sluice
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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 /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 adjective /sɛpˈtɛnɪəl/

septennial

septennal
Meaning
Occurring every seven years.
Example
The festival is a septennial tradition in the village.
Le festival est une tradition septennale dans le village.
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 /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 verb /stɑːntʃ/

stanch

arrêter le flux de sang
Meaning
to stop the flow of blood or liquid from a wound or source
Example
The nurse quickly stanched the bleeding from the cut.
l'infirmière a rapidement arrêté le saignement de la coupure.
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 /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 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 /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 /sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/

sententious

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

superintend

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

serrate

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

scurrilous

calomnieux
Meaning
Using or expressed in coarse, abusive, or slanderous language.
Example
The politician faced criticism for his scurrilous remarks about his opponent.
Le politicien a fait face à des critiques pour ses remarques calomnieuses sur son adversaire.
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 /ˈsɜːfdəm/

serfdom

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

supplicant

suppliant
Meaning
A person who humbly or earnestly asks for something, usually from a person of authority.
Example
The temple was filled with supplicants seeking blessings.
Le temple était rempli de suppliants cherchant des bénédictions.
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 /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 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 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 /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 /ˈstætɪks/

statics

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

slough

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

Silver carp

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

stultify

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

shopworn

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

stentorian

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

sanguineous

relatif au sang
Meaning
Relating to blood; bloody.
Example
The surgeon examined the sanguineous discharge from the wound.
Le chirurgien a examiné l'écoulement sanguinolent de la plaie.
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 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 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 /ˈslæp.dæʃ/

slapdash

fait à la va-vite
Meaning
done too quickly and carelessly; hasty and careless
Example
The report was written in a slapdash manner, full of errors.
Le rapport a été rédigé à la va-vite, plein d'erreurs.
C2 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 /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 /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 verb /skwɛltʃ/

squelch

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

subsume

inclure
Meaning
To include or absorb something into a larger group or category.
Example
Minor details were subsumed under the main topic.
Les détails mineurs ont été subsumés sous le sujet principal.
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 /ˈsɪlvən/

sylvan

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

sebaceous

relatif au sébum
Meaning
Relating to or secreting sebum, an oily substance from the skin.
Example
Acne is often caused by overactive sebaceous glands.
L'acné est souvent causée par des glandes sébacées hyperactives.
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 /skriːd/

screed

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

Sedulous

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

sophistry

sophistique
Meaning
the use of clever but false arguments, often to deceive
Example
The politician's speech was full of sophistry.
Le discours du politicien était plein de sophistique.
C2 noun /ˈseɪ.ɡoʊ/

Sago

sago
Meaning
starchy foodstuff obtained from the pith of various tropical palm stems
Example
She prepared sago pudding for dessert.
Elle a préparé du pudding de sago pour le dessert.
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 /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 /sɪˈrɒkoʊ/

sirocco

vent chaud et sec
Meaning
A hot, dry wind blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.
Example
The sirocco made the city unbearably hot and dusty.
Le sirocco a rendu la ville insupportablement chaude et poussiéreuse.
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 noun /səˈlɪsɪˌtuːd/

solicitude

préoccupation, soin
Meaning
Care or concern for someone or something.
Example
His mother showed great solicitude for his safety.
Sa mère a montré une grande préoccupation pour sa sécurité.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌmp.tʃuˌɛr.i/

sumptuary

relatif aux lois ou règlements limitant les dépenses personnelles pour des articles de luxe
Meaning
Relating to laws or regulations intended to limit personal spending on luxury goods.
Example
In medieval Europe, sumptuary laws restricted the wearing of expensive fabrics to the nobility.
Dans l'Europe médiévale, les lois somptuaires restreignaient le port de tissus coûteux à la noblesse.
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 /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 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 /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 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 /suːˈpɜːrnəl/

supernal

céleste
Meaning
Relating to the heavens; celestial or divine.
Example
The painting captured a supernal beauty that felt otherworldly.
La peinture a capturé une beauté céleste qui semblait d'un autre monde.
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 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 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 noun /ˌsuː.pɚˈfluː.ə.t̬i/

superfluity

superfluité
Meaning
An excessive amount of something; more than what is needed.
Example
The room was filled with a superfluity of decorations.
La pièce était remplie d'une superfluité de décorations.
C2 noun /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 /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, adverb /ˈsaɪdlɔːŋ/

sidelong

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

sibilant

avec un son sifflant
Meaning
Making or characterized by a hissing sound.
Example
The word 'snake' starts with a sibilant sound.
Le mot 'snake' commence par un son sifflant.
C2 adjective /ˈsɛpərəbəl/

separable

séparable
Meaning
Capable of being separated or divided.
Example
The two issues are separable and should be discussed independently.
Les deux problèmes sont séparables et doivent être discutés indépendamment.
C2 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 /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 /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 /ˌsuːdəˈrɪfɪk/

sudorific

sudorifique
Meaning
causing or increasing sweating
Example
The doctor prescribed a sudorific drug to help reduce the fever.
Le médecin a prescrit un médicament sudorifique pour réduire la fièvre.
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 /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 /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 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 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 /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 /ˈsɪnjuː/

sinew

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

saturnine

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

spheroid

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

Sedition

sédition
Meaning
conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against authority; treason
Example
The activist was charged with sedition for his inflammatory speeches.
L'activiste a été accusé de sédition pour ses discours incendiaires.
C2 verb /ˈskærɪfaɪ/

scarify

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

stricture

restriction, critique
Meaning
a restriction or limitation; a critical remark
Example
The new law placed a severe stricture on free speech.
La nouvelle loi a imposé une restriction sévère à la liberté d'expression.
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 adjective /ˈslɪpʃɒd/

slipshod

négligé, bâclé
Meaning
done in a careless, sloppy, or untidy way
Example
The project failed due to slipshod planning.
Le projet a échoué en raison d'une planification négligée.