univalence
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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 noun /ˌænθrəpəˈsɛntrɪzəm/

anthropocentrism

anthropocentrisme
Meaning
The belief that human beings are the most important or central element of existence.
Example
Anthropocentrism often shapes environmental policies.
L'anthropocentrisme façonne souvent les politiques environnementales.
C2 noun /ˈpɛntæd/

pentad

groupe de cinq
Meaning
A group or set of five things.
Example
The committee was divided into a pentad of working groups.
Le comité a été divisé en cinq groupes de travail.
C2 noun /ˈɪd.i.ə.si/

Idiocy

idiotie
Meaning
extremely stupid behavior or actions; foolishness
Example
The decision to ignore safety protocols was pure idiocy that endangered everyone.
La décision d'ignorer les protocoles de sécurité était une pure idiotie qui mettait tout le monde en danger.
C2 verb /ˈlɛvɪteɪt/

levitate

léviter
Meaning
to rise or float in the air, usually without visible support.
Example
The magician made the table levitate during the show.
Le magicien a fait léviter la table pendant le spectacle.
C2 adjective /ˌɪnkɔːrˈpɔːriəl/

incorporeal

incorporel
Meaning
lacking a physical body; not composed of matter; intangible
Example
Ghosts are often described as incorporeal beings.
Les fantômes sont souvent décrits comme des êtres incorporels.
C2 noun /ɪnˈkwɪzɪtər/

inquisitor

inquisiteur
Meaning
A person who asks many questions, often in an official or harsh manner.
Example
The inquisitor demanded detailed answers from the witness.
L'inquisiteur a exigé des réponses détaillées du témoin.
C2 verb /fɔrˈswɛr/

forswear

renoncer
Meaning
to renounce or reject; to give up completely
Example
He forswore his old habits and started a new life.
Il a renoncé à ses anciennes habitudes et a commencé une nouvelle vie.
C2 verb /ɪnˈtwaɪn/

entwine

entrelaçer
Meaning
to twist or wind together; to become closely connected or involved
Example
The vines entwine around the old fence.
Les vignes s'enroulent autour de la vieille clôture.
C2 adjective /ˈbʌsti/

busty

à forte poitrine
Meaning
having a large or full bust; describing a woman with a prominent chest
Example
The actress was often described as busty in fashion magazines.
L’actrice était souvent décrite comme à forte poitrine dans les magazines de mode.
C2 noun /ˈaɪ.sɔːr/

Eyesore

un vrai casse-pied; une horreur visuelle
Meaning
something that is very ugly and unpleasant to look at
Example
The abandoned building has become an eyesore in the neighborhood.
Le bâtiment abandonné est devenu un vrai casse-pied dans le quartier.
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 /ˈaɪ.ərn.wʊd/

Ironwood

bois de fer
Meaning
a hard, dense wood from various trees; also the tree itself that produces small flowers
Example
The ironwood tree blooms with tiny white flowers.
L'arbre de bois de fer fleurit avec de petites fleurs blanches.
C2 adjective, noun /pləˈbiːən/

plebian

commun, du peuple
Meaning
alternate spelling of 'plebeian'; common or ordinary
Example
His tastes were rather plebian, favoring simple food and clothes.
Ses goûts étaient assez communs, il préférait la nourriture simple et des vêtements simples.
C2 noun /ˌmæk.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

Machination

machination; intrigue;
Meaning
a clever scheme or artful plot, usually with evil intent; crafty designing or plotting
Example
The villain's machinations were finally exposed.
Les machinations du méchant ont finalement été exposées.
C2 noun /ˈɑːrtləsnəs/

artlessness

simplicité, naturel
Meaning
The quality of being natural and simple without deceit or pretension.
Example
Her artlessness made her beloved by all.
Son artlessness la rendait aimée de tous.
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 /feɪt/

fete

fête, célébration
Meaning
a celebration or festival, often in honor of someone
Example
The village held a grand fete to celebrate the harvest.
Le village a organisé une grande fête pour célébrer la récolte.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtɛnʃəs/

sententious

moraliste; qui donne des leçons
Meaning
Given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.
Example
His sententious remarks annoyed the audience.
Ses remarques moralisatrices ont agacé le public.
C2 adverb /pəˈfɔːs/

perforce

inévitablement
Meaning
by necessity; inevitably
Example
He had to perforce accept the decision.
Il a dû accepter la décision inévitablement.
C2 adjective /ˌɪməˈmɔːriəl/

immemorial

immémorial
Meaning
Extending back beyond memory or record; ancient.
Example
The tradition has been followed since time immemorial.
La tradition est suivie depuis des temps immémoriaux.
C2 verb /ˈkɒsɪt/

cosset

choyer
Meaning
to care for and protect in an overindulgent way
Example
The little girl was cosseted by her grandparents.
La petite fille était choyée par ses grands-parents.
C2 noun /ˈklærɪən/

Clarion

clairon
Meaning
a shrill narrow-tubed war trumpet; a medieval trumpet with a clear piercing tone
Example
The clarion sounded across the battlefield to signal the charge.
Le clairon a retenti à travers le champ de bataille pour signaler l'attaque.
C2 noun /roʊˈtʌn.də.ti/

rotundity

rondeur
Meaning
the quality of being round or plump
Example
The rotundity of the balloon made it float gracefully.
La rondeur du ballon l'a fait flotter gracieusement.
C2 verb /lɪm/

limn

décrire / représenter
Meaning
to depict or describe something vividly in words or art.
Example
The author limned the beauty of the countryside.
L'auteur a décrit la beauté de la campagne de manière vivante.
C2 adjective /sɛnˈtrɪfjʊɡəl/

centrifugal

centrifuge
Meaning
Moving or tending to move away from a center.
Example
The centrifugal force pushes the clothes to the sides of the washing machine.
La force centrifuge pousse les vêtements vers les bords de la machine à laver.
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 adjective hjʊˈrɪs.tɪk

heuristic

heuristique
Meaning
Enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves; experimental learning approach.
Example
Teachers use heuristic techniques to encourage self-learning.
Les enseignants utilisent des techniques heuristiques pour encourager l'auto-apprentissage.
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 /ˈpɛnjʊri/

penury

pauvreté extrême
Meaning
extreme poverty or destitution
Example
He grew up in penury but became successful later in life.
Il a grandi dans la pénurie, mais il est devenu prospère plus tard dans la vie.
C2 adjective /ˈpɜːˌblaɪnd/

purblind

aveugle ou ignorant
Meaning
Having impaired or defective vision; lacking insight or understanding.
Example
The purblind approach to the problem led to many mistakes.
L'approche purblinde du problème a conduit à de nombreuses erreurs.
C2 noun /bɜːrˈlɛsk/

burlesque

burlesque
Meaning
A humorous and exaggerated imitation of a serious work; a type of theatrical entertainment involving comedy and parody.
Example
The play was a clever burlesque of traditional opera.
La pièce était une burlesque ingénieuse de l'opéra traditionnel.
C2 noun /ɡɜːrθ/

girth

circonférence
Meaning
the measurement around the middle of something, especially a person's waist or a tree trunk
Example
The tree's girth measured nearly five feet.
La circonférence de l'arbre mesurait près de cinq pieds.
C2 verb /ˈpɛkjʊˌleɪt/

peculate

détourner
Meaning
To embezzle or steal money, especially public funds.
Example
The corrupt official was found guilty of peculating government funds.
Le fonctionnaire corrompu a été reconnu coupable d'avoir détourné des fonds publics.
C2 noun /ˈdʒʊntə/

junta

junte militaire
Meaning
A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force.
Example
The junta seized power after the coup.
La junte a pris le pouvoir après le coup d'État.
C2 noun /ˌpæl.ənˈkiːn/

Palanquin

palanquin
Meaning
a covered chair or bed carried on poles by bearers
Example
The bride was carried to the wedding ceremony in an ornate palanquin.
La mariée a été transportée à la cérémonie de mariage dans un palanquin orné.
C2 noun /ˈɪnroʊd/

inroad

progrès
Meaning
An advance or significant progress, often at the expense of something else.
Example
The company made significant inroads into the mobile market.
L'entreprise a réalisé des progrès significatifs sur le marché mobile.
C2 noun /ˈpɑːrsɪmoʊni/

parsimony

avarice
Meaning
extreme unwillingness to spend money or use resources
Example
His parsimony was evident in the way he avoided any unnecessary expenses.
Son avarice était évidente dans la façon dont il évitait toute dépense inutile.
C2 adjective /ˈdʒɔːndɪst/

jaundiced

partial / envieux / affecté par la jaunisse
Meaning
Affected by or displaying prejudice, envy, or bitterness; also refers to having a yellowish discoloration of the skin due to jaundice.
Example
She gave a jaundiced view of the project after her proposal was rejected.
Elle a donné une vision partiale du projet après que sa proposition ait été rejetée.
C2 noun /ɪmˈpjuːɪsəns/

impuissance

impuissance
Meaning
inability to take effective action; helplessness
Example
The government’s impuissance in the face of crisis frustrated the people.
L’impuissance du gouvernement face à la crise a frustré la population.
C2 noun /ˈlɒdʒ.mənt/

lodgment

hébergement temporaire
Meaning
The act of lodging or a place of temporary stay; also a deposit of something.
Example
The soldiers found lodgment in the abandoned house.
Les soldats ont trouvé un hébergement temporaire dans la maison abandonnée.
C2 noun /kɒnˌtek.stʃu.ə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/

contextualization

contextualisation
Meaning
The process of placing something in its proper context or setting to understand it better.
Example
Contextualization of historical events helps students understand them better.
La contextualisation des événements historiques aide les étudiants à mieux les comprendre.
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 /ˈfɜːr.vɪd/

Fervid

passionné; intensément enthousiaste; brûlant d'émotion
Meaning
passionate; intensely enthusiastic; burning with emotion
Example
She gave a fervid speech about environmental protection.
Elle a prononcé un discours fervide sur la protection de l'environnement.
C2 verb /kənˈtɔːrt/

contort

tordre
Meaning
to twist or bend out of the normal shape
Example
She contorted her face in pain after the injury.
Elle tordit son visage de douleur après la blessure.
C2 verb /bɪˈhuːv/

behoove

être nécessaire ou approprié pour que quelqu'un fasse quelque chose
Meaning
to be necessary, proper, or appropriate for someone to do
Example
It would behoove you to study before the exam.
Il serait approprié que tu étudies avant l'examen.
C2 adjective /əbˈstrɛpərəs/

obstreperous

tapageur et difficile à contrôler
Meaning
Noisy and difficult to control.
Example
The obstreperous students disrupted the class.
Les étudiants tapageurs ont perturbé le cours.
C2 verb /boʊd/

bode

présager
Meaning
to be an omen of a particular outcome, often something bad
Example
The dark clouds bode a heavy storm.
Les nuages sombres annoncent une tempête violente.
C2 adjective /ˌhæɡ.i.əˈɡræf.ɪk/

hagiographic

excessivement élogieux
Meaning
Excessively flattering or idealized, often in a biography or portrayal of someone.
Example
The documentary was criticized for its hagiographic portrayal of the leader.
Le documentaire a été critiqué pour sa représentation excessivement élogieuse du leader.
C2 noun /ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/

animadversion

critique
Meaning
Strong criticism or censure.
Example
The policy attracted severe animadversion from the public.
La politique a attiré une critique sévère du public.
C2 verb /ˈsnʌfəl/

snuffle

respirer bruyamment par le nez
Meaning
to breathe noisily through the nose, often because of crying or a cold
Example
The child began to snuffle after crying for a long time.
L'enfant a commencé à respirer bruyamment par le nez après avoir pleuré longtemps.
C2 verb /ɪˈfjuːz/

effuse

effuser
Meaning
To pour out or express feelings freely and openly.
Example
She effused gratitude for the help she received.
Elle a exprimé sa gratitude pour l'aide qu'elle a reçue.
C2 noun /ˈæntɪˌtʃeɪmbər/

antechamber

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

hearken

écouter attentivement
Meaning
To listen attentively; to give heed.
Example
He would hearken to his mentor’s advice before making decisions.
Il écouterait attentivement les conseils de son mentor avant de prendre des décisions.
C2 noun /neɪv/

Knave

personne malhonnête; valet sur une carte de jeu
Meaning
a dishonest person, especially a man; a playing card with a picture of a male servant
Example
The knave tried to cheat the old woman out of her savings.
Le fourbe a essayé de tromper la vieille femme pour lui voler ses économies.
C2 noun /ˌɑːbdʒərˈɡeɪʃən/

objurgation

réprimande sévère
Meaning
a harsh scolding or strong rebuke
Example
His misconduct earned him a severe objurgation from the manager.
Sa mauvaise conduite lui a valu une réprimande sévère de la part du responsable.
C2 noun /kɒŋk/

Conck

conque
Meaning
a shell, especially a large spiral one used as a horn or for decoration
Example
The priest blew the conch shell to signal the start of the ceremony.
Le prêtre a soufflé dans la coquille de conque pour signaler le début de la cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˌdɪskwɪˈzɪʃən/

disquisition

disquisition
Meaning
A long or elaborate discussion or written essay on a particular subject.
Example
The professor gave a lengthy disquisition on ancient philosophy.
Le professeur a donné une disquisition approfondie sur la philosophie antique.
C2 noun /kɒzˈmɒɡ.rə.fi/

cosmography

cosmographie
Meaning
the science or art of mapping the universe or cosmos
Example
Medieval scholars practiced cosmography to chart the stars and planets.
Les érudits médiévaux pratiquaient la cosmographie pour cartographier les étoiles et les planètes.
C2 adjective /ˌbiːəˈtɪfɪk/

beatific

béatifique
Meaning
blissfully happy or showing great joy
Example
She had a beatific smile after hearing the good news.
Elle avait un sourire béatifique après avoir entendu les bonnes nouvelles.
C2 noun /pɪˈnɒlədʒi/

penology

pénologie
Meaning
The study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation.
Example
He decided to specialize in penology to help improve the prison system.
Il a décidé de se spécialiser en pénologie pour améliorer le système pénitentiaire.
C2 verb /ˈkævəl/

cavil

faire des objections inutiles
Meaning
to make petty or unnecessary objections
Example
She caviled at every detail of the plan.
Elle faisait des objections inutiles sur chaque détail du plan.
C2 adjective/noun /ɪnˈkɑːrnədiːn/

incarnadine

rouge incarnat
Meaning
a bright crimson or pinkish-red color
Example
The sky turned incarnadine at sunset.
Le ciel est devenu rouge incarnat au coucher du soleil.
C2 verb /bɪˈweɪl/

bewail

déplorer
Meaning
to express deep sorrow or regret over something; to mourn openly
Example
She bewailed the loss of her childhood home.
Elle a déploré la perte de sa maison d’enfance.
C2 adjective /ænˈhaɪdrəs/

anhydrous

anhydre
Meaning
Containing no water.
Example
The chemist used anhydrous ammonia for the experiment.
Le chimiste a utilisé de l'ammoniac anhydre pour l'expérience.
C2 noun /ˈsɪmpəltən/

simpleton

imbécile
Meaning
a foolish or gullible person
Example
They treated him like a simpleton who could not understand anything complex.
Ils l'ont traité comme un imbécile qui ne pouvait rien comprendre de complexe.
C2 adjective ˌeə.rəʊˈstæt.ɪk

aerostatic

aérostatique
Meaning
Relating to or involving gases (especially air) in equilibrium and the equilibrium of balloons or aircraft under the influence of such gases.
Example
Aerostatic designs ensure stability at high altitudes.
Les conceptions aérostatiques assurent la stabilité à haute altitude.
C2 adjective /sæŋˈɡwɪniəs/

sanguineous

relatif au sang
Meaning
Relating to blood; bloody.
Example
The surgeon examined the sanguineous discharge from the wound.
Le chirurgien a examiné l'écoulement sanguinolent de la plaie.
C2 adjective /kənˈtraɪt/

contrite

contrit
Meaning
feeling or showing remorse or guilt
Example
She was contrite after realizing her mistake.
Elle était contrite après avoir réalisé son erreur.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæmp/

decamp

fuir
Meaning
To depart suddenly or secretly, often to avoid trouble or escape.
Example
The thief decamped before the police arrived.
Le voleur s'est échappé avant que la police n'arrive.
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 adverb /əˈsʌndər/

asunder

en morceaux
Meaning
into separate parts; apart
Example
The ancient empire was torn asunder by war.
L'empire ancien a été déchiré en morceaux par la guerre.
C2 verb /ˈvɪlɪfaɪ/

vilify

bonheur
Meaning
to speak or write about someone in an abusive or disparaging manner
Example
The politician was vilified in the media for his controversial remarks.
Elle n'a pas pu cacher son bonheur lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 adjective /ˈhoʊm.spʌn/

homespun

fait maison
Meaning
Simple and unsophisticated; made at home rather than in a factory.
Example
She wore a homespun dress to the village festival.
Elle portait une robe faite maison au festival du village.
C2 verb /bɪˈtaɪd/

betide

arriver
Meaning
to happen or occur, usually of something that befalls someone
Example
Woe betide anyone who breaks the rules.
Quiconque enfreint les règles, subira les conséquences.
C2 adjective /ˌsuːpərˈnuːmərɛri/

supernumerary

supplémentaire
Meaning
Exceeding the usual number; extra or unnecessary.
Example
The play included several supernumerary actors to fill the background scenes.
La pièce a inclus plusieurs acteurs supplémentaires pour remplir les scènes de fond.
C2 noun /spʌndʒ ɡɔːrd/

Sponse gourd

courge éponge
Meaning
a fibrous gourd that becomes sponge-like when dried, used for cleaning and in cooking when young
Example
The sponge gourd can be eaten when young or dried to make natural scrubbers.
La courge éponge peut être mangée lorsqu'elle est jeune ou séchée pour fabriquer des éponges naturelles.
C2 adjective /ˈoʊ.vɔɪd/

ovoid

ovale
Meaning
egg-shaped; resembling an oval or ellipse
Example
The artist painted an ovoid shape in the center of the canvas.
L'artiste a peint une forme ovale au centre de la toile.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒr.ə.ɡeɪ.tɪd/

corrugated

ondulé ou plié
Meaning
shaped into ridges and grooves; wrinkled or folded
Example
The roof was made of corrugated metal sheets.
Le toit était fait de feuilles de métal ondulé.
C2 verb /ˌmɪskənˈsiːv/

misconceive

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

unmitigated

complet
Meaning
absolute; not lessened or moderated
Example
The meeting was an unmitigated disaster.
La réunion était un désastre complet.
C2 noun /ˈkedʒ.ə.riː/

Kedgeree

kedgeree
Meaning
a European dish of cooked rice, fish, and hard-boiled eggs, originally from India
Example
The breakfast menu featured traditional kedgeree with smoked haddock and eggs.
Le menu du petit-déjeuner proposait un kedgeree traditionnel avec du haddock fumé et des œufs.
C2 adjective /ˈtriːzənəbl/

treasonable

trahison
Meaning
Relating to or involving the crime of treason.
Example
The general was accused of treasonable conduct.
Le général a été accusé de conduite traitresse.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈtræn.sɪ.dʒənt/

intransigent

intransigeant, têtu, obstiné
Meaning
Unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something.
Example
His intransigent stance delayed the agreement.
Son attitude intransigeante a retardé l'accord.
C2 noun /ˌvɛəriəˈɡeɪʃən/

variegation

variété
Meaning
The appearance of differently colored zones in the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants.
Example
Variegation makes the foliage look more attractive.
La variegation rend le feuillage plus attrayant.
C2 noun /ˈtɪŋktʃər/

tincture

une légère trace, un médicament fabriqué en dissolvant une drogue dans de l'alcool
Meaning
a slight trace of something; a medicine made by dissolving a drug in alcohol
Example
There was a tincture of sadness in her smile.
Il y avait une légère trace de tristesse dans son sourire.
C2 noun /ˈæl.mɪ.rə/

Almirah

armoire
Meaning
a large cupboard or wardrobe used for storing clothes and other items
Example
I keep all my clothes in the wooden almirah.
Je garde tous mes vêtements dans l'armoire en bois.
C2 noun /kwaɪˈiːtəs/

Quietus

mort ou quelque chose qui cause la mort ; une résolution finale
Meaning
death or something that causes death; a final settlement
Example
The hero received his quietus from the villain's sword.
Le héros a reçu son quietus de l'épée du vilain.
C2 noun /əˈdɛndəm/

addendum

addenda
Meaning
an additional item or piece of information added at the end of a document or book
Example
The report included an addendum with updated statistics.
Le rapport incluait un addenda avec des statistiques mises à jour.
C2 verb /læmˈbeɪst/

lambaste

réprimander sévèrement
Meaning
to criticize someone or something harshly; to reprimand severely
Example
The teacher lambasted the students for not completing their homework.
Le professeur a sévèrement réprimandé les étudiants pour ne pas avoir fait leurs devoirs.
C2 verb /ˈkælsɪfaɪ/

calcify

durcir par dépôt de sels de calcium
Meaning
To harden by deposition of calcium salts; to become rigid or inflexible.
Example
Over time, the tissue began to calcify and lose flexibility.
Avec le temps, le tissu a commencé à se calcifier et a perdu de la flexibilité.
C2 adjective /ˌprɒvɪˈdɛnʃəl/

providential

providentiel
Meaning
occurring at a favorable or opportune time, as if guided by divine intervention
Example
Their timely rescue was considered providential.
Leur sauvetage opportun a été considéré comme providentiel.
C2 noun /ˌtrænspəˈzɪʃən/

transposition

transposition
Meaning
the act of changing the order or position of something
Example
The transposition of digits caused an error in the calculation.
La transposition des chiffres a causé une erreur dans le calcul.
C2 verb /fleɪ/

flay

enlever la peau/criticiser sévèrement
Meaning
to strip off the skin of something or criticize severely
Example
The chef flayed the fish before cooking it.
Le chef a enlevé la peau du poisson avant de le cuisiner.
C2 noun /ˈmɪn.i.ən/

minion

minion
Meaning
A follower or underling of a powerful person, especially a servile one.
Example
The dictator was surrounded by loyal minions who carried out his orders.
Le dictateur était entouré de ministres fidèles qui exécutaient ses ordres.
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 /ˈbʌskɪn/

buskin

botte épaisse
Meaning
A type of thick-soled boot that reaches halfway to the knee; also associated with tragic drama in ancient times.
Example
The actor wore a buskin as part of his classical costume.
L'acteur portait un buskin comme partie de son costume classique.
C2 noun /bɪˈnɪɡnɪti/

Benignity

bonté; douceur; la qualité d'être bienveillant ou gracieux
Meaning
kindness; gentleness; the quality of being benign or gracious
Example
Her benignity towards all people made her beloved by everyone.
Sa bonté envers tous les gens l'a rendue aimée de tous.
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 /ˈkʌstərd ˈæpəl/

Custard Apple

pomme à la crème
Meaning
a tropical fruit with sweet creamy white flesh and black seeds
Example
The custard apple has a sweet and creamy texture.
La pomme à la crème a une texture douce et crémeuse.
C2 noun /ˈfɪl.ə.dʒɪ.nɪst/

philogynist

personne qui aime ou admire les femmes
Meaning
a person who loves or admires women
Example
As a known philogynist, he advocated for women's education.
En tant que philogyniste connu, il a plaidé en faveur de l'éducation des femmes.
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 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 /dreɪk/

Drake

canard mâle
Meaning
a male duck; a type of waterfowl
Example
The drake led his family of ducks across the pond.
Le drake a conduit sa famille de canards à travers l'étang.
C2 adjective /ˈfæləbl/

fallible

capable de faire des erreurs
Meaning
capable of making mistakes or being wrong
Example
Even experts are fallible and can make errors.
Même les experts sont faillibles et peuvent faire des erreurs.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈsɪpɪd/

insipid

insipide
Meaning
lacking flavor, interest, or excitement; dull
Example
The soup was insipid and needed more seasoning.
La soupe était insipide et avait besoin de plus d'assaisonnement.
C2 verb /ˈkɒr.ʌ.skeɪt/

coruscate

scintiller
Meaning
to sparkle or flash brightly
Example
The fireworks coruscated across the night sky.
Les feux d'artifice scintillèrent à travers le ciel nocturne.
C2 noun /ˌdɪspjuːˈteɪʃən/

disputation

dispute
Meaning
a formal debate or argument
Example
The disputation between the two scholars lasted for hours.
La disputation entre les deux érudits a duré des heures.
C2 noun /ˈstrætədʒəm/

stratagem

stratagème
Meaning
a plan or scheme designed to achieve a particular goal, often by trickery
Example
The general devised a clever stratagem to outwit the enemy.
Le général a conçu une stratagème astucieux pour tromper l'ennemi.
C2 noun /ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk/

panegyric

panégyrique, éloge
Meaning
a formal speech or piece of writing in praise of someone or something
Example
The author wrote a panegyric on the bravery of the soldiers.
L'auteur a écrit un panégyrique sur le courage des soldats.
C2 noun /spliːn/

spleen

rate; colère
Meaning
an organ in the body that produces lymphocytes and filters blood; also refers to bad temper or spite
Example
He vented his spleen on his coworkers after the meeting.
Il a exprimé sa colère sur ses collègues après la réunion.
C2 noun /krəˈnɒmɪtər/

chronometer

chronomètre
Meaning
An instrument for measuring time precisely, especially used in navigation.
Example
The sailor relied on the chronometer to determine his position at sea.
Le marin a compté sur le chronomètre pour déterminer sa position en mer.
C2 verb /ˌriː.kəˈnɔɪ.tər/

reconnoiter

reconnaître
Meaning
to make a preliminary inspection or survey, especially of an area for military or strategic purposes
Example
The soldiers reconnoitered the area before advancing.
Les soldats ont reconnoîté la zone avant d'avancer.
C2 noun /ˈæn.dʒi.əʊ.plæs.ti/

angioplasty

procédure médicale pour ouvrir les vaisseaux sanguins bloqués ou rétrécis qui fournissent du sang au cœur
Meaning
A medical procedure to open blocked or narrowed blood vessels that supply blood to the heart.
Example
Angioplasty is now safer with robotic assistance.
L'angioplastie est maintenant plus sûre avec l'assistance robotique.
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 noun /hʌsk/

husk

enveloppe
Meaning
the dry outer covering of some fruits or seeds
Example
The corn husk was peeled away before cooking.
L'enveloppe de maïs a été pelée avant la cuisson.
C2 adjective /sɪˈnɒptɪk/

synoptic

synoptique
Meaning
giving a general overview or summary; presenting a broad view
Example
The report offers a synoptic view of climate trends over the past century.
Le rapport offre une vue synoptique des tendances climatiques du siècle dernier.
C2 noun /ˈplɛnɪtjuːd/

plenitude

plénitude
Meaning
the condition of being full or abundant; a great quantity
Example
The garden was a plenitude of flowers in spring.
Le jardin était plein de plénitude de fleurs au printemps.
C2 adjective /kənˌtɛmpəˈreɪniəs/

contemporaneous

contemporané
Meaning
existing, happening, or occurring at the same time
Example
The two artists were contemporaneous and often influenced each other.
Les deux artistes étaient contemporains et se sont souvent influencés mutuellement.
C2 noun /ˈmæləprɒˌpɪzəm/

malapropism

malapropisme
Meaning
the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with amusing effect
Example
He is famous for his malapropism when speaking in public.
Il est célèbre pour son malapropisme lorsqu'il parle en public.
C2 adjective /ˈhɔːrtətɪv/

hortative

hortatoire
Meaning
Giving strong encouragement or urging.
Example
The teacher gave a hortative speech to motivate the students before the exam.
Le professeur a prononcé un discours hortatoire pour motiver les élèves avant l'examen.