English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2) — A1 is the friendliest place to start — and browse its words grouped by topic: travel, food, the body, emotions, and more. Each word shows its meaning, example sentences, and US/UK pronunciation.
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68 words
buck
C1
/ˈbʊk/
To resist or oppose something, especially a trend or rule.
fist
C1
/fɪst/
the signature style of a Morse code operator
constable
C1
/ˈkɑnstəbəl/
One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealth police forces. (See also chief constable.)
drake
C1
/dɹeɪk/
an adult male duck
hawk
C1
/ˈhɔk/
a bird of prey with keen eyesight, broad wings, and a hooked bill
predator
C1
/ˈpɹɛd.ə.tɚ/
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
puss
C1
/pʊs/
an informal or affectionate term for a cat
repent
C1
/ɹɪˈpɛnt/
To feel pain, sorrow, or regret for what one has done or omitted to do; the cause for repenting may be indicated with "of".
ordeal
C1
/ɔɹˈdil/
A trial in which the accused was subjected to a dangerous test (such as ducking in water), divine authority deciding the guilt of the accused.
antenna
C1
/ænˈtɛn.ə/
one of a pair of mobile appendages on the head of e.g. insects and crustaceans
rye
C1
/ɹaɪ/
A grain used extensively in Europe for making bread, beer, and (now generally) for animal fodder.
nausea
C1
/ˈnɔzi.ə/
A feeling of illness or discomfort in the digestive system, usually characterized by a strong urge to vomit.
uterus
C1
/ˈjuː.tə.ɹəs/
a hollow muscular organ in the pelvic cavity of females
gill
C1
/ɡɪl/
a respiratory organ by which fish and many other aquatic animals extract dissolved oxygen from water
mink
C1
/mɪŋk/
a small, dark-furred semiaquatic carnivorous mammal related to weasels
stallion
C1
/ˈstæljən/
an adult uncastrated male horse, especially one kept for breeding
quill
C1
/kwɪl/
the stiff hollow shaft of a feather, or a large feather with such a shaft
nasal
C1
/ˈnæɪ.zəl/
sounding as if the nose were pinched
hoof
C1
/hʊf/
the hard covering at the end of the foot of a horse, deer, sheep, or other ungulate
starling
C1
/ˈstɑɹlɪŋ/
a gregarious songbird, often dark and glossy, belonging to the family Sturnidae
corral
C1
/kəˈɹæl/
to collect or gather
heiress
C1
/ɛəˈɹɛs/
A woman who has a right of inheritance or who stands to inherit.
louse
C1
/laʊs/
a small, wingless parasitic insect that lives on the skin, hair, or feathers of a person or animal
mangy
C1
/ˈmeɪndʒi/
affected by mange, or looking as though affected by it
wren
C1
/ɹɛn/
a very small, active songbird, typically brown, with a short upright tail
stinger
C1
/ˈstɪŋɚ/
a sharp organ used by an insect, scorpion, stingray, or other animal to wound or inject venom
shrew
C1
/ʃɹuː/
a small, active, insect-eating mammal with a pointed snout, resembling a mouse
mite
C1
/maɪt/
any of numerous minute arachnids, many of which live as parasites on animals or plants
caw
C1
/kɔ/
the harsh cry made by a crow, rook, or raven
terrier
C1
/ˈtɛɹiə(ɹ)/
Someone displaying terrier-like qualities such as determined pursuit.
tigress
C1
/ˈtaɪ.ɡrəs/
a female tiger
peat
C1
/ˈpiːt/
Soil formed of dead but not fully decayed plants found in bog areas, often burned as fuel.
restlessness
C1
/ˈɹɛstləsnəs/
the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active
parakeet
C1
/ˈpɛɹəkit/
any of numerous small or medium-sized parrots with a slender body and a long tail
uncontrolled
C1
/ˌənkənˈtroʊld/
Not controlled; not under control.
guardianship
C1
/ˈgɑːrdiːənʃɪp/
The office or position of one acting as a guardian or conservator, especially in a legal capacity.
tentacle
C1
/ˈtɛn.t̬ə.kəl/
a long, flexible organ of an animal, used for touching, grasping, feeding, or movement
castration
C1
/kæˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/
surgical removal of the testes or ovaries (usually to inhibit hormone secretion in cases of breast cancer in women or prostate cancer in men)
burro
C1
/ˈbɝː.oʊ/
a small donkey, especially one used as a pack animal in the southwestern United States or Mexico
ewe
C1
/juː/
An adult female sheep.
ibis
C1
/ˈaɪbəs/
a long-legged wading bird with a long, downward-curving bill used to probe mud for food
gnat
C1
/næt/
a very small two-winged fly, especially one that swarms or bites
manatee
C1
/ˈmænəˌtiː/
a large, slow-moving, plant-eating aquatic mammal of the genus Trichechus, with paddle-like flippers and a broad rounded tail
porpoise
C1
/ˈpɔːrpəs/
a small toothed whale of the family Phocoenidae, typically with a blunt snout
warthog
C1
/ˈwɔɹtˌhɔɡ/
a large African wild pig with tusks and wartlike growths on its face
antler
C1
/ˈænt.lɚ/
one of the branching bony structures grown and usually shed each year by deer and related animals
nape
C1
/neɪp/
The back part of the neck.
pincer
C1
/ˈpɪnsɚ/
one of a pair of curved claws or jaws used by an arthropod to grasp or cut
earwig
C1
/ˈɪə(ɹ)wɪɡ/
an elongated insect with a pair of forceps-like pincers at the end of its abdomen
disclaimer
C1
/dɪsˈkleɪm.ɚ/
A denial, disavowal, or renunciation, as of a title, claim, interest, estate, or trust; relinquishment or waiver of an interest or estate.
wearily
C1
/ˈwɪɹɪli/
In a weary manner; feeling weary.
irrepressible
C1
/ˌɪrəˈprɛsəbəl/
impossible to repress or control
macaw
C1
/məˈkɑ/
any of several large, long-tailed parrots native to Central and South America, usually with powerful bills and brightly colored plumage
inwardly
C1
/ˈɪnwɚdli/
with respect to private feelings
solemnity
C1
/səˈlɛmnɪti/
The quality of being deeply serious and sober or solemn.
stoat
C1
/ˈstəʊt/
Mustela erminea, the ermine or short-tailed weasel, a mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip.
serenely
C1
/sɝˈiːnəli/
in a peacefully serene manner
greedily
C1
/ˈgriːdəli/
In a greedy manner; with keen or ardent desire.
doggedly
C1
/ˈdɔɡədli/
with obstinate determination
invertebrate
C1
/ɪnˈvɝː.tə.brət/
an animal without a backbone, such as an insect, mollusk, or worm
peahen
C1
/ˈpiːˌhɛn/
an adult female peafowl
budgerigar
C1
/ˈbʌdʒəriˌɡɑr/
a small Australian parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus, commonly kept as a cage bird and bred in many colors
axolotl
C1
/ˈæk.səˌlɑː.təl/
a critically endangered Mexican salamander, Ambystoma mexicanum, that normally remains aquatic and retains larval features such as external gills as an adult
cockatrice
C1
/ˈkɒkətɹaɪs/
a legendary monster with features of a rooster and serpent, traditionally said to kill with its gaze
forepaw
C1
/ˈfɔrpɔː/
either of the two front paws of a four-legged animal
tail-feather
C1
/ˈteɪlˌfɛðər/
one of the feathers in a bird's tail
wing-feather
C1
/ˈwɪŋˌfɛðər/
one of the feathers of a bird's wing
breeding-season
C1
/ˈbridɪŋˌsizən/
the time of year when animals mate and produce young