undergird
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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 verb /ˈpɒntɪfɪkeɪt/

pontificate

parler ou agir de manière pompeuse ou dogmatique; officier en tant que pontife
Meaning
to speak or act in a pompous or dogmatic way; to officiate as a pontiff
Example
He pontificated on the importance of education for over an hour.
Il a pontifié pendant plus d'une heure sur l'importance de l'éducation.
C2 adjective /koʊˈtɜːr.mɪ.nəs/

coterminous

coextensif
Meaning
having the same boundaries or extent in space, time, or meaning
Example
The two jurisdictions are coterminous, sharing the same borders.
Les deux juridictions sont coextensives, partageant les mêmes frontières.
C2 noun ˌæɡ.roʊˈiː.koʊˌsɪs.təm

agroecosystem

agrosystème
Meaning
An ecological system centered on agricultural activities and processes.
Example
A healthy agroecosystem improves soil fertility.
Un agroécosystème sain améliore la fertilité du sol.
C2 noun /ˈtændʒənsi/

tangency

tangence
Meaning
the condition of touching but not intersecting, especially in geometry
Example
The circle and the line are in a state of tangency at one point.
Le cercle et la ligne sont en état de tangence en un point.
C2 adjective /ɛɡˈzɪɡjuəs/

exiguous

exigu
Meaning
small in amount; scanty or inadequate
Example
They survived on exiguous rations during the journey.
Ils ont survécu avec des rations exiguës pendant le voyage.
C2 verb /ˌoʊvərˈstraɪd/

overstride

franchir en faisant de grands pas
Meaning
To stride over something; to step across with long steps.
Example
He managed to overstride the narrow stream with ease.
Il a réussi à franchir le ruisseau étroit avec facilité.
C2 adjective /ˈkʌmli/

comely

belle
Meaning
Attractive or pleasant in appearance.
Example
The actress was known for her comely features.
L'actrice était connue pour ses traits beaux.
C2 adjective /əˈsiːtɪk/

acetic

acétique
Meaning
relating to or containing acetic acid; sour or vinegary in taste or smell
Example
The acetic smell of vinegar filled the kitchen.
L'odeur acétique du vinaigre a rempli la cuisine.
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 /ˈrɛɡnənt/

regnant

régnant
Meaning
Reigning; currently holding power, authority, or dominance.
Example
The regnant queen introduced several reforms during her reign.
La reine régnante a introduit plusieurs réformes durant son règne.
C2 verb /bɪˈwɪtʃ/

bewitch

envoûter
Meaning
to enchant or fascinate someone as if by magic
Example
The dancer's performance bewitched the audience.
La performance de la danseuse a enchanté le public.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːlki/

balky

têtu
Meaning
difficult, uncooperative, or stubborn
Example
The balky printer refused to work when needed most.
L'imprimante têtue a refusé de fonctionner quand elle en avait le plus besoin.
C2 noun /ˈfɪli/

filly

jeune jument
Meaning
a young female horse
Example
The filly ran swiftly across the meadow.
La pouliche a couru rapidement à travers la prairie.
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 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 /ˈmɔːrdənt/

mordant

mordant, critique ou sarcastique
Meaning
Having a sharp, critical, or biting quality; especially in humor.
Example
Her mordant wit often left her friends speechless.
Son esprit mordant laissait souvent ses amis sans voix.
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 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 /ˈsɜːrfɪt/

surfeit

excès
Meaning
an excessive amount of something
Example
There was a surfeit of food at the festival.
Il y avait un excès de nourriture au festival.
C2 adjective /splɪˈnɛtɪk/

splenetic

irritable, colérique
Meaning
bad-tempered, irritable, spiteful
Example
His splenetic remarks offended everyone in the room.
Ses remarques colériques ont offensé tout le monde dans la pièce.
C2 noun /hɒtʃ pɒtʃ/

Hotch potch

pot-au-feu
Meaning
A mixed dish; a hodgepodge of ingredients cooked together
Example
She made a delicious hotch potch with rice, lentils, and vegetables.
Elle a préparé un délicieux hôtch potch avec du riz, des lentilles et des légumes.
C2 verb /ˈhɛnˌpɛk/

henpeck

être constamment critiqué ou dominé par son épouse
Meaning
To continually criticize, nag, or dominate (especially a husband).
Example
He felt henpecked by his overly controlling wife.
Il se sentait constamment critiqué par sa femme dominante.
C2 noun /ˈɪnsələns/

insolence

insolence
Meaning
rude or disrespectful behavior
Example
The teacher was shocked by the student's insolence.
L'enseignant a été choqué par l'insolence de l'élève.
C2 noun /mɪˈsɑːdʒɪnɪst/

misogynist

misogyne
Meaning
A person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.
Example
Many condemned his speech as the words of a misogynist.
Beaucoup ont condamné son discours comme les paroles d'un misogyne.
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 noun /ˈɛnsaɪn/

ensign

drapeau
Meaning
A flag or standard, especially a military or naval one indicating nationality; also a junior officer in the navy or coast guard.
Example
The ship raised its national ensign before leaving the harbor.
Le navire a hissé son drapeau national avant de quitter le port.
C2 noun /ˈlændˌhoʊl.dər/

landholder

propriétaire foncier
Meaning
a person who owns land, especially in large amounts
Example
The landholder leased part of his property to local farmers.
Le propriétaire foncier a loué une partie de sa propriété à des agriculteurs locaux.
C2 verb /meɪm/

maim

estropier
Meaning
To wound or injure someone so that part of the body is permanently damaged.
Example
The accident maimed several passengers.
L'accident a estropié plusieurs passagers.
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 adjective /ɡrænˈdɪləkwənt/

grandiloquent

langage pompeux
Meaning
Using lofty, pompous, or extravagant language to impress others.
Example
The politician’s grandiloquent speech failed to connect with ordinary people.
Le discours pompeux du politicien n'a pas réussi à se connecter avec le peuple ordinaire.
C2 noun /ˈsætər/

satyr

bonheur
Meaning
a creature from Greek mythology depicted as a lustful being, often half-man and half-goat; by extension, a lecherous man
Example
In the museum mural, a satyr plays the panpipes while dancing in the woods.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 verb /pərˈveɪ/

purvey

fournir
Meaning
to supply or provide goods, services, or information, often as a business
Example
The company purveys organic food to health-conscious customers.
L'entreprise fournit des aliments biologiques aux clients soucieux de leur santé.
C2 adjective fəˈleɪ.ʃəs

fallacious

fallacieux
Meaning
Based on false reasoning or misleading arguments.
Example
His argument was based on fallacious reasoning.
Son argument était basé sur des raisonnements fallacieux.
C2 noun /sælv/

salve

baume
Meaning
An ointment used to promote healing of the skin or as protection.
Example
She applied a salve to the burn on her hand.
Elle a appliqué un baume sur la brûlure de sa main.
C2 noun /ˈpraɪəri/

priory

prieuré
Meaning
a small monastery or convent governed by a prior or prioress
Example
The old priory was converted into a museum.
L'ancien prieuré a été transformé en musée.
C2 noun /ˈkæbəˌlɪzəm/

cabalism

cabalisme
Meaning
The doctrines, practices, or secretive dealings of a cabal.
Example
The historian wrote extensively about cabalism in the royal court.
L'historien a écrit abondamment sur le cabalisme à la cour royale.
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 /ˈpɜːrkwɪzɪt raɪt/

perquisiteperquisiteright

droit aux avantages supplémentaires
Meaning
a legal right to certain benefits or privileges associated with a job or office
Example
The judge enjoyed certain perquisite rights attached to his position.
Le juge a profité de certains droits supplémentaires liés à sa fonction.
C2 noun /dɪsˈkwaɪɪtjuːd/

disquietude

inquiétude
Meaning
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or restlessness.
Example
His constant pacing showed his inner disquietude.
Ses pas incessants montraient son inquiétude intérieure.
C2 noun /ˌpɑːrtjʊˈrɪʃən/

parturition

accouchement
Meaning
The act of giving birth; childbirth.
Example
The doctor explained the stages of parturition to the students.
Le médecin a expliqué les étapes de l'accouchement aux étudiants.
C2 noun /ˈɛskwaɪər/

esquire

esquire
Meaning
A title of respect often used after a man's name, especially for lawyers in the United States.
Example
John Smith, Esquire, will be representing the client in court.
John Smith, Esquire, représentera le client au tribunal.
C2 adjective /ˈeksɪkrəbl/

execrable

exécrable
Meaning
Extremely bad or unpleasant.
Example
The movie was so execrable that many people left the theater early.
Le film était tellement exécrable que beaucoup de gens sont partis tôt du cinéma.
C2 adjective /ˈtʃɛəri/

chary

prudent
Meaning
cautious or wary about doing something
Example
She was chary of investing in the new business venture.
Elle était prudente à investir dans la nouvelle entreprise.
C2 noun /ˈmuːn.biːm/

moonbeam

rayon de lune
Meaning
A ray of light from the moon.
Example
A moonbeam lit up the quiet forest clearing.
Un rayon de lune illumina la clairière silencieuse de la forêt.
C2 adverb /ˈɡeɪmli/

gamely

avec courage
Meaning
in a brave, spirited, or determined manner
Example
She gamely accepted the challenge despite the difficulties.
Elle a accepté courageusement le défi malgré les difficultés.
C2 noun /ɪnˌtɜːrpəˈleɪʃən/

interpolation

interpolation
Meaning
The act of inserting something into a text or estimating values within a sequence of data.
Example
The scientist used interpolation to predict the missing data points.
Le scientifique a utilisé l'interpolation pour prédire les points de données manquants.
C2 noun /ˈhɒɡz.hɛd/

hogshead

grand fût
Meaning
A large cask or barrel, traditionally used for storing liquids like wine or beer.
Example
The cellar was filled with hogsheads of ale.
La cave était remplie de grands fûts de bière.
C2 verb /ˌaʊtməˈnuːvər/

outmaneuver

surpasser habilement
Meaning
to gain an advantage over an opponent by skillful or clever action
Example
The smaller company managed to outmaneuver its larger rival.
La petite entreprise a réussi à surpasser habilement son grand concurrent.
C2 noun /ˌɛksəˈdʒiːsɪs/

exegesis

exégèse
Meaning
A critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious scripture.
Example
The professor gave a detailed exegesis of the biblical passage.
Le professeur a donné une exégèse détaillée du passage biblique.
C2 noun /ˈpoʊtənˌteɪt/

potentate

potentat
Meaning
A monarch or ruler, especially one with absolute power.
Example
The ancient land was ruled by a powerful potentate.
L'ancienne terre était gouvernée par un puissant potentat.
C2 adjective /ˈtɜːrdʒɪd/

turgid

gonflé, pompeux
Meaning
Swollen or distended; (of language) pompous and overcomplicated.
Example
The professor’s lecture was so turgid that many students lost interest.
Le cours du professeur était si pompeux que beaucoup d’étudiants ont perdu leur intérêt.
C2 adjective /əˈsɜːrbɪk/

acerbic

acerbe
Meaning
sharp, harsh, or bitter in tone or taste
Example
His acerbic comments offended many people in the meeting.
Ses commentaires acerbes ont offensé de nombreuses personnes lors de la réunion.
C2 noun /ˈætəvɪzəm/

atavism

atavisme
Meaning
The recurrence of traits or characteristics from a remote ancestor.
Example
The scientist noted atavism in the child’s physical features.
Le scientifique a noté de l'atavisme dans les caractéristiques physiques de l'enfant.
C2 noun /ˌsuːdəˈnɪmɪti/

pseudonymity

utilisation de pseudonyme
Meaning
the practice or state of using a pseudonym
Example
The author maintained pseudonymity throughout her career.
L'auteure a maintenu l'utilisation de pseudonyme tout au long de sa carrière.
C2 noun /ˌdɛd ˈhiːt/

dead-heat

égalité parfaite
Meaning
a race or contest in which two or more competitors finish exactly equal
Example
The race ended in a dead-heat between the two runners.
La course s'est terminée par une égalité parfaite entre les deux coureurs.
C2 noun /ˌsɪləbɪˈkeɪʃən/

syllabication

syllabation
Meaning
The division of words into syllables.
Example
Proper syllabication helps in correct pronunciation.
Une bonne syllabation aide à une prononciation correcte.
C2 noun /əˈsɛt.ɪˌsɪz.əm/

asceticism

ascétisme, autodiscipline
Meaning
The practice of severe self-discipline and abstaining from indulgence, typically for religious or spiritual reasons.
Example
Asceticism has been a part of many religious traditions throughout history.
L'ascétisme a fait partie de nombreuses traditions religieuses à travers l'histoire.
C2 noun /ˈfeɪ.tə.lɪ.zəm/

fatalism

fatalisme
Meaning
the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable
Example
He embraced fatalism, believing that nothing he did could change his destiny.
Il a adopté le fatalisme, croyant que rien de ce qu'il faisait ne pouvait changer son destin.
C2 noun /dəˈkɔɪt/

Dacoit

bandit
Meaning
a member of an armed gang of robbers; a bandit, especially in India and Myanmar
Example
The village was terrorized by a gang of dacoits who robbed travelers.
Le village a été terrorisé par un gang de bandits qui ont volé les voyageurs.
C2 noun /ˌmɪsˈtʃæns/

mischance

malchance
Meaning
An unfortunate accident or event; bad luck.
Example
By mischance, he missed the last train home.
Par malchance, il a raté le dernier train pour rentrer chez lui.
C2 adjective /ˌtaɪtˈfɪstɪd/

tightfisted

avare
Meaning
unwilling to spend money; stingy
Example
He is so tightfisted that he refuses to tip at restaurants.
Il est tellement avare qu'il refuse de donner un pourboire dans les restaurants.
C2 noun /ˈmɛtəl/

mettle

courage
Meaning
A person's ability to cope well with difficulties or to face demanding situations with courage.
Example
The young athlete showed his mettle in the final match.
Le jeune athlète a montré son courage lors du match final.
C2 noun /vɜːrˈtuː/

virtu

goût pour l'art
Meaning
a love of or taste for fine art, antiques, or curiosities
Example
The collector’s house was filled with objects of virtu.
La maison du collectionneur était remplie d'objets de virtu.
C2 noun /təˈmɛrɪti/

temerity

témérité
Meaning
Excessive confidence or boldness; audacity.
Example
He had the temerity to challenge the professor’s argument.
Il a eu la témérité de défier l'argument du professeur.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒɪg.ərd/

Jiggered

étonné; stupéfait;
Meaning
surprised or astonished; confused or puzzled
Example
I'll be jiggered if I know what happened here.
Je serais étonné si je savais ce qui s'est passé ici.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɪb.ɪt/

Gibbet

potence
Meaning
a gallows for hanging criminals; an upright post with a projecting arm for hanging the bodies of criminals
Example
In medieval times, criminals were often executed on a gibbet as a public warning.
Au Moyen Âge, les criminels étaient souvent exécutés sur une potence comme avertissement public.
C2 adjective /ˈkæp.ʃəs/

Captious

captieux; critique
Meaning
tending to find fault or raise petty objections; fault-finding; critical
Example
His captious remarks about every small detail made the meeting very unpleasant.
Ses remarques captieuses sur chaque petit détail ont rendu la réunion très désagréable.
C2 verb /ˈɡɑːrbəl/

garble

brouiller
Meaning
To reproduce a message in a confused, distorted, or unclear way.
Example
The poor phone connection garbled his words.
La mauvaise connexion téléphonique a brouillé ses mots.
C2 noun /sʌbˈɔːl.tən/

subaltern

une personne occupant une position subordonnée; dans l'armée, un officier subalterne
Meaning
A person holding a subordinate position; in the military, a junior officer.
Example
The subaltern was responsible for leading a small platoon of soldiers.
Le subalterne était responsable de la direction d'un petit peloton de soldats.
C2 adjective /əˈbɪs.əl/

abyssal

relatif à l'océan profond
Meaning
Related to or characteristic of the deep ocean, especially the zone below 4000 meters.
Example
Abyssal creatures survive in extreme pressure conditions.
Les créatures abyssales survivent dans des conditions de pression extrême.
C2 noun /ɔːl/

awl

alêne
Meaning
a small pointed tool used for making holes, especially in leather
Example
The cobbler used an awl to punch holes in the leather.
Le cordonnier a utilisé une alêne pour faire des trous dans le cuir.
C2 adjective /aɪˈdɒlətrəs/

idolatrous

idolatrique
Meaning
Excessively admiring or worshipping someone or something as an idol.
Example
The king was criticized for his idolatrous devotion to wealth.
Le roi a été critiqué pour sa dévotion idolâtrique à la richesse.
C2 verb /məˈtrɪkjʊˌleɪt/

matriculate

matriculer
Meaning
To enroll as a student in a college or university.
Example
She matriculated at Oxford University last year.
Elle s'est inscrite à l'Université d'Oxford l'année dernière.
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 verb /əkˈsiːd/

accede

accéder
Meaning
to agree to a request, proposal, or demand; to assume an office or position
Example
The government finally acceded to the demands of the protesters.
Le gouvernement a finalement accédé aux demandes des manifestants.
C2 noun /ɪnˈsɪpiəns/

incipience

début
Meaning
the beginning or initial stage of something
Example
The project was still in its incipience when funding was approved.
Le projet en était encore à ses débuts lorsque le financement a été approuvé.
C2 adjective /ˌæk.si.əˈmæt.ɪk/

axiomatic

autoévident, évidemment vrai sans besoin de preuve
Meaning
Self-evident, obviously true without need for proof
Example
It is axiomatic that hard work leads to success.
Il est autoévident que le travail acharné mène au succès.
C2 noun /ˈboʊsən/

boatswain

officier de bord
Meaning
a ship's officer in charge of equipment and the crew
Example
The boatswain supervised the sailors on deck.
Le bôt-swên a supervisé les marins sur le pont.
C2 adjective /ˈvɪrəl/

virile

viril
Meaning
having traditionally masculine qualities, such as strength, energy, and sexual vigor
Example
The actor was admired for his virile appearance.
L'acteur a été admiré pour son apparence virile.
C2 verb /ˈhɜːrtl/

hurtle

se précipiter
Meaning
To move or cause to move at great speed, often in a dangerous way.
Example
The car hurtled down the mountain road.
La voiture dévalait la route de montagne à grande vitesse.
C2 adjective /prɪˈhɛnsaɪl/

prehensile

préhensile
Meaning
adapted for seizing or grasping, especially by wrapping around an object
Example
The monkey used its prehensile tail to hang from the branch.
Le singe a utilisé sa queue préhensile pour se suspendre à la branche.
C2 noun /ˌɪntərˈlɒkjətər/

interlocutor

interlocuteur
Meaning
a person who takes part in a conversation or dialogue
Example
She was a skilled interlocutor during the debate.
Elle était une interlocutrice habile pendant le débat.
C2 noun /ˈdʒɛntaɪl/

gentile

gentil
Meaning
A person who is not Jewish
Example
The synagogue welcomed both Jews and Gentiles.
La synagogue a accueilli à la fois les juifs et les gentils.
C2 verb /dɪˈdʒɛkt/

deject

dégrader
Meaning
to make someone feel sad, depressed, or dispirited
Example
The news of his failure seemed to deject him deeply.
Les nouvelles de son échec semblaient le déprimer profondément.
C2 adjective /ˈkɑːrnəl/

carnal

carnel
Meaning
Relating to physical, especially sexual, desires and appetites.
Example
The book explores the conflict between spiritual and carnal desires.
Le livre explore le conflit entre les désirs spirituels et carnels.
C2 noun /rɪˈvaɪ.zəl/

revisal

révision
Meaning
The act of revising, reviewing, or making changes to something.
Example
The revisal of the contract took longer than expected.
La révision du contrat a pris plus de temps que prévu.
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 /æbˈsɪʒən/

abscission

chute des feuilles
Meaning
The natural detachment of parts of a plant, typically leaves or fruit.
Example
The autumn season is marked by the abscission of leaves from trees.
La saison automnale est marquée par la chute des feuilles des arbres.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒen.ɪ.tɪv/

genitive

génitif
Meaning
relating to or denoting a case of nouns and pronouns indicating possession
Example
In English, the genitive case is often shown with an apostrophe and 's'.
En anglais, le cas génitif est souvent indiqué par un apostrophe et un 's'.
C2 noun /ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡreɪ.tɪv dɪˈpləʊ.mə.si/

integrative diplomacy

diplomatie intégrative
Meaning
A diplomatic approach that seeks to combine or coordinate different elements, interests, or parties into a unified whole.
Example
Integrative diplomacy strengthens alliances.
La diplomatie intégrative renforce les alliances.
C2 verb /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/

debauch

corrompre
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to lead into excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
Example
The novel shows how wealth can debauch a person's character.
Le roman montre comment la richesse peut débaucher le caractère d'une personne.
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 /əˈnækrəˌnɪzəm/

anachronism

anachronisme
Meaning
something that is out of its proper time period, especially something old-fashioned in a modern context
Example
Using a typewriter today feels like an anachronism.
Utiliser une machine à écrire aujourd'hui ressemble à un anachronisme.
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 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 verb, noun /ˈɡoʊld.brɪk/

goldbrick

éviter le travail
Meaning
to avoid work or duty; a person who shirks responsibility
Example
He was accused of goldbricking while the rest of the team worked hard.
Il a été accusé d'éviter le travail pendant que le reste de l'équipe travaillait dur.
C2 noun /ˈɑːrbərɪˌkʌltʃər/

arboriculture

arboriculture
Meaning
the cultivation and management of trees and shrubs
Example
He studied arboriculture to improve urban green spaces.
Il a étudié l'arboriculture pour améliorer les espaces verts urbains.
C2 noun /ˈɡæd.flaɪ/

gadfly

mouche du coche
Meaning
A person who annoys or criticizes others to stimulate change or provoke action.
Example
The journalist was a gadfly, constantly questioning the government's policies.
Le journaliste était une mouche du coche, remettant constamment en question les politiques du gouvernement.
C2 noun /ˈvɪrjʊləns/

virulence

virulence
Meaning
The severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison.
Example
Scientists studied the virulence of the new virus strain.
Les scientifiques ont étudié la virulence de la nouvelle souche de virus.
C2 adjective /ˈbiːstiəl/

bestial

bestial
Meaning
Relating to beasts; showing savagery, brutality, or lacking human sensibility.
Example
The prisoners were treated in a bestial manner.
Les prisonniers ont été traités de manière bestiale.
C2 adjective /əˈvʌŋkjələr/

avuncular

sympathique comme un oncle
Meaning
kind and friendly, like an uncle
Example
He had an avuncular manner that made everyone feel comfortable.
Il avait une manière avunculaire qui mettait tout le monde à l'aise.
C2 noun /weɪf/

Waif

un enfant sans abri ou abandonné; une personne ou un animal errant
Meaning
a homeless or abandoned child; a stray person or animal
Example
The charity helps waifs and strays find homes and families.
La charité aide les orphelins et les vagabonds à trouver des foyers et des familles.
C2 noun /ˈneɪˌseɪ.ɪŋ/

naysaying

expression négative
Meaning
The act of expressing negative or pessimistic views.
Example
His constant naysaying discouraged the team.
Ses continuelles expressions négatives ont découragé l'équipe.
C2 noun ˈtɛlɪˌmɛtri

telemetry

télémétrie
Meaning
The process of recording and transmitting the readings of an instrument.
Example
The spacecraft transmitted telemetry data back to Earth.
Le vaisseau spatial a transmis les données de télémétrie à la Terre.
C2 adjective /ˈhɛtərəˌdɒks/

heterodox

hétérodoxe
Meaning
not conforming with accepted or orthodox standards or beliefs
Example
The professor was known for his heterodox views on religion.
Le professeur était connu pour ses vues hétérodoxes sur la religion.
C2 adjective /ˈsfɪŋks laɪk/

sphinx-like

mystérieux
Meaning
Mysterious, enigmatic, or difficult to interpret
Example
Her sphinx-like smile made it hard to guess what she was thinking.
Son sourire sphinx-like rendait difficile de deviner ce qu'elle pensait.
C2 noun /ræpˈskæliən/

rapscallion

personne espiègle
Meaning
A mischievous or cheeky person; a rascal.
Example
The little rapscallion hid his brother’s shoes as a prank.
Le petit rapscallion a caché les chaussures de son frère pour une farce.
C2 noun /ˈɛpɪkjʊr/

epicure

épicurien
Meaning
A person who enjoys fine food and drink, often with refined taste.
Example
As an epicure, she always sought out the finest restaurants in the city.
En tant qu’épicurienne, elle recherchait toujours les meilleurs restaurants de la ville.
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 /ˈæl.kə.laɪ ækt/

Alkali Act

Loi de l'Alcalinité
Meaning
A British law passed in 1863 to regulate the emission of hydrochloric acid gas from alkali works, representing one of the first pieces of environmental legislation.
Example
The Alkali Act of 1863 was one of the first environmental laws.
La Loi de l'Alcalinité de 1863 fut l'une des premières lois environnementales.
C2 noun /ˈdɔɪən/

doyen

personne respectée
Meaning
The most respected or prominent person in a particular field.
Example
He is regarded as the doyen of modern literature in the country.
Il est considéré comme le doyen de la littérature moderne dans le pays.
C2 adverb, noun /ˈwɛə.wɪð/

wherewith

moyens
Meaning
With which; the means or resources needed for something.
Example
He lacked the money wherewith to buy a new house.
Il n'avait pas l'argent avec lequel acheter une nouvelle maison.
C2 noun /ˈmɒnəˌsɪləbəl/

monosyllable

mot monosyllabique
Meaning
A word consisting of only one syllable.
Example
Words like 'yes' and 'no' are monosyllables.
Des mots comme 'oui' et 'non' sont des monosyllabes.
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 noun /ˈtʃænsəri/

chancery

tribunal de chancellerie
Meaning
A court of equity or the office of a chancellor.
Example
The case was taken to the chancery court for resolution.
L'affaire a été portée devant le tribunal de chancellerie pour résolution.
C2 adjective /ˈkrɛdʒʊləs/

credulous

crédule
Meaning
Having or showing too great a readiness to believe things.
Example
The credulous child believed every story she heard.
L'enfant crédule croyait chaque histoire qu'elle entendait.
C2 verb /ɪnˈsaɪfər/

encipher

convertir un message en code ou en chiffre
Meaning
to convert a message into code or cipher
Example
The agent enciphered the secret message before sending it.
L'agent a chiffré le message secret avant de l'envoyer.
C2 adjective /ˌmʌl.tɪˈfeə.ri.əs/

Multifarious

multiforme; varié
Meaning
having many different aspects or forms; diverse and varied
Example
The company has multifarious business interests including technology, finance, and healthcare.
L'entreprise a des intérêts commerciaux multifacétiques, y compris la technologie, la finance et les soins de santé.
C2 noun /dɪˌlæpɪˈdeɪʃən/

dilapidation

dilapidation
Meaning
The state of disrepair or ruin as a result of neglect.
Example
The old temple was in a state of dilapidation.
Le vieux temple était dans un état de dilapidation.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛktərəl/

pectoral

pectoral
Meaning
Relating to the chest or breast.
Example
The athlete focused on strengthening his pectoral muscles.
L'athlète s'est concentré sur le renforcement de ses muscles pectoraux.