valediction
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C2 noun /ˌvælɪˈdɪkʃən/

valediction

discours d'adieu
Meaning
The act of saying farewell; a formal goodbye.
Example
The professor gave a touching valediction at his retirement ceremony.
Le professeur a prononcé un discours émouvant d'adieu lors de sa cérémonie de retraite.
C2 adjective /ˈbɔːdi/

bawdy

obscène
Meaning
humorously indecent or obscene, often in a sexual way
Example
The comedian’s bawdy jokes made the audience laugh and blush.
Les blagues obscènes du comédien ont fait rire le public et ont fait rougir certains.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/

disinclination

désintérêt
Meaning
a lack of willingness or desire to do something
Example
She showed a clear disinclination to join the meeting.
Elle a montré un désintérêt évident à rejoindre la réunion.
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 /ˈsɜːrklət/

circlet

diadème
Meaning
A small circular band, typically worn as an ornament on the head.
Example
The princess wore a golden circlet on her forehead.
La princesse portait un diadème en or sur le front.
C2 adjective /vɜːrˈtɪdʒɪnəs/

vertiginous

vertigineux
Meaning
Causing dizziness due to great height or steepness.
Example
The tourists looked down from the vertiginous cliffs with awe.
Les touristes regardaient en bas depuis les falaises vertigineuses avec émerveillement.
C2 noun /əˈsɜːrbəti/

acerbity

acerbité
Meaning
bitterness or sharpness of tone, manner, or taste
Example
The acerbity of his remarks left everyone silent.
L'acerbité de ses remarques a laissé tout le monde en silence.
C2 adjective /kwaɪˈesnt/

Quiescent

inactif; calme; paisible;
Meaning
quiet; peaceful; inactive; dormant; at rest
Example
The volcano has been quiescent for over a century.
Le volcan est resté inactif pendant plus d'un siècle.
C2 noun /ˌpraɪmoʊˈdʒɛnɪtʃər/

primogeniture

primogéniture
Meaning
The right of the firstborn child to inherit the family estate or title.
Example
Under primogeniture, the eldest son inherited the entire estate.
Sous la primogéniture, le fils aîné a hérité de l'ensemble du domaine.
C2 adjective /ˈɡʌstəˌtɔːri/

gustatory

gustatif
Meaning
relating to the sense of taste
Example
The restaurant offered a gustatory experience unlike any other.
Le restaurant a offert une expérience gustative unique.
C2 verb /ɪˈvɜːrt/

evert

retourner vers l'extérieur
Meaning
To turn inside out or outward.
Example
The surgeon had to evert the eyelid during the procedure.
Le chirurgien a dû retourner la paupière pendant la procédure.
C2 noun /ˌskʌlˈdʌɡəri/

skullduggery

supercherie
Meaning
dishonest behavior or activities, often done secretly
Example
The election was full of political skullduggery.
L'élection était pleine de supercheries politiques.
C2 adjective /ˈmɜːrkəntaɪl/

mercantile

commercial
Meaning
related to trade or commerce
Example
The city grew rapidly due to its mercantile activities.
La ville a rapidement prospéré grâce à ses activités mercantiles.
C2 noun /ɪˈlɪziəm/

elysium

élysée
Meaning
A place or state of perfect happiness; in Greek mythology, the afterlife paradise.
Example
For her, the garden was a personal elysium.
Pour elle, le jardin était un élysée personnel.
C2 noun /θiˈɒkrəsi/

theocracy

théocratie
Meaning
A system of government in which priests or religious leaders rule in the name of God or a deity.
Example
The country was governed as a theocracy where religious leaders had supreme authority.
Le pays était gouverné comme une théocratie où les dirigeants religieux avaient l'autorité suprême.
C2 noun /ˈpiːs ɡʊdz/

Piece-goods

tissu au mètre
Meaning
textiles or fabrics sold by the yard or meter; cloth materials
Example
The tailor bought piece-goods from the wholesale market to make custom dresses.
Le tailleur a acheté des tissus au mètre au marché de gros pour fabriquer des robes sur mesure.
C2 verb /diːˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt/

depopulate

dépeupler
Meaning
To reduce the number of people living in a place.
Example
The war threatened to depopulate the once-thriving town.
La guerre menaçait de dépeupler la ville autrefois prospère.
C2 noun /ˌæntiˈsaɪkloʊn/

anticyclone

anticyclone
Meaning
A weather system with high atmospheric pressure at its center, usually bringing calm and clear conditions.
Example
An anticyclone brought sunny weather across the region.
Un anticyclone a apporté du temps ensoleillé dans toute la région.
C2 noun /ˈklɔɪstər/

cloister

cloître
Meaning
a covered walk in a convent, monastery, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.
Example
The monks walked silently through the cloister.
Les moines marchaient silencieusement à travers le cloître.
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 adjective /dæŋk/

dank

humide et froid
Meaning
unpleasantly damp and cold
Example
The basement was dark and dank, filled with a musty smell.
Le sous-sol était sombre et humide, rempli d'une odeur nauséabonde.
C2 adjective /ɪmˈpɒndərəbl̩/

imponderable

impondérable
Meaning
Something difficult or impossible to estimate, assess, or understand
Example
The outcome of the election depends on many imponderable factors.
Le résultat des élections dépend de nombreux facteurs impondérables.
C2 noun /ˌpraɪvəˈtɪə/

privateer

corsaire
Meaning
A privately owned armed ship authorized by a government to attack enemy ships during war.
Example
The privateer captured several enemy vessels during the conflict.
Le corsaire a capturé plusieurs navires ennemis pendant le conflit.
C2 adjective /ˈflʌməksd/

flummoxed

déconcerté
Meaning
Completely confused or bewildered.
Example
He looked flummoxed after hearing the strange question.
Il avait l'air déconcerté après avoir entendu la question étrange.
C2 verb /bɪˈmjuːz/

bemuse

déranger
Meaning
To confuse or puzzle someone.
Example
The complex instructions bemused the new employees.
Les instructions complexes ont déconcerté les nouveaux employés.
C2 noun /prɒɡˌnɒstɪˈkeɪʃən/

prognostication

prédiction
Meaning
The act of foretelling or predicting future events.
Example
The astrologer's prognostication fascinated the audience.
La prédiction de l'astrologue a fasciné l'audience.
C2 verb /beɪt/

bate

réduire, atténuer
Meaning
to lessen or restrain; to diminish the force or intensity of something
Example
He spoke with bated breath as he waited for the result.
Il parla avec une respiration retenue en attendant le résultat.
C2 verb /ɡɔːk/

gawk

regarder fixement
Meaning
To stare openly and rudely.
Example
Tourists gawked at the celebrity walking down the street.
Les touristes regardaient fixement la célébrité marchant dans la rue.
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 noun /ˈsɪɡnət/

cygnet

cygneon
Meaning
a young swan
Example
The cygnet swam closely behind its mother.
Le cygneon nageait juste derrière sa mère.
C2 verb /ˈkɔː.tə.raɪz/

cauterize

cautériser
Meaning
to burn tissue to stop bleeding or prevent infection
Example
The doctor cauterized the wound to stop the bleeding.
Le médecin a cautérisé la blessure pour arrêter le saignement.
C2 noun /ˈæl.ɪ.mənt/

aliment

aliment
Meaning
food or nourishment that sustains life
Example
Fruits and vegetables are important aliments for a healthy body.
Les fruits et légumes sont des aliments importants pour un corps sain.
C2 adjective /ˈviː.ni.əl/

Venial

pardonnable; pas gravement faux; mineur
Meaning
forgivable; not seriously wrong; minor
Example
His late arrival was considered a venial offense.
Son arrivée tardive a été considérée comme une infraction vénielle.
C2 noun /ˌkɑːrt ˈblɑːnʃ/

carte blanche

carte blanche
Meaning
complete freedom to act as one wishes
Example
The manager gave her team carte blanche to design the project.
Le responsable a donné à son équipe carte blanche pour concevoir le projet.
C2 noun /proʊˈsiː.ni.əm/

proscenium

proscénium
Meaning
the part of a theater stage in front of the curtain; the arch framing the stage
Example
The actors bowed at the proscenium before leaving the stage.
Les acteurs se sont inclinés devant le proscénium avant de quitter la scène.
C2 adjective sɑːˈtɔːrɪəl

sartorial

relatif aux vêtements ou au style vestimentaire
Meaning
Of or relating to clothing or style or manner of dress.
Example
His sartorial choices were always on trend and admired.
Ses choix sartoriaux étaient toujours à la mode et admirés.
C2 noun /ˈswɑːvɪti/

suavity

douceur et charme
Meaning
smoothness and charm in manner
Example
His suavity made him popular in social gatherings.
Sa douceur et son charme le rendaient populaire dans les rassemblements sociaux.
C2 noun /ˈvæsəl/

vassal

vassal
Meaning
A person or country in a subordinate position to another, especially in feudal times under a lord.
Example
The king granted land to his vassal in return for loyalty and service.
Le roi a accordé des terres à son vassal en échange de loyauté et de service.
C2 verb /ɪkˈskruːʃieɪt/

excruciate

excrucier
Meaning
to cause intense pain or suffering
Example
The injury excruciated him with unbearable pain.
La blessure l'excruciait avec une douleur insupportable.
C2 verb /ˈtæri/

tarry

tarder
Meaning
To delay or linger; to stay longer than intended.
Example
Do not tarry, or you will miss the train.
Ne tardez pas, sinon vous manquerez le train.
C2 adjective /ˌɪrɪˈdɛsənt/

iridescent

iridescent
Meaning
showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles
Example
She wore an iridescent dress that sparkled in the light.
Elle portait une robe iridescente qui scintillait à la lumière.
C2 noun /ɪkˈsɪʒən/

excision

excision
Meaning
the act of cutting something out, especially by surgical removal
Example
The excision of the infected tissue prevented further complications.
L'excision du tissu infecté a empêché d'autres complications.
C2 adjective /ˈpɔːntʃi/

paunchy

ventru
Meaning
Having a large or protruding belly.
Example
The paunchy man struggled to button his shirt.
L'homme ventru peinait à boutonner sa chemise.
C2 verb /əˈbeɪs/

abase

abaisser
Meaning
to belittle or degrade someone
Example
He refused to abase himself before the king.
Il a refusé de s'abaisser devant le roi.
C2 adjective /əˈluːviəl/

alluvial

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

conglomeration

conglomérat
Meaning
A collection or mixture of different things grouped together.
Example
The market is a conglomeration of small shops and food stalls.
Le marché est un conglomérat de petites boutiques et de stands de nourriture.
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 verb /ˈdɛsɪkeɪt/

desiccate

dessécher
Meaning
to dry up completely or remove the moisture from something
Example
The hot sun can quickly desiccate plants in the desert.
Le soleil chaud peut rapidement dessécher les plantes dans le désert.
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 adjective /ɡælˈvænɪk/

galvanic

galvanique / intense
Meaning
Relating to electricity produced by chemical action; sudden and dramatic.
Example
The news had a galvanic effect on the audience.
La nouvelle a eu un effet galvanique sur l'audience.
C2 noun /ˈfɔːrʃɔːr/

foreshore

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

homogeneity

homogénéité
Meaning
The quality or state of being all the same or all of the same kind.
Example
The cultural homogeneity of the village made it feel unified.
L'homogénéité culturelle du village donnait l'impression qu'il était uni.
C2 adjective /ˌæktʃuˈɛəriəl/

actuarial

actuariel
Meaning
Relating to actuaries or their work of analyzing financial risk and uncertainty, especially in insurance and pensions.
Example
The company relied on actuarial reports to set insurance premiums.
L'entreprise s'est appuyée sur des rapports actuariels pour fixer les primes d'assurance.
C2 noun /ˈtʃæm.pæk/

Champak

champak
Meaning
a fragrant yellow or white flower from a tree native to South Asia, used in perfumes and religious ceremonies
Example
The champak tree in the temple courtyard bloomed with golden flowers.
L'arbre de champak dans la cour du temple a fleuri avec des fleurs dorées.
C2 adjective /ˈæməˌtɔːri/

amatory

amoureux
Meaning
Relating to or expressing sexual love.
Example
The poet’s verses were filled with amatory themes.
Les vers du poète étaient remplis de thèmes amoureux.
C2 verb /ˈræpsəˌdaɪz/

rhapsodize

rhapsodier
Meaning
to speak or write with great enthusiasm and admiration
Example
He would often rhapsodize about his travels to Europe.
Il parlait souvent avec enthousiasme de ses voyages en Europe.
C2 noun /ˈhɛfər/

heifer

génisse
Meaning
a young cow that has not borne a calf
Example
The farmer raised a heifer for dairy production.
L'agriculteur a élevé une génisse pour la production laitière.
C2 adjective /ˈluːsənt/

lucent

lumineux
Meaning
shining or glowing with light
Example
The lucent stars brightened the night sky.
Les étoiles lumineuses ont illuminé le ciel nocturne.
C2 verb /drəˈɡuːn/

dragoon

forcer
Meaning
to force someone to do something through coercion or intimidation
Example
The manager tried to dragoon the team into working overtime.
Le manager a essayé de forcer l'équipe à faire des heures supplémentaires.
C2 adjective /ˈvɜːrdənt/

verdant

verdoyant
Meaning
Green with grass or other rich vegetation; lush and fertile.
Example
The hills looked verdant after the monsoon rains.
Les collines semblaient verdoyantes après les pluies de la mousson.
C2 adjective/verb /ɪnˈkɑːrneɪt/

incarnate

incarné
Meaning
to embody or represent in human form; in flesh
Example
She is kindness incarnate.
Elle est la bonté incarnée.
C2 verb /rɛtʃ/

retch

bonheur
Meaning
to make the sound and movement of vomiting without bringing anything up
Example
The smell of spoiled food made him retch violently.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher sa joie lorsqu'elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /ˈspɛndˌθrɪft/

spendthrift

dépensier
Meaning
A person who spends money extravagantly or wastefully.
Example
The young prince was known as a spendthrift, wasting his fortune on lavish parties.
Le jeune prince était connu comme un dépensier, gaspillant sa fortune dans des fêtes somptueuses.
C2 noun /ˈmoʊlər/

molar

molaire
Meaning
A large tooth at the back of the mouth used for grinding food.
Example
The dentist had to extract his wisdom molar.
Le dentiste a dû extraire sa dent de sagesse.
C2 adjective /əˈrækjələr/

oracular

oraculaire
Meaning
Resembling an oracle; giving wise, mysterious, or prophetic statements
Example
Her oracular words left the audience deep in thought.
Ses paroles oraculaires ont laissé l'audience profondément pensive.
C2 noun /ˈterəpɪn/

terrapin

une petite tortue d'eau douce
Meaning
a small freshwater turtle, especially one found in North America
Example
The terrapin slowly crawled into the pond.
Le terrapin se glissa lentement dans l'étang.
C2 noun /ˌpɜː.spɪˈkæs.ɪ.ti/

perspicacity

perspicacité
Meaning
Sharp insight, keen understanding and discernment.
Example
Her perspicacity in business decisions led to success.
Sa perspicacité dans les décisions commerciales a mené au succès.
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 /ˈmʌnid/

Moneyed

riches; fortuné; aisé
Meaning
having much money; wealthy; rich
Example
She comes from a moneyed family with extensive real estate holdings.
Elle vient d'une famille fortunée avec de vastes biens immobiliers.
C2 adjective /ɪkˈskɜːsɪv/

excursive

excurssif
Meaning
Tending to digress or wander; moving away from the main subject.
Example
His excursive lecture left the students confused about the main topic.
Sa conférence excursive a laissé les étudiants confus sur le sujet principal.
C2 adjective /əˈdʌltəreɪtɪd/

adulterated

Meaning
describes food, drink, or medicine made weaker or impure by the addition of another substance
Example
Authorities seized adulterated drugs from the warehouse.
C2 noun /ˌɒpəˈrɛtə/

operetta

opéra léger
Meaning
a short opera with light and humorous themes
Example
The theater staged a famous operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan.
Le théâtre a présenté une célèbre opérette de Gilbert et Sullivan.
C2 adjective /ˌɛvəˈnɛsənt/

evanescent

éphémère
Meaning
Quickly fading or disappearing; lasting for only a very short time.
Example
The beauty of the sunset was evanescent, fading within minutes.
La beauté du coucher du soleil était éphémère, disparaissant en quelques minutes.
C2 noun /məˈnɒkrəsi/

monocracy

monocratie
Meaning
A system of government by a single person; autocracy.
Example
The nation suffered under decades of monocracy.
La nation a souffert sous des décennies de monocratie.
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 adjective /ˌhæfˈhɑːr.tɪd/

halfhearted

démotivé
Meaning
lacking enthusiasm or determination; unenthusiastic
Example
His halfhearted attempt to study did not bring good results.
Son essai démotivé pour étudier n'a pas donné de bons résultats.
C2 adjective /ˌɛnkəˈmiːæstɪk/

encomiastic

élogieux
Meaning
Expressing praise; laudatory.
Example
The book was filled with encomiastic remarks about the author.
Le livre était rempli de remarques élogieuses sur l'auteur.
C2 noun /ˈsɛkstənt/

sextant

sextant
Meaning
a navigational instrument with a graduated arc of 60°, used to measure the angle between a celestial object and the horizon
Example
Using a sextant, the navigator fixed the ship’s position at noon.
En utilisant un sextant, le navigateur a fixé la position du navire à midi.
C2 verb /ɪnˈveɪɡəl/

inveigle

manipuler
Meaning
To persuade someone to do something by deception or flattery.
Example
She inveigled him into signing the contract.
Elle l'a dupé pour qu'il signe le contrat.
C2 noun /kəˈliːdʒən/

collegian

étudiant universitaire
Meaning
a student of a college
Example
The collegians were preparing for the cultural festival.
Les collégiens se préparaient pour le festival culturel.
C2 adjective /ˈɪrˌsplɪtɪŋ/

earsplitting

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

invitor

invitant
Meaning
a person who invites someone to an event, meeting, or place
Example
The invitor greeted all the guests warmly at the entrance.
L’invitant a accueilli les invités à l’entrée.
C2 noun (plural, informal) /skædz/

scads

des tas
Meaning
A large number or quantity of something (informal).
Example
She has scads of friends in the city.
Elle a des tas d'amis en ville.
C2 adjective /ˈkʌsɪd/

cussed

têtu
Meaning
Annoyingly stubborn or difficult.
Example
He was too cussed to admit his mistake.
Il était trop têtu pour admettre son erreur.
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 /səˈlɛrɪti/

celerity

célérité
Meaning
swiftness of movement; speed
Example
The soldier moved with great celerity to deliver the message.
Le soldat s'est déplacé avec une grande célérité pour livrer le message.
C2 adjective /ˈmɔːdlɪn/

maudlin

trop sentimental
Meaning
Overly sentimental, often tearfully or weakly emotional.
Example
He became maudlin after a few drinks.
Il est devenu trop sentimental après quelques verres.
C2 adverb /ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃəsli/

expeditiously

de manière rapide et efficace
Meaning
in a quick and efficient manner
Example
The application was processed expeditiously.
La demande a été traitée de manière rapide et efficace.
C2 adjective /paɪd/

pied

de couleurs variées
Meaning
having two or more different colors, typically in blotches
Example
The pied cat had black and white patches all over its body.
Le chat piebald avait des taches noires et blanches sur tout son corps.
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 adjective /ˈrɪz.ə.bəl/

risible

risible
Meaning
so absurd or ridiculous that it deserves to be laughed at
Example
The idea of flying pigs is completely risible.
L'idée de cochons volants est complètement risible.
C2 adjective /bɪˈfʌdld/

befuddled

dérouté
Meaning
confused, unable to think clearly
Example
He looked befuddled after hearing the complex instructions.
Il avait l'air dérouté après avoir entendu les instructions complexes.
C2 noun /niːˈɒkrəsi/

neocracy

Gouvernement dirigé par des fonctionnaires inexpérimentés ou nouveaux
Meaning
A government or leadership run by inexperienced or new officials.
Example
The sudden revolution led to a neocracy with inexperienced leaders.
La révolution soudaine a conduit à une néocratie avec des dirigeants inexpérimentés.
C2 adjective /ˈnʌpʃəl/

nuptial

nuptial
Meaning
Relating to marriage or weddings.
Example
The couple prepared for their nuptial ceremony with great joy.
Le couple s'est préparé pour leur cérémonie nuptiale avec grande joie.
C2 verb /fɪˈneɪɡəl/

finagle

obtenir quelque chose par astuce ou tromperie
Meaning
to obtain something by cleverness or trickery
Example
He finagled a free ticket by pretending to be a VIP guest.
Il a obtenu un billet gratuit en prétendant être un invité VIP.
C2 adjective /sɪˈdɪʃəs/

seditious

séditieux
Meaning
Encouraging rebellion against authority.
Example
The activist spread seditious pamphlets among the crowd.
L'activiste a distribué des tracts séditieux parmi la foule.
C2 noun /ˈtrɛntʃərmən/

trencherman

goinfre
Meaning
a person who eats in a hearty or robust manner; a big eater
Example
The trencherman devoured the feast with great enthusiasm.
Le goinfre dévora le festin avec un grand enthousiasme.
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 noun /pʌntʃ ˈfoʊrən/

Panch Phoron

panch phoron
Meaning
a Bengali spice blend containing five whole spices: cumin, fennel, fenugreek, nigella, and mustard seeds
Example
The aroma filled the kitchen when she heated panch phoron in oil.
L'arôme a rempli la cuisine lorsqu'elle a chauffé le panch phoron dans de l'huile.
C2 noun /ˈmɒdɪkəm/

modicum

une petite quantité
Meaning
a small or moderate amount of something, especially something valuable or desirable
Example
She showed a modicum of patience during the long meeting.
Elle a montré une petite quantité de patience pendant la longue réunion.
C2 noun /ˈproʊbɪti/

probity

probité
Meaning
The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency.
Example
The judge was admired for his integrity and probity.
Le juge a été admiré pour son intégrité et sa probité.
C2 noun /ˈkʌvən/

coven

un groupe de sorcières
Meaning
a group or gathering of witches
Example
The witches met secretly in a coven in the forest.
Les sorcières se sont réunies secrètement dans un coven dans la forêt.
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 noun /maɪˈæzmə/

miasma

air vicié
Meaning
An unpleasant or unhealthy smell or atmosphere.
Example
A miasma of decay hung over the abandoned house.
Un miasme de décomposition flottait au-dessus de la maison abandonnée.
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 noun /ˈɛərəˌstæt/

aerostat

aérostat
Meaning
A lighter-than-air craft, such as a balloon, that is lifted by gas.
Example
The military used an aerostat for surveillance over the border.
L'armée a utilisé un aérostat pour la surveillance de la frontière.
C2 noun /ˈɡloʊmɪŋ/

gloaming

crépuscule
Meaning
The time of day after the sun has set and before it is completely dark; twilight.
Example
We walked home together in the quiet gloaming.
Nous avons marché chez nous ensemble dans le calme du crépuscule.
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 verb /ɪˈfɛktʃueɪt/

effectuate

effectuer
Meaning
to put into force or cause to happen; to bring about
Example
The manager effectuated the changes to improve efficiency.
Le manager a effectué les changements pour améliorer l'efficacité.
C2 adjective /dɪˈdjuːsəbl/

deducible

déductible
Meaning
able to be deduced; possible to be inferred
Example
The solution is deducible from the data provided.
La solution est déductible des données fournies.
C2 verb /breɪz/

braze

braser
Meaning
To join two pieces of metal by heating and melting a filler metal into the joint.
Example
The mechanic brazed the broken pipe to fix the leak.
Le mécanicien a brasé le tuyau cassé pour réparer la fuite.
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 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 /bəˈθɛt.ɪk/

bathetic

sentiment insignifiant
Meaning
displaying insincere or trivial emotion; producing an unintended ridiculous effect through sudden change from serious to silly
Example
The movie's ending was unintentionally bathetic rather than tragic.
La fin du film était bathétique au lieu d'être tragique.
C2 verb /ˈseɪʃiˌeɪt/

satiate

satisfaire
Meaning
To satisfy fully, especially with food or desire.
Example
The large meal satiated his hunger.
Le grand repas a satisfait sa faim.
C2 noun /ˈtjuːtɪlɪdʒ/

tutelage

tutelle
Meaning
The act of guarding, protecting, or guiding; instruction or teaching.
Example
She studied painting under the tutelage of a famous artist.
Elle a étudié la peinture sous la tutelle d'un artiste célèbre.
C2 adjective /ˈræŋ.kər.əs/

rancorous

rancunier
Meaning
Characterized by bitterness or resentment.
Example
Their rancorous debate lasted for hours.
Leurs débats rancuniers ont duré des heures.
C2 noun /ˈsɛpəlˌtʃər/

Sepulture

tombeau; sépulture;
Meaning
the act of burying a dead body; burial; a grave or tomb
Example
The ancient king's sepulture was discovered by archaeologists.
Le sépulcre du roi ancien a été découvert par les archéologues.
C2 adjective /ˌpluːˈpɜːrfɪkt/

pluperfect

plus-que-parfait
Meaning
a verb tense expressing an action completed before another past action
Example
By the time she arrived, he had finished his homework, showing the pluperfect tense.
Quand elle est arrivée, il avait déjà terminé ses devoirs, montrant le plus-que-parfait.
C2 noun /ˈbreɪziər/

Brazier

ouvrier en laiton
Meaning
a worker in brass; a portable container for burning charcoal or coal
Example
The brazier crafted beautiful brass ornaments.
L'ouvrier en laiton a fabriqué de magnifiques bijoux en laiton.
C2 verb /ˈwɛltər/

welter

tourner dans le chaos
Meaning
to roll or toss about in a confused or disorderly way; to be in turmoil
Example
The city weltered in chaos after the sudden blackout.
La ville a été plongée dans le chaos après la panne soudaine.