simulacrum
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C2 noun /ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkrəm/

simulacrum

simulacre
Meaning
an image or representation of someone or something; a superficial likeness
Example
The statue was only a simulacrum of the ancient god.
La statue n'était qu'un simulacre de l'ancien dieu.
C2 noun /ˈmaʊntɪˌbæŋk/

mountebank

charlatan
Meaning
A charlatan or trickster who deceives others, often for personal gain.
Example
The crowd was fooled by the mountebank’s false promises.
La foule a été trompée par les fausses promesses du charlatan.
C2 noun /ˈfɪɡmənt/

figment

invention, imagination
Meaning
something invented or imaginary; a fabrication of the mind
Example
The story of the haunted house is just a figment of her imagination.
L'histoire de la maison hantée n'est qu'un produit de son imagination.
C2 noun /ˌdɛspəˈrɑːdoʊ/

desperado

bandit
Meaning
A bold, reckless, or dangerous person, often a criminal.
Example
The sheriff was determined to capture the desperado who terrorized the town.
Le shérif était déterminé à capturer le bandit qui terrorisait la ville.
C2 adjective /ˈkreɪvən/

craven

lâche
Meaning
cowardly; lacking courage
Example
He was too craven to stand up for his beliefs.
Il était trop lâche pour défendre ses croyances.
C2 noun /wɛlp/

whelp

chiot
Meaning
a young offspring of a dog or other carnivorous mammal; sometimes used to mean an impudent young person
Example
The farmer found a wolf whelp hiding near the barn.
Le fermier a trouvé un chiot de loup caché près de la grange.
C2 verb /ˈpɔːltər/

palter

parler de manière floue, tromper
Meaning
to act insincerely or deceitfully; to equivocate or lie
Example
He paltered when asked about his involvement in the deal.
Il a évité la question lorsqu'on lui a demandé son implication dans l'accord.
C2 noun /ˈmɜːkinəs/

murkiness

obscurité
Meaning
The quality of being dark, gloomy, or unclear.
Example
The murkiness of the water made it hard to see the fish.
L'obscurité de l'eau rendait difficile de voir les poissons.
C2 noun /ˈpɒm.əl/

pommel

le bouton arrondi sur le pommeau d'une épée ou d'une selle
Meaning
the rounded knob on the handle of a sword or saddle
Example
He gripped the sword firmly by the pommel.
Il saisit fermement l'épée par le pommel.
C2 noun /ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪʃən/

abnegation

abnégation
Meaning
the act of renouncing or rejecting something, especially self-denial
Example
The monk’s life was one of complete abnegation of worldly pleasures.
La vie du moine était une complète abnégation des plaisirs mondains.
C2 noun /ˈtrɛsəl/

trestle

étrier
Meaning
a frame or support consisting of a horizontal beam held up by two pairs of sloping legs, used especially for supporting a bridge or table
Example
The workers built a wooden trestle to support the temporary bridge.
Les travailleurs ont construit un tréteau en bois pour soutenir le pont temporaire.
C2 noun /ˌɒktədʒəˈnɛəriən/

octogenarian

octogénaire
Meaning
A person who is between 80 and 89 years old.
Example
The octogenarian still jogs every morning to stay healthy.
L'octogénaire court encore chaque matin pour rester en bonne santé.
C2 verb /ˌkɒnvəˈlɛs/

convalesce

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

Amulet

amulette; talisman
Meaning
an ornament or small piece of jewelry thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease
Example
She wore a silver amulet around her neck for good luck.
Elle portait un amulette en argent autour du cou pour la chance.
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 adjective /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛsənt/

deliquescent

qui devient liquide en absorbant l'humidité
Meaning
tending to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air
Example
Sugar is not deliquescent, but salt can be.
Le sucre n'est pas déliquescent, mais le sel peut l'être.
C2 noun /ˌɛmjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/

emulation

émulation
Meaning
Reproducing something or following someone to achieve success.
Example
The software allows the emulation of old video games on modern devices.
Le logiciel permet l'émulation de vieux jeux vidéo sur des appareils modernes.
C2 adjective /ˈbɪbjələs/

bibulous

ivrogne
Meaning
Excessively fond of drinking alcohol.
Example
His bibulous habits worried his family.
Ses habitudes ivrognes inquiétaient sa famille.
C2 noun /əˈdjuː/

adieu

adieu
Meaning
A farewell or goodbye, often used in a formal or poetic sense.
Example
She bid her friends adieu before leaving for France.
Elle fit ses adieux à ses amis avant de partir pour la France.
C2 noun /ˌkiː.təʊˈdʒen.ɪ.sɪs/

ketogenesis

processus de production de cétones
Meaning
The metabolic process by which the liver produces ketones from fatty acids, providing an alternative energy source during low carbohydrate availability.
Example
Ketogenesis occurs during fasting or low-carb diets.
La cétogenèse se produit lors du jeûne ou des régimes pauvres en glucides.
C2 noun /drʌdʒ/

drudge

travailleur assidu
Meaning
A person made to do hard, menial, or dull work.
Example
He felt like a drudge, stuck in repetitive tasks all day.
Il se sentait comme un travailleur assidu, coincé dans des tâches répétitives toute la journée.
C2 noun /ˈmæk.rəˌkɒz.əm/

macrocosm

macrocosme
Meaning
The whole universe considered as a large, complex system; a large-scale representation of something.
Example
The macrocosm of the universe reflects the microcosm of human life.
Le macrocosme de l'univers reflète le microcosme de la vie humaine.
C2 verb /ˈkɒd.l̩/

coddle

choyer de manière excessive
Meaning
to treat someone with excessive care or kindness, often in a way that is overprotective
Example
Parents should support their children without coddling them.
Les parents devraient soutenir leurs enfants sans les dorloter.
C2 verb /vɔːnt/

vaunt

se vanter
Meaning
to boast or brag about something, especially in an excessive way
Example
He would often vaunt his achievements in front of his colleagues.
Il se vantait souvent de ses réalisations devant ses collègues.
C2 noun /ˈkær.ə.weɪ siːdz/

Caraway seeds

graines de carvi
Meaning
aromatic seeds of the caraway plant used as a spice in cooking and baking
Example
The bread was flavored with caraway seeds.
Le pain était parfumé aux graines de carvi.
C2 verb /fleɪ/

flay

enlever la peau/criticiser sévèrement
Meaning
to strip off the skin of something or criticize severely
Example
The chef flayed the fish before cooking it.
Le chef a enlevé la peau du poisson avant de le cuisiner.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈdɪstæf/

distaff

lié aux femmes, côté maternel
Meaning
Relating to women or the maternal side of a family; also a tool for spinning thread.
Example
She came from the distaff side of a noble family.
Elle venait du côté maternel d'une famille noble.
C2 verb /əˈvʌls/

avulse

arracher
Meaning
to tear away or separate forcibly, especially in medical or geological contexts
Example
The surgeon had to avulse the damaged tissue during the operation.
Le chirurgien a dû arracher le tissu endommagé pendant l'opération.
C2 noun /ˈdʌlərd/

dullard

personne stupide
Meaning
a slow or stupid person
Example
He was considered a dullard by his classmates.
Il était considéré comme un idiot par ses camarades de classe.
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 /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 verb /læmˈbæst/

lambast

critiquer sévèrement
Meaning
To criticize harshly or to beat severely.
Example
The coach lambasted the team for their poor performance.
L'entraîneur a sévèrement critiqué l'équipe pour sa mauvaise performance.
C2 noun /ˈjuːzjuːfrʌkt/

usufruct

usufruit
Meaning
The legal right to use and enjoy the benefits of someone else’s property without owning it.
Example
The tenant had the usufruct of the land but not its ownership.
Le locataire avait l'usufruit de la terre mais pas sa propriété.
C2 noun /ˈdʒʊntə/

junta

junte militaire
Meaning
A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force.
Example
The junta seized power after the coup.
La junte a pris le pouvoir après le coup d'État.
C2 noun /prɪˈsɛntɪmənt/

presentiment

présentiment
Meaning
An intuitive feeling about the future, especially of something bad about to happen.
Example
He had a strong presentiment that the plan would fail.
Il avait un fort pressentiment que le plan échouerait.
C2 noun /ˈhɒdʒ.pɒdʒ/

hodgepodge

mélange confus
Meaning
A confusing mixture of different things; a jumble.
Example
The essay was a hodgepodge of unrelated ideas.
L'essai était un mélange confus d'idées non liées.
C2 verb /ˈwɪn.oʊ/

winnow

sélectionner; séparer le grain de la paille
Meaning
to remove the less desirable parts from a group; originally, to separate grain from chaff by blowing air
Example
The committee will winnow the list of applicants to ten finalists.
Le comité réduira la liste des candidats à dix finalistes.
C2 noun /ˈvɛstmənt/

vestment

vêtement religieux
Meaning
a garment, especially a ceremonial or official robe worn during religious services
Example
The priest wore a golden vestment during the ceremony.
Le prêtre portait un vêtement doré lors de la cérémonie.
C2 noun /məˈdɒn.ə/

madonna

madonna (Vierge Marie)
Meaning
An artistic representation of the Virgin Mary; also used as a respectful form of address for a woman in Italian culture.
Example
The Renaissance painting depicts a Madonna holding child Jesus.
La peinture de la Renaissance dépeint une Madonna tenant l'enfant Jésus.
C2 noun /ˈzɛfər/

zephyr

brise douce
Meaning
A soft gentle breeze.
Example
A warm zephyr blew through the valley.
Une brise douce soufflait à travers la vallée.
C2 noun /ˈθɛspiən/

thespian

acteur
Meaning
An actor or actress; relating to drama or theater.
Example
The festival was filled with talented thespians from across the country.
Le festival était rempli d'acteurs talentueux venus de tout le pays.
C2 adjective /ˈmiːzli/

measly

insignifiant
Meaning
contemptibly small or insignificant
Example
He was paid a measly sum for the hard work.
Il a été payé une somme insignifiante pour le travail acharné.
C2 adjective /ˈfʌŋɡəs/

fungous

semblable à un champignon
Meaning
relating to or resembling a fungus
Example
The damp basement had a fungous smell.
Le sous-sol humide avait une odeur semblable à un champignon.
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 /ˈɛrzæts/

ersatz

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

Loony

fou; idiot; mentalement instable
Meaning
crazy; silly; mentally unstable
Example
His loony behavior made everyone laugh.
Son comportement fou a fait rire tout le monde.
C2 adjective/noun /fɪˈduː.ʃi.er.i/

fiduciary

fiduciaire
Meaning
Involving trust, especially with regard to the relationship between a trustee and a beneficiary.
Example
Banks have fiduciary duties towards their clients.
Les banques ont des devoirs fiduciaires envers leurs clients.
C2 verb /ˈpjuːtrɪfaɪ/

putrefy

putréfier
Meaning
to decay or rot, producing a foul smell
Example
The meat began to putrefy in the heat.
La viande a commencé à pourrir sous la chaleur.
C2 noun /ˌlɪk.wəˈfeɪ.ʃənt/

liquefacient

liquéfiant
Meaning
a substance that causes something to become liquid
Example
The chemist explained how the liquefacient worked in the experiment.
Le chimiste a expliqué comment le liquide fonctionnait dans l'expérience.
C2 adjective /ˈprɒvɪdənt/

provident

prévoyant
Meaning
making or indicative of timely preparation for the future
Example
She was provident in saving money for her children’s education.
Elle était prévoyante en économisant de l'argent pour l'éducation de ses enfants.
C2 noun /ˈkʌstərd ˈæpəl/

Custard Apple

pomme à la crème
Meaning
a tropical fruit with sweet creamy white flesh and black seeds
Example
The custard apple has a sweet and creamy texture.
La pomme à la crème a une texture douce et crémeuse.
C2 noun /ˈkrɛməˌtɔːri/

crematory

crématorium
Meaning
a place where dead bodies are cremated
Example
The crematory was located near the cemetery.
Le crématorium était situé près du cimetière.
C2 verb /ɪnˈhjuːm/

inhume

inhumer
Meaning
to bury a dead body in the ground
Example
They inhumed the warrior with full honors.
Ils ont inhumé le guerrier avec tous les honneurs.
C2 adjective /ˈɒf.biːt/

offbeat

inhabituel
Meaning
Unusual, unconventional, or different from the norm.
Example
She has a very offbeat sense of humor.
Elle a un sens de l'humour très inhabituel.
C2 noun /ˌkɒnfəˈriː/

conferee

participant à la conférence
Meaning
a person who takes part in a conference
Example
Each conferee received a badge at the registration desk.
Chaque participant à la conférence a reçu un badge au comptoir d'inscription.
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 verb /fɪˈneɪɡəl/

finagle

obtenir quelque chose par astuce ou tromperie
Meaning
to obtain something by cleverness or trickery
Example
He finagled a free ticket by pretending to be a VIP guest.
Il a obtenu un billet gratuit en prétendant être un invité VIP.
C2 noun /ˌniːoʊˈlætɪn/

neo-latin

néo-latin
Meaning
The use of Latin language for scholarly, scientific, and literary purposes after the medieval period.
Example
Many scientific names are derived from Neo-Latin.
De nombreux noms scientifiques sont dérivés du néo-latin.
C2 noun /ˌɔːrnɪˈθɑːlədʒi/

ornithology

ornithologie
Meaning
the scientific study of birds
Example
She pursued ornithology to understand the migration patterns of birds.
Elle a poursuivi l'ornithologie pour comprendre les schémas de migration des oiseaux.
C2 adjective /ˈtrʌŋkeɪtɪd/

truncated

raccourci
Meaning
shortened by cutting off a part; cut short
Example
The meeting was truncated due to time constraints.
La réunion a été raccourcie en raison des contraintes de temps.
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 verb /ˈbraʊˌbiːt/

browbeat

intimider / contraindre
Meaning
To intimidate or bully someone into doing something
Example
The lawyer tried to browbeat the witness.
L'avocat a essayé d'intimider le témoin.
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 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 verb /pərˈveɪ/

purvey

fournir
Meaning
to supply or provide goods, services, or information, often as a business
Example
The company purveys organic food to health-conscious customers.
L'entreprise fournit des aliments biologiques aux clients soucieux de leur santé.
C2 noun /ˌæntiˈsaɪkloʊn/

anticyclone

anticyclone
Meaning
A weather system with high atmospheric pressure at its center, usually bringing calm and clear conditions.
Example
An anticyclone brought sunny weather across the region.
Un anticyclone a apporté du temps ensoleillé dans toute la région.
C2 adjective /ˌʌltrəˈmɒnteɪn/

ultramontane

partisan du Pape
Meaning
beyond the mountains, especially referring to support for the Pope over local church authority
Example
The debate highlighted the ultramontane position in church politics.
Le débat a mis en lumière la position ultramontaine dans la politique ecclésiastique.
C2 verb /ˈtrʌŋkeɪt/

truncate

tronquer
Meaning
to shorten something by cutting off the top or the end
Example
The article was truncated to fit the limited space.
L'article a été tronqué pour tenir dans l'espace limité.
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 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 /ˈkwɒdreɪt/

quadrate

carré
Meaning
square or nearly square; having four sides or being suited or corresponding to something
Example
The tiles had a neat quadrate shape that made the floor look orderly.
Les carreaux avaient une forme carrée nette qui donnait à le sol un aspect ordonné.
C2 adjective /ˈpruːdɪʃ/

prudish

prude
Meaning
having or revealing a tendency to be easily shocked by matters relating to sex or nudity
Example
She was too prudish to watch the movie with her friends.
Elle était trop prude pour regarder le film avec ses amis.
C2 noun /ˈkoʊdə/

coda

coda
Meaning
the concluding passage of a piece of music or a literary work
Example
The novel ends with a reflective coda that ties up the themes.
Le roman se termine par une coda réfléchie qui relie les thèmes.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈsʌlid/

unsullied

immaculé
Meaning
not spoiled or made impure; perfectly clean or pure
Example
His reputation remained unsullied despite the accusations.
Sa réputation est restée immaculée malgré les accusations.
C2 noun /maɪˈkrɒmɪtər/

micrometer

micromètre
Meaning
A device used for measuring small distances with great accuracy.
Example
The engineer used a micrometer to measure the thickness of the wire.
L'ingénieur a utilisé un micromètre pour mesurer l'épaisseur du fil.
C2 noun /dɜːrdʒ/

dirge

élégie
Meaning
A mournful song, piece of music, or poem expressing grief, often for the dead.
Example
The choir sang a solemn dirge at the funeral.
La chorale a chanté une élégie solennelle lors des funérailles.
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 /dɪˈdʒɛnərəsi/

degeneracy

dégénérescence
Meaning
The state of decline or deterioration, often in moral, cultural, or physical qualities.
Example
The novel portrays the moral degeneracy of a corrupt society.
Le roman dépeint la dégénérescence morale d'une société corrompue.
C2 noun /ˈtɜːrməɡənt/

termagant

femme autoritaire et irritable
Meaning
A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman.
Example
The character was portrayed as a loud and domineering termagant.
Le personnage a été dépeint comme une femme bruyante et dominatrice.
C2 noun /dæmˈneɪ.ʃən/

Damnation

damnation éternelle; destruction
Meaning
condemnation to eternal punishment in hell; something that causes ruin or failure
Example
The preacher spoke about salvation and damnation in his sermon.
Le prédicateur a parlé du salut et de la damnation dans son sermon.
C2 adjective /əˈkɪliən/

achillean

achillien
Meaning
like or characteristic of Achilles; strong but vulnerable
Example
His achillean pride made him blind to danger.
Sa fierté achillienne le rendait aveugle au danger.
C2 noun /ˈsɪbɪləns/

sibilance

son sifflant
Meaning
A hissing or hushing sound, especially in speech with 's' or 'sh'.
Example
The poet used sibilance to create a soft, hissing effect in the verse.
Le poète a utilisé la sibilance pour créer un effet doux et sifflant dans le vers.
C2 noun əˈlæk.rə.t̬i

alacrity

disponibilité rapide et joyeuse
Meaning
Brisk and cheerful readiness.
Example
He accepted the challenge with alacrity.
Il a accepté le défi avec alacrité.
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 /ˈætəmaɪzər/

atomizer

atomiseur
Meaning
A device that sprays liquid into a fine mist.
Example
She used an atomizer to apply the perfume evenly.
Elle a utilisé un atomiseur pour appliquer le parfum uniformément.
C2 noun /ˈænti/

ante

mise initiale dans un jeu
Meaning
a stake put up by a player in poker or similar games before receiving cards; also used figuratively to mean an initial investment or contribution
Example
Each player placed an ante before the game began.
Chaque joueur a mis un ante avant que le jeu commence.
C2 noun /ˌmjuːtəˈbɪləti/

mutablility

mutabilité (faute d'orthographe)
Meaning
A misspelled form of 'mutability', meaning the quality of being changeable.
Example
The document contained the misspelled word 'mutablility' instead of 'mutability'.
Le document contenait le mot mal écrit 'mutablility' au lieu de 'mutability'.
C2 verb /əˈniːl/

anneal

durcir par la chaleur
Meaning
To heat and cool metal or glass to make it stronger or less brittle.
Example
The blacksmith annealed the steel to improve its durability.
Le forgeron a anilé l'acier pour améliorer sa durabilité.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈsaɪklɔɪd/

cycloid

courbe cycloïdienne
Meaning
a curve traced by a point on the rim of a circle as it rolls along a straight line
Example
The cycloid is often studied in mathematics and physics.
La cycloïde est souvent étudiée en mathématiques et en physique.
C2 adjective /ˈdjuːtiəs/

duteous

obéissant
Meaning
dutiful; obedient and respectful
Example
The duteous child always followed her parents’ instructions.
L'enfant obéissant suivait toujours les instructions de ses parents.
C2 noun /ˈpɛrɪstaɪl/

peristyle

perronne entourée de colonnes
Meaning
A continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or courtyard.
Example
The Roman villa featured a beautiful peristyle garden.
La villa romaine présentait un beau jardin péristyle.
C2 noun /ˈæsɪˌteɪt/

acetate

acétate
Meaning
a salt or ester of acetic acid; a synthetic material used in textiles and film
Example
The company produces acetate fibers for clothing.
L'entreprise produit des fibres d'acétate pour les vêtements.
C2 adjective /ˈmɒtli/

motley

hétérogène
Meaning
Made up of different, often incongruous or diverse elements.
Example
The festival attracted a motley crowd of artists, musicians, and tourists.
Le festival a attiré une foule hétérogène d'artistes, de musiciens et de touristes.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːl.səm ˈæp.əl/

Balsam apple

melon amer
Meaning
a bitter gourd vegetable with a bumpy green skin, also known as bitter melon
Example
Balsam apple is cooked with spices to reduce its bitter taste.
Le melon amer est cuit avec des épices pour réduire son goût amer.
C2 verb /əˈdʒʊər/

adjure

adjurer
Meaning
to urge or command someone solemnly, often under oath or a strong sense of duty
Example
The witness was adjured to tell the truth in court.
Le témoin a été adjuré de dire la vérité au tribunal.
C2 noun /trʌs/

truss

treillis
Meaning
a framework, typically consisting of rafters, posts, and struts, supporting a roof, bridge, or other structure
Example
The engineer designed a strong truss for the new bridge.
L'ingénieur a conçu un solide treillis pour le nouveau pont.
C2 adjective /ˈprɪɡɪʃ/

priggish

moraliste et prétentieux
Meaning
self-righteously moralistic and superior
Example
He came across as priggish when correcting everyone's manners.
Il semblait moraliste et prétentieux lorsqu'il corrigeait les manières de tout le monde.
C2 verb /bɪˈhuːv/

behoove

être nécessaire ou approprié pour que quelqu'un fasse quelque chose
Meaning
to be necessary, proper, or appropriate for someone to do
Example
It would behoove you to study before the exam.
Il serait approprié que tu étudies avant l'examen.
C2 noun /blɑːtʃ/

blotch

tache
Meaning
a large, irregular spot or stain, often on skin or fabric
Example
His shirt had a red blotch from the spilled juice.
Sa chemise avait une tache rouge due au jus renversé.
C2 verb /ɡɜːrd/

gird

ceindre
Meaning
to encircle with a belt or band; to prepare for action
Example
The knight girded his sword before battle.
Le chevalier a ceinturé son épée avant la bataille.
C2 adjective /ˌpluːˈpɜːrfɪkt/

pluperfect

plus-que-parfait
Meaning
a verb tense expressing an action completed before another past action
Example
By the time she arrived, he had finished his homework, showing the pluperfect tense.
Quand elle est arrivée, il avait déjà terminé ses devoirs, montrant le plus-que-parfait.
C2 adjective /ˌʌn.təˈwɔːrd/

untoward

inattendu
Meaning
Unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.
Example
The meeting ended without any untoward incidents.
La réunion s'est terminée sans incidents inattendus.
C2 adjective /ˈmɛtəlˌsʌm/

mettlesome

courageux
Meaning
Full of courage and spirit; lively and spirited.
Example
The mettlesome young rider never backed down from a challenge.
Le jeune cavalier courageux n'a jamais reculé devant un défi.
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 /ˈveɪnɡlɔːri/

vainglory

vanité
Meaning
Excessive vanity or boastfulness about one's achievements.
Example
His speech was filled with vainglory and self-praise.
Son discours était rempli de vanité et d'autopromotion.
C2 noun /ˈvɛrɪti/

verity

vérité
Meaning
a true principle or belief; the state of being true
Example
The verity of his statement was confirmed by evidence.
La véracité de sa déclaration a été confirmée par des preuves.
C2 noun /ˈtʃælɪs/

chalice

calice
Meaning
A large cup or goblet, typically used for drinking wine in religious ceremonies.
Example
The priest lifted the golden chalice during the ceremony.
Le prêtre a levé le calice en or pendant la cérémonie.
C2 adjective /paɪd/

pied

de couleurs variées
Meaning
having two or more different colors, typically in blotches
Example
The pied cat had black and white patches all over its body.
Le chat piebald avait des taches noires et blanches sur tout son corps.
C2 adjective /ˈmeɪndʒi/

mangy

sale et usé
Meaning
in poor condition, shabby, dirty, or affected by mange
Example
The stray dog looked mangy and weak.
Le chien errant avait l'air sale et faible.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnfɪnɪˈtɛsɪməl/

infinitesimal

infinitésimal
Meaning
Extremely small in size or amount; so tiny as to be almost negligible.
Example
The error was so infinitesimal that it didn’t affect the results.
L'erreur était si infinitésimale qu'elle n'a pas affecté les résultats.
C2 noun /ˈkɒkskoʊm/

Cockscomb

fleur de crête de coq
Meaning
a tropical plant with bright, velvety flowers that resemble a rooster's comb
Example
The bright red cockscomb flowers added vibrant color to the garden bed.
Les fleurs rouges de crête de coq ont ajouté une couleur vibrante au parterre de jardin.
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 adjective /ˈsɪlieɪtɪd/

ciliated

ciliée
Meaning
Having minute hairlike projections (cilia) on the surface of cells or organisms.
Example
The ciliated cells in the respiratory tract help move mucus out of the lungs.
Les cellules ciliées dans le tractus respiratoire aident à déplacer le mucus hors des poumons.
C2 noun /ɪɡˈzækʃən/

exaction

exaction
Meaning
the act of demanding or obtaining something, especially unfairly
Example
The peasants suffered under the king's heavy exactions.
Les paysans ont souffert sous les lourdes exactions du roi.
C2 verb /kənˈdʒɔɪn/

conjoin

joindre
Meaning
to join together or unite; to combine
Example
The two rivers conjoin just before reaching the sea.
Les deux rivières se rejoignent juste avant d'atteindre la mer.
C2 verb /ˈɡlaʊ.ər/

glower

regarder avec colère
Meaning
To look at someone with an angry or sullen expression.
Example
He glowered at his rival across the room.
Il regarda son rival de l'autre côté de la pièce avec colère.
C2 verb /ˈɪndjʊˌreɪt/

indurate

endurcir
Meaning
To harden or make something physically or emotionally tough.
Example
Years of hardship indurated his spirit.
Des années de difficultés ont induré son esprit.
C2 adjective /ˈfætʃuəs/

fatuous

fatuo
Meaning
silly or foolish, especially in a self-satisfied way
Example
His fatuous comments during the meeting annoyed everyone.
Ses commentaires fatuos pendant la réunion ont agacé tout le monde.
C2 adjective /woʊnt/ or /wɔːnt/

wont

habitué
Meaning
accustomed or used to doing something
Example
She rose early, as she was wont to do.
Elle se leva tôt, comme elle en avait l'habitude.