparation of land for growing crops.
Example
Excessive tillage can lead to soil erosion.
Un excès de travail du sol peut entraîner de l'érosion.
C2 noun /briːtʃ/

breech

La partie arrière du canon d'une arme; une position d'un bébé dans l'utérus où les fesses ou les pieds sortent en premier à la naissance.
Meaning
The back part of a gun barrel; a position of a baby in the womb where the buttocks or feet come out first at birth.
Example
The rifle was loaded through the breech.
Le fusil a été chargé par la culasse.
C2 verb /ˌæd ˈlɪb/

ad-lib

dire improvisé
Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation; to improvise
Example
The comedian ad-libbed a joke when the microphone failed.
Le comédien a improvisé une blague lorsque le microphone a échoué.
C2 noun /ˈvɪntnər/

vintner

vigneron / vendeur de vin
Meaning
A person who makes or sells wine.
Example
The vintner explained the process of making red wine.
Le vigneron a expliqué le processus de fabrication du vin rouge.
C2 adjective /lʌɡˈʒʊəriənt/

luxuriant

luxuriant
Meaning
abundant in growth or richly abundant
Example
The luxuriant forest was teeming with life.
La forêt luxuriante regorgeait de vie.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/

viscount

vicomte
Meaning
A British nobleman ranking below an earl and above a baron.
Example
The viscount inherited the estate from his father.
Le vicomte a hérité du domaine de son père.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈæl.əˌbæs.tər/

alabaster

albâtre (minéral blanc comme pierre)
Meaning
A fine-grained, usually white variety of gypsum, often used for carving; also describes something smooth and pale like alabaster.
Example
The statue was carved from pure alabaster.
La statue a été sculptée dans de l'albâtre pur.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪrəl/

virile

viril
Meaning
having traditionally masculine qualities, such as strength, energy, and sexual vigor
Example
The actor was admired for his virile appearance.
L'acteur a été admiré pour son apparence virile.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːrsɪmoʊni/

parsimony

avarice
Meaning
extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources
Example
His parsimony was evident in the way he avoided any unnecessary expenses.
Son avarice était évidente dans la façon dont il évitait toute dépense inutile.
C2 adjective /boʊˈhiːmiən/

bohemian

bohémien
Meaning
unconventional, artistic, and free-spirited in lifestyle or appearance
Example
She decorated her apartment in a bohemian style with colorful fabrics.
Elle a décoré son appartement dans un style bohémien avec des tissus colorés.
C2 noun /ˈdɛnɪzən/

denizen

habitant
Meaning
an inhabitant or resident of a particular place
Example
The forest is home to many nocturnal denizens.
La forêt abrite de nombreux habitants nocturnes.
C2 adjective /ˈprɒɡnəθəs/

prognathous

prognathe
Meaning
Having jaws that project forward beyond the rest of the face.
Example
The fossil displayed a distinctly prognathous skull structure.
Le fossile affichait une structure de crâne distinctement prognathe.
C2 verb /ˈkɒndʒʊɡeɪt/

conjugate

conjuguer
Meaning
to list the different forms of a verb according to tense, person, and number
Example
Students are asked to conjugate the verb 'to be'.
Les étudiants sont invités à conjuguer le verbe 'être'.
C2 adjective ˌʌn.əˈseɪ.lə.bəl

unassailable

inaccessible
Meaning
Unable to be attacked, questioned, or defeated.
Example
An unassailable position ensures dominance.
Une position inaccessible assure la domination.
C2 verb /kəˈvɔrt/

cavort

danser avec enthousiasme
Meaning
to jump or dance around excitedly
Example
The children cavorted happily in the garden.
Les enfants sautaient joyeusement dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /ʌnəˈpiːzd/

unappeased

insatisfait
Meaning
Not satisfied or calmed; still feeling discontent or anger
Example
Despite the apology, she remained unappeased.
Malgré les excuses, elle est restée insatisfaite.
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 /dʒərˈmeɪn/

germane

pertinent
Meaning
Relevant and appropriate to the subject being considered.
Example
Her comments were not germane to the discussion.
Ses commentaires n'étaient pas pertinents pour la discussion.
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 noun /dʒæm/

jamb

montant de porte
Meaning
The side post or surface of a doorway, window, or fireplace.
Example
The carpenter carefully measured the width of the door jamb.
Le menuisier a soigneusement mesuré la largeur du montant de la porte.
C2 adjective /ˈkrɛdʒʊləs/

credulous

crédule
Meaning
Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.
Example
The credulous child believed every story she heard.
L'enfant crédule croyait chaque histoire qu'elle entendait.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtəni/

litany

litanie
Meaning
a long, repetitive, or tedious account or list; originally a form of prayer
Example
The politician gave a litany of promises during the campaign.
Le politicien a donné une longue liste de promesses pendant la campagne.
C2 noun /ˌdɪspjuːˈteɪʃən/

disputation

dispute
Meaning
a formal debate or argument
Example
The disputation between the two scholars lasted for hours.
La disputation entre les deux érudits a duré des heures.
C2 noun /ˈræbəl/

Rabble

foule
Meaning
a disorderly crowd; the common people regarded as socially inferior
Example
The politician dismissed the protesters as mere rabble.
Le politicien a rejeté les manifestants comme une simple foule.
C2 verb /priːˈfɪɡjər/

prefigure

préfigurer
Meaning
to represent, show, or foreshadow something in advance
Example
The economic reforms prefigure major social changes.
Les réformes économiques préfigurent des changements sociaux majeurs.
C2 noun /əˈluːviən/

alluvion

alluvion
Meaning
The gradual increase of land by the deposit of soil from water; also, a flood or overflow of water.
Example
The river’s alluvion added new fertile land to the village fields.
L'alluvion de la rivière a ajouté de nouvelles terres fertiles aux champs du village.
C2 noun ˈsɒmnələns

somnolence

somnolence
Meaning
A state of drowsiness or sleepiness; inclination to sleep.
Example
The somnolence after a heavy meal made it hard to concentrate.
La somnolence après un repas copieux a rendu difficile la concentration.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈkɒntɪnənt/

incontinent

incontinent
Meaning
lacking control over urination or defecation; lacking self-restraint
Example
The patient was incontinent after surgery.
Le patient était incontinent après l'opération.
C2 adjective /ˈlɛtʃ.ər.əs/

lecherous

lubrique
Meaning
having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire
Example
The character was portrayed as a lecherous old man.
Le personnage a été dépeint comme un homme lubrique.
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 /nɪb/

nib

pointe de stylo
Meaning
the pointed end of a pen used for writing or drawing
Example
He dipped the nib into the ink before writing.
Il a plongé la pointe du stylo dans l'encre avant d'écrire.
C2 noun /ˌɑːrbəˈriːtəm/

arboretum

arborétum
Meaning
a place where trees, shrubs, and plants are grown for scientific study or public display
Example
We visited the city’s arboretum to learn about exotic trees.
Nous avons visité l'arborétum de la ville pour en apprendre davantage sur les arbres exotiques.
C2 noun /əˈkwɪtəns/

acquittance

quittance
Meaning
a written receipt acknowledging payment or discharge of a debt
Example
He demanded an acquittance after paying the loan.
Il a exigé une quittance après avoir payé le prêt.
C2 verb /ˌmɛtəˈmɔrfoʊz/

metamorphose

se métamorphoser
Meaning
To change in form, structure, or substance; to transform completely.
Example
The caterpillar metamorphosed into a butterfly.
La chenille s'est métamorphosée en un papillon.
C2 noun /fækˈtoʊtəm/

factotum

homme à tout faire
Meaning
an employee who does many different types of work; a general servant
Example
He worked as a factotum, handling both clerical and maintenance duties.
Il travaillait comme un factotum, s'occupant à la fois des tâches administratives et de maintenance.
C2 adjective /juːˈdʒɛnɪk/

eugenic

génétique
Meaning
Relating to or aiming at improving the genetic quality of a population.
Example
In the early 20th century, some scientists supported eugenic policies.
Au début du 20e siècle, certains scientifiques ont soutenu les politiques eugénistes.
C2 adjective /ˌpɛnɪˈtɛnʃəl/

penitential

pénitent
Meaning
Relating to or expressing penitence or penance.
Example
The priest delivered a penitential sermon on forgiveness.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon pénitent sur le pardon.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪəˈlɛktɪk/

dialectic

dialectique
Meaning
A method of argument or reasoning by dialogue, especially as a means of investigating truth.
Example
The philosopher used dialectic to challenge his students' assumptions.
Le philosophe a utilisé la dialectique pour remettre en question les hypothèses de ses étudiants.
C2 noun /ˈkjʊriˌoʊ/

curio

objet curieux
Meaning
a small unusual or interesting object, often collected for its rarity
Example
She bought a curio from the antique shop.
Elle a acheté un objet curieux dans le magasin d'antiquités.
C2 adjective /ˌæktʃuˈɛəriəl/

actuarial

actuariel
Meaning
Relating to actuaries or their work of analyzing financial risk and uncertainty, especially in insurance and pensions.
Example
The company relied on actuarial reports to set insurance premiums.
L'entreprise s'est appuyée sur des rapports actuariels pour fixer les primes d'assurance.
C2 noun /ˈdaɪəˌdɛm/

diadem

diadème
Meaning
A crown or headband worn as a symbol of royalty or authority.
Example
The queen wore a glittering diadem at the coronation.
La reine portait une diadème étincelante lors du couronnement.
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 /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 /ˈpaɪbɔːld/

piebald

à taches de deux couleurs
Meaning
having irregular patches of two colors, especially black and white
Example
The farmer owns a piebald horse with black and white spots.
Le fermier possède un cheval piebald avec des taches noires et blanches.
C2 adjective /ˌɔːfˈkiː/

off-key

fausse note
Meaning
out of tune; not in accordance with expected standards
Example
The singer was slightly off-key during the performance.
Le chanteur était légèrement hors de ton pendant la performance.
C2 noun /ˈθɔːməˌtɜrdʒɪst/

thaumaturgist

thaumaturge
Meaning
A worker of miracles or magician.
Example
The thaumaturgist amazed the audience with his tricks.
Le thaumaturge a émerveillé le public avec ses tours.
C2 noun /kəˌmɒd.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

commodification

marchandisation
Meaning
The transformation of goods, services, ideas, or social relations into market commodities.
Example
The commodification of education has increased tuition costs.
La marchandisation de l'éducation a augmenté les frais de scolarité.
C2 verb /rɪˈfrækt/

refract

réfracter
Meaning
To bend light, sound, or heat as it passes through a medium.
Example
The water refracts light, making the straw look bent.
L'eau réfracte la lumière, faisant apparaître la paille comme courbée.
C2 noun /ˈɡɑːrɡɔɪl/

gargoyle

sculpture en pierre (forme grotesque)
Meaning
A carved stone figure, often of a grotesque creature, on a building, typically used as a spout to carry water away.
Example
The ancient cathedral had gargoyles on every corner.
La cathédrale ancienne avait des gargouilles à chaque coin.
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 /ˈɛlɪdʒi/

elegy

élegie
Meaning
A poem or song expressing sorrow, especially for someone who has died.
Example
The poet wrote an elegy for his late friend.
Le poète a écrit une élégie pour son ami défunt.
C2 noun /ˈɛpəʊd/

epode

une forme de poème lyrique
Meaning
A form of lyric poem written in couplets, often following a strophe and antistrophe in classical Greek poetry.
Example
The poet concluded his ode with a striking epode.
Le poète a conclu son ode avec un épode frappant.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈdʒʌŋktɪv/

disjunctive

disjonctif
Meaning
Serving to separate or divide; expressing a choice between alternatives.
Example
In grammar, 'or' is a disjunctive conjunction.
En grammaire, 'ou' est une conjonction disjonctive.
C2 adjective /rɪˈmjuːnərətɪv/

remunerative

rémunérateur
Meaning
Financially rewarding or profitable.
Example
He chose a remunerative career in medicine.
Il a choisi une carrière rémunératrice en médecine.
C2 noun /ˈkɒntrəriz/

contraries

choses opposées
Meaning
things that are completely different or opposite to each other
Example
Freedom and slavery are contraries in every sense.
La liberté et l'esclavage sont des contraires dans tous les sens.
C2 noun /ˌrɛtroʊˈɡrɛʃən/

retrogression

rétrogradation
Meaning
a return to a worse or less developed state
Example
The country experienced economic retrogression after the crisis.
Le pays a connu une rétrogradation économique après la crise.
C2 noun /ˌɪnˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/

incapability

incapacité
Meaning
lack of ability or power to do something; inability or incompetence
Example
His incapability to manage the team led to serious problems.
Son incapacité à gérer l’équipe a causé de graves problèmes.
C2 noun /ˈrɪp.lɪt/

ripplet

petite ondulation
Meaning
a small or tiny ripple
Example
Tiny ripplets appeared on the lake as the fish moved.
De petites ondulations sont apparues sur le lac lorsque le poisson a bougé.