syllogism
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All CEFR A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Content locale
EN Anglais BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Espagnol FR Français DE Allemand RU Russe ZH Chinois JA Japonais
All Vocabulary Cards All Vocabularies
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 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 /ˈspæŋɡəl/

spangle

paillettes
Meaning
A small shiny piece of metal or plastic used for decoration on clothes.
Example
Her dress was covered with silver spangles that glittered in the light.
Sa robe était couverte de paillettes argentées qui brillaient à la lumière.
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 /ˈsɪŋkrəˌnɪzəm/

synchronism

synchronisme
Meaning
The simultaneous occurrence of events or actions.
Example
The synchronism of the dancers' movements amazed the audience.
Le synchronisme des mouvements des danseurs a émerveillé le public.
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 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 /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 /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 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 /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 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 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 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 /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 adjective /spɪk/

Spick

extrêmement propre et ordonné; immaculé
Meaning
extremely clean and neat; immaculate
Example
The house was spick and span after the cleaning.
La maison était parfaitement propre et ordonnée après le nettoyage.
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 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 /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 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 /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 /ˌsɒ̃ˈfrwɑː/

sang-froid

sang-froid
Meaning
Composure or coolness, especially in difficult situations.
Example
The leader handled the crisis with remarkable sang-froid.
Le leader a géré la crise avec un sang-froid remarquable.
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 verb /sɪˈkwɛstreɪt/

sequestrate

séquestrer
Meaning
To take legal possession of assets until a debt is paid or disputes are resolved.
Example
The court decided to sequestrate the company's property.
Le tribunal a décidé de séquestrer la propriété de l'entreprise.
C2 adjective /səˈluːtəˌtɔri/

salutatory

discours de salutation
Meaning
Relating to or expressing a greeting or an address, especially at the beginning of a speech.
Example
She delivered a salutatory address at the graduation ceremony.
Elle a prononcé un discours de salutation lors de la cérémonie de remise des diplômes.
C2 adverb /ˌsʌb ˈroʊzə/

sub rosa

en secret
Meaning
secretly, in confidence, or in private
Example
The deal was made sub rosa to avoid public scrutiny.
L'accord a été fait sub rosa pour éviter le contrôle public.
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 /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 /səˈnɛs.əns/

senescence

vieillissement
Meaning
The process of growing old or the condition of aging.
Example
The biologist studied senescence in plants to understand aging.
Le biologiste a étudié la sénescence des plantes pour comprendre le vieillissement.
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 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 noun /sɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd/

Similitude

similitude; ressemblance
Meaning
the quality or state of being similar; resemblance
Example
The similitude between the two paintings suggested they were by the same artist.
La similitude entre les deux peintures a suggéré qu'elles avaient été réalisées par le même artiste.
C2 noun /ˈslæt.ən/

slattern

femme négligée
Meaning
a woman who is untidy or slovenly in appearance or habits
Example
The house looked as if a slattern lived there.
La maison avait l'air d'avoir une femme négligée qui y vivait.
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 /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 adjective /ˈsɪnjuːi/

sinewy

musclé et fort
Meaning
Lean and muscular; strong and tough.
Example
The athlete had a sinewy build that showed his strength.
L'athlète avait une silhouette musclée qui montrait sa force.
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 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 /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 /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 noun /sɑːrˈkɒfəɡəs/

sarcophagus

cercueil en pierre
Meaning
A stone coffin, often decorated, used in ancient times.
Example
The museum displayed a beautifully carved sarcophagus from ancient Egypt.
Le musée a exposé un cercueil en pierre magnifiquement sculpté de l'Égypte ancienne.
C2 adjective /səˈprɛsəbl̩/

suppressible

réprimable
Meaning
capable of being restrained, controlled, or prevented
Example
The symptoms of the disease are suppressible with medication.
Les symptômes de la maladie sont supprimables avec des médicaments.
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 /sneɪk ɡɔːrd/

Snake gourd

courge serpent
Meaning
a long, curved vegetable that resembles a snake, commonly used in South Asian cuisine
Example
The snake gourd grows in a twisted, serpentine shape in the garden.
La courge serpent pousse dans une forme tordue et serpentine dans le jardin.
C2 noun /ˈsɪŋ.krə.ni/

synchrony

synchronie
Meaning
Coordination in time, harmony in action or movement.
Example
Their dance performance showed perfect synchrony.
Leurs performances de danse ont montré une synchronie parfaite.
C2 noun /sɪnˈtɪl.ə/

scintilla

petite étincelle
Meaning
A tiny trace or spark of a specified quality or feeling.
Example
There wasn’t a scintilla of doubt in her mind.
Il n'y avait pas une étincelle de doute dans son esprit.
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 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 /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 /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 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 /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 /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 /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 /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 /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 adjective /sɪmˈfoʊniəs/

symphonious

harmonieux
Meaning
Harmonious; producing a pleasant sound or agreement of sound.
Example
The choir's voices were symphonious and filled the hall with beauty.
Les voix du chœur étaient harmonieuses et remplissaient la salle de beauté.
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 /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 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 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 /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 /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 /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 /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 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 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 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 verb /ˌsuːpərˈæd/

superadd

superajouter
Meaning
to add something to what has already been added
Example
The author chose to superadd a new chapter to the revised edition.
L'auteur a choisi de superajouter un nouveau chapitre à l'édition révisée.
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 noun /sælv/

salve

baume
Meaning
An ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection.
Example
She applied a salve to the burn on her hand.
Elle a appliqué un baume sur la brûlure de sa main.
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 /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 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 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 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 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 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 /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, 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 verb /ˈsʌli/

sully

salir
Meaning
to damage the purity, integrity, or reputation of something
Example
The scandal sullied the politician’s reputation.
Le scandale a sali la réputation du politicien.
C2 noun /ˈskɜː.vi/

scurvy

Scorbut
Meaning
A disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, leading to weakness, gum disease, and bleeding.
Example
Sailors often suffered from scurvy during long sea voyages without fresh fruits.
Les marins souffraient souvent du scorbut lors de longs voyages en mer sans fruits frais.
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 /ˈsɛm.ɪ.nɛr.i/

seminary

séminaire
Meaning
A school or college for training priests, ministers, or rabbis.
Example
He decided to enroll in a seminary to study theology.
Il a décidé de s'inscrire dans un séminaire pour étudier la théologie.
C2 adjective /ˈswɔːrði/

swarthy

bronzé
Meaning
Having a dark complexion or skin tone.
Example
The sailor had a swarthy face from years under the sun.
Le marin avait le visage bronzé après des années sous le soleil.
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 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 /ˈstrɪndʒənsi/

stringency

rigueur
Meaning
the quality of being strict, precise, or severe
Example
The stringency of the new rules surprised everyone.
La rigueur des nouvelles règles a surpris tout le monde.
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 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 /ˈsɪkəfənt/

sycophant

flagorneur
Meaning
A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage.
Example
The manager was surrounded by sycophants who agreed with everything he said.
Le manager était entouré de flagorneurs qui étaient d'accord avec tout ce qu'il disait.
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 /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 /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 /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 (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 /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 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 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 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 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 /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 noun /ˈsʌbtərˌfjuːdʒ/

subterfuge

subterfuge
Meaning
Deceit used to achieve one's goal; a trick or excuse to evade something.
Example
They used subterfuge to avoid paying taxes.
Ils ont utilisé le subterfuge pour éviter de payer des impôts.
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 /skʌlk/

skulk

se faufiler
Meaning
to move or hide secretly, often because you are planning something bad or are feeling guilty
Example
He tried to skulk in the shadows to avoid being seen.
Il a essayé de se faufiler dans l'ombre pour éviter d'être vu.
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 /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 /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 /ˌsɒ̃ˈfrwɑː/

sangfroid

sang-froid
Meaning
Composure or coolness under pressure.
Example
She impressed everyone with her sangfroid during the interview.
Elle a impressionné tout le monde par son sang-froid pendant l'entretien.
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 /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 /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 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 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 verb /ˈsʌn.dər/

sunder

séparer
Meaning
To split apart or separate, especially with force.
Example
The war sundered families and friends.
La guerre a séparé des familles et des amis.
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 noun /sɜːrˈsiːs/

surcease

cessation
Meaning
a temporary or final ending or stopping of something
Example
The noise finally came to a surcease after midnight.
Le bruit a finalement cessé après minuit.
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 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 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 adjective /ˈstɜːr.tər.əs/

stertorous

ronflement bruyant
Meaning
Characterized by heavy snoring or breathing.
Example
The patient’s stertorous breathing alarmed the nurses.
La respiration stertoreuse du patient a alarmé les infirmières.