unctuous
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C2 adjective /ˈʌŋk.tʃu.əs/

unctuous

flatteur
Meaning
Excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily in texture.
Example
His unctuous tone made everyone uncomfortable.
Son ton flatteur a mis tout le monde mal à l'aise.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnəˈʃʊəd/

unassured

incertain
Meaning
Lacking confidence or certainty.
Example
She gave an unassured answer during the interview.
Elle a donné une réponse incertaine lors de l'entretien.
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 /ʌnˈɡeɪnli/

ungainly

maladroit
Meaning
Awkward, clumsy, or lacking grace in movement or appearance.
Example
The tall boy moved in an ungainly manner.
Le garçon grand s'est déplacé de manière maladroite.
C2 verb /juˈzɜrp/

usurp

usurper
Meaning
to take someone's position of power illegally or by force
Example
The general tried to usurp the king's throne.
Le général a tenté de usurper le trône du roi.
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 /ˈjuːnɪvəˌlɛns/

univalence

univalence
Meaning
The state of having a single valence or combining power, especially in chemistry.
Example
Hydrogen is characterized by its univalence in chemical reactions.
L'hydrogène est caractérisé par son univalence dans les réactions chimiques.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈwiːldi/

unwieldy

difficile à manipuler
Meaning
Difficult to carry or move because of its size, shape, or weight.
Example
The box was too unwieldy to carry up the stairs.
La boîte était trop difficile à manipuler pour être montée dans les escaliers.
C2 noun /ˈʌp.wel.ɪŋ/

upwelling

Un phénomène océanographique impliquant le mouvement de l'eau dense, froide et riche en nutriments vers la surface de l'océan.
Meaning
An oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface.
Example
Upwelling brings nutrients to the ocean surface.
L'upwelling apporte des nutriments à la surface de l'océan.
C2 noun juːˈbɪkwɪti

ubiquity

ubiquité
Meaning
The fact of appearing everywhere or of being very common.
Example
The ubiquity of smartphones has transformed communication.
L'ubiquité des smartphones a transformé la communication.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈʌtərəbl/

unutterable

inexprimable
Meaning
Too great, intense, or awful to be expressed or described in words.
Example
She was filled with unutterable joy at the news of her success.
Elle était remplie de joie inexprimable en apprenant la nouvelle de son succès.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈflɛdʒd/

unfledged

inexpérimenté
Meaning
Inexperienced, immature, or not fully developed.
Example
The unfledged writer struggled to complete his first novel.
L'écrivain inexpérimenté a eu du mal à terminer son premier roman.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈspɛərɪŋ/

unsparing

implacable
Meaning
Showing no mercy or generosity; harsh or severe.
Example
The critic was unsparing in his review of the play.
Le critique était implacable dans sa critique de la pièce.
C2 adverb /ʌnˈɜːrɪŋli/

unerringly

sans erreur
Meaning
Without making any mistakes; always accurate
Example
The archer aimed unerringly at the target.
L'archer a visé sans erreur la cible.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnsɛrəˈmoʊniəs/

unceremonious

sans cérémonie/rude
Meaning
Done without formality or courtesy; abrupt or rude.
Example
He made an unceremonious exit from the party.
Il a fait une sortie sans cérémonie de la fête.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈtræməld/

untrammeled

liberté illimitée
Meaning
Not restricted or hampered; free and unrestricted.
Example
She enjoyed untrammeled freedom in her new life abroad.
Elle a apprécié la liberté illimitée dans sa nouvelle vie à l'étranger.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈkɒnʃənəbl/

unconscionable

injustifiable
Meaning
shockingly unfair or unreasonable
Example
The company made unconscionable profits from the crisis.
L'entreprise a réalisé des bénéfices injustifiables pendant la crise.
C2 verb /ʌpˈbreɪd/

upbraid

réprimander
Meaning
To scold or criticize someone harshly.
Example
The teacher upbraided the student for being late again.
Le professeur a réprimandé l'élève pour être encore en retard.
C2 verb /ʌnˈkaʊtʃ/

uncouch

retirer du canapé (usage rare)
Meaning
to remove from a couch or to release from being laid down (rare/archaic usage)
Example
The surgeon attempted to uncouch the cataract.
Le chirurgien a tenté d'enlever la cataracte.
C2 noun /ˈʌn.dɚˌstɔː.ri/

understory

végétation inférieure
Meaning
The layer of vegetation beneath the main canopy of a forest.
Example
The understory of a rainforest is home to small mammals and insects.
La végétation inférieure d'une forêt tropicale est le foyer de petits mammifères et d'insectes.
C2 noun /ˈɜːrtʃɪn/

urchin

gamin des rues
Meaning
a mischievous or poorly dressed child, often from the streets
Example
The ragged urchins played by the riverbank.
Les gamins en haillons jouaient au bord de la rivière.
C2 adjective /ˈɜːrsaɪn/

ursine

ursidé
Meaning
Relating to or resembling a bear.
Example
The man’s ursine strength amazed everyone.
La force ursidé de l'homme a étonné tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈʌm.brə/

Umbra

ombre totale, région sombre d'une tache solaire
Meaning
the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object; the dark center of a sunspot
Example
During the eclipse, we stood in the moon's umbra.
Pendant l'éclipse, nous nous sommes tenus dans l'ombre de la lune.
C2 noun /juːˈkeɪs/

ukase

décret
Meaning
An authoritative decree or order, especially one issued by a sovereign or government.
Example
The czar issued a ukase restricting the freedom of the press.
Le tsar a émis un décret restreignant la liberté de la presse.
C2 adjective /ˈʌndjʊləs/

undulous

ondulé
Meaning
Having a wavy surface or form.
Example
The artist painted the undulous sea at sunset.
L'artiste a peint la mer ondulée au coucher du soleil.
C2 adjective /juːˈbɪkwɪtəs/

ubiquitious

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

unclothe

déshabiller; enlever les vêtements
Meaning
to remove clothing from someone or something
Example
The nurse helped unclothe the patient for the examination.
L'infirmière a aidé à déshabiller le patient pour l'examen.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnrɪˈmɪtɪŋ/

unremitting

ininterrompu
Meaning
Never relaxing or stopping; persistent.
Example
Her unremitting efforts finally paid off.
Ses efforts ininterrompus ont finalement porté leurs fruits.
C2 adjective /ˌʌltrəˈmɒnteɪn/

ultramontane

partisan du Pape
Meaning
beyond the mountains, especially referring to support for the Pope over local church authority
Example
The debate highlighted the ultramontane position in church politics.
Le débat a mis en lumière la position ultramontaine dans la politique ecclésiastique.
C2 verb /ˈʌndərˌraɪt/

underwrite

garantir un soutien financier
Meaning
To guarantee financial support, especially by agreeing to cover losses or risks; in insurance, to assess and accept risks.
Example
The bank agreed to underwrite the company's new bond issue.
La banque a accepté de souscrire à la nouvelle émission d'obligations de l'entreprise.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈtʃeɪst/

Unchaste

immoral; impur;
Meaning
not celibate; having engaged in sexual relations; lacking moral purity
Example
The conservative society considered her behavior unchaste and improper.
La société conservatrice a jugé son comportement immoral et inapproprié.
C2 verb /ˌʌn.dɪˈsiːv/

undeceive

désillusionner
Meaning
To free someone from a misconception or false belief.
Example
She tried to undeceive him about the false rumors.
Elle a essayé de le désillusionner au sujet des fausses rumeurs.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈfeɪnd/

unfeigned

authentique
Meaning
genuine; not pretended or insincere
Example
She expressed unfeigned joy at her friend's success.
Elle a exprimé une joie authentique lors du succès de son amie.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnəˈsweɪdʒd/

unassuaged

inquiet
Meaning
Not made less intense or relieved; unrelieved.
Example
His grief remained unassuaged despite the passage of time.
Sa douleur est restée inquiète malgré le passage du temps.
C2 adjective /juːˈʒʊəriəs/

usurious

usuraire
Meaning
Charging excessively high interest rates on loans.
Example
The bank was accused of offering loans at usurious rates.
La banque a été accusée d'offrir des prêts à des taux usuraires.
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 adjective /ˌʌnprəˈpɪʃəs/

unpropitious

défavorable
Meaning
Not giving or indicating a good chance of success; unfavorable.
Example
The team began their journey under unpropitious weather conditions.
L'équipe a commencé son voyage sous des conditions météorologiques défavorables.
C2 noun/verb /ˈʌpˌkæst/

upcast

lancer vers le haut
Meaning
Verb: To cast or throw upward. Noun: Something thrown or directed upward.
Example
The fisherman upcast his net into the air.
Le pêcheur a lancé son filet dans les airs.
C2 adjective /ʌnəˈpiːzd/

unappeased

insatisfait
Meaning
Not satisfied or calmed; still feeling discontent or anger
Example
Despite the apology, she remained unappeased.
Malgré les excuses, elle est restée insatisfaite.
C2 noun /ˈjuːʒəri/

usury

usure
Meaning
The practice of lending money at unreasonably high interest rates.
Example
The law strictly prohibits usury.
La loi interdit strictement l'usure.
C2 adjective /ˌʌn.rɪˈdʒɛn.ər.ət/

unregenerate

intransigeant
Meaning
Not reformed or showing no signs of change; stubbornly refusing to reform or repent.
Example
He remained an unregenerate opponent of progress.
Il est resté un opposant intransigeant du progrès.
C2 adjective /ʌpˈrɔːr.i.əs/

uproarious

extrêmement drôle
Meaning
Extremely funny or noisy; causing loud laughter or commotion.
Example
The comedian's jokes were absolutely uproarious.
Les blagues du comédien étaient absolument extrêmement drôles.
C2 verb /ʌpˈhiːv/

upheave

soulever
Meaning
to lift or raise something forcefully; to cause to rise suddenly
Example
The workers had to upheave the heavy stone to clear the path.
Les travailleurs ont dû soulever la grosse pierre pour dégager le chemin.
C2 verb /ʌnˈjoʊk/

unyoke

dételer
Meaning
To release from a yoke or to free from restraint or obligation.
Example
The farmer unyoked the oxen after a long day of work.
Le fermier a dételé les bœufs après une longue journée de travail.
C2 verb /ʌnˈfɛtər/

unfetter

délier
Meaning
to release from restraint or restriction; to free
Example
The new law will unfetter small businesses from excessive regulations.
La nouvelle loi libérera les petites entreprises des régulations excessives.
C2 noun /ˈʌŋkʃən/

unction

unction
Meaning
The act of anointing as part of a religious or ceremonial ritual; excessive or insincere flattery.
Example
The priest performed the holy unction with solemnity.
Le prêtre a accompli l'unction sacrée avec solennité.
C2 verb /ʌnˈɑːrm/

unarm

désarmer
Meaning
to remove weapons from someone or to deprive of means of attack or defense
Example
The soldiers were ordered to unarm the prisoners.
Les soldats ont reçu l'ordre de désarmer les prisonniers.
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 adjective /ɜːrˈbeɪn/

urbane

urbain
Meaning
showing polished manners, refinement, and sophistication
Example
He was an urbane gentleman who charmed everyone at the party.
C'était un gentleman urbain qui a charmé tout le monde à la fête.
C2 noun /ˈjuːzjuːfrʌkt/

usufruct

usufruit
Meaning
The legal right to use and enjoy the benefits of someone else’s property without owning it.
Example
The tenant had the usufruct of the land but not its ownership.
Le locataire avait l'usufruit de la terre mais pas sa propriété.
C2 noun /ʌnˈkloʊðɪŋ/

unclothing

déshabillage
Meaning
the act or process of removing clothing
Example
The child quickly ran inside for unclothing after playing in the mud.
L'enfant est rapidement allé à l'intérieur pour le déshabillage après avoir joué dans la boue.
C2 adjective ˌʌn.əˈseɪ.lə.bəl

unassailable

inaccessible
Meaning
Unable to be attacked, questioned, or defeated.
Example
An unassailable position ensures dominance.
Une position inaccessible assure la domination.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈstɪntɪŋ/

unstinting

généreux
Meaning
given generously without holding back
Example
She received unstinting support from her family.
Elle a reçu un soutien généreux de sa famille.
C2 verb /ʌnˈfrɒk/

unfrock

dévêtir un prêtre de sa position
Meaning
To remove a priest from his position or deprive someone of a rank.
Example
The corrupt priest was unfrocked after the investigation.
Le prêtre corrompu a été défroqué après l'enquête.
C2 verb /ˈʌndərˌmæn/

underman

manquer de personnel
Meaning
to supply with fewer workers or personnel than needed
Example
The hospital was undermanned during the flu outbreak.
L'hôpital était sous-effectif pendant l'épidémie de grippe.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈlɛtəd/

unlettered

analphabète
Meaning
lacking education or the ability to read and write; illiterate
Example
The unlettered villagers relied on oral traditions to preserve their history.
Les villageois analphabètes dépendaient des traditions orales pour préserver leur histoire.
C2 noun /ˈʌndərlɪŋ/

underling

subordonné
Meaning
a person of low rank or importance; a subordinate
Example
The manager ordered his underlings to finish the task quickly.
Le directeur a ordonné à ses subordonnés de terminer rapidement la tâche.
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 adjective /ʌnˈtiːtʃəbəl/

unteachable

impossible à enseigner
Meaning
not able or willing to learn; resistant to instruction or guidance
Example
He was so stubborn that he became almost unteachable.
Il était si têtu qu’il est devenu presque impossible à enseigner.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnɪkˈsɛpʃənəbl/

unexceptionable

irréprochable
Meaning
Not open to objection; acceptable and unobjectionable
Example
His behavior was unexceptionable throughout the event.
Son comportement était irréprochable tout au long de l'événement.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈtɛmpərd/

untempered

non tempéré
Meaning
not moderated or softened; lacking proper balance or control
Example
The untempered anger of the crowd caused chaos.
La colère non tempérée de la foule a provoqué le chaos.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈblʌʃɪŋ/

Unblushing

effronté; sans vergogne
Meaning
showing no shame or embarrassment; boldly shameless
Example
He told the unblushing lie without any hesitation.
Il a dit le mensonge effronté sans hésitation.
C2 noun /ˌjuːnɪˈtɛəriən/

unitarian

unitaire
Meaning
A person who believes that God exists as one entity rather than as a Trinity; a member of a religious denomination that emphasizes individual freedom of belief.
Example
The Unitarian church is known for its inclusive and open-minded approach.
L'église unitaire est connue pour son approche inclusive et ouverte d'esprit.
C2 adjective /ˈʌndjʊleɪtɪŋ/

undulating

ondulant
Meaning
Having a smoothly rising and falling form or motion like waves.
Example
We drove through undulating hills.
Nous avons conduit à travers des collines ondulantes.
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 noun /juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/

utilitarianism

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

uxorious

excessivement dévoué à sa femme
Meaning
excessively fond of or submissive to one's wife
Example
He was so uxorious that he agreed with everything his wife said.
Il était tellement uxorien qu'il était d'accord avec tout ce que sa femme disait.
C2 noun /ˈʌmbrɪdʒ/

umbrage

mécontentement, offense
Meaning
A feeling of resentment or offense.
Example
She took umbrage at his rude remark.
Elle s'est vexée par sa remarque grossière.
C2 noun /ˌjuːzɜːrˈpeɪʃən/

usurpation

usurpation
Meaning
The act of taking someone's power or property illegally or by force.
Example
The general's usurpation of the presidency led to political unrest.
L'usurpation de la présidence par le général a conduit à des troubles politiques.
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 adjective /ˌʌnɪmˈpiːtʃəbl/

unimpeachable

irréprochable
Meaning
Not able to be doubted, questioned, or criticized; completely trustworthy.
Example
She is known for her unimpeachable honesty.
Elle est connue pour son honnêteté irréprochable.
C2 adjective /ˌʌnpriːpəˈzɛsɪŋ/

unprepossessing

peu attrayant
Meaning
not attractive or appealing in appearance
Example
Despite his unprepossessing looks, he was very kind and intelligent.
Malgré son apparence peu attrayante, il était très gentil et intelligent.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈsʌlid/

unsullied

immaculé
Meaning
not spoiled or made impure; perfectly clean or pure
Example
His reputation remained unsullied despite the accusations.
Sa réputation est restée immaculée malgré les accusations.
C2 adjective /ʌnˈwəʊntɪd/

unwonted

inhabituel
Meaning
Unusual, uncommon, or out of the ordinary.
Example
She spoke with an unwonted gentleness that surprised everyone.
Elle parla avec une douceur inhabituelle qui surprit tout le monde.
C2 verb /ˌʌndərˈɡɜːrd/

undergird

soutenir, renforcer
Meaning
to provide support or foundation for; to strengthen
Example
Strong values undergird a healthy society.
Les valeurs fortes soutiennent une société saine.
C2 noun /ˈʌŋɡwənt/

unguent

onguent
Meaning
A soothing or healing ointment applied to the skin.
Example
The doctor applied an unguent to heal the burn.
Le médecin a appliqué un onguent pour guérir la brûlure.
C2 verb /ˈʌndjʊleɪt/

undulate

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