theosophy
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 /θiˈɒsəfi/

theosophy

théosophie
Meaning
A religious or philosophical belief system that seeks direct knowledge of the mysteries of life and the divine.
Example
Theosophy attracted people interested in mysticism and spiritual growth.
La théosophie a attiré des personnes intéressées par le mysticisme et la croissance spirituelle.
C2 verb /θrɛʃ/

thresh

battre
Meaning
to separate grain from the plant by beating or by using a machine
Example
Farmers used machines to thresh the wheat after harvest.
Les agriculteurs ont utilisé des machines pour battre le blé après la récolte.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪskəmˈbɑːbjuleɪtɪd/

discombobulated

désorienté
Meaning
confused and disoriented; feeling unsettled
Example
She looked discombobulated after hearing the unexpected news.
Elle avait l'air désorientée après avoir entendu la nouvelle inattendue.
C2 verb /əˈreɪn/

arraign

inculper
Meaning
to formally accuse someone in a court of law and ask them to respond to the charges
Example
The suspect was arraigned before the judge this morning.
Le suspect a été inculpé devant le juge ce matin.
C2 adjective /ˌʌn.təˈwɔːrd/

untoward

inattendu
Meaning
Unexpected and inappropriate or inconvenient.
Example
The meeting ended without any untoward incidents.
La réunion s'est terminée sans incidents inattendus.
C2 noun /ˈsɪnjuː/

sinew

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

bruit

répandre une rumeur
Meaning
to spread a rumor or report widely
Example
The scandal was quickly bruited about the town.
Le scandale s'est rapidement propagé dans la ville.
C2 noun /əˈnæθəmə/

anathema

anathème / chose détestée
Meaning
something or someone intensely disliked or strongly condemned
Example
Violence is anathema to her peaceful nature.
La violence est un anathème pour sa nature pacifique.
C2 noun /ˈdɒkɪt/

docket

registre
Meaning
a list or schedule of cases to be tried in a court or items to be done
Example
The judge reviewed the docket before starting the session.
Le juge a examiné le registre avant de commencer la séance.
C2 verb /kənˈdəʊl/

condole

exprimer des condoléances
Meaning
To express sympathy for someone who is suffering or grieving.
Example
Neighbors came to condole with the family after the tragedy.
Les voisins sont venus exprimer des condoléances à la famille après la tragédie.
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 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 /lɪˈtɪdʒəs/

litigious

litigieux
Meaning
prone to engage in lawsuits or overly inclined to argue legally
Example
He is known as a litigious neighbor who often sues people.
Il est connu comme un voisin litigieux qui poursuit fréquemment les gens.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnɔːˈspɪʃəs/

Inauspicious

néfaste
Meaning
unlucky; showing signs that future success is unlikely; unfavorable
Example
The dark clouds seemed inauspicious for the wedding.
Les nuages sombres semblaient néfastes pour le mariage.
C2 noun /ɪˈnænɪti/

inanity

ineptie, absurdité
Meaning
a nonsensical remark or action; silliness; emptiness
Example
The speech was full of inanities that bored the audience.
Le discours était rempli d'inepties qui ennuyaient le public.
C2 adjective /ɪˈmɒdɪst/

immodest

prétentieux / indécent
Meaning
lacking humility or decency; excessively proud or improper
Example
His immodest remarks offended the audience.
Ses remarques prétentieuses ont offensé le public.
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 /naɪt ˈdʒæz.mɪn/

Night-jesmine

jasmin de nuit
Meaning
a fragrant flowering tree that blooms at night with small white flowers
Example
The night-jasmine tree blooms only after sunset with its tiny white flowers.
Le jasmin de nuit fleurit seulement après le coucher du soleil avec ses petites fleurs blanches.
C2 noun /ˈpɛdənt/

pedant

personne pédante
Meaning
A person who is excessively concerned with minor details or rules, often in a showy way.
Example
The professor was criticized as a pedant who focused too much on trivial details.
Le professeur a été critiqué comme un pédant qui se concentrait trop sur des détails triviaux.
C2 noun /ˈtʌtʃ.stoʊn/

Touchstone

étalon; critère
Meaning
a standard or criterion by which something is judged or recognized; a test of genuineness
Example
His honesty became the touchstone by which all other employees were measured.
Son honnêteté est devenue l'étalon par lequel tous les autres employés étaient mesurés.
C2 noun /rɪˌdʒuːvəˈnɛsəns/

rejuvenescence

rejuvenescence
Meaning
the action or process of becoming young or fresh again
Example
The forest showed signs of rejuvenescence after the rains.
La forêt a montré des signes de rajeunissement après la pluie.
C2 noun /ˈhɔːrn.bɪl/

Hornbill

Oiseau hornbill
Meaning
a large tropical bird with a large curved beak and often a horn-like projection
Example
The colorful hornbill perched on the highest branch.
Le hornbill coloré s'est posé sur la branche la plus haute.
C2 verb /kənˈdʒiːl/

congeal

congeler
Meaning
to become thick or solid, especially from cooling
Example
The soup began to congeal after being left on the table.
La soupe a commencé à se congeler après avoir été laissée sur la table.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsnɛər/

ensnare

piéger
Meaning
to catch or trap, often by trickery or deceit
Example
The hunter ensnared the rabbit with a net.
Le chasseur a piégé le lapin avec un filet.
C2 noun /dæmˈneɪ.ʃən/

Damnation

damnation éternelle; destruction
Meaning
condemnation to eternal punishment in hell; something that causes ruin or failure
Example
The preacher spoke about salvation and damnation in his sermon.
Le prédicateur a parlé du salut et de la damnation dans son sermon.
C2 verb /ˌpriːɪˈstæblɪʃ/

preestablish

préalablement établir
Meaning
To establish or set up beforehand.
Example
Certain rules were preestablished before the meeting.
Certaines règles ont été préétablies avant la réunion.
C2 noun /ˌfɔːrɔːrdɪˈneɪʃən/

foreordination

prédestination
Meaning
the act of determining something in advance; predestination
Example
The doctrine of foreordination suggests that events are fixed by divine will.
La doctrine de la prédestination suggère que les événements sont fixés par la volonté divine.
C2 adverb /əˈbɛd/

abed

au lit
Meaning
in bed
Example
She stayed abed all day due to illness.
Elle est restée au lit toute la journée à cause de la maladie.
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 noun /ˈtɒksɪn/

tocsin

cloche d'alarme
Meaning
an alarm bell or signal; a warning that something bad is about to happen
Example
The data breach sounded a tocsin for stricter security.
La fuite de données a retenti comme une cloche d'alarme pour une sécurité renforcée.
C2 verb /ˈtʃæfɪŋ/

chaffing

taquiner
Meaning
Teasing or joking in a lighthearted way.
Example
They were chaffing each other during lunch.
Ils se taquinaient pendant le déjeuner.
C2 adjective /ˈslʌvənli/

slovenly

négligé
Meaning
Untidy or careless in appearance, habits, or work.
Example
His slovenly appearance made a bad impression at the interview.
Son apparence négligée a laissé une mauvaise impression lors de l'entretien.
C2 noun /wɪt/

whit

une très petite quantité
Meaning
a very small part or amount
Example
He doesn't care a whit about the outcome.
Il ne se soucie pas d'un iota du résultat.
C2 adjective /prəˈpɪʃəs/

propitious

propice
Meaning
giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable
Example
The sunny weather was a propitious start to the picnic.
Le temps ensoleillé était un début propice pour le pique-nique.
C2 noun /pɪks/

pyx

petit récipient pour conserver l'hostie consacrée
Meaning
a small container, often used in Christian liturgy to carry the consecrated host
Example
The priest placed the consecrated host into the pyx before visiting the sick.
Le prêtre a placé l'hostie consacrée dans le pyx avant de rendre visite aux malades.
C2 adjective /ɒˈstɛnsɪv/

ostensive

ostensible
Meaning
clearly demonstrative or pointing out; explicitly shown
Example
The teacher gave an ostensive example to clarify the concept.
L'enseignant a donné un exemple ostensible pour clarifier le concept.
C2 noun /ˌɪmprəˈpraɪəti/

impropriety

impropriété
Meaning
Failure to observe standards of honesty or modesty; improper behavior.
Example
The politician was accused of financial impropriety.
Le politicien a été accusé d'impropriété financière.
C2 noun /ˈɪrɪɡənt/

irrigant

liquide d'irrigation
Meaning
A liquid used for irrigation, especially in medical or agricultural contexts.
Example
The doctor used a sterile irrigant during the procedure.
Le médecin a utilisé un irrigant stérile pendant la procédure.
C2 noun /lænˈtɑː.nə/

Lantana

lantana
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with clusters of small colorful flowers
Example
The lantana flowers attract butterflies to the garden.
Les fleurs de lantana attirent les papillons dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /hɪk/

Hick

plouc; paysan
Meaning
unsophisticated person from a rural area; country bumpkin
Example
He had a hick accent from growing up in a small town.
Il avait un accent de plouc parce qu'il avait grandi dans un petit village.
C2 noun /ˈriːdʒənt/

regent

régent
Meaning
a person who rules in place of a monarch when the monarch is absent or too young
Example
The prince acted as regent until the king came of age.
Le prince a agi en tant que régent jusqu'à ce que le roi atteigne sa majorité.
C2 verb /ˈrʌstɪkeɪt/

rusticate

Aller à la campagne / exclusion temporaire de l'université
Meaning
To go to the countryside or to suspend someone from university.
Example
He decided to rusticate in the village to escape the busy city life.
Il a décidé de se rendre à la campagne dans le village pour échapper à la vie trépidante de la ville.
C2 noun /ˈiːən/

eon

ère
Meaning
an indefinitely long period of time; an age
Example
Dinosaurs lived millions of years ago, in a different eon.
Les dinosaures ont vécu il y a des millions d'années, dans une ère différente.
C2 verb /ˌsuːpərˈhiːt/

superheat

surchauffer
Meaning
to heat a substance beyond its normal boiling point without it becoming vapor
Example
Engineers superheat the steam to increase the efficiency of the turbine.
Les ingénieurs surchauffent la vapeur pour augmenter l'efficacité de la turbine.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːrvənuː/

parvenu

nouveau riche
Meaning
A person who has recently gained wealth or influence but is not yet accepted socially.
Example
He was seen as a parvenu who lacked refinement despite his riches.
Il a été vu comme un parvenu qui manquait de raffinement malgré sa richesse.
C2 adjective /rɪˈtɪkjʊlət/

reticulate

réticulé
Meaning
Having a net-like pattern or structure.
Example
The leaf had a reticulate pattern of veins.
La feuille avait un motif réticulé de veines.
C2 noun /əˌkædəˈmɪʃən/

academician

académicien
Meaning
a member of an academy; a scholar or expert in a field of study
Example
The academicians gathered to discuss the future of education.
Les académiciens se sont réunis pour discuter de l'avenir de l'éducation.
C2 adjective /ˈbreɪsɪŋ/

bracing

revigorant
Meaning
Invigorating, refreshing, or providing strength and energy.
Example
The hikers enjoyed the bracing mountain air.
Les randonneurs ont apprécié l'air vivifiant de la montagne.
C2 noun /ˈkɒl.ə.kwi/

colloquy

conversation formelle
Meaning
A formal conversation or dialogue, often on serious or academic topics.
Example
The professors engaged in a deep colloquy about the future of education.
Les professeurs ont engagé une conversation approfondie sur l'avenir de l'éducation.
C2 noun /ˌθɜː.məʊˈdʒen.ɪ.sɪs/

thermogenesis

processus de production de chaleur
Meaning
The process of heat production in living organisms, often associated with burning calories and energy expenditure.
Example
Spicy foods can enhance thermogenesis and calorie burning.
Les aliments épicés peuvent améliorer la thermogenèse et la combustion des calories.
C2 noun /pəˈnʌmbrə/

penumbra

zone partiellement ombragée
Meaning
a partially shaded area around the shadow of an object, especially during an eclipse
Example
The moon’s penumbra created a dim shadow over the Earth.
La pénumbra de la lune a créé une ombre tamisée sur la Terre.
C2 adjective /daɪˈɡrɛsɪv/

digressive

tendance à s'écarter du sujet principal
Meaning
Tending to depart from the main subject in speech or writing.
Example
The speaker's digressive style made the lecture difficult to follow.
Le style digressif de l'orateur a rendu la conférence difficile à suivre.
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 ˌmʌltɪˈfæsɪtɪd ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən ˈfreɪmwɜːrks

multifaceted information frameworks

cadres d'information multifacettes
Meaning
Complex, comprehensive structures for organizing and managing information that have multiple aspects or dimensions.
Example
Digital literacy involves building multifaceted information frameworks.
La littératie numérique implique la construction de cadres d'information multifacettes.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrʃɔːr/

foreshore

rivage
Meaning
The part of the shore between the high and low tide marks
Example
Children were playing on the foreshore, collecting shells.
Les enfants jouaient sur le rivage, ramassant des coquillages.
C2 noun /broʊɡ/

brogue

chaussure robuste; accent
Meaning
A strong outdoor shoe; also a marked accent, especially Irish or Scottish.
Example
He bought a pair of stylish brogues for the wedding.
Il a acheté une paire de brogues élégantes pour le mariage.
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.
C2 adjective fɔːˈtjuː.ɪ.təs

fortuitous

fortuit
Meaning
Happening by accident or chance rather than design; lucky or fortunate.
Example
Their meeting was purely fortuitous.
Leur rencontre était purement fortuite.
C2 noun /ˈel.ɪ.fənt ˈæp.əl/

Elephant Apple

pomme éléphant
Meaning
a tropical fruit with a hard shell and acidic flesh
Example
Elephant apple is used to make delicious jams and pickles.
La pomme éléphant est utilisée pour faire des confitures et des pickles délicieux.
C2 verb /bɪˈnʌm/

benumb

engourdir
Meaning
to make physically numb or without sensation; to make mentally dull or insensitive
Example
The freezing wind seemed to benumb his fingers within minutes.
Le vent glacial semblait lui engourdir les doigts en quelques minutes.
C2 noun /ˈtɜːrpɪtuːd/

turpitude

dépravation
Meaning
depraved or wicked behavior or character
Example
The judge condemned the criminal’s act of moral turpitude.
Le juge a condamné l'acte de dépravation morale du criminel.
C2 noun /maɪˈnjuːʃə/

minutia

détails insignifiants
Meaning
a small or trivial detail of something
Example
He was bored by the minutia of office paperwork.
Il était ennuyé par les détails insignifiants des papiers de bureau.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈkɜrsɪv/

discursive

discursif
Meaning
Tending to digress or move from topic to topic; lengthy and rambling.
Example
His discursive style made the lecture hard to follow.
Son style discursif a rendu la conférence difficile à suivre.
C2 noun /daɪn/

dyne

unité de force (système cgs)
Meaning
A unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second (cgs) system equal to 10⁻⁵ newtons.
Example
The physicist measured the force in dynes.
Le physicien a mesuré la force en dynes.
C2 noun /ɡæf/

gaff

gaffe
Meaning
A social blunder or mistake; also a hook or device used in fishing or theater.
Example
He made a major gaff during the meeting by forgetting the client's name.
Il a fait une grosse gaffe pendant la réunion en oubliant le nom du client.
C2 verb /ɪmˈpjuːn/

impugn

contester la vérité, la validité ou l'honnêteté d'une déclaration ou d'un motif
Meaning
to dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of a statement or motive
Example
The lawyer tried to impugn the credibility of the witness.
L'avocat a essayé de contester la crédibilité du témoin.
C2 adjective /ˈdɒdərɪŋ/

doddering

tremblant / faible
Meaning
Weak, shaky, or unsteady, especially due to old age.
Example
The doddering professor struggled to climb the stairs.
Le professeur doddering avait du mal à monter les escaliers.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəmˈpoʊz/

discompose

déstabiliser
Meaning
To disturb the order or calmness of something or someone.
Example
The unexpected question seemed to discompose her.
La question inattendue sembla la déstabiliser.
C2 adjective /ˌæm.bɪˈdɛk.strəs/

ambidextrous

ambidextre
Meaning
Able to use both hands equally well, or versatile in abilities.
Example
Being ambidextrous can be beneficial in sports.
Être ambidextre peut être bénéfique dans les sports.
C2 noun /ˈlɔːndrəs/

laundress

blanchisseuse
Meaning
A woman whose job is washing clothes and linens.
Example
The laundress delivered the freshly cleaned clothes to the household.
La blanchisseuse a livré les vêtements fraîchement lavés à la maison.
C2 verb /ˈwaŋɡl/

wangle

obtenir quelque chose par astuce
Meaning
To achieve something by clever or sometimes dishonest persuasion or trickery.
Example
He wangled a free ticket to the concert.
Il a obtenu un billet gratuit pour le concert par astuce.
C2 adjective /ˈɛksɪdʒənt/

exigent

urgent
Meaning
demanding immediate action or attention; urgent
Example
The patient’s exigent condition required immediate surgery.
L'état exigent du patient a nécessité une chirurgie immédiate.
C2 adjective /ˌpɪkəˈjuːn/

picayune

insignifiant, trivial
Meaning
of little value or importance; trivial
Example
He complained about the picayune details of the contract.
Il se plaignait des détails triviaux du contrat.
C2 noun /ˈleʧ.ər/

Lecher

libidineux
Meaning
a man who behaves in a sexually inappropriate way towards women
Example
The company fired him for being a lecher.
L’entreprise l’a licencié pour avoir été un libidineux.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈflæpəbəl/

unflappable

imperturbable
Meaning
calm and composed, especially in difficult situations
Example
Despite the crisis, he remained unflappable and confident.
Malgré la crise, il est resté imperturbable et confiant.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɛvəˈrɛnʃəl/

irreverential

irrévérencieux
Meaning
Showing a lack of respect for things that are generally taken seriously.
Example
His irreverential humor often shocked traditional audiences.
Son humour irrévérencieux choquait souvent les spectateurs traditionnels.
C2 noun /ˈæsənəns/

assonance

assonance
Meaning
the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words in poetry or prose
Example
The poet used assonance to create a musical effect in his verse.
Le poète a utilisé l'assonance pour créer un effet musical dans son vers.
C2 noun /draɪd roʊz ˈpɛtəlz/

Dried Rose Petals

pétales de rose séchés
Meaning
dehydrated petals from roses used for culinary and aromatic purposes
Example
The dessert was garnished with dried rose petals.
Le dessert a été garni de pétales de rose séchés.
C2 verb /ˈbɒtənaɪz/

botanize

étudier les plantes
Meaning
to study plants in their natural environment
Example
They went to the forest to botanize during their vacation.
Ils sont allés dans la forêt pour étudier les plantes pendant leurs vacances.
C2 noun /kəˈdʒoʊləri/

cajolery

flatterie
Meaning
Flattering or coaxing talk intended to persuade someone.
Example
Through cajolery, he convinced his boss to grant him a raise.
Grâce à la flatterie, il convainquit son patron de lui accorder une augmentation.
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 /ˈaɪ.kɒn/

ikon

image religieuse ou symbole
Meaning
A religious image or symbol, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Example
The church displayed a beautifully painted ikon of the Virgin Mary.
L'église a exposé un ikon magnifiquement peint de la Vierge Marie.
C2 adjective /ˈɡluː.tɪ.nəs/

glutinous

gluant
Meaning
Having a sticky or glue-like texture.
Example
The glutinous rice stuck together in the pot.
Le riz gluant est resté collé dans la casserole.
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 /ˈtʃaɪ.nə roʊz/

China-rose

hibiscus
Meaning
a tropical flowering plant with large, showy flowers in various colors
Example
The bright red China-rose flowers decorated the entrance of the house.
Les fleurs rouges vives d'hibiscus décoraient l'entrée de la maison.
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 /juːˈfoʊniəs/

euphonious

son harmonieux
Meaning
Pleasing to the ear; having a sweet sound.
Example
The poet's euphonious language made the verse a delight to read.
Le langage euphonieux du poète rendait le vers un plaisir à lire.
C2 verb /ˌɪntərˈlɒk/

interlock

emboîter
Meaning
to fit or connect together securely so that two or more things are joined
Example
The gears interlock to ensure smooth movement of the machine.
Les engrenages s'emboîtent pour assurer un mouvement fluide de la machine.
C2 adjective /ˈɪm.pi.əs/

Impious

impie; blasphématoire
Meaning
irreligious; lacking reverence for religion; blasphemous
Example
The impious act shocked the religious community.
L'acte impie a choqué la communauté religieuse.
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 adjective /ˈkʌvətəs/

covetous

convoiteux
Meaning
having or showing a strong desire for someone else's possessions
Example
She gave him a covetous look when he showed his new watch.
Elle lui lança un regard convoiteux lorsqu'il montra sa nouvelle montre.
C2 verb /ˈdʒɪb.ər/

gibber

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

commiserate

exprimer de la sympathie ou de la compassion pour la malchance de quelqu'un
Meaning
To express sympathy or compassion for someone's misfortune.
Example
She called her friend to commiserate after his loss.
Elle a appelé son ami pour compatir après sa perte.
C2 verb /ˈpælpɪˌteɪt/

palpitate

palpiter rapidement
Meaning
to beat rapidly and strongly, often because of fear, excitement, or illness
Example
Her heart began to palpitate with fear.
Son cœur a commencé à palpiter de peur.
C2 adjective /əˈluːviəl/

alluvial

alluvial
Meaning
Relating to or derived from alluvium (loose soil or sediment deposited by rivers).
Example
The farmers cultivate crops on the fertile alluvial plains.
Les agriculteurs cultivent des cultures sur les plaines alluviales fertiles.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtrɪpɪtəl/

centripetal

centripète
Meaning
Moving or directed toward a center.
Example
Centripetal force keeps the planets in orbit around the sun.
La force centripète maintient les planètes en orbite autour du soleil.
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 /ˌmɛɡələˈmeɪniə/

megalomania

fantasies délirantes de pouvoir, richesse ou omnipotence
Meaning
A condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, wealth, or omnipotence.
Example
The dictator’s megalomania led him to believe he was invincible.
La mégalomanie du dictateur l’a conduit à croire qu’il était invincible.
C2 noun /ˈkwɪkˌsɪlvər/

quicksilver

mercure
Meaning
Mercury; a liquid metal, or something that is quick and unpredictable.
Example
His mood was as changeable as quicksilver.
Son humeur était aussi changeante que le mercure.
C2 noun ˌɛr.jʊˈdɪʃ.ən

erudition

érudition
Meaning
The quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship.
Example
His erudition in history impressed the entire audience.
Son érudition en histoire a impressionné tout le public.
C2 verb /ˈmæk.jʊˌleɪt/

maculate

maculer
Meaning
To stain, spot, or pollute something.
Example
The white cloth was maculated by ink stains.
Le tissu blanc a été souillé par des taches d'encre.
C2 noun /ˈɡʌmp.ʃən/

gumption

courage, initiative
Meaning
Courage, resourcefulness, or initiative.
Example
It takes real gumption to start your own business.
Il faut du vrai courage pour démarrer son propre entreprise.
C2 verb /rɪˈkjʊə/

recure

soigner à nouveau
Meaning
to cure again; to remedy a second time
Example
The doctor had to recure the wound after it reopened.
Le médecin a dû recurer la blessure après qu'elle se soit rouverte.
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 noun /riːm/

ream

rame
Meaning
A large quantity of paper (typically 500 sheets); informally, a large amount of something.
Example
The office ordered ten reams of paper.
Le bureau a commandé dix rames de papier.
C2 noun ˌæɡ.roʊˈfɔːr.ɪ.stri

agroforestry

agroforesterie
Meaning
A land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland.
Example
Agroforestry improves soil quality and crop yield.
L'agroforesterie améliore la qualité du sol et le rendement des cultures.
C2 adjective /ˈɪrˌsplɪtɪŋ/

earsplitting

assourdissant
Meaning
extremely loud or piercing sound
Example
The earsplitting noise of the fire alarm startled everyone.
Le bruit assourdissant de l'alarme incendie a surpris tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˌsɜːrkəmləˈkjuːʃn/

circumlocution

circonlocution
Meaning
the use of many words when fewer would do, especially to avoid stating something directly
Example
The politician's speech was filled with circumlocution.
Le discours du politicien était rempli de circonlocutions.
C2 adjective /ˈlæm.ən.tə.bəl/

lamentable

lamentable
Meaning
deserving to be criticized or regretted; unfortunate
Example
The team’s lamentable performance disappointed their fans.
La performance lamentable de l'équipe a déçu ses fans.
C2 noun /fluː/

flue

conduit de fumée
Meaning
A pipe or channel for smoke and waste gases produced by a fire, gas heater, or power station.
Example
The chimney flue needs to be cleaned regularly.
Le conduit de fumée de la cheminée doit être nettoyé régulièrement.
C2 noun /trɪˈplɪs.ə.ti/

triplicity

triplécité
Meaning
The state of being triple or consisting of three parts.
Example
The design shows a triplicity of forms combined harmoniously.
Le design montre une triplécité de formes combinées harmonieusement.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈælɔɪd/

unalloyed

pur
Meaning
Pure, complete, and not mixed with anything else.
Example
She felt unalloyed joy at the news of her success.
Elle a ressenti une joie pure en entendant la nouvelle de son succès.
C2 noun /sɪˈrɒkoʊ/

sirocco

vent chaud et sec
Meaning
A hot, dry wind blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe.
Example
The sirocco made the city unbearably hot and dusty.
Le sirocco a rendu la ville insupportablement chaude et poussiéreuse.
C2 adjective /ˈməʊdɪʃ/

modish

à la mode
Meaning
conforming to or following current fashion or style
Example
She wore a modish outfit that caught everyone’s attention.
Elle portait une tenue modish qui attirait l'attention de tout le monde.
C2 adjective /ˈæbdʒɛkt/

abject

abject
Meaning
extremely bad, unpleasant, and degrading
Example
They lived in abject poverty.
Ils vivaient dans une pauvreté abjecte.
C2 verb /kənˈdjuːs/

conduce

contribuer
Meaning
To help bring about a particular result; to contribute to something.
Example
Regular exercise conduces to better health.
L'exercice régulier contribue à une meilleure santé.
C2 noun /ˈnɪk.næk/

knickknack

bonheur
Meaning
A small decorative object, especially in a house.
Example
The shelf was full of little knickknacks collected from their travels.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ˌɛkstrəˌdʒuːˈdɪʃəl/

extrajudicial

extrajudiciaire
Meaning
done outside the authority of the legal system or judicial process
Example
The activists condemned the extrajudicial killings.
Les militants ont condamné les meurtres extrajudiciaires.
C2 noun /ˈɡɜːrdər/

girder

poutre (en acier)
Meaning
a large, strong beam used to support buildings or bridges
Example
The steel girders held the weight of the bridge.
Les poutres en acier ont soutenu le poids du pont.
C2 noun /əˈnæb.ə.lɪ.zəm/

anabolism

anabolisme
Meaning
The set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units, involving tissue repair and growth.
Example
Anabolism is essential for muscle growth and tissue repair.
L'anabolisme est essentiel pour la croissance musculaire et la réparation des tissus.
C2 adjective /ˌfærɪˈseɪɪkəl/

pharisaical

pharisaïque
Meaning
Excessively concerned with formal rules or outward show of morality, often in a hypocritical way.
Example
His pharisaical behavior made people doubt his sincerity.
Son comportement pharisaïque a fait douter les gens de sa sincérité.