tenebrous
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C2 adjective /ˈtɛnɪbrəs/

tenebrous

ténébreux
Meaning
dark, shadowy, or obscure
Example
The cave was damp and tenebrous, filled with eerie sounds.
La grotte était humide et ténébreuse, remplie de bruits étranges.
C2 noun /ˌdʒer.ɪˈmaɪ.æd/

Jeremiad

complainte prolongée; lamentation; liste de malheurs
Meaning
a long mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes; a prolonged expression of grief
Example
The newspaper editorial was a jeremiad about the decline of moral values in society.
L'éditorial du journal était un jeremiad sur le déclin des valeurs morales dans la société.
C2 noun /ˈiːdʒɪs/

aegis

protection
Meaning
The protection, backing, or support of a particular person or organization.
Example
The project was carried out under the aegis of the United Nations.
Le projet a été réalisé sous l'égide des Nations Unies.
C2 verb /raɪv/

rive

déchirer
Meaning
to tear apart violently
Example
The earthquake rived the ground in several places.
Le tremblement de terre a déchiré le sol en plusieurs endroits.
C2 adjective /vɪˈtjuːpərətɪv/

vituperative

vitupératif
Meaning
Characterized by abusive or harsh language.
Example
The teacher’s vituperative remarks left the students in tears.
Les remarques vitupératives du professeur ont laissé les élèves en larmes.
C2 noun /niːˈɒkrəsi/

neocracy

Gouvernement dirigé par des fonctionnaires inexpérimentés ou nouveaux
Meaning
A government or leadership run by inexperienced or new officials.
Example
The sudden revolution led to a neocracy with inexperienced leaders.
La révolution soudaine a conduit à une néocratie avec des dirigeants inexpérimentés.
C2 verb /dɪsˈpɔːrt/

disport

se divertir
Meaning
To amuse oneself in a lively or playful way.
Example
The children disported themselves in the garden.
Les enfants se sont amusés dans le jardin.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ piː/

Butterfly Pea

pois papillon
Meaning
a blue flowering plant with butterfly-shaped flowers, used to make herbal tea
Example
Butterfly pea flowers turn tea into a beautiful blue color.
Les fleurs de pois papillon donnent au thé une belle couleur bleue.
C2 noun /ˈɔːrzmən/

Oarsman

rameur
Meaning
a person who rows a boat, especially as a member of a racing crew
Example
The experienced oarsman rowed the boat across the river.
Le rameur expérimenté a ramé le bateau à travers le fleuve.
C2 noun /ˈpɒl.iˌθi.ɪz.əm/

polytheism

polythéisme
Meaning
the belief in or worship of multiple gods
Example
Ancient Greeks practiced polytheism, worshiping gods like Zeus and Athena.
Les anciens Grecs pratiquaient le polythéisme, en adorant des dieux comme Zeus et Athéna.
C2 noun /tʃɜːrl/

churl

rustre
Meaning
A rude, boorish, or ill-mannered person.
Example
The waiter was such a churl that customers left unhappy.
Le serveur était un tel rustre que les clients sont partis mécontents.
C2 noun /ˈæntɪkwɛri/

antiquary

antiquaire
Meaning
A person who studies, collects, or deals in antiques or ancient objects.
Example
The antiquary spent years collecting rare manuscripts from the medieval period.
L'antiquaire a passé des années à collecter des manuscrits rares de la période médiévale.
C2 adjective /ˈlaɪbələs/

libelous

diffamatoire
Meaning
containing or constituting a false published statement that damages a person's reputation
Example
The article was found to be libelous and had to be retracted.
L'article a été jugé diffamatoire et a dû être retiré.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːltˌfaɪndər/

faultfinder

chercheur de défauts
Meaning
a person who habitually finds fault with others
Example
He is such a faultfinder that nothing anyone does is ever good enough.
C'est un chercheur de défauts au point que rien de ce que fait quelqu'un n'est jamais assez bien.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪŋɡoʊ/

jingo

nationaliste belliqueux
Meaning
a person who strongly supports warlike or aggressive foreign policy; an extreme nationalist
Example
The leader was criticized as a reckless jingo.
Le leader a été critiqué comme un jingo imprudent.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɒsɪsən/

diocesan

relatif à un diocèse
Meaning
relating to a diocese or the district under the supervision of a bishop in the Christian Church
Example
The diocesan council met to discuss church affairs.
Le conseil diocésain s'est réuni pour discuter des affaires de l'église.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsəˈbjuːz/

disabuse

désabuser
Meaning
To free someone from a false belief or misconception.
Example
The teacher tried to disabuse the students of their misunderstanding.
Le professeur a essayé de désabuser les étudiants de leur malentendu.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈmɪtɪɡeɪtɪd/

unmitigated

complet
Meaning
absolute; not lessened or moderated
Example
The meeting was an unmitigated disaster.
La réunion était un désastre complet.
C2 verb /dɪˈkænt/

decant

décanter
Meaning
To pour liquid gently from one container into another, especially without disturbing the sediment.
Example
She carefully decanted the wine into a clean glass.
Elle a soigneusement versé le vin dans un verre propre.
C2 verb /ɛmˈbɔs/

emboss

décorer avec un motif en relief
Meaning
to decorate a surface with a raised design or pattern
Example
The invitation card was embossed with golden letters.
La carte d'invitation était embossée avec des lettres dorées.
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 noun /ˈbɜːrsər/

bursar

trésorier
Meaning
An official in a school or college responsible for financial affairs.
Example
The bursar approved the budget for the new library.
Le trésorier a approuvé le budget pour la nouvelle bibliothèque.
C2 noun /ˌdɛrɪˈlɪkʃən/

dereliction

négligence
Meaning
the state of being abandoned; neglect of duty
Example
The officer was charged with dereliction of duty.
L'officier a été accusé de négligence dans l'accomplissement de son devoir.
C2 noun /ɪˈfjuːʒən/

effusion

effusion
Meaning
An unrestrained outpouring of words, feelings, or emotions.
Example
His letter was an effusion of love and longing.
Sa lettre était une effusion d'amour et de désir.
C2 noun /ˌdiːnəʊˈteɪʃən/

denotation

dénotation
Meaning
The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
Example
The denotation of the word 'rose' is a type of flower.
La dénotation du mot 'rose' est un type de fleur.
C2 adjective /ˌɒbsəˈlɛsnt/

obsolescent

obsolète
Meaning
Becoming outdated or on the way to becoming obsolete.
Example
The obsolescent technology could not compete with modern devices.
La technologie obsolète ne pouvait pas concurrencer les appareils modernes.
C2 adjective /ˌen.zɪˈmæt.ɪk/

enzymatic

relatif aux enzymes
Meaning
Relating to or involving enzymes, which are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions in living organisms.
Example
Enzymatic reactions regulate metabolism in the human body.
Les réactions enzymatiques régulent le métabolisme dans le corps humain.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprɪˈkeɪʃən/

imprecation

malédiction
Meaning
A spoken curse or expression of strong condemnation.
Example
The angry crowd hurled imprecations at the corrupt official.
La foule en colère a lancé des malédictions à l'officiel corrompu.
C2 noun /ˈhɑːdɪhʊd/

hardihood

courage, audace
Meaning
Courage, boldness, or daring behavior; also physical robustness.
Example
The mountaineer's hardihood impressed the entire team.
L'audace du montagnard a impressionné toute l'équipe.
C2 noun /ˈɑːm.lət/

Armlet

bracelet de bras
Meaning
a band worn around the upper arm as an ornament
Example
The traditional dancer wore golden armlets that gleamed in the spotlight.
La danseuse traditionnelle portait des bracelets dorés qui brillaient sous les projecteurs.
C2 noun /pɛlf/

pelf

argent malhonnête
Meaning
Money, especially when gained dishonorably.
Example
The corrupt official was motivated only by pelf.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu était motivé uniquement par l'argent malhonnête.
C2 verb /ɛnˈfiːbəl/

enfeeble

affaiblir
Meaning
To make weak or feeble; to deprive of strength.
Example
The long illness enfeebled the old man.
La longue maladie a affaibli le vieil homme.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvaɪələbl/

inviolable

inviolable
Meaning
never to be broken, dishonored, or violated
Example
Human rights are considered inviolable in modern democracies.
Les droits de l'homme sont considérés comme inviolables dans les démocraties modernes.
C2 noun /ˈproʊtoʊˌmɑːrtɚ/

protomartyr

premier martyr
Meaning
The first martyr in a cause or religion, often referring to the first Christian martyr.
Example
St. Stephen is known as the protomartyr of Christianity.
Saint Étienne est connu comme le protomartyr du christianisme.
C2 adjective /ˈplændʒənt/

plangent

son plaintif ou résonnant
Meaning
having a loud, mournful sound; resonant
Example
The plangent toll of the church bell echoed through the village.
Le son plaintif de la cloche de l'église résonnait à travers le village.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæmp/

decamp

fuir
Meaning
To depart suddenly or secretly, often to avoid trouble or escape.
Example
The thief decamped before the police arrived.
Le voleur s'est échappé avant que la police n'arrive.
C2 noun /ˈkuː.li/

Cooly

coolie
Meaning
a laborer who does physical work for wages
Example
The cooly carried heavy bags at the railway station.
Le coolie portait des sacs lourds à la gare.
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 /ˈmædrɪɡəl/

madrigal

madrigal
Meaning
A short, lyrical poem set to music, typically from the Renaissance period.
Example
The choir performed a beautiful madrigal from the 16th century.
Le chœur a interprété un magnifique madrigal du XVIe siècle.
C2 noun /ˌpriːpəˈzɛʃən/

prepossession

préjugé
Meaning
An opinion or feeling formed beforehand; a prejudice or preoccupation.
Example
His prepossession in favor of tradition made him resist change.
Son préjugé en faveur de la tradition l'a fait résister au changement.
C2 verb ˈlev.ɪ.teɪ.tɪŋ

levitating

lévitation
Meaning
Rising and hovering in the air, especially as a result of supernatural or magical power.
Example
The levitating structure is an engineering marvel.
La structure lévitante est une merveille d'ingénierie.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvaɪələt/

inviolate

inviolé
Meaning
free from violation, injury, or desecration; kept safe and untouched
Example
The ancient temple remained inviolate for centuries.
Le temple ancien est resté inviolé pendant des siècles.
C2 noun /ɡleɪd/

glade

clairière
Meaning
An open space in a forest or woods.
Example
They rested in a sunny glade after their long hike.
Ils se sont reposés dans une clairière ensoleillée après leur longue randonnée.
C2 verb /kəˈmɪŋɡəl/

commingle

mélanger
Meaning
To mix or blend different things together.
Example
The charity does not commingle donations with operational funds.
La charité ne mélange pas les dons avec les fonds opérationnels.
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 /ɪnˈvɪdiəs/

invidious

envieux
Meaning
likely to arouse resentment, envy, or anger in others
Example
The manager's invidious remarks created tension among the employees.
Les remarques envieuses du manager ont créé des tensions parmi les employés.
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 noun /ˌfɪziˈɒnəmi/

physiognomy

étude des traits du visage
Meaning
the study of facial features to judge character or personality
Example
He believed in physiognomy and tried to read people's personalities from their faces.
Il croyait à la physiognomonie et essayait de lire la personnalité des gens à partir de leurs visages.
C2 adjective /juːˈdʒɛnɪk/

eugenic

génétique
Meaning
Relating to or aiming at improving the genetic quality of a population.
Example
In the early 20th century, some scientists supported eugenic policies.
Au début du 20e siècle, certains scientifiques ont soutenu les politiques eugénistes.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːtɪnəs/

haughtiness

arrogance
Meaning
The appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Example
His haughtiness made him unpopular among his peers.
Son arrogance l'a rendu impopulaire parmi ses pairs.
C2 noun /ɛθˈnɒlədʒi/

ethnology

ethnologie
Meaning
the study of the characteristics of different peoples and the differences and relationships between them
Example
She specialized in ethnology to better understand cultural diversity.
Elle s'est spécialisée en ethnologie pour mieux comprendre la diversité culturelle.
C2 verb /pərˈlɔɪn/

purloin

voler
Meaning
to steal something, often in a sneaky or dishonest way
Example
He tried to purloin a book from the library without being noticed.
Il a essayé de voler un livre à la bibliothèque sans être remarqué.
C2 noun ˌsɜːkəmˈspekʃən

circumspection

prudence, éviter les risques
Meaning
The quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence.
Example
His circumspection ensured no mistakes were made.
Sa prudence a garanti qu'aucune erreur n'a été commise.
C2 noun /ɒkˈteɪvoʊ/

octavo

octavo (taille de livre obtenue en pliant une feuille en huit parties)
Meaning
A size of book page resulting from folding a sheet of paper into eight leaves (sixteen pages).
Example
The old library contained rare octavo editions of Shakespeare.
La vieille bibliothèque contenait des éditions rares en octavo de Shakespeare.
C2 adjective /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/

diabolic

diabolique
Meaning
Extremely evil or cruel; characteristic of the devil.
Example
The villain devised a diabolic scheme.
Le méchant a imaginé un plan diabolique.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɛnʃən/

intension

contenu interne
Meaning
The internal content of a concept; the set of attributes implied by a word or phrase.
Example
The intension of the word 'dog' includes being a mammal and domesticated.
L'intension du mot 'chien' inclut être un mammifère et être domestiqué.
C2 adjective /pəˈrɛmptəri/

peremptory

péremptoire
Meaning
Insisting on immediate attention or obedience, especially in a commanding way.
Example
The officer gave a peremptory order to evacuate the building.
L'officier a donné un ordre péremptoire d'évacuer le bâtiment.
C2 adjective /ɪˈkwɪvəkəl/

equivocal

équivoque
Meaning
Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.
Example
His equivocal answer confused everyone.
Sa réponse équivoque a confondu tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈɡrɑːtoʊ/

grotto

grotte
Meaning
a small picturesque cave, often artificial
Example
Tourists visited the grotto hidden behind the waterfall.
Les touristes ont visité la grotte cachée derrière la cascade.
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 noun /məˈlɪŋɡərər/

malingerer

personne qui simule une maladie
Meaning
a person who pretends to be sick to avoid duty or work
Example
The manager suspected that John was a malingerer.
Le responsable soupçonnait que John était un malingerer.
C2 noun /ʃiːf/

sheaf

gerbe de blé
Meaning
a bundle of grain stalks laid lengthwise and tied together after reaping; a bundle of objects tied together
Example
The farmer carried a sheaf of wheat on his shoulder.
Le fermier portait une gerbe de blé sur son épaule.
C2 noun /ɑːlˈfækʃən/

olfaction

olfaction
Meaning
The sense of smell; the process of detecting and perceiving odors.
Example
Dogs have a highly developed sense of olfaction.
Les chiens ont un sens de l'olfaction très développé.
C2 noun /dɪˈkæmɪtər/

decameter

décamètre
Meaning
A metric unit of length equal to ten meters.
Example
The field was measured in decameters for accuracy.
Le terrain a été mesuré en décamètres pour plus de précision.
C2 noun /sɛkˈstɛt/

sextet

sextuor
Meaning
a group of six people playing music or a piece written for six performers
Example
The jazz sextet filled the small club with a warm, layered sound.
Le sextuor de jazz a rempli le petit club avec un son chaud et superposé.
C2 verb /ˈlæs.ə.reɪt/

lacerate

lacérer, déchirer
Meaning
to tear or cut deeply in the skin or flesh
Example
The broken glass lacerated his hand.
Le verre brisé a lacéré sa main.
C2 noun /ˈrɛdʒɪsaɪd/

regicide

régicide
Meaning
the act of killing a king
Example
The conspirators were executed for committing regicide.
Les conspirateurs ont été exécutés pour avoir commis un régicide.
C2 verb /ˈæntɪdeɪt/

antedate

antérioriser
Meaning
to be earlier in time; to assign a date earlier than the actual one
Example
The manuscript antedates the modern printing press.
Le manuscrit précède l'invention de l'imprimerie moderne.
C2 noun /wɛlt/

welt

marque
Meaning
A raised mark on the skin, usually from a blow or allergic reaction.
Example
He had a red welt on his arm after the bee sting.
Il avait une marque rouge sur son bras après la piqûre d'abeille.
C2 adjective /ˈlɪtərəl/

littoral

littoral
Meaning
Related to or situated on the shore of the sea or a lake.
Example
The littoral zone is home to many unique marine species.
La zone littorale est le domicile de nombreuses espèces marines uniques.
C2 verb /ɪˈfeɪsɪŋ/

effacing

effacer / se rendre invisible
Meaning
erasing or making oneself inconspicuous; to remove or diminish in significance
Example
She kept effacing herself during the meeting so that others could shine.
Elle continuait à s'effacer pendant la réunion pour permettre aux autres de briller.
C2 adjective ˌpɜː.spɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs

perspicacious

perspicace
Meaning
Having keen insight and understanding; showing acute mental discernment.
Example
The detective's perspicacious nature helped solve the mystery.
La nature perspicace du détective a aidé à résoudre le mystère.
C2 noun /ˈsiːkənt/

secant

sécante
Meaning
A straight line that intersects a curve at two or more points.
Example
In geometry, a secant cuts the circle at two distinct points.
En géométrie, une sécante coupe le cercle en deux points distincts.
C2 adjective /məˈlɛfɪsənt/

maleficent

maléfique
Meaning
Causing harm or destruction, especially by supernatural means.
Example
The maleficent witch cursed the young princess.
La sorcière maléfique a maudit la jeune princesse.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprɪˈmɑːtər/

imprimatur

imprimatur
Meaning
An official license or approval, especially to publish a book.
Example
The book was released with the official imprimatur of the church.
Le livre a été publié avec l'imprimatur officiel de l'église.
C2 noun /ˈklærɪən/

Clarion

clairon
Meaning
a shrill narrow-tubed war trumpet; a medieval trumpet with a clear piercing tone
Example
The clarion sounded across the battlefield to signal the charge.
Le clairon a retenti à travers le champ de bataille pour signaler l'attaque.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvɛtərət/

inveterate

invétéré
Meaning
having a long-established habit, activity, or interest that is unlikely to change
Example
He is an inveterate reader who spends hours in the library every day.
Il est un lecteur invétéré qui passe des heures à la bibliothèque chaque jour.
C2 noun /ˈbækənæl/

bacchanal

fête sauvage
Meaning
A noisy party involving drinking and revelry.
Example
The festival turned into a wild bacchanal by midnight.
Le festival s'est transformé en une fête sauvage à minuit.
C2 noun /ˈbʌt.ər fɪʃ/

Butter-fish

poisson beurre
Meaning
a small, smooth-skinned marine fish
Example
The butter-fish is popular in Bengali cuisine.
Le poisson beurre est populaire dans la cuisine bengalie.
C2 verb /trænsˈfɪɡjʊər/

transfigure

transfigurer
Meaning
To transform the outward appearance or form, often in a way that elevates or glorifies.
Example
The artist managed to transfigure simple clay into a beautiful sculpture.
L'artiste a réussi à transformer de l'argile simple en une belle sculpture.
C2 adjective ˌnjʊə.rəʊ.prəˈtek.tɪv

neuroprotective

neuroprotecteur
Meaning
Having the ability to protect nerve cells from damage, degeneration, or impaired function.
Example
Omega-3 fatty acids have neuroprotective benefits.
Les acides gras oméga-3 ont des bienfaits neuroprotecteurs.
C2 noun /ˈmænˌiː.tər/

man-eater

mangeur d'hommes
Meaning
An animal that kills and eats humans; informally, a woman who is very assertive in relationships.
Example
The tiger became a notorious man-eater in the village.
Le tigre est devenu un mangeur d'hommes notoire dans le village.
C2 adjective /ɔːˈrɔːrəl/

auroral

relatif à l'aurore
Meaning
Relating to or resembling the aurora, especially the northern lights.
Example
The scientists observed auroral activity in the night sky.
Les scientifiques ont observé une activité aurorale dans le ciel nocturne.
C2 adjective /ˈdʌlsɪt/

dulcet

doux
Meaning
sweet and soothing (often used ironically)
Example
She was enchanted by his dulcet voice.
Elle était enchantée par sa voix douce.
C2 noun /ˈtruːɪzəm/

truism

vérité banale
Meaning
a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting
Example
It is a truism that hard work leads to success.
C'est une vérité banale que le travail acharné mène au succès.
C2 noun /ˈklæŋər/

clangor

bruit, fracas
Meaning
A loud, resonant, and continuous noise, often metallic.
Example
The clangor of the church bells filled the town square.
Le fracas des cloches de l'église remplissait la place du village.
C2 noun /ˈæf.ə.rɪ.zəm/

aphorism

aphorisme
Meaning
a short, witty saying that expresses a general truth or principle
Example
He began his speech with an aphorism about life and success.
Il a commencé son discours par un aphorisme sur la vie et le succès.
C2 verb /bɪˈθɪŋk/

bethink

se souvenir
Meaning
to cause oneself to consider or remember something
Example
He bethought himself of the promise he had made.
Il se souvint de la promesse qu'il avait faite.
C2 noun /ˈɛpənɪm/

eponym

personne dont le nom a été donné à une invention ou un lieu
Meaning
A person after whom a discovery, invention, place, or other thing is named.
Example
Sandwich is an eponym named after the Earl of Sandwich.
Sandwich est un éponyme nommé d'après le comte de Sandwich.
C2 noun /ɡiː/

Ghee

ghee
Meaning
clarified butter used in South Asian cooking
Example
She used ghee instead of butter for cooking the rice.
Elle a utilisé du ghee au lieu du beurre pour cuisiner le riz.
C2 noun /kəˈpriːs/

caprice

caprice
Meaning
a sudden, unpredictable change of mood or behavior
Example
She bought the expensive dress on a caprice.
Elle a acheté la robe chère sur un caprice.
C2 adjective /kəˈdævərəs/

cadaverous

cadavérique
Meaning
Resembling a corpse; very pale, thin, or bony.
Example
His cadaverous appearance shocked everyone at the party.
Son apparence cadavérique a choqué tout le monde à la fête.
C2 adjective /ˈrɛkənˌdaɪt/ or /ˈrɛkəndaɪt/

recondite

peu connu ou difficile à comprendre
Meaning
Little known or difficult to understand.
Example
The professor’s lecture was full of recondite theories.
La conférence du professeur était pleine de théories récondites.
C2 adjective /sɪˈkweɪʃəs/

sequacious

suiveur aveugle
Meaning
Lacking independence of thought; blindly following.
Example
The sequacious students never questioned their teacher's opinions.
Les étudiants séquacieux n'ont jamais remis en question les opinions de leur professeur.
C2 verb /ˌɛfəˈvɛs/

effervesce

effervescence
Meaning
To give off bubbles of gas; to show excitement, liveliness, or enthusiasm.
Example
The soda began to effervesce as soon as it was opened.
Le soda a commencé à effervescir dès qu'il a été ouvert.
C2 adjective /rɪˈfræktəri/

refractory

réfractaire
Meaning
Stubborn or resistant to control, authority, or treatment.
Example
The refractory child refused to follow the teacher's instructions.
L'enfant réfractaire a refusé de suivre les instructions du professeur.
C2 noun /dɪˈkæmərən/

decameron

Décaméron (recueil de contes de Boccaccio)
Meaning
A collection of 100 tales written by Giovanni Boccaccio in the 14th century, told by a group of people over ten days.
Example
The Decameron is considered a masterpiece of classical Italian literature.
Le Décaméron est considéré comme un chef-d'œuvre de la littérature italienne classique.
C2 noun /ˈlɪbərəlɪst/

liberalist

libéraliste
Meaning
a person who supports liberal ideas and principles
Example
He is a well-known liberalist advocating human rights.
Il est un libéraliste bien connu qui défend les droits de l'homme.
C2 noun /ˈsælvoʊ/

salvo

salve
Meaning
A simultaneous discharge of guns or release of bombs; a sudden outburst of cheers or applause.
Example
The soldiers fired a salvo to honor the fallen general.
Les soldats ont tiré une salve pour honorer le général décédé.
C2 noun /ˌpɜːrtərˈbeɪʃn/

perturbation

perturbation
Meaning
A state of anxiety, disturbance, or disorder.
Example
The announcement caused a perturbation in the financial markets.
L'annonce a causé une perturbation sur les marchés financiers.
C2 verb /fɪˈlændər/

philander

flirter
Meaning
to engage in casual or frivolous romantic or sexual relationships
Example
He was known to philander with many women in town.
Il était connu pour flirter avec de nombreuses femmes en ville.
C2 verb /dɔːb/

daub

badigeonner
Meaning
to spread a thick or sticky substance carelessly on a surface
Example
The children daubed paint all over the walls.
Les enfants ont badigeonné la peinture partout sur les murs.
C2 noun /priˈɛmpʃən/

preemption

droit de préemption
Meaning
The act of taking action before someone else; the right to purchase or act before others.
Example
The company exercised preemption to acquire the land before competitors.
L'entreprise a exercé son droit de préemption pour acquérir le terrain avant les concurrents.
C2 noun /ˈɪntərˌveɪl/

intervale

terre basse le long d'une rivière, généralement fertile et plate
Meaning
A low-lying tract of land along a river, usually fertile and flat.
Example
The farmers cultivated crops on the lush intervale by the river.
Les agriculteurs ont cultivé des cultures dans l'intervalle fertile près de la rivière.
C2 noun /ˈhækəlz/

hackles

les poils à l'arrière du cou d'un animal qui se dressent lorsqu'il est en colère ou alarmé; figurativement, des sentiments de colère ou de ressentiment
Meaning
the hairs on the back of an animal’s neck that rise when it is angry or alarmed; figuratively, feelings of anger or resentment
Example
His rude comment raised my hackles.
Son commentaire grossier a levé mes hackles.
C2 verb /dɪsˈkʌmfɪt/

discomfit

déconcerter
Meaning
to make someone feel uneasy, embarrassed, or confused
Example
The interviewer’s tough questions discomfited the candidate.
Les questions difficiles de l'intervieweur ont déstabilisé le candidat.
C2 verb /koʊˈæɡjəˌleɪt/

coagulate

coaguler
Meaning
to cause a liquid, especially blood, to change into a solid or semi-solid state
Example
The blood quickly coagulated after the cut.
Le sang s'est coagulé rapidement après la coupure.
C2 noun /ˌpɒl.iˈsɪl.ə.bəl/

polysyllable

mot polysyllabique
Meaning
a word with more than one syllable
Example
The word 'elephant' is a polysyllable because it has three syllables.
Le mot 'éléphant' est un mot polysyllabique car il a trois syllabes.
C2 noun /ɪnˈvɛstɪtʃər/

investiture

cérémonie d'investiture
Meaning
the formal ceremony of conferring authority, rank, or office
Example
The king held an investiture ceremony for the new knight.
Le roi a organisé une cérémonie d'investiture pour le nouveau chevalier.
C2 noun /ˌæbsəˈluːʃən/

absolution

absolution
Meaning
formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment
Example
The priest granted him absolution for his sins.
Le prêtre lui a accordé l'absolution pour ses péchés.
C2 noun /ˈbælæst/

ballast

ballast
Meaning
heavy material used to stabilize a ship or vehicle
Example
The ship was loaded with ballast to remain steady in the storm.
Le navire a été chargé de ballast pour rester stable dans la tempête.
C2 adjective /rɪˈfrɪndʒənt/

refringent

réfringent
Meaning
Capable of refracting light or other waves.
Example
The refringent properties of the crystal bent the light into a spectrum.
Les propriétés réfringentes du cristal ont courbé la lumière en un spectre.
C2 verb /ɪˈmæskjʊleɪt/

emasculate

émasculer
Meaning
To make someone weaker or less effective; to deprive of strength or vigor.
Example
The constant criticism emasculated his confidence.
La critique constante a émoussé sa confiance.
C2 noun /ˈræŋ.kər/

rancor

rancune
Meaning
A feeling of deep and bitter anger or resentment.
Example
There was a rancor between the two rivals that never faded.
Il y avait une rancune entre les deux rivaux qui ne s'est jamais estompée.
C2 noun /daɪˈvʌldʒəns/

divulgence

divulgation
Meaning
the act of revealing or disclosing something secret or private
Example
The divulgence of company secrets caused a major scandal.
La divulgation des secrets de l'entreprise a provoqué un grand scandale.
C2 noun /ˈhɛdʒɪrə/ or /hɪˈdʒaɪrə/

hegira

exode, migration
Meaning
a journey, especially when undertaken to escape from a dangerous or undesirable situation
Example
The refugees began their hegira across the desert.
Les réfugiés ont commencé leur exode à travers le désert.
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 adjective /pɔːrˈtɛntəs/

portentous

portentueux, grave
Meaning
Giving a sign or warning that something, often bad or serious, is going to happen; or overly solemn and pompous.
Example
His portentous tone made everyone nervous about the news.
Son ton porteur de présages a rendu tout le monde nerveux à propos des nouvelles.
C2 verb /ˈɛnərˌveɪt/

enervate

affaiblir
Meaning
To weaken or drain someone of strength or vitality.
Example
The long hours of work enervated him.
Les longues heures de travail l'ont affaibli.
C2 noun /ˈlæki/

lackey

domestique
Meaning
a person who is overly willing to serve or obey someone else
Example
He treated his assistant like a mere lackey.
Il a traité son assistant comme un simple domestique.
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.