skullduggery
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C2 noun /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəri/

skullduggery

supercherie
Meaning
dishonest behavior or activities, often done secretly
Example
The election was full of political skullduggery.
L'élection était pleine de supercheries politiques.
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 verb /səˈbɔːrn/

suborn

suborner
Meaning
to bribe or induce someone unlawfully to perform an act, especially to commit perjury
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to suborn a witness.
L'avocat a été accusé d'avoir tenté de suborner un témoin.
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 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 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 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 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 /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 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 /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 /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 /sɪər/

sere

sec
Meaning
Dry or withered, especially vegetation.
Example
The sere leaves crumbled under his feet.
Les feuilles sèches se sont effritées sous ses pieds.
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 adjective /ˈsiːkwənt/

sequent

suivant
Meaning
Following in order or as a result.
Example
The sequent events changed the course of history.
Les événements suivants ont changé le cours de l'histoire.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌpliənt/

suppliant

suppliant
Meaning
Humbly or earnestly asking for something, especially from a person in authority.
Example
The suppliant man begged for mercy at the king's feet.
L'homme suppliant a supplié pour miséricorde aux pieds du roi.
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 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 /səˈvɑːnt/

savant

bonheur
Meaning
a learned person, especially a distinguished scientist or scholar; sometimes used in the phrase ‘savant syndrome’ for someone with exceptional abilities alongside developmental differences
Example
The conference keynote was delivered by a linguistic savant who studies endangered languages.
Elle ne pouvait cacher sa bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
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 /ˈstriːmlɪt/

streamlet

ruisseau
Meaning
a small stream; a tiny brook or rivulet
Example
A streamlet flowed through the meadow.
Un ruisseau coulait à travers la prairie.
C2 noun/verb /ˈsʌkər/

succor

secours
Meaning
Assistance and support in times of hardship or distress.
Example
The charity provided succor to the flood victims.
La charité a fourni du secours aux victimes des inondations.
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 /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 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.
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 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 noun /ˈsoʊbrɪˌkeɪ/

sobriquet

surnom
Meaning
a person's nickname or descriptive name
Example
The famous leader was known by the sobriquet 'The Iron Lady'.
Le célèbre leader était connu sous le surnom de 'La Dame de Fer'.
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 /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 noun /ˈsɪbəraɪt/

sybarite

sybarite
Meaning
a person who loves luxury and pleasure
Example
The millionaire was a true sybarite who lived only for comfort and enjoyment.
Le millionnaire était un véritable sybarite qui vivait uniquement pour le confort et le plaisir.
C2 noun (plural, informal) /skædz/

scads

des tas
Meaning
A large number or quantity of something (informal).
Example
She has scads of friends in the city.
Elle a des tas d'amis en ville.
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 /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 /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 /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 verb /ˈsʌpjʊˌreɪt/

suppurate

supurer
Meaning
to form or discharge pus, usually as a result of infection
Example
The wound began to suppurate after a few days.
La plaie a commencé à suppurer après quelques jours.
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 /ˈsælvər/

salver

plateau en argent
Meaning
A tray, typically made of silver, used for serving food or drinks.
Example
The butler brought in the tea on a silver salver.
Le majordome a apporté le thé sur un plateau en argent.
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 /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 /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 /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 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 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 /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 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 adjective /sɪˈnæp.tɪk/

synaptic

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

slovenly

négligé
Meaning
Untidy or careless in appearance, habits, or work.
Example
His slovenly appearance made a bad impression at the interview.
Son apparence négligée a laissé une mauvaise impression lors de l'entretien.
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 /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 /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 noun /ˈstrætədʒəm/

stratagem

stratagème
Meaning
a plan or scheme designed to achieve a particular goal, often by trickery
Example
The general devised a clever stratagem to outwit the enemy.
Le général a conçu une stratagème astucieux pour tromper l'ennemi.
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 /spraɪ/

spry

dynamique
Meaning
active and lively, especially in old age
Example
The spry grandmother surprised everyone with her quick dance steps.
La grand-mère dynamique a surpris tout le monde avec ses pas de danse rapides.
C2 noun /spliːn/

spleen

rate; colère
Meaning
an organ in the body that produces lymphocytes and filters blood; also refers to bad temper or spite
Example
He vented his spleen on his coworkers after the meeting.
Il a exprimé sa colère sur ses collègues après la réunion.
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 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 /səˈpʌlkrəl/

sepulchral

relatif à un tombeau, lugubre
Meaning
Relating to a tomb or burial; gloomy, dismal.
Example
The abandoned house had a sepulchral silence about it.
La maison abandonnée avait un silence sepulcral.
C2 noun /sʌbˈɔːl.tən/

subaltern

une personne occupant une position subordonnée; dans l'armée, un officier subalterne
Meaning
A person holding a subordinate position; in the military, a junior officer.
Example
The subaltern was responsible for leading a small platoon of soldiers.
Le subalterne était responsable de la direction d'un petit peloton de soldats.
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 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 /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 /skɪf/

skiff

petit bateau
Meaning
a small, light boat usually for one person
Example
The fisherman paddled his skiff across the lake.
Le pêcheur a pagayé son petit bateau à travers le lac.
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.
C2 noun /ˈsɒfɪst/

sophist

sophiste
Meaning
a person who uses clever but misleading arguments
Example
He was dismissed as a sophist who twisted facts to win debates.
Il a été rejeté comme un sophiste qui déformait les faits pour gagner des débats.
C2 verb /ˈsʌplɪˌkeɪt/

supplicate

supplier
Meaning
To ask for something earnestly or humbly, often in a religious context.
Example
The villagers supplicated the gods for rain during the drought.
Les villageois supplièrent les dieux pour la pluie pendant la sécheresse.
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 /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 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 /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 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 /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 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 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 /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 /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 /səˈræfɪk/

seraphic

angélique
Meaning
Of or like a seraph; angelic, pure, and blissful.
Example
She gave him a seraphic smile that calmed his fears.
Elle lui donna un sourire angélique qui calma ses peurs.
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 verb /ˈsæŋktɪfaɪ/

sanctify

sanctifier
Meaning
to make holy or sacred; to purify
Example
The priest will sanctify the marriage ceremony.
Le prêtre sanctifiera la cérémonie de mariage.
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 /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 /ˌsɪləbɪˈkeɪʃən/

syllabication

syllabation
Meaning
The division of words into syllables.
Example
Proper syllabication helps in correct pronunciation.
Une bonne syllabation aide à une prononciation correcte.
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 /saɪˈdɪəriəl/

sidereal

sidéral
Meaning
Relating to the stars or constellations; measured relative to the stars.
Example
Astronomers use sidereal time to track the positions of stars.
Les astronomes utilisent le temps sidéral pour suivre les positions des étoiles.
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 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 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 /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 /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 noun/verb /sluːs/

sluice

porte d'eau / rincer
Meaning
A sliding gate for controlling the flow of water; to wash or rinse with water in large quantities.
Example
The workers sluiced the mud off the street after the heavy rain.
Les travailleurs ont nettoyé la boue de la rue après la forte pluie.
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 /ˈsɑːrdʒənt ət ɑːrmz/

sergeant-at-arms

sergent d'armes
Meaning
An officer responsible for maintaining order during meetings or legislative sessions.
Example
The sergeant-at-arms escorted the disruptive member out of the hall.
Le sergent d'armes a escorté le membre perturbateur hors de la salle.
C2 noun /sfɛˈrɪsɪti/

sphericity

sphéricité
Meaning
The quality or state of being spherical; roundness.
Example
The sphericity of the ball made it roll smoothly on the ground.
La sphéricité de la balle lui a permis de rouler doucement sur le sol.
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 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 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 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 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 /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 /sɒp/

sop

compromis
Meaning
a concession or appeasement to pacify someone; also a piece of bread dipped in liquid
Example
The manager offered a bonus as a sop to the unhappy employees.
Le directeur a offert une prime comme une concession aux employés mécontents.
C2 noun /sɒl/

sol

sol (cinquième note de l'échelle musicale)
Meaning
The fifth note of the sol-fa musical scale (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti); also the Latin word for sun
Example
The choir practiced singing the note sol during rehearsal.
Le chœur a pratiqué en chantant la note sol pendant les répétitions.
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 /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 noun /ˈslʌɡərd/

sluggard

paresseux
Meaning
A lazy, sluggish person.
Example
The sluggard refused to get out of bed even at noon.
Le paresseux a refusé de sortir du lit même à midi.
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 /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 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 /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 /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 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 /ˈsteɪ.dʒi/

stagy

trop théâtral
Meaning
Overly theatrical, artificial, or exaggerated in manner or style.
Example
Her performance felt stagy and unnatural.
Sa performance semblait trop théâtrale et artificielle.
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 /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 /spjuːm/

spume

écume
Meaning
Froth or foam, especially found on waves or liquids.
Example
The waves crashed against the rocks, leaving spume in the air.
Les vagues se sont écrasées contre les rochers, laissant de l'écume dans l'air.
C2 noun /ˈskʌl.i.ən/

scullion

valet de cuisine
Meaning
a servant assigned the most menial kitchen tasks
Example
In medieval times, a scullion was responsible for cleaning pots and pans.
Au Moyen Âge, un scullion était responsable du nettoyage des casseroles et des poêles.
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 verb /seɪt/

sate

satisfaire
Meaning
To satisfy fully or to excess.
Example
The huge meal sated their hunger after the long journey.
Le gros repas a satisfait leur faim après le long voyage.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌb.æs.ɪd/

subacid

légèrement acide
Meaning
Slightly sour or acidic in taste or nature.
Example
The fruit had a subacid flavor that was refreshing on a hot day.
Le fruit avait une saveur légèrement acide qui était rafraîchissante lors d'une journée chaude.
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.