skulduggery
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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 /ˌstaʊtˈhɑːrtɪd/

stouthearted

courageux
Meaning
Brave, determined, and courageous
Example
The stouthearted soldier never gave up.
Le soldat courageux n'a jamais abandonné.
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 noun /ˈsteɪtkraft/

statecraft

art de gouverner
Meaning
The art of governing and managing state affairs effectively.
Example
The leader was praised for his exceptional statecraft in handling international relations.
Le leader a été félicité pour son art de gouverner exceptionnel dans la gestion des relations internationales.
C2 adjective /ˈspɔːrtɪv/

sportive

sportif
Meaning
Playful, lively, or full of fun.
Example
The children were in a sportive mood during the picnic.
Les enfants étaient d'humeur sportive pendant le pique-nique.
C2 noun /ˈsɛpəlˌtʃər/

Sepulture

tombeau; sépulture;
Meaning
the act of burying a dead body; burial; a grave or tomb
Example
The ancient king's sepulture was discovered by archaeologists.
Le sépulcre du roi ancien a été découvert par les archéologues.
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 /ˈsloʊθfəl/

slothful

paresseux
Meaning
Lazy, idle, and unwilling to work.
Example
She was too slothful to get out of bed early.
Elle était trop paresseuse pour se lever tôt du lit.
C2 noun /sɪˈkwiːlə/

sequela

séquelle
Meaning
A condition that is the consequence of a previous disease or injury.
Example
Lung scarring can be a sequela of severe pneumonia.
Les cicatrices pulmonaires peuvent être une séquelle d'une pneumonie sévère.
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 /ˈsweɪʒən/

suasion

persuasion
Meaning
the act of persuading or influencing someone
Example
The leader used gentle suasion to win support for the plan.
Le leader a utilisé une suasion douce pour obtenir le soutien pour le plan.
C2 noun /ˈsɛkstənt/

sextant

sextant
Meaning
a navigational instrument with a graduated arc of 60°, used to measure the angle between a celestial object and the horizon
Example
Using a sextant, the navigator fixed the ship’s position at noon.
En utilisant un sextant, le navigateur a fixé la position du navire à midi.
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 /ˌsɒfəˈmɒrɪk/

sophomoric

immature
Meaning
showing immaturity and overconfidence, like a sophomore
Example
His sophomoric behavior embarrassed his friends.
Son comportement immature a embarrassé ses amis.
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 noun /ˈʃaɪstər/

shyster

escroc
Meaning
a person, especially a lawyer, who uses unscrupulous or dishonest methods
Example
The businessman was exposed as a shyster who cheated clients.
L'homme d'affaires a été exposé comme un escroc qui trompait les clients.
C2 noun /ˈsʌbtrəˌhɛnd/

subtrahend

minuende
Meaning
a number that is to be subtracted from another number
Example
In the equation 10 - 4, the number 4 is the subtrahend.
Dans l'équation 10 - 4, le nombre 4 est le minuende.
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 adjective /ˈsɪŋkəˌpeɪtɪd/

syncopated

syncopé
Meaning
Characterized by displaced beats or rhythms, especially in music.
Example
The jazz piece had a syncopated rhythm that energized the crowd.
Le morceau de jazz avait un rythme syncopé qui a énergisé la foule.
C2 noun /ˈsɛrəf/

seraph

séraphin
Meaning
An angelic being associated with light and purity, often depicted as a high-ranking angel in Christian theology.
Example
The stained-glass window depicted a seraph with outstretched wings.
Le vitrail représentait un séraphin avec des ailes déployées.
C2 verb /sweɪð/

swathe

envelopper
Meaning
To wrap or cover closely or completely.
Example
She swathed the baby in a soft blanket.
Elle enveloppa le bébé dans une couverture douce.
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 noun /ˈsaɪnɪkjʊər/

sinecure

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

serried

serré
Meaning
pressed or crowded together, often in rows or ranks
Example
The soldiers stood in serried ranks, ready for inspection.
Les soldats étaient en rangs serrés, prêts pour l'inspection.
C2 adjective /ˈsɒmnələnt/

somnolent

somnolent
Meaning
Sleepy or drowsy; causing a desire to sleep.
Example
The somnolent lecture made half the class fall asleep.
Le cours somnolent a fait dormir la moitié de la classe.
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 noun /ˈsaɪ.ə.lɪz.əm/

sciolism

prétention de savoir superficiel
Meaning
pretentious show of superficial knowledge
Example
His speech was full of sciolism, impressing no one.
Son discours était rempli de sciolisme, sans impressionner personne.
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 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 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 verb /sʌbˈtɛnd/

subtend

sous-tendre
Meaning
To extend across or form an angle at a particular point, often used in geometry.
Example
The arc subtends a 60-degree angle at the center of the circle.
L'arc sous-tend un angle de 60 degrés au centre du cercle.
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 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 /slaɪt/

sleight

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

stasis

stase
Meaning
A state of inactivity or equilibrium; a situation where nothing changes.
Example
The negotiations reached a state of stasis with no progress made.
Les négociations ont atteint un état de stase sans progrès.
C2 adjective /səˈdʒɛstəbəl/

suggestible

suggérable
Meaning
easily influenced by the suggestions of others
Example
Children are highly suggestible and may believe what they are told.
Les enfants sont très suggestibles et peuvent croire ce qu'on leur dit.
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 /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 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 /ˈspaɪnəs/

spinous

épineux
Meaning
Having spines or thorn-like projections
Example
The spinous cactus was difficult to handle without gloves.
Le cactus épineux était difficile à manipuler sans gants.
C2 adjective /ˌsuː.pər.ɪˈrɑː.ɡə.tɔːr.i/

supererogatory

superflu
Meaning
Going beyond what is required or expected; more than necessary.
Example
His donation was supererogatory, far beyond what anyone had asked for.
Sa donation était superflue, bien au-delà de ce que quelqu'un avait demandé.
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 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 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 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 /ˈsɪnəd/

synod

synode
Meaning
An assembly of the clergy in a Christian church convened to decide on issues of doctrine or administration.
Example
The synod gathered to discuss reforms in the church.
Le synode s'est réuni pour discuter des réformes dans l'église.
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 /ˈsɪbəleɪt/

sibilate

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

simian

simien
Meaning
Relating to, resembling, or affecting apes or monkeys.
Example
The scientist studied the simian behavior of the chimpanzees.
Le scientifique a étudié le comportement simien des chimpanzés.
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 /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 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 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 noun /stɒˈkeɪd/

stockade

clôture en bois
Meaning
a defensive barrier made of strong posts or timbers, often around a fort or prison
Example
The prisoners were kept inside the wooden stockade.
Les prisonniers ont été gardés à l'intérieur de la clôture en bois.
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 /ˈstænʃən/

stanchion

poteau de support
Meaning
a strong upright bar or post used as support or to control movement
Example
The red rope was attached to the stanchions to guide the crowd.
La corde rouge était attachée aux stanchions pour guider la foule.
C2 noun /ˌsuː.pər.əˈbʌn.dəns/

superabundance

superabondance
Meaning
An excessive or overflowing amount of something.
Example
The garden was filled with a superabundance of flowers.
Le jardin était rempli d'une superabondance de fleurs.
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 /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 verb /swɪl/

swill

boire goulûment
Meaning
to drink something greedily or in large amounts
Example
He swilled down the beer in seconds.
Il a bu la bière en quelques secondes.
C2 noun /ˈsɒlɪˌsɪzəm/

solecism

solécisme
Meaning
a grammatical mistake in speech or writing; a breach of good manners or etiquette
Example
His speech was full of solecisms and awkward phrases.
Son discours était plein de solécismes et de phrases maladroites.
C2 verb /ˈsʌk.əl/

suckle

allaiter
Meaning
to feed a baby or young animal with milk from the breast or udder
Example
The mother cat suckled her kittens in the basket.
La mère chat a allaité ses chatons dans le panier.
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 adjective /ˈsækərɪn/

saccharine

bonheur
Meaning
Excessively sweet or sentimental.
Example
His saccharine smile seemed insincere.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /ˈskɪnˌflɪnt/

skinflint

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

stripling

jeune homme
Meaning
a young man who is not yet fully grown
Example
The stripling dreamed of becoming a brave knight.
Le jeune homme rêvait de devenir un chevalier courageux.
C2 adjective /səˈlɪsɪtəs/

solicitous

solliciteux
Meaning
showing concern or care for someone's health, happiness, or comfort
Example
She was always solicitous about the well-being of her students.
Elle était toujours préoccupée par le bien-être de ses étudiants.
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 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 /ˈsælvoʊ/

salvo

salve
Meaning
A simultaneous discharge of guns or release of bombs; a sudden outburst of cheers or applause.
Example
The soldiers fired a salvo to honor the fallen general.
Les soldats ont tiré une salve pour honorer le général décédé.
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 /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 noun /ˈsɛpəlkər/

sepulcher

tombeau
Meaning
A small room or monument, cut in rock or built of stone, in which a dead person is buried.
Example
The ancient king was laid to rest in a grand sepulcher.
Le roi ancien a été enterré dans un grand tombeau.
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 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 adjective /ˈsæpɪd/

sapid

savoureux
Meaning
Having a pleasant taste; flavorful.
Example
The chef prepared a sapid dish that delighted everyone at the table.
Le chef a préparé un plat savoureux qui a enchanté tout le monde à table.
C2 verb /ˈsnʌfəl/

snuffle

respirer bruyamment par le nez
Meaning
to breathe noisily through the nose, often because of crying or a cold
Example
The child began to snuffle after crying for a long time.
L'enfant a commencé à respirer bruyamment par le nez après avoir pleuré longtemps.
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 /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 /səbˈmɜːrʒən/

submersion

submersion
Meaning
the state of being under water
Example
The submersion of the fields lasted for several days after the heavy rain.
La submersion des champs a duré plusieurs jours après la forte pluie.
C2 verb /ˈstræɡəl/

straggle

se déplacer de manière irrégulière
Meaning
To move or spread in an irregular, scattered, or untidy way.
Example
The children began to straggle behind on the long hike.
Les enfants ont commencé à traîner derrière pendant la longue randonnée.
C2 adjective /ˌstætʃuˈɛsk/

statuesque

statuesque
Meaning
Having the grace, beauty, or dignity of a statue; tall and attractively proportioned.
Example
She had a statuesque figure that turned heads wherever she went.
Elle avait une silhouette statuaire qui attirait les regards partout où elle allait.
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 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 noun /spʌndʒ ɡɔːrd/

Sponse gourd

courge éponge
Meaning
a fibrous gourd that becomes sponge-like when dried, used for cleaning and in cooking when young
Example
The sponge gourd can be eaten when young or dried to make natural scrubbers.
La courge éponge peut être mangée lorsqu'elle est jeune ou séchée pour fabriquer des éponges naturelles.
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 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 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 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 /ˈsfɪŋks laɪk/

sphinx-like

mystérieux
Meaning
Mysterious, enigmatic, or difficult to interpret
Example
Her sphinx-like smile made it hard to guess what she was thinking.
Son sourire sphinx-like rendait difficile de deviner ce qu'elle pensait.
C2 noun /strəˈmoʊ.ni.əm ˌflaʊ.ər/

Stramonium flower

fleur de stramoine
Meaning
A trumpet-shaped white or purple flower from the jimsonweed plant, known for its toxic properties
Example
The stramonium flower blooms at night with a sweet fragrance.
La fleur de stramoine fleurit la nuit avec un parfum doux.
C2 adjective /ˌsɪkəˈfæntɪk/

sycophantic

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

scission

scission
Meaning
the act of cutting or dividing something
Example
The political party suffered a scission over ideological disputes.
Le parti politique a subi une scission en raison de différends idéologiques.
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 adjective /ˈsuːpaɪn/

supine

couché sur le dos
Meaning
Lying on the back, face upward; failing to act due to laziness or weakness.
Example
He lay supine on the grass, staring at the stars.
Il était allongé sur l'herbe, regardant les étoiles.
C2 verb /səˈfjuːz/

suffuse

envahir
Meaning
to gradually spread through or over something
Example
A warm glow suffused her face as she smiled.
Une lueur chaude envahit son visage lorsqu'elle sourit.
C2 noun /səbˈdʌk.ʃən/

subduction

Le mouvement latéral et vers le bas d'une couche de la croûte terrestre dans le manteau sous une autre plaque.
Meaning
The lateral and downward movement of the edge of a plate of the earth's crust into the mantle beneath another plate.
Example
The Pacific Ring of Fire is an area of intense subduction.
La ceinture de feu du Pacifique est une zone de subduction intense.
C2 noun /ˈʃɑːdənfrɔɪdə/

schadenfreude

plaisir dérivé du malheur d'autrui
Meaning
pleasure derived from another person's misfortune
Example
He felt a sense of schadenfreude when his rival failed.
Il a ressenti un sentiment de schadenfreude lorsque son rival a échoué.
C2 adjective /ˈstɪdʒiən/

stygian

sombre
Meaning
extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding
Example
They walked through the stygian cave with torches.
Ils marchaient à travers la grotte sombre avec des torches.
C2 noun /staɪn/

stein

mug à bière
Meaning
A large beer mug, typically made of glass or stoneware.
Example
He raised his stein to toast his friends.
Il a levé son stein pour porter un toast à ses amis.
C2 noun /ˈskɔːrpiən fɪʃ/

Scorpion fish

poisson-scorpion
Meaning
a type of fish with venomous spines that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae
Example
The scorpion fish has dangerous spines that can inject venom.
Le poisson-scorpion a des épines dangereuses qui peuvent injecter du venin.
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 verb /ˈsɪn.tɪ.leɪt/

scintillate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or shine brightly; to emit flashes of light
Example
The diamond ring scintillated under the bright lights.
La bague en diamant scintillait sous les lumières brillantes.
C2 noun /spɪˈlʌŋkər/

spelunker

spéléologue
Meaning
A person who explores caves as a hobby.
Example
The spelunker carried ropes and lights into the dark cave.
Le spéléologue a emporté des cordes et des lumières dans la grotte sombre.
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 /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 /ˈsɪmpər/

simper

sourire de manière stupide ou affectée
Meaning
to smile in a silly, self-conscious, or affected way
Example
She simpered at his compliment, clearly embarrassed.
Elle souriait d'une manière stupide à son compliment, clairement embarrassée.
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 /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 /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 verb /sleɪk/

slake

étancher la soif
Meaning
To satisfy thirst or desire.
Example
She drank cold water to slake her thirst.
Elle a bu de l'eau froide pour étancher sa soif.
C2 adjective /sɪˈnɜːrdʒɪk/

synergic

synergique
Meaning
Working together in a cooperative and effective manner.
Example
The two departments have a synergic relationship that boosts productivity.
Les deux départements ont une relation synergique qui augmente la productivité.
C2 adjective /ˌsæpəˈneɪʃəs/

saponaceous

savonneux
Meaning
Soapy or having the qualities of soap.
Example
The plant has saponaceous leaves that produce foam when rubbed in water.
La plante a des feuilles savonneuses qui produisent de la mousse lorsqu'elles sont frottées dans l'eau.
C2 adjective /sʌbˈlɪŋɡwəl/

sublingual

sublingual
Meaning
situated or applied under the tongue
Example
The doctor prescribed a sublingual tablet for faster absorption.
Le médecin a prescrit un comprimé sublingual pour une absorption plus rapide.
C2 noun /ˈseɪpiəns/

sapience

sagesse
Meaning
Wisdom or intelligence.
Example
Her sapience in solving problems earned her the respect of her colleagues.
Sa sagesse dans la résolution de problèmes lui a valu le respect de ses collègues.
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 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 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 /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 noun /ˌspoʊliˈeɪʃən/

spoliation

destruction
Meaning
The act of destroying or ruining something, often evidence or property.
Example
The court punished the company for the spoliation of evidence.
Le tribunal a puni l'entreprise pour la spoliation des preuves.