superannuated
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C2 adjective /ˌsuːpərˈæn.ju.eɪ.tɪd/

superannuated

obsolète
Meaning
old and no longer useful or valid; retired due to age
Example
The factory was filled with superannuated machines that slowed production.
L'usine était remplie de machines obsolètes qui ralentissaient la production.
C2 noun /mɛnˈdæsəti/

mendacity

faux
Meaning
the tendency to be untruthful; dishonesty
Example
The journalist exposed the mendacity of the officials.
Le journaliste a exposé la fausseté des responsables.
C2 adjective /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/

ubiquitious

omniprésent
Meaning
Present, appearing, or found everywhere.
Example
Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern society.
Les smartphones sont devenus omniprésents dans la société moderne.
C2 adjective /ˈæmbjələˌtɔːri/

ambulatory

ambulatoire
Meaning
Relating to or able to walk; relating to outpatient medical care.
Example
The patient is ambulatory and does not require bed rest.
Le patient est ambulatoire et n'a pas besoin de repos au lit.
C2 noun /ˈæktʃuˌɛri/

actuary

actuaire
Meaning
A professional who analyzes financial risk using mathematics, statistics, and financial theory, especially in insurance and pensions.
Example
The actuary calculated the risk before finalizing the insurance policy.
L'actuaire a calculé le risque avant de finaliser la police d'assurance.
C2 noun /ˈkoʊ.tə.ri/

coterie

un petit groupe exclusif
Meaning
a small, exclusive group of people with shared interests
Example
He belonged to a coterie of artists who met every Friday.
Il faisait partie d'un groupe d'artistes qui se réunissaient chaque vendredi.
C2 adjective /ˈfɒp.ɪʃ/

Foppish

excessivement préoccupé par son apparence et ses vêtements ; vaniteux à propos de l'habillement
Meaning
excessively concerned with one's appearance and clothes; vain about dress
Example
His foppish behavior and expensive clothes made him stand out.
Son comportement foppish et ses vêtements chers le rendaient remarquable.
C2 adjective /kəˈpeɪ.ʃəs/

Capacious

spacieux; grand; vaste;
Meaning
having a lot of space inside; roomy and spacious
Example
The capacious hall can accommodate five hundred people.
La salle spacieuse peut accueillir cinq cents personnes.
C2 verb /ˈʌndjʊleɪt/

undulate

onduler
Meaning
To move with a smooth, wave-like motion.
Example
The snake undulated across the sand.
Le serpent ondulait à travers le sable.
C2 adverb /əˈsʌndər/

asunder

en morceaux
Meaning
into separate parts; apart
Example
The ancient empire was torn asunder by war.
L'empire ancien a été déchiré en morceaux par la guerre.
C2 noun /ˈɑːriə/

aria

pièce vocale solo
Meaning
a solo vocal piece with instrumental accompaniment, typically in an opera
Example
The soprano performed a moving aria during the second act.
La soprano a interprété une aria émouvante lors du deuxième acte.
C2 verb /ˈeksɪkreɪt/

execrate

détester
Meaning
To feel or express great loathing or hatred for something.
Example
The community execrated the corrupt politician.
La communauté a détesté le politicien corrompu.
C2 verb /ɪˈluːmɪn/

illumine

illuminer
Meaning
to light up or make clear
Example
The rising sun illumined the mountain peaks.
Le soleil levant illumina les cimes des montagnes.
C2 noun /ˈtrɒɡlədaɪt/

troglodyte

troglodyte
Meaning
A person who lives in a cave or is considered old-fashioned and out of touch.
Example
Some called him a troglodyte for refusing to use modern technology.
Certains l'ont traité de troglodyte pour avoir refusé d'utiliser la technologie moderne.
C2 noun /ˈkætəˌklɪzəm/

cataclysm

cataclysme
Meaning
A sudden and violent event that causes great destruction or upheaval.
Example
The earthquake was a cataclysm that reshaped the city.
Le tremblement de terre a été un cataclysme qui a redessiné la ville.
C2 adjective /ˌɛl.ɪˈmɑː.səˌnɛr.i/

eleemosynary

charitable
Meaning
Relating to charity; dependent on or supported by charity.
Example
The hospital was founded as an eleemosynary institution.
L'hôpital a été fondé en tant qu'institution charitable.
C2 adjective /əˈprəʊ.bri.əs/

opprobrious

désobligeant
Meaning
Expressing strong criticism or scorn.
Example
He made opprobrious remarks about his opponent.
Il a fait des remarques désobligeantes sur son adversaire.
C2 noun /məˈnɒkrəsi/

monocracy

monocratie
Meaning
A system of government by a single person; autocracy.
Example
The nation suffered under decades of monocracy.
La nation a souffert sous des décennies de monocratie.
C2 adjective /ˈklɛmənt/

clement

clément / doux
Meaning
mild or merciful; describing weather as mild and pleasant
Example
The prisoners hoped for a clement judge.
Les prisonniers espéraient un juge clément.
C2 verb /əˈbreɪd/

abrade

usiner par friction
Meaning
to scrape or wear away the surface by friction or erosion
Example
The rough cloth can easily abrade the skin.
Le tissu rugueux peut facilement user la peau.
C2 verb (past tense, past participle), adjective /ˈhæmstrʌŋ/

hamstrung

paralysé ou limité
Meaning
crippled or severely restricted in movement or progress.
Example
The team was hamstrung by lack of resources.
L'équipe était limitée par un manque de ressources.
C2 noun ˌbaɪ.oʊ.əˈveɪ.lə.bɪl.ə.ti

bioavailability

capacité d'absorption du corps
Meaning
The degree to which a substance can be absorbed and used by the body.
Example
Turmeric's bioavailability increases when consumed with black pepper.
La biodisponibilité du curcuma augmente lorsqu'il est consommé avec du poivre noir.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɑːɡrəfi/

physiography

physiographie
Meaning
the study of the physical features of the earth's surface
Example
He specialized in physiography to understand the landscape of the region.
Il s'est spécialisé en physiographie pour comprendre le paysage de la région.
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 ˈɛn.ɡræm

Engram

Signaux physiques dans le cerveau pour le stockage et la récupération de la mémoire
Meaning
Physical signs or patterns in the brain for memory storage and retrieval
Example
Scientists study engrams to understand how memories are stored.
Les scientifiques étudient les engrammes pour comprendre comment les souvenirs sont stockés.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsɛnʃənt/

insentient

insensible
Meaning
Lacking perception, consciousness, or sensation.
Example
The rock is an insentient object with no awareness.
Le rocher est un objet insensible sans conscience.
C2 noun /kɒˈkeɪd/

cockade

rosette en ruban
Meaning
a rosette or knot of ribbon, usually worn on a hat as a badge of office or party
Example
The soldier wore a red cockade on his cap.
Le soldat portait une rosette en ruban rouge sur son chapeau.
C2 noun /juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/

utilitarianism

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

sufferance

tolérance
Meaning
patient endurance of pain, hardship, or delay; passive consent or tolerance
Example
He lived in poverty with quiet sufferance.
Il vivait dans la pauvreté avec une tolérance silencieuse.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɪb.ər/

gibber

parler de manière incompréhensible
Meaning
To speak rapidly and unintelligibly, typically through fear or shock.
Example
The frightened man began to gibber when he saw the ghost.
L'homme effrayé a commencé à parler de manière incompréhensible lorsqu'il a vu le fantôme.
C2 noun /roʊˈtʌn.də.ti/

rotundity

rondeur
Meaning
the quality of being round or plump
Example
The rotundity of the balloon made it float gracefully.
La rondeur du ballon l'a fait flotter gracieusement.
C2 noun /ˌpriːɪɡˈzɪstəns/

preexistence

préexistence
Meaning
the state of existing before something else
Example
Philosophers often debated the preexistence of the soul.
Les philosophes débattaient souvent de la préexistence de l'âme.
C2 noun /ˌɪnədˈvɜːrtəns/

inadvertence

inadvertance
Meaning
Failure to pay attention; carelessness.
Example
The error happened through sheer inadvertence.
L'erreur est survenue par pure inadvertance.
C2 adjective /əˌnækrəˈnɪstɪk/

anachronistic

anachronique
Meaning
belonging to a period other than that being portrayed; old-fashioned or outdated
Example
His views on gender roles are considered anachronistic.
Ses opinions sur les rôles de genre sont considérées comme anachroniques.
C2 adjective /ˈfiːtɪd/

foetid

fétide
Meaning
having an offensive, unpleasant smell
Example
The foetid smell from the garbage made it hard to breathe.
L'odeur fétide des ordures rendait la respiration difficile.
C2 verb, noun /blæb/

blab

bavarder; divulguer un secret
Meaning
to talk too much or reveal secrets carelessly; excessive or foolish talk
Example
He accidentally blabbed the surprise to everyone.
Il a révélé la surprise par erreur.
C2 noun /ˌbɒmbərˈdɪər/

bombardier

bombardier
Meaning
a member of a bomber crew responsible for releasing bombs
Example
The bombardier released the bombs with precision.
Le bombardier a largué les bombes avec précision.
C2 noun /lɔːŋ ˈpepər/

Long pepper

poivre long
Meaning
a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit which is used as a spice
Example
Long pepper was more valuable than black pepper in ancient times.
Le poivre long était plus précieux que le poivre noir dans les temps anciens.
C2 noun /laʊs/

Louse

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

lingual

relatif à la langue
Meaning
Relating to the tongue or speech.
Example
The dentist examined the patient's lingual surface of the teeth.
Le dentiste a examiné la surface linguale des dents du patient.
C2 adjective /ˌfæntæzməˈɡɒrɪkəl/

phantasmagorical

fantasmagorique
Meaning
Having a fantastic, dreamlike, or surreal appearance, often shifting or illusory.
Example
The movie created a phantasmagorical vision of another world.
Le film a créé une vision fantasmagorique d'un autre monde.
C2 verb /ˈhɜːrtl/

hurtle

se précipiter
Meaning
To move or cause to move at great speed, often in a dangerous way.
Example
The car hurtled down the mountain road.
La voiture dévalait la route de montagne à grande vitesse.
C2 verb /ɪˈmeɪʃieɪt/

emaciate

amaigrir
Meaning
To make abnormally thin or weak, usually because of illness or lack of food.
Example
The prisoners were emaciated after months without proper food.
Les prisonniers ont été amaigris après des mois sans nourriture appropriée.
C2 adjective /ˌmɛrəˈtrɪʃəs/

meretricious

artificiel
Meaning
apparently attractive but having no real value or integrity.
Example
The design was flashy but meretricious.
Le design était flashy mais artificiel.
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 adjective /ˈhæŋ.dɔːɡ/

hangdog

embarrassé
Meaning
looking or feeling ashamed, guilty, or defeated.
Example
He gave me a hangdog look after being caught lying.
Il m'a donné un regard embarrassé après avoir été pris en train de mentir.
C2 noun /ˈdrʌmɪt/

Drumet

drumet
Meaning
a small drum used in military or marching bands
Example
The drummer played a steady beat on the drumet during the parade.
Le batteur a joué un rythme constant sur le drumet pendant le défilé.
C2 verb /ˈblændɪʃ/

blandish

flatter
Meaning
to flatter or coax someone with kind words or praise in order to influence them
Example
He blandished the officials with compliments to gain their support.
Il a flatté les responsables pour obtenir leur soutien.
C2 verb /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/

debilitate

affaiblir
Meaning
to weaken or make someone or something infirm
Example
The long illness debilitated his strength.
La longue maladie a affaibli sa force.
C2 noun /mɪˌsɛdʒəˈneɪʃən/

miscegenation

métissage
Meaning
the interbreeding of people considered to be of different racial types
Example
The law once prohibited miscegenation in many countries.
La loi interdisait autrefois la miscegénation dans de nombreux pays.
C2 noun /næˈteɪʃən/

natation

natation
Meaning
The act or sport of swimming.
Example
She took lessons in natation to improve her swimming skills.
Elle a pris des cours de natation pour améliorer ses compétences en natation.
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 adjective /ɪˈbʊliənt/

ebullient

exubérant
Meaning
cheerful and full of energy
Example
She was ebullient after receiving the good news.
Elle était exubérante après avoir reçu la bonne nouvelle.
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 /ˈnoʊzˌɡeɪ/

nosegay

bouquet de fleurs
Meaning
a small bunch of flowers, typically given as a gift or carried for decoration
Example
She carried a nosegay of fresh roses to the ceremony.
Elle a porté un bouquet de roses fraîches à la cérémonie.
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 verb /rɪˈvaɪl/

revile

révérer
Meaning
to criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner
Example
The politician was reviled by the public for his corruption.
Le politicien a été révéré par le public pour sa corruption.
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 noun /ˈpɜr.kwɪ.zɪt/

Perquisite

avantage
Meaning
an additional benefit or privilege given to an employee beyond their regular salary; a special right or advantage
Example
Company car was one of the perquisites of his executive position.
La voiture de fonction etait l'un des avantages lies a son poste de cadre.
C2 noun /ˈsætræp/

satrap

satrape
Meaning
a governor of a province in ancient Persia; also used figuratively for a subordinate ruler
Example
The king appointed a satrap to oversee the distant province.
Le roi nomma un satrape pour superviser la province éloignée.
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 /krɪpˈtɒɡ.rə.fi/

cryptography

pratique de sécuriser les informations par des techniques de cryptage ou de codage
Meaning
The practice of securing information through encryption or coding techniques
Example
Modern cryptography ensures secure online transactions.
La cryptographie moderne garantit des transactions en ligne sécurisées.
C2 noun, verb /ˈkæŋkər/

canker

cancro
Meaning
A fungal disease of plants; an ulcerous sore in the mouth; to corrupt or destroy slowly
Example
The tree was infected with a canker that damaged its bark.
L'arbre était infecté par un chancre qui endommagait son écorce.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkəmˈbʌstəbl/

incombustible

incombustible
Meaning
Not capable of catching fire or burning.
Example
This material is incombustible and safe for construction.
Ce matériau est incombustible et sûr pour la construction.
C2 noun /ˈlaɪtoʊtiːz/

litotes

litote
Meaning
a figure of speech in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary
Example
Saying 'not bad' as a compliment is an example of litotes.
Dire 'pas mal' comme compliment est un exemple de litote.
C2 noun /koʊˈædʒətər/

coadjutor

adjoint
Meaning
a person who helps or assists another, especially in a religious or official capacity
Example
The bishop appointed a coadjutor to assist him with his duties.
L'évêque a nommé un adjoint pour l'aider dans ses devoirs.
C2 noun /ˈkaɪrəˌmænsi/

chiromancy

chiromancie
Meaning
The practice of predicting the future by interpreting the lines on the palms of hands; palmistry.
Example
The old woman practiced chiromancy and told fortunes for travelers.
La vieille femme pratiquait la chiromancie et prédisait l'avenir des voyageurs.
C2 noun /ˈbʊlwərk/

bulwark

rempart
Meaning
A strong wall or defensive structure; something that provides protection or support.
Example
The fortress walls served as a bulwark against enemy attacks.
Les murs du fort ont servi de rempart contre les attaques ennemies.
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 /doʊˈniː/

donee

bénéficiaire
Meaning
A person who receives a gift or donation.
Example
The scholarship fund’s donee expressed heartfelt gratitude.
Le bénéficiaire du fonds de bourses a exprimé une sincère gratitude.
C2 noun /ˈbreɪziər/

Brazier

ouvrier en laiton
Meaning
a worker in brass; a portable container for burning charcoal or coal
Example
The brazier crafted beautiful brass ornaments.
L'ouvrier en laiton a fabriqué de magnifiques bijoux en laiton.
C2 adjective /dʒərˈmeɪn/

germane

pertinent
Meaning
Relevant and appropriate to the subject being considered.
Example
Her comments were not germane to the discussion.
Ses commentaires n'étaient pas pertinents pour la discussion.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.kəˌroʊl/

barcarole

barcarole
Meaning
a traditional Venetian boat song, often in 6/8 time
Example
The orchestra played a beautiful barcarole that reminded me of Venice.
L'orchestre a joué une belle barcarole qui m'a rappelé Venise.
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 ˌɒbfəsˈkeɪʃən

obfuscation

obfuscation, confusion
Meaning
The action of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
Example
The obfuscation of the data made it difficult to interpret.
L'obfuscation des données a rendu leur interprétation difficile.
C2 noun /ˈbɛnɪfɪs/

benefice

bénéfice ecclésiastique
Meaning
a permanent church appointment for which property and income are provided
Example
The bishop appointed him to a wealthy benefice.
L'évêque l'a nommé à un bénéfice ecclésiastique riche.
C2 adjective /ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːrfɪk/

anthropomorphic

anthropomorphique
Meaning
attributing human characteristics to non-human things, like animals or objects
Example
The cartoon shows an anthropomorphic cat walking on two legs.
Le dessin animé montre un chat anthropomorphique marchant sur deux pattes.
C2 noun /ˈkɒɡneɪt/

cognate

cognat
Meaning
a word related to another word in origin; having the same linguistic root
Example
The Spanish word 'madre' and the English word 'mother' are cognates.
Le mot espagnol 'madre' et le mot anglais 'mother' sont des cognats.
C2 adjective /ˌɛfəˈvɛsənt/

effervescent

effervescent
Meaning
Giving off bubbles; lively, enthusiastic, and full of energy.
Example
She had an effervescent personality that brightened every room.
Elle avait une personnalité effervescente qui éclairait chaque pièce.
C2 noun /ˌɪmpjuˈteɪʃən/

imputation

imputation
Meaning
an accusation or attribution of blame
Example
The politician denied the imputation of corruption.
Le politicien a nié l'imputation de corruption.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈplækəbl/

implacable

implacable
Meaning
unable to be appeased, calmed, or pacified
Example
The soldiers faced an implacable enemy who refused to surrender.
Les soldats ont affronté un ennemi implacable qui a refusé de se rendre.
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 /dɪnt/

dint

effort, marque d'un coup
Meaning
an impression or hollow made by a blow; force or power
Example
By dint of hard work, he achieved success.
Par dint de travail acharné, il a atteint le succès.
C2 noun /ˈkɒd.ɪ.sɪl/

codicil

codicille
Meaning
a legal document that makes changes or additions to an existing will
Example
He added a codicil to his will to include his granddaughter.
Il a ajouté un codicille à son testament pour inclure sa petite-fille.
C2 adjective /ˌhaɪpəˈdɜːrmɪk/

hypodermic

hypodermique
Meaning
relating to the region immediately beneath the skin; also refers to a type of needle or syringe used to inject drugs beneath the skin.
Example
The doctor used a hypodermic needle to administer the vaccine.
Le médecin a utilisé une aiguille hypodermique pour administrer le vaccin.
C2 noun /ˈkwɪzlɪŋ/

quisling

traître
Meaning
A traitor who collaborates with an enemy force occupying their country.
Example
During the war, he was branded a quisling for aiding the invaders.
Pendant la guerre, il a été étiqueté comme un quisling pour avoir aidé les envahisseurs.
C2 verb /dɪˈspɔɪl/

despoil

piller
Meaning
To steal or violently remove valuable possessions from a place.
Example
The invaders despoiled the village during the war.
Les envahisseurs ont pillé le village pendant la guerre.
C2 noun /ˈɔː.rɪ.fɪs/

orifice

orifice
Meaning
an opening or hole, especially in the body or a device
Example
The medicine was applied through a small orifice in the device.
Le médicament a été appliqué par un petit orifice dans l'appareil.
C2 verb /ˈɑːblɪˌɡeɪt/

obligate

obliger
Meaning
to bind legally or morally; to compel someone to do something
Example
The contract obligates the company to provide timely service.
Le contrat oblige l'entreprise à fournir un service ponctuel.
C2 noun /ˈbɔːlsəm/

Balsam

fleur de baume
Meaning
a flowering plant with colorful blooms that often open in the evening; also refers to aromatic resin
Example
The garden balsam flowers bloomed beautifully in various shades of pink and purple.
Les fleurs de baume du jardin ont fleuri magnifiquement dans des nuances de rose et de violet.
C2 verb /dɪˈnjuːd/

denude

dénuder
Meaning
to strip something of its covering, possessions, or assets
Example
The forest was denuded of trees by illegal logging.
La forêt a été dénudée d'arbres par l'abattage illégal.
C2 adjective /ˈpaɪbɔːld/

piebald

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

teleology

téléologie
Meaning
the explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve rather than by cause
Example
Aristotle is often associated with the concept of teleology in philosophy.
Aristote est souvent associé au concept de téléologie en philosophie.
C2 verb /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/

hoodwink

tromper
Meaning
To deceive or trick someone.
Example
The scammer hoodwinked many people with false promises.
Le fraudeur a trompé de nombreuses personnes avec de fausses promesses.
C2 verb /beɪt/

bate

réduire, atténuer
Meaning
to lessen or restrain; to diminish the force or intensity of something
Example
He spoke with bated breath as he waited for the result.
Il parla avec une respiration retenue en attendant le résultat.
C2 noun /ˈsaɪz.mə.ɡræf/

seismograph

sismographe
Meaning
An instrument that measures and records details of earthquakes, such as force and duration.
Example
The seismograph detected a strong tremor in the area.
Le sismographe a détecté une forte secousse dans la région.
C2 verb /ˈtɪpəl/

tipple

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

gaudy

voyant
Meaning
excessively showy or flashy, often in a tasteless way
Example
She wore a gaudy necklace that clashed with her elegant dress.
Elle portait un collier voyant qui jurait avec sa robe élégante.
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 verb /ˈbɪloʊ/

billow

se gonfler comme des vagues
Meaning
To swell or rise in large waves or surges; to flow outward in a rolling motion.
Example
Smoke billowed from the burning building.
La fumée se gonflait comme des vagues depuis le bâtiment en feu.
C2 noun /bɛl/

belle

belle femme
Meaning
A beautiful woman, especially the most attractive woman at a gathering.
Example
She was the belle of the ball that evening.
Elle était la belle du bal ce soir-là.
C2 noun /ˈhɒthɛd/

hothead

personne impulsive
Meaning
a person who acts quickly and without thinking when angry
Example
He is such a hothead that he often starts arguments.
Il est tellement impulsif qu'il commence souvent des disputes.
C2 adjective /pəˈlɛmɪkəl/

polemical

polemique
Meaning
relating to or involving strongly critical or controversial writing or speech
Example
She wrote a polemical article challenging traditional beliefs.
Elle a écrit un article polémique remettant en question les croyances traditionnelles.
C2 noun /ˈkɪŋɡlɪŋ/

kingling

petit roi
Meaning
A minor or petty king; a ruler of small importance.
Example
The kingling demanded respect from his people despite his small realm.
Le petit roi exigeait le respect de son peuple malgré son petit royaume.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈpɑːlɪtɪk/

impolitic

imprudent
Meaning
Unwise or imprudent; not showing good judgment.
Example
It would be impolitic to criticize them openly.
Il serait imprudent de les critiquer ouvertement.
C2 verb /ɪɡˈzʌlt/

exult

exulter
Meaning
to show or feel great joy, often as a result of success
Example
The fans exulted after their team won the championship.
Les fans exultaient après la victoire de leur équipe au championnat.
C2 noun /ˈlɪtərdʒi/

liturgy

liturgie
Meaning
A form or formulary according to which public religious worship is conducted.
Example
The priest followed the liturgy during the Sunday mass.
Le prêtre a suivi la liturgie pendant la messe du dimanche.
C2 noun /ˈtɛsteɪtər/

testator

testateur
Meaning
a person who has made a will
Example
The lawyer read the will of the deceased testator.
L'avocat a lu le testament du testateur décédé.
C2 noun /vəˈrɑːɡoʊ/

virago

femme autoritaire ou agressive
Meaning
a loud, overbearing woman; historically, a strong or courageous woman
Example
The play depicted the heroine as a fierce virago who defied tradition.
La pièce a dépeint l'héroïne comme une virago féroce qui défiait la tradition.
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 /ˈpɜr.fɪ.di/

Perfidy

perfide
Meaning
deliberate breach of faith or trust; treachery; betrayal of trust
Example
His perfidy shocked all who had trusted him.
Sa perfidie choqua tous ceux qui lui avaient fait confiance.
C2 noun /ˈaɪsinəs/

iciness

froid
Meaning
The state of being cold in manner or temperature.
Example
There was a distinct iciness in his voice.
Il y avait une froideur distincte dans sa voix.
C2 adjective /prɪˈpɒndərənt/

preponderant

prépondérant
Meaning
Having superior weight, force, influence, or importance.
Example
The preponderant influence of the media shapes public opinion.
L'influence prépondérante des médias façonne l'opinion publique.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɪkˈstɛnsəbl/

inextensible

inextensible
Meaning
Not capable of being stretched or extended.
Example
This rope is made of an inextensible material.
Cette corde est faite d’un matériau inextensible.
C2 noun /ˈɑːrbərɪˌkʌltʃər/

arboriculture

arboriculture
Meaning
the cultivation and management of trees and shrubs
Example
He studied arboriculture to improve urban green spaces.
Il a étudié l'arboriculture pour améliorer les espaces verts urbains.
C2 noun /ˈprɒsɪlaɪt/

proselyte

prosélyte
Meaning
A person who has converted from one belief, opinion, or religion to another.
Example
She became a proselyte after converting to a new faith.
Elle est devenue un prosélyte après s'être convertie à une nouvelle foi.
C2 verb /kɔːk/

calk

calfeutrer les fissures d'un bateau
Meaning
To make a boat or ship watertight by filling seams or cracks.
Example
The workers calked the seams of the old boat to prevent leaks.
Les ouvriers ont calfeutré les coutures du vieux bateau pour éviter les fuites.
C2 noun mɒnəˈtɑːskɪŋ

monotasking

faire une tâche à la fois
Meaning
The practice of dedicating oneself to a given task and minimizing potential interruptions until the task is completed or a significant period of time has elapsed.
Example
Monotasking can often lead to higher quality work.
Le monotasking conduit souvent à un travail de meilleure qualité.
C2 noun /ˈklaɪmɪŋ fɪʃ/

Climbing-fish

poisson grimpeur
Meaning
a type of fish that can climb trees and survive out of water for short periods
Example
The climbing-fish can move from one pond to another by climbing trees.
Le poisson grimpeur peut se déplacer d'un étang à l'autre en grimpant aux arbres.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəmˈpoʊz/

discompose

déstabiliser
Meaning
To disturb the order or calmness of something or someone.
Example
The unexpected question seemed to discompose her.
La question inattendue sembla la déstabiliser.
C2 noun /ɪmˈpaɪ.ə.ti/

Impiety

impiété
Meaning
lack of piety or reverence, especially for a god; disrespect or irreverence toward religious matters
Example
His impiety shocked the religious community when he mocked their sacred ceremonies.
Son impiété a choqué la communauté religieuse lorsqu'il s'est moqué de leurs cérémonies sacrées.