ungainly
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 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 noun /ˈmænˌtræp/

man-trap

piège à homme
Meaning
A trap designed to catch or injure humans; informally, a woman considered dangerously attractive.
Example
The old castle had a man-trap at the entrance.
Le vieux château avait un piège à homme à l'entrée.
C2 verb /dɪˈsɛmbəl/

dissemble

dissimuler
Meaning
to conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs; to pretend
Example
He tried to dissemble his anger with a forced smile.
Il a essayé de dissimuler sa colère avec un sourire forcé.
C2 adjective /dɛˈspɒtɪk/

despotic

despote
Meaning
exercising power in a cruel, oppressive, or authoritarian way
Example
The king’s despotic rule left the people in misery.
Le règne despote du roi a laissé le peuple dans la misère.
C2 verb /ˌæd ˈlɪb/

ad-lib

dire improvisé
Meaning
to speak or perform without preparation; to improvise
Example
The comedian ad-libbed a joke when the microphone failed.
Le comédien a improvisé une blague lorsque le microphone a échoué.
C2 verb /ɪkˈstɛmpəraɪz/

extemporize

improviser
Meaning
To speak or perform without preparation; improvise.
Example
The actor had to extemporize when he forgot his lines.
L'acteur a dû improviser lorsqu'il a oublié ses répliques.
C2 adjective /ˈskʌr.ɪ.ləs/

scurrilous

calomnieux
Meaning
Using or expressed in coarse, abusive, or slanderous language.
Example
The politician faced criticism for his scurrilous remarks about his opponent.
Le politicien a fait face à des critiques pour ses remarques calomnieuses sur son adversaire.
C2 adjective /ˈfjuːzəbl/

fusible

fusionnable
Meaning
Capable of being melted or fused.
Example
The engineer used a fusible alloy in the experiment.
L'ingénieur a utilisé un alliage fusionnable dans l'expérience.
C2 verb /ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/

deliquesce

devenir liquide en absorbant l'humidité de l'air
Meaning
to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air
Example
The salt began to deliquesce after being left in the humid room.
Le sel a commencé à se délier après avoir été laissé dans la pièce humide.
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 noun /ˈpɒntɪf/

pontiff

pape ou un évêque de haut rang
Meaning
the pope or a high-ranking bishop in the Christian church
Example
The pontiff addressed the nation in a televised speech.
Le pape a adressé la nation dans un discours télévisé.
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 verb /ˈbæstərdaɪz/

bastardize

dénaturer
Meaning
to corrupt or debase something by altering it from its original form; to change in a way that reduces quality or purity
Example
Critics argue that the remake bastardized the original novel.
Les critiques disent que le remake a dénaturé l’œuvre originale.
C2 verb /həˈbɪtʃuˌeɪt/

habituate

habituer
Meaning
to make someone accustomed to something
Example
The monks habituated themselves to meditation.
Les moines se sont habitués à la méditation.
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 /njʊˈrældʒə/

neuralgia

douleur nerveuse
Meaning
intense, often intermittent pain along a nerve pathway
Example
The patient suffers from neuralgia in her face.
Le patient souffre de névralgie dans son visage.
C2 adjective /ˌmɛtəˈfɪzɪkəl/

metaphysical

métaphysique
Meaning
Relating to the branch of philosophy that deals with the fundamental nature of reality and existence.
Example
He spent years studying metaphysical questions about life and being.
Il a passé des années à étudier des questions métaphysiques sur la vie et l'être.
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 /ˈnoʊmənˌkleɪtʃər/

nomenclature

nomenclature
Meaning
A system of names or terms used in a particular science, art, or field.
Example
The chemical nomenclature can be difficult for beginners to understand.
La nomenclature chimique peut être difficile à comprendre pour les débutants.
C2 adjective /bɪˈnɪɡnənt/

benignant

bienveillant, généreux
Meaning
Kindly and benevolent in nature.
Example
The teacher’s benignant attitude made the students feel comfortable.
L'attitude bénigne du professeur a rendu les étudiants à l'aise.
C2 noun /ˈsuːθˌseɪər/

soothsayer

devin
Meaning
a person who claims to predict the future
Example
The king consulted a soothsayer before going to war.
Le roi a consulté un devin avant d'aller à la guerre.
C2 adjective /ˌhɜːrkjʊˈliːən/

herculean

très difficile
Meaning
Requiring great strength or effort; very difficult to perform.
Example
It was a herculean task to rebuild the city after the disaster.
C'était une tâche très difficile de reconstruire la ville après la catastrophe.
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 /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 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 /pəˈluːsɪd/

pellucid

transparent
Meaning
Transparently clear; easy to understand.
Example
The lake water was so pellucid that you could see the stones at the bottom.
L'eau du lac était tellement transparente que vous pouviez voir les pierres au fond.
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 ˈtɪl.ɪdʒ

tillage

labours agricoles
Meaning
The preparation of land for growing crops.
Example
Excessive tillage can lead to soil erosion.
Un excès de travail du sol peut entraîner de l'érosion.
C2 adjective /ˈsɪlieɪtɪd/

ciliated

ciliée
Meaning
Having minute hairlike projections (cilia) on the surface of cells or organisms.
Example
The ciliated cells in the respiratory tract help move mucus out of the lungs.
Les cellules ciliées dans le tractus respiratoire aident à déplacer le mucus hors des poumons.
C2 noun ˌmɛtəkɒɡˈnɪʃən

metacognition

penser à la pensée
Meaning
Awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes
Example
Metacognition enhances problem-solving abilities.
La métacognition améliore les capacités de résolution de problèmes.
C2 verb /ɪnˈskɒns/

ensconce

s'installer confortablement, cacher
Meaning
to settle comfortably or securely in a place; to hide or shelter firmly
Example
She ensconced herself in a cozy armchair by the fireplace.
Elle s'est installée confortablement dans un fauteuil près de la cheminée.
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 /ˌpɒlɪˈhiːdrən/

polyhedron

solide à faces polygonales planes
Meaning
a solid object with flat polygonal faces, straight edges, and vertices
Example
The mathematician studied a complex polyhedron model.
Le mathématicien a étudié un modèle complexe de polyèdre.
C2 noun /ˈɪnfəmi/

infamy

bonheur
Meaning
the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed
Example
His name will live in infamy for the crimes he committed.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 verb /ˈlæs.ə.reɪt/

lacerate

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

striate

striée
Meaning
to mark with stripes or grooves; striped or streaked in appearance
Example
The rock surface was striated by glacial movement.
La surface de la roche a été striée par le mouvement glaciaire.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈkɒrɪdʒəbəl/

incorrigible

incorrigible
Meaning
incapable of being corrected, improved, or reformed
Example
He is an incorrigible optimist who never loses hope.
C'est un optimiste incorrigible qui ne perd jamais espoir.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrˌpiːk/

forepeak

avant du navire
Meaning
The compartment in the forward part of a ship, often used for storage.
Example
The sailors stored extra ropes in the forepeak.
Les marins ont rangé des cordes supplémentaires dans l'avant du navire.
C2 noun /kənˈtrɪʃ.ən/

contrition

contrition
Meaning
the state of feeling remorseful and repentant
Example
His contrition was evident after the apology.
Sa contrition était évidente après des excuses.
C2 adjective /ænˈdrɒdʒɪnəs/

androgynous

androgyne
Meaning
Having both male and female characteristics; not clearly masculine or feminine.
Example
The fashion show featured models with an androgynous look.
Le défilé de mode a présenté des modèles avec un look androgyne.
C2 noun /ˈiːsθiːt/ or /ˈɛsθiːt/

aesthete

esthète
Meaning
A person who has a special appreciation of art and beauty.
Example
The aesthete admired the subtle details of the painting.
L'esthète admirait les détails subtils de la peinture.
C2 adverb /ˈbruːskli/ or /ˈbrʌskli/

brusquely

brusquement
Meaning
in a blunt, abrupt, or rude manner
Example
She brusquely dismissed the suggestion.
Elle a rejeté la suggestion brusquement.
C2 noun /hɪˈlærɪti/

hilarity

hilarité
Meaning
Extreme amusement, especially when expressed by laughter.
Example
The movie caused great hilarity among the audience.
Le film a causé une grande hilarité parmi le public.
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 /djuːˈɛnə/

duenna

gouvernante
Meaning
an older woman acting as a governess or chaperone, especially in Spanish families
Example
The young lady was accompanied by a duenna during the festival.
La jeune fille était accompagnée par une duéna pendant le festival.
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 /ɡriːn pəˈpaɪə/

Green Papaya

papaye verte
Meaning
unripe papaya fruit used as a vegetable in cooking, especially in Asian cuisine
Example
Green papaya salad is a popular dish in Thai cuisine.
La salade de papaye verte est un plat populaire dans la cuisine thaïlandaise.
C2 verb /ˈkæstɪˌɡeɪt/

castigate

châtier
Meaning
To criticize someone severely or to punish harshly.
Example
The teacher castigated the students for their poor behavior.
Le professeur a châtié les étudiants pour leur mauvais comportement.
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.
C2 noun /ˈsɒlɪˌsɪzəm/

solecism

solécisme
Meaning
a grammatical mistake in speech or writing; a breach of good manners or etiquette
Example
His speech was full of solecisms and awkward phrases.
Son discours était plein de solécismes et de phrases maladroites.
C2 noun /ˈhæknɪ/

hackney

cheval de location, usé
Meaning
a horse kept for ordinary riding or hire; also used for something overused or trite
Example
The old hackney was still pulling the carriage.
Le vieux cheval de location tirait encore la carriole.
C2 noun /dɪˈkæmɪtər/

decameter

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

inexorableinexorablearmy

armée imparable
Meaning
This appears to be a corrupted or concatenated form; interpreted as 'inexorable army' — an unstoppable or relentless force.
Example
The rebels feared the inexorable army approaching their stronghold.
Les rebelles craignaient l'armée imparable qui approchait de leur bastion.
C2 noun /ˌdɛkəˈsɪləbəl/

decasyllable

décasyllabe
Meaning
A line of verse with ten syllables.
Example
The poet often wrote in decasyllable form.
Le poète écrivait souvent en forme de décasyllabe.
C2 noun /ˈlʊŋ.gi/

Lungi

lungi
Meaning
a traditional garment worn around the waist in South Asia
Example
He wore a comfortable lungi while relaxing at home.
Il portait un lungi confortable tout en se reposant chez lui.
C2 noun /ˈɒbsɪkwi/

obsequy

obsèque
Meaning
A funeral rite, usually used in plural form obsequies.
Example
The village gathered for the obsequy of their beloved teacher.
Le village s'est réuni pour l'obseque de leur cher professeur.
C2 adverb /ˈvɛrɪli/

verily

véritablement
Meaning
truly; certainly; without a doubt
Example
Verily, I say unto you, this is the truth.
Véritablement, je vous le dis, c'est la vérité.
C2 noun /flɔːˈrɛsəns/

florescence

floraison
Meaning
The process, state, or period of flowering.
Example
The garden reached its peak florescence in spring.
Le jardin a atteint son apogée de floraison au printemps.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒɔːnti/

jaunty

gai
Meaning
Having a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner or appearance.
Example
He walked into the room with a jaunty step.
Il est entré dans la pièce d'un pas gai.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvʌlnərəbl/

invulnerable

invulnérable
Meaning
Impossible to harm, damage, or defeat.
Example
The fortress was thought to be invulnerable to attack.
La forteresse était considérée comme invulnérable aux attaques.
C2 noun /rɪˈpʌɡ.nəns/

repugnance

répulsion
Meaning
intense disgust or strong aversion towards something
Example
She felt deep repugnance at the cruelty of the act.
Elle ressentit une profonde répulsion envers la cruauté de l'acte.
C2 verb /ˈvaʊtʃ.seɪf/

vouchsafe

octroyer
Meaning
to grant or give something in a gracious or condescending manner
Example
He vouchsafed them a rare smile.
Il leur a octroyé un rare sourire.
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 /ˈjoʊmən/

yeoman

paysan / employé loyal
Meaning
A farmer who cultivates his own land; also used to describe someone performing loyal, useful service.
Example
He did yeoman service in completing the project on time.
Il a rendu un service loyal en terminant le projet à temps.
C2 adjective /ˈdæpər/

dapper

élégant et soigné
Meaning
Neat, stylish, and well-dressed in appearance.
Example
He looked very dapper in his new suit.
Il avait l'air très élégant dans son nouveau costume.
C2 noun /əˈnjuː.ɪ.ti/

annuity

rente annuelle
Meaning
a fixed sum of money paid to someone each year, typically for the rest of their life
Example
She receives an annuity from her late husband's insurance policy.
Elle reçoit une rente annuelle de la police d'assurance de son défunt mari.
C2 noun /foʊ ˈpɑː/

faux pas

faute sociale
Meaning
a social blunder or mistake in etiquette
Example
He committed a major faux pas by forgetting her birthday.
Il a commis une grande faute sociale en oubliant son anniversaire.
C2 adjective /krʌˈsteɪʃəs/

crustaceous

à carapace dure
Meaning
relating to or having a hard shell like a crustacean
Example
The scientist studied the crustaceous fossils.
Le scientifique a étudié les fossiles à carapace dure.
C2 verb /ˈɛdɪfaɪ/

edify

édifier
Meaning
To instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually.
Example
Good books can both entertain and edify the reader.
Les bons livres peuvent à la fois divertir et édifier le lecteur.
C2 adjective ɪˈnɛfəbl

ineffable

ineffable
Meaning
Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words.
Example
The beauty of the landscape was ineffable.
La beauté du paysage était ineffable.
C2 verb /bɪˈsiːtʃ/

beseech

supplier
Meaning
To ask someone urgently and fervently to do something; to beg.
Example
He beseeched the judge for mercy.
Il supplia le juge pour la clémence.
C2 noun /ˈkɒksweɪn/

coxswain

barreur
Meaning
the person in charge of navigating and steering a boat, especially a racing or small boat
Example
The coxswain shouted instructions to the rowing team.
Le coxswain a donné des instructions à l'équipe d'aviron.
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 noun /lʌɡˈʒʊəriəns/

luxuriance

luxuriance
Meaning
abundant growth, richness, or elegance
Example
The garden was filled with the luxuriance of tropical plants.
Le jardin était rempli de la luxuriance des plantes tropicales.
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 /rɪˈfɛktəri/

refectory

réfectoire
Meaning
a dining hall, especially in a monastery, convent, or school
Example
Students had lunch in the refectory.
Les étudiants ont déjeuné dans le réfectoire.
C2 noun /ˈkriːməri/

creamery

crèmerie
Meaning
a place where milk and cream are processed and dairy products are made
Example
The local creamery produces fresh butter and cheese daily.
La crèmerie locale produit du beurre et du fromage frais tous les jours.
C2 adjective /ˌɪn.trəˈsɛl.jʊ.lər/

intracellular

à l'intérieur de la cellule
Meaning
Located or occurring within a cell.
Example
The drug works by targeting intracellular bacteria.
Le médicament agit en ciblant les bactéries intracellulaires.
C2 noun /nɪb/

nib

pointe de stylo
Meaning
the pointed end of a pen used for writing or drawing
Example
He dipped the nib into the ink before writing.
Il a plongé la pointe du stylo dans l'encre avant d'écrire.
C2 noun /ˈkrɛməˌtɔːri/

crematory

crématorium
Meaning
a place where dead bodies are cremated
Example
The crematory was located near the cemetery.
Le crématorium était situé près du cimetière.
C2 noun /mɪˈsænθrəpi/

misanthropy

misanthropie
Meaning
a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of humankind
Example
His misanthropy was evident in the way he avoided people.
Sa misanthropie était évidente dans la façon dont il évitait les gens.
C2 noun /ˈdʒuː.dɪˌkeɪ.tʃər/

judicature

système judiciaire
Meaning
the administration of justice or the system of courts
Example
The judicature ensures that laws are fairly applied.
Le système judiciaire veille à ce que les lois soient appliquées de manière équitable.
C2 noun /ˌdiːnəʊˈteɪʃən/

denotation

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

incogitant

irréfléchi
Meaning
Lacking thought; inconsiderate or thoughtless.
Example
It was incogitant of him to make such a rude comment.
C'était incogitant de sa part de faire un commentaire aussi grossier.
C2 verb /flɪt/

flit

voltiger
Meaning
to move quickly and lightly from one place to another
Example
Butterflies flitted from flower to flower.
Les papillons voltigeaient de fleur en fleur.
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 /ˈfætʃuəs/

fatuous

fatuo
Meaning
silly or foolish, especially in a self-satisfied way
Example
His fatuous comments during the meeting annoyed everyone.
Ses commentaires fatuos pendant la réunion ont agacé tout le monde.
C2 adjective /rəˈʃɛrʃ/

recherche

exclusif
Meaning
Rare, exotic, or obscure, often in a sophisticated or refined way.
Example
The gallery displayed many recherche artworks from unknown artists.
La galerie a exposé de nombreuses œuvres d'art exclusives d'artistes inconnus.
C2 noun /ˈklæpər/

clapper

pièce métallique à l'intérieur d'une cloche qui la frappe pour produire un son
Meaning
The free-swinging metal piece inside a bell that strikes it to produce sound.
Example
The clapper inside the bell was broken.
La pièce métallique à l'intérieur de la cloche était cassée.
C2 noun, adjective /ˌæntiˌspæzˈmɒdɪk/

antispasmodic

antispasmodique
Meaning
A drug or agent that relieves or prevents muscle spasms.
Example
The doctor prescribed an antispasmodic to ease the pain.
Le médecin a prescrit un antispasmodique pour soulager la douleur.
C2 noun/verb /dɪsˈfeɪvər/

disfavor

désapprobation / aversion
Meaning
disapproval or dislike; to regard with disapproval
Example
The new policy fell into disfavor with the public.
La nouvelle politique est tombée en disgrâce auprès du public.
C2 adjective /pɪˈdʒɒrətɪv/

pejorative

péjoratif
Meaning
Expressing contempt or disapproval.
Example
He used pejorative terms to insult his opponents.
Il a utilisé des termes péjoratifs pour insulter ses adversaires.
C2 noun /məˈʃiː.nɪst/

machinist

machiniste
Meaning
a person who operates machine tools or makes and repairs machines
Example
The machinist carefully adjusted the gears on the lathe.
Le machiniste a ajusté soigneusement les engrenages sur le tour.
C2 noun /kəˈmɛstɪbəl/

comestible

comestible
Meaning
An item of food that can be eaten.
Example
The picnic basket was full of delicious comestibles.
Le panier de pique-nique était plein de délicieuses comestibles.
C2 noun /baɪˈmɛstər/

bimester

période de deux mois
Meaning
A period of two months.
Example
The academic program is divided into six bimesters.
Le programme académique est divisé en six bimestres.
C2 verb /ɪnˈɡrɑːft/

ingraft

implanter
Meaning
To implant or fix deeply, often used in the sense of grafting an idea or quality.
Example
The teacher tried to ingraft good manners in the students.
Le professeur a essayé d'implanter de bonnes manières chez les étudiants.
C2 noun vəˈlɪʃən

volition

volonté
Meaning
The faculty or power of using one's will; the power of choosing or determining.
Example
She left the job of her own volition.
Elle a quitté le travail de son propre gré.
C2 noun ˌpɜː.tɪˈnæs.ɪ.ti

pertinacity

détermination ferme et persévérance
Meaning
Firm determination and persistence in achieving something.
Example
His pertinacity in achieving his goals was inspiring.
Sa détermination inébranlable à atteindre ses objectifs était inspirante.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈsaɪklɔɪd/

cycloid

courbe cycloïdienne
Meaning
a curve traced by a point on the rim of a circle as it rolls along a straight line
Example
The cycloid is often studied in mathematics and physics.
La cycloïde est souvent étudiée en mathématiques et en physique.
C2 adjective /rɪˈdjuːsəbl̩/

reducible

réductible
Meaning
capable of being simplified, lessened, or made smaller
Example
The problem is complex but reducible to a few basic principles.
Le problème est complexe mais réductible à quelques principes de base.
C2 noun /əˈblɪkwɪti/

obliquity

obliquité
Meaning
Deviation from moral or usual conduct; indirectness or lack of straightforwardness.
Example
The politician was criticized for the obliquity of his answers.
Le politicien a été critiqué pour l'obliquité de ses réponses.
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 /sɪˈnɛrəsɪs/

syneresis

synthérèse
Meaning
The contraction of two adjacent vowels into a single syllable or the separation of liquid from a gel.
Example
The yogurt showed syneresis when liquid separated on top.
Le yaourt a montré une synthérèse lorsque le liquide s'est séparé sur le dessus.
C2 adjective, noun /bɪˈtroʊðd/

betrothed

fiancé
Meaning
Engaged to be married; a person who is engaged.
Example
She introduced him as her betrothed.
Elle l'a présenté comme son fiancé.
C2 noun /ɪnˈtɛnʃən/

intension

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

vermicular

comme un ver
Meaning
having a shape or appearance like a worm; worm-like
Example
The artist used a vermicular design to decorate the border of the manuscript.
L'artiste a utilisé un design vermiculaire pour décorer le bord du manuscrit.
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 /dɪˈstɛnʃən/

distention

distension
Meaning
The state of being swollen due to internal pressure.
Example
The patient complained of abdominal pain and distention.
Le patient s'est plaint de douleurs abdominales et de distension.
C2 noun /ˈθrɛnədi/

threnody

threnodie, chant funèbre
Meaning
A song, poem, or speech of mourning for someone who has died; a lament.
Example
The poet composed a moving threnody for the fallen soldiers.
Le poète a composé une threnodie émouvante pour les soldats tombés.
C2 noun /ˈænɪ siːd/

Ani seed

anis
Meaning
Small aromatic seeds used as a spice and for medicinal purposes, with a sweet licorice-like flavor
Example
Anise seeds are often used in traditional desserts and teas.
Les graines de fenouil sont souvent utilisées dans des desserts et des thés traditionnels.
C2 adjective /dɪˈrɒɡətɪv/

derogative

dérogatoire
Meaning
Expressing a low opinion or showing lack of respect.
Example
He made a derogative remark about her work.
Il a fait une remarque dérogatoire sur son travail.
C2 noun /mjuːz/

mews

impasse/rue étroite
Meaning
A row or street of houses or apartments that have been converted from stables or built to look like former stables.
Example
They rented a small flat in a quiet London mews.
Ils ont loué un petit appartement dans un mews tranquille de Londres.
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 adjective, adverb /əˈbʌvˌbɔːrd/

aboveboard

Honnête et ouvert
Meaning
Open and honest; without deception or trickery.
Example
The business deal was completely aboveboard.
L'accord commercial était complètement honnête et ouvert.
C2 noun /ˈiːɡlət/

eaglet

aiglon
Meaning
A young eagle.
Example
The eaglet waited in the nest for its mother to return.
L'aiglon attendait dans le nid que sa mère revienne.
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 noun /ˈpæntəˌskoʊp/

pantoscope

instrument optique offrant une vue panoramique
Meaning
An optical instrument that provides a wide or panoramic view.
Example
The scientist used a pantoscope to observe the entire horizon.
Le scientifique a utilisé un pantoscope pour observer tout l'horizon.
C2 verb /kənˈvɑːlv/

convolve

enrouler ou tordre ensemble; enrouler ou entrelacer
Meaning
to roll or twist together; to coil or entwine
Example
The vines convolve around the tree trunk.
Les vignes s'enroulent autour du tronc de l'arbre.
C2 noun /ɪmp/

imp

petit diablotin espiègle
Meaning
a small mischievous devil or sprite; a playful troublemaker
Example
The child was acting like a little imp, hiding his toys everywhere.
L'enfant agissait comme un petit diablotin, cachant ses jouets partout.
C2 noun /ˈsʌbtərˌfjuːdʒ/

subterfuge

subterfuge
Meaning
Deceit used to achieve one's goal; a trick or excuse to evade something.
Example
They used subterfuge to avoid paying taxes.
Ils ont utilisé le subterfuge pour éviter de payer des impôts.
C2 verb /ˌnɒnˈplʌst/

nonplussed

déconcerté
Meaning
Past tense of nonplus; surprised and unsure how to react.
Example
He stood nonplussed at the strange remark.
Il est resté déconcerté par la remarque étrange.