tessellated
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C2 adjective /ˈtɛsəleɪtɪd/

tessellated

carrelé
Meaning
arranged in a pattern of repeated shapes fitting together without gaps
Example
The tessellated floor was made of colorful tiles arranged in perfect symmetry.
Le sol carrelé était composé de carreaux colorés disposés en parfaite symétrie.
C2 noun /ˌɛmjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/

emulation

émulation
Meaning
Reproducing something or following someone to achieve success.
Example
The software allows the emulation of old video games on modern devices.
Le logiciel permet l'émulation de vieux jeux vidéo sur des appareils modernes.
C2 noun /tɛkˈnɒɡrəfi/

technography

technographie
Meaning
the descriptive study or writing about the practical arts, technologies, or technical methods of a society
Example
The anthropologist specialized in technography to understand indigenous tool-making traditions.
L'anthropologue s'est spécialisé en technographie pour comprendre les traditions autochtones de fabrication d'outils.
C2 noun /lɒx/ or /lɒk/

lough

lac
Meaning
An Irish or Scottish word for a lake or sea inlet.
Example
The fishermen lived by the lough for generations.
Les pêcheurs vivaient près du lac pendant des générations.
C2 noun /səˈvɑːnt/

savant

bonheur
Meaning
a learned person, especially a distinguished scientist or scholar; sometimes used in the phrase ‘savant syndrome’ for someone with exceptional abilities alongside developmental differences
Example
The conference keynote was delivered by a linguistic savant who studies endangered languages.
Elle ne pouvait cacher sa bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /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 noun kəmˈpʌŋk.ʃən

compunction

remords
Meaning
A feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows the doing of something bad.
Example
He felt compunction after lying to his friend.
Il a ressenti des remords après avoir menti à son ami.
C2 verb /ˈkɔː.tə.raɪz/

cauterize

cautériser
Meaning
to burn tissue to stop bleeding or prevent infection
Example
The doctor cauterized the wound to stop the bleeding.
Le médecin a cautérisé la blessure pour arrêter le saignement.
C2 noun /pɪˈlɑːf/

Pillaw

pilav
Meaning
a dish of rice cooked in seasoned broth, often with meat and vegetables
Example
We enjoyed a delicious chicken pillaw for dinner.
Nous avons dégusté un délicieux pilav au poulet pour le dîner.
C2 noun /ˈvɛrɪti/

verity

vérité
Meaning
a true principle or belief; the state of being true
Example
The verity of his statement was confirmed by evidence.
La véracité de sa déclaration a été confirmée par des preuves.
C2 adjective /ˈfʌŋɡəs/

fungous

semblable à un champignon
Meaning
relating to or resembling a fungus
Example
The damp basement had a fungous smell.
Le sous-sol humide avait une odeur semblable à un champignon.
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 /ˈkærəm/

Carom

carvi
Meaning
aromatic seeds of a plant used as a spice, especially in Indian cooking
Example
Carom seeds are often used in traditional Indian bread recipes.
Les graines de carvi sont souvent utilisées dans les recettes traditionnelles de pain indien.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.ɪˈbraɪ.ə.ti/

inebriety

ivresse
Meaning
the state of being drunk or intoxicated
Example
His frequent inebriety led to the loss of his job.
Son inconstance dans l'ivresse l'a conduit à perdre son travail.
C2 noun prɒkˈsiː.mɪks

proxemics

l'étude de l'utilisation de l'espace personnel
Meaning
The study of how people use space and distance to indicate relationships
Example
Understanding proxemics helps in improving interpersonal communication.
Comprendre la proxémique aide à améliorer la communication interpersonnelle.
C2 noun /ˈkaʊntɪŋˌhaʊs/

counting-house

bureau de comptabilité
Meaning
a business office where accounts are kept and financial transactions are managed
Example
The merchant spent most of his day in the counting-house reviewing ledgers.
Le marchand passait la majeure partie de sa journée dans le bureau de comptabilité à examiner les livres de comptes.
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 /ˌfoʊˈtɑːmɪtər/

photometer

photomètre
Meaning
an instrument for measuring the intensity of light
Example
The scientist used a photometer to measure the light in the laboratory.
Le scientifique a utilisé un photomètre pour mesurer la lumière dans le laboratoire.
C2 noun /ˈtɜːrməɡənt/

termagant

femme autoritaire et irritable
Meaning
A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman.
Example
The character was portrayed as a loud and domineering termagant.
Le personnage a été dépeint comme une femme bruyante et dominatrice.
C2 noun /ˌɪnəməˈrɑːtə/

inamorata

amante
Meaning
A woman with whom someone is in love; a female lover.
Example
He wrote a poem dedicated to his inamorata.
Il a écrit un poème dédié à son amante.
C2 verb /ˈflædʒəˌleɪt/

flagellate

flageller ou se fouetter comme une forme de punition ou d'autodiscipline
Meaning
to whip or flog someone, either literally or as a form of punishment or self-discipline
Example
In history, some monks would flagellate themselves as penance.
Dans l'histoire, certains moines se flagellaient comme pénitence.
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 verb /diːˈfrɑːk/

defrock

révoquer un prêtre de sa fonction
Meaning
to officially remove a priest or minister from their position and authority
Example
The church decided to defrock the priest after the scandal.
L'église a décidé de démettre le prêtre après le scandale.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌɡɒn/

decagon

décagone
Meaning
A polygon with ten sides and ten angles.
Example
The geometry teacher drew a perfect decagon on the board.
Le professeur de géométrie a dessiné un parfait décagone au tableau.
C2 noun /ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/

animadversion

critique
Meaning
Strong criticism or censure.
Example
The policy attracted severe animadversion from the public.
La politique a attiré une critique sévère du public.
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 /ɪnˈsaɪzər/

incisor

incisive
Meaning
a narrow-edged tooth at the front of the mouth, adapted for cutting
Example
The dentist noted that his upper left incisor was chipped.
Le dentiste a remarqué que son incisif supérieur gauche était fissuré.
C2 noun /ɜːrˈbænɪti/

urbanity

urbanité
Meaning
refined courtesy, elegance, and sophistication in manner
Example
Her urbanity made her popular among diplomats and leaders.
Son urbanité la rendait populaire parmi les diplomates et les dirigeants.
C2 noun ˈvaɪ.və ˈvəʊs

viva voce

examen oral
Meaning
An oral examination, typically for an academic qualification.
Example
Viva Voce tests communication skills.
Les épreuves de Viva Voce évaluent les compétences en communication.
C2 noun /ˈkænə/

Canna

canna
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with large, colorful flowers and broad leaves
Example
The bright orange canna lilies grew tall beside the pond.
Les lys canna orange vif ont poussé grands près de l'étang.
C2 verb /dɪˈmɜːr/

demur

objecter
Meaning
to raise doubts, objections, or show reluctance
Example
She agreed to help without demur.
Elle accepta d'aider sans objection.
C2 noun /kɪˈrɒpədɪst/

chiropodist

pédicure-podologue
Meaning
A healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats foot problems.
Example
The chiropodist treated her painful corns and calluses.
Le pédicure-podologue a traité ses cors et callosités douloureux.
C2 noun /hɑrˈmoʊniəm/

Harmonium

harmonium
Meaning
a keyboard musical instrument similar to an organ, using air to produce sound
Example
She played devotional songs on the harmonium at the temple.
Elle jouait des chants dévotionnels sur l'harmonium au temple.
C2 noun /ˈhæŋ.kər.ɪŋ/

hankering

désir ardent
Meaning
a strong desire or craving for something.
Example
She had a hankering for chocolate late at night.
Elle avait un désir ardent de chocolat tard dans la nuit.
C2 noun /ˈrɪɡməˌroʊl/

rigmarole

perte de temps
Meaning
a long, complicated, and confusing process or story
Example
Getting a visa was such a rigmarole of paperwork and interviews.
Obtenir un visa a été une perte de temps entre papiers et entretiens.
C2 noun /ˈfoʊ.nə.ɡræm/

phonogram

symbole phonétique
Meaning
a written symbol representing a speech sound
Example
The teacher showed how each phonogram represents a particular sound.
L'enseignant a montré comment chaque phonogramme représente un son particulier.
C2 adjective /ˈəʊ.dər.əs/

Odorous

parfumé; aromatique
Meaning
having a strong smell; fragrant; aromatic
Example
The garden was filled with odorous flowers.
Le jardin était rempli de fleurs parfumées.
C2 adjective /djuːˈplɪsɪtəs/

duplicitous

fourbe
Meaning
Deceitful; deliberately deceptive or dishonest.
Example
The politician was criticized for his duplicitous statements.
Le politicien a été critiqué pour ses déclarations trompeuses.
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 /rɪˈsɪʒən/

rescission

résiliation
Meaning
the cancellation or annulment of a law, contract, or agreement
Example
The rescission of the contract left both parties disappointed.
La résiliation du contrat a laissé les deux parties déçues.
C2 noun /ˌæɡ.rəˈdeɪ.ʃən/

aggradation

processus de construction de la terre par dépôt de sédiments
Meaning
The process of land being built up by sediment deposition.
Example
Aggradation helps in the natural expansion of riverbanks.
L'aggradation aide à l'expansion naturelle des rives des rivières.
C2 adjective /ˈnɛðər/

nether

inférieur
Meaning
situated down or below; lower
Example
They explored the nether regions of the cave.
Ils ont exploré les régions inférieures de la grotte.
C2 noun /ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃən/

divination

divination
Meaning
the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means
Example
Ancient people often relied on divination to guide important decisions.
Les peuples anciens se fiaient souvent à la divination pour guider les décisions importantes.
C2 verb /ˌmɪskənˈsiːv/

misconceive

mal comprendre
Meaning
To misunderstand or form an incorrect idea about something.
Example
He misconceived the purpose of the project.
Il a mal compris l'objectif du projet.
C2 adjective /juːˈnɪsənənt/

unisonant

harmonieux
Meaning
Sounding together or in harmony.
Example
The unisonant voices created a powerful effect.
Les voix harmonieuses ont créé un effet puissant.
C2 noun /ɪˌkliːziˈæstɪk/

ecclesiastic

ecclésiastique
Meaning
A member of the clergy or church official.
Example
The council was attended by several high-ranking ecclesiastics.
Le conseil a été assisté par plusieurs ecclésiastiques de haut rang.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪt/

belate

retarder
Meaning
to delay or make late
Example
Heavy traffic belated our arrival at the party.
Le trafic lourd a retardé notre arrivée à la fête.
C2 noun /ˈfɜːrlɔːŋ/

furlong

unité de distance (220 yards ou environ 201 mètres)
Meaning
a unit of distance equal to 220 yards or about 201 meters
Example
The horse ran a furlong before slowing down.
Le cheval a couru un furlong avant de ralentir.
C2 noun /ˈhæŋ.kər/

Hanker

désir ardent, envie
Meaning
a feeling of yearning or craving; a strong desire for something
Example
After years abroad, she developed a deep hanker for her homeland's traditional cuisine.
Après des années à l'étranger, elle a développé un profond désir pour la cuisine traditionnelle de sa patrie.
C2 noun /pəˈlæv.ər/

palaver

discussion inutile / agitation
Meaning
prolonged and idle discussion; fuss or unnecessary talk
Example
After much palaver, they finally agreed on the plan.
Après beaucoup de discussion inutile, ils ont finalement accepté le plan.
C2 noun /drʌdʒ/

drudge

travailleur assidu
Meaning
A person made to do hard, menial, or dull work.
Example
He felt like a drudge, stuck in repetitive tasks all day.
Il se sentait comme un travailleur assidu, coincé dans des tâches répétitives toute la journée.
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 /ˌriːkruːˈdɛsənt/

recrudescent

récidivant
Meaning
reviving or breaking out again after a period of abatement
Example
Recrudescent tensions threatened the fragile ceasefire.
Les tensions récidivantes ont menacé la fragile trêve.
C2 noun /ˈhɪlək/

hillock

butte
Meaning
A small hill or mound.
Example
The children climbed up the grassy hillock to watch the sunset.
Les enfants ont grimpé sur la butte herbeuse pour regarder le coucher du soleil.
C2 noun /ˌniːoʊˈpeɪɡənɪzəm/

neopaganism

néopaganisme
Meaning
Modern religious movements influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe.
Example
Neopaganism has gained popularity as people seek spiritual alternatives to mainstream religions.
Le néopaganisme a gagné en popularité à mesure que les gens recherchent des alternatives spirituelles aux religions dominantes.
C2 adjective /ˈækwɪˌlaɪn/

aquiline

de type bec d'aigle
Meaning
curved like an eagle's beak; hooked
Example
He had an aquiline nose that gave him a distinguished appearance.
Il avait un nez de type bec d'aigle qui lui donnait une apparence distinguée.
C2 adjective /kənˈdʒɛktʃərəl/

conjectural

conjectural
Meaning
based on guesswork or incomplete evidence rather than certain knowledge
Example
His explanation was purely conjectural and lacked proof.
Son explication était purement conjecturale et manquait de preuves.
C2 noun /əˌpɒθiˈoʊsɪs/

apotheosis

apothéose, point culminant
Meaning
The highest point of development; the perfect example of something; the elevation of someone to divine status.
Example
Many see the Renaissance as the apotheosis of art and culture in Europe.
Beaucoup considèrent la Renaissance comme l'apothéose de l'art et de la culture en Europe.
C2 verb /ɛnˈkɪndl/

enkindle

enflammer, inspirer
Meaning
to set on fire or inspire strong emotion
Example
The speech enkindled hope in the audience.
Le discours a enflammé l'espoir dans l'auditoire.
C2 noun /ˈdɛskænt/

descant

mélodie supplémentaire
Meaning
An additional melody or counterpoint sung or played above the main melody.
Example
The choir added a beautiful descant to the hymn.
Le chœur a ajouté une belle mélodie supplémentaire à l'hymne.
C2 noun /ˈæntɪˌtʃeɪmbər/

antechamber

antichambre
Meaning
a small room serving as an entry to a larger one
Example
The guests waited in the antechamber before being admitted to the hall.
Les invités ont attendu dans l'antichambre avant d'être admis dans la salle.
C2 noun /ˌɔːrdɪˈneɪʃən/

ordination

ordination
Meaning
The ceremony of conferring holy orders or official religious authority.
Example
The church held a special service for the ordination of new priests.
L'église a organisé un service spécial pour l'ordination de nouveaux prêtres.
C2 adjective /ˈtɔːni/

tawny

couleur brun jaunâtre
Meaning
A warm, sandy or golden-brown color.
Example
The owl's tawny feathers blended with the tree bark.
Les plumes brunes jaunâtres de la chouette se mêlaient à l'écorce de l'arbre.
C2 adjective /ˈhɜːrsuːt/

hirsute

hirsute
Meaning
Having a lot of hair, especially in an unusual place.
Example
The hirsute man stood out in the crowd with his long beard.
L'homme hirsute se démarquait de la foule avec sa longue barbe.
C2 noun /ˈkɒntrəriz/

contraries

choses opposées
Meaning
things that are completely different or opposite to each other
Example
Freedom and slavery are contraries in every sense.
La liberté et l'esclavage sont des contraires dans tous les sens.
C2 adjective /ˌkɒn.tjʊˈmeɪ.ʃəs/

contumacious

insoumis, récalcitrant
Meaning
stubbornly disobedient or rebellious
Example
The contumacious student refused to follow the school rules.
L'étudiant insoumis a refusé de suivre les règles de l'école.
C2 noun /ˈbɪlɪŋzˌɡeɪt/

billingsgate

langage grossier ou abusif
Meaning
Coarse or abusive language; vulgar or offensive speech.
Example
The heated argument quickly descended into billingsgate.
La discussion animée est rapidement descendue dans un langage grossier.
C2 adjective /ˈfluːtɪd/

fluted

strié
Meaning
having grooves or ridges, often for decoration
Example
The vase had a beautiful fluted design around the rim.
Le vase avait un beau design strié autour du bord.
C2 verb /ˈmɒrəlaɪz/

moralize

moraliser
Meaning
To comment on issues of right and wrong, often with an air of superiority.
Example
He tends to moralize about other people's choices.
Il a tendance à moraliser sur les choix des autres.
C2 adjective /rɪˈmiːdiəbl/

remediable

réparable
Meaning
capable of being corrected or cured
Example
The mistake was serious but still remediable.
L'erreur était grave mais encore réparable.
C2 noun /ˌhæŋ.ər ˈɒn/

hanger-on

accro
Meaning
a person who spends time with a powerful or famous person to gain benefits.
Example
The celebrity was always surrounded by hangers-on.
La célébrité était toujours entourée d'accros.
C2 noun /ˌkæl.sɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

calcification

calcification
Meaning
The process of calcium accumulation in soil, making it hard.
Example
Calcification reduces soil permeability and affects crop growth.
La calcification réduit la perméabilité du sol et affecte la croissance des cultures.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈkoʊətɪv/

inchoative

inchoatif
Meaning
relating to the beginning of something; in an initial stage
Example
The poet used inchoative expressions to depict the dawn of creation.
Le poète a utilisé des expressions inchoatives pour décrire l'aube de la création.
C2 noun /ˈbɑːr.nɪ.kəl/

Barnacle

balane
Meaning
a marine crustacean that attaches itself permanently to underwater surfaces
Example
The old ship's hull was covered with barnacles.
La coque du vieux navire était couverte de balanes.
C2 adjective /ˌɛf.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃəs/

efficacious

efficace
Meaning
Successful in producing a desired or intended result; effective.
Example
The vaccine proved highly efficacious in preventing infections.
Le vaccin s'est révélé hautement efficace pour prévenir les infections.
C2 noun /ˈzɛfər/

zephyr

brise douce
Meaning
A soft gentle breeze.
Example
A warm zephyr blew through the valley.
Une brise douce soufflait à travers la vallée.
C2 noun /əˈbaɪdəns/

abidance

obéissance
Meaning
the act of following, accepting, or complying with something
Example
Her abidance by the rules impressed the committee.
Son obéissance aux règles a impressionné le comité.
C2 noun /pəˈlɛmɪks/

polemics

polémique
Meaning
the art or practice of engaging in controversial debate or dispute
Example
The conference was full of polemics on economic reforms.
La conférence était pleine de polémiques sur les réformes économiques.
C2 noun /ˈhɔɪdən/

hoyden

fille turbulente
Meaning
a boisterous or tomboyish girl
Example
The hoyden preferred climbing trees to playing with dolls.
La fille turbulente préférait grimper aux arbres plutôt que de jouer avec des poupées.
C2 verb /ˈnɪɡəl/

niggle

causer une légère mais persistante gêne
Meaning
to cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or worry
Example
A small doubt niggled at her mind.
Un petit doute la perturbait dans son esprit.
C2 verb /ˈbækˌslaɪd/

backslide

rétrograder
Meaning
To relapse into bad habits, undesirable practices, or moral decline.
Example
After months of progress, he began to backslide into old habits.
Après des mois de progrès, il a commencé à revenir à ses anciennes habitudes.
C2 adjective /ˈkræbɪd/

crabbed

difficile à lire, de mauvais caractère
Meaning
difficult to read or understand; ill-tempered
Example
His handwriting was crabbed and almost illegible.
Son écriture était difficile à lire et presque illisible.
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 /sərˈkjuːɪtəs/

circuitous

route indirecte
Meaning
Longer than the most direct way; roundabout.
Example
He took a circuitous route to avoid traffic.
Il a pris une route indirecte pour éviter le trafic.
C2 verb /ɪnˈveɪ/

inveigh

critiquer sévèrement
Meaning
To speak or write about something with great hostility and criticism.
Example
He inveighed against the corruption in government.
Il a critiqué sévèrement la corruption dans le gouvernement.
C2 adjective /ˌʌltrəˈmʌndeɪn/

ultramundane

ultramondain
Meaning
Relating to things beyond the physical world; supernatural or transcendental.
Example
Philosophers often discuss ultramundane realities beyond human perception.
Les philosophes discutent souvent des réalités ultramondaines au-delà de la perception humaine.
C2 adjective /hɛkˈsæŋɡjələr/

hexangular

hexagonal
Meaning
Having six angles or corners.
Example
The artist designed a hexangular frame for the mirror.
L'artiste a conçu un cadre hexagonal pour le miroir.
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 /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 noun /drɒs/

dross

dross
Meaning
worthless or unwanted material; rubbish or impurities
Example
Most of his early writings were considered dross.
La plupart de ses premiers écrits étaient considérés comme de la dross.
C2 noun /ˌɪn.strəˈmɛn.təl.ɪst/

instrumentalist

instrumentiste
Meaning
A person who plays a musical instrument.
Example
The instrumentalist played a beautiful solo on the violin.
L'instrumentiste a joué un beau solo au violon.
C2 noun /ˈɒb.stɪ.nə.si/

obstinacy

obstination
Meaning
Stubborn refusal to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
Example
His obstinacy made negotiations difficult.
Son obstination a rendu les négociations difficiles.
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 adjective /ˈmɪnətɔːri/

minatory

menaçant
Meaning
Expressing a threat; menacing.
Example
The criminal gave the witness a minatory look.
Le criminel a donné au témoin un regard menaçant.
C2 noun /ˈbɒnəmi/

bonhomie

bonhomie
Meaning
Cheerful friendliness and geniality.
Example
The meeting was filled with laughter and bonhomie.
La réunion était pleine de rires et de bonhomie.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪəl/

viol

un type d'instrument à cordes ancien
Meaning
A stringed musical instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, played with a bow and similar to but distinct from the violin family.
Example
The musician played an old viol in the chamber music concert.
Le musicien a joué un vieux viall dans le concert de musique de chambre.
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 adjective /ˌsɛm.iˈsɪv.ə.laɪzd/

semicivilized

semi-civilisé
Meaning
Partially civilized; having some aspects of civilization but not fully developed.
Example
The tribe was described as semicivilized by early explorers.
La tribu a été décrite comme semi-civilisée par les premiers explorateurs.
C2 adjective /ˌoʊvərˈwiːnɪŋ/

overweening

arrogant excessif
Meaning
excessively arrogant or prideful
Example
His overweening pride cost him many friends.
Son excès de fierté lui a coûté de nombreux amis.
C2 noun /ˌpærəˈɡɔːrɪk/

paregoric

médicament contenant de l'opium
Meaning
a medicine containing opium, once used to relieve pain and diarrhea
Example
Doctors once prescribed paregoric to treat diarrhea in children.
Les médecins prescrivaient autrefois le paregoric pour traiter la diarrhée chez les enfants.
C2 adjective /ˌoʊpəˈlɛsənt/

opalescent

opalescent
Meaning
showing or reflecting a milky, iridescent light like an opal
Example
The opalescent sky glowed with shades of pink and blue.
Le ciel opalescent brillait avec des nuances de rose et de bleu.
C2 noun /ˌkɒnfəˈriː/

conferee

participant à la conférence
Meaning
a person who takes part in a conference
Example
Each conferee received a badge at the registration desk.
Chaque participant à la conférence a reçu un badge au comptoir d'inscription.
C2 noun /əˈdjuː/

adieu

adieu
Meaning
A farewell or goodbye, often used in a formal or poetic sense.
Example
She bid her friends adieu before leaving for France.
Elle fit ses adieux à ses amis avant de partir pour la France.
C2 noun /ˈɡʌp.i fɪʃ/

Guppy fish

poisson guppy
Meaning
a small colorful freshwater fish popular in aquariums, known for its vibrant colors and easy breeding
Example
The guppy fish is perfect for beginners who want to start an aquarium.
Le poisson guppy est parfait pour les débutants qui veulent commencer un aquarium.
C2 noun /ˈpɒlɪti/

polity

politique, système de gouvernement
Meaning
an organized society or form of government
Example
The ancient Greek polity had a system of city-states.
La politique grecque antique avait un système de cités-états.
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 /ˌɪnvəˈlɪdɪti/

invalidity

invalidité
Meaning
the state of being invalid, legally void, or lacking force or validity
Example
The court ruled that the contract suffered from invalidity.
Le tribunal a jugé que le contrat souffrait d’invalidité.
C2 verb /ˈmɒlɪfaɪ/

mollify

apaiser
Meaning
To calm or soothe someone's anger or anxiety.
Example
The manager tried to mollify the angry customers with discounts.
Le responsable a essayé d'apaiser les clients en colère avec des réductions.
C2 noun /ɪmˌprɒb.əˈbɪl.ə.ti/

Improbability

improbabilité
Meaning
the quality or state of being improbable; unlikely to be true or to happen
Example
The improbability of winning the lottery twice didn't stop her from buying tickets.
L'improbabilité de gagner à la loterie deux fois ne l'a pas empêchée d'acheter des billets.
C2 verb /prɪˈværɪkeɪt/

prevaricate

échapper à dire la vérité
Meaning
to avoid telling the truth by not giving a direct answer
Example
The politician began to prevaricate when asked about the scandal.
Le politicien a commencé à éviter lorsqu'on lui a posé des questions sur le scandale.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɪkˈsprɛsəbl/

inexpressible

inexprimable
Meaning
Too strong or extreme to be expressed in words.
Example
She felt inexpressible joy at the news of her success.
Elle ressentit une joie inexprimable en apprenant son succès.
C2 adjective /voʊˈsɪfərəs/

vociferous

vociférant
Meaning
expressing feelings or opinions in a loud and forceful way
Example
The vociferous crowd demanded justice.
La foule vociférante a exigé justice.
C2 noun /kɪln/

kiln

four de potier
Meaning
a furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying, especially one for firing pottery or bricks
Example
The potter placed the clay pots into the kiln for firing.
Le potier a placé les pots en argile dans le four de potier pour les cuire.
C2 noun /ˈflɛdʒlɪŋ/

fledgeling

oiseau débutant
Meaning
A young bird that has just developed its feathers and is learning to fly; a beginner.
Example
The fledgeling was trying hard to take its first flight.
L'oiseau débutant essayait de prendre son premier envol.
C2 adjective /ˈlɛtʃ.ər.əs/

lecherous

lubrique
Meaning
having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire
Example
The character was portrayed as a lecherous old man.
Le personnage a été dépeint comme un homme lubrique.
C2 adjective /ˈnjuː.ɡə.tɔːr.i/

nugatory

futile
Meaning
Of little or no value; worthless or insignificant.
Example
His efforts were nugatory and did not change the outcome.
Ses efforts étaient futiles et n'ont pas changé le résultat.
C2 noun /ˈpɛstɪləns/

pestilence

peste
Meaning
A deadly or virulent epidemic disease that spreads rapidly.
Example
The medieval city was devastated by a pestilence.
La ville médiévale a été dévastée par une peste.
C2 noun /ˈplɛdʒiː/

pledgee

la personne à qui quelque chose est attribué comme garantie
Meaning
a person to whom something is pledged or given as security
Example
The bank is the pledgee of the collateral until the loan is repaid.
La banque est le créancier du bien jusqu'à ce que le prêt soit remboursé.
C2 noun /ˈɛpəlɛt/

epaulet

épaulette
Meaning
An ornamental shoulder piece on a garment, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform.
Example
The general’s uniform had a golden epaulet on each shoulder.
L'uniforme du général avait une épaulette dorée sur chaque épaule.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪ/

belay

sécuriser une corde
Meaning
to secure a rope by winding it around an object; to stop or cancel an order (nautical/military use)
Example
The climber asked his partner to belay the rope tightly.
L'escaladeur a demandé à son partenaire de sécuriser la corde serrée.
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.