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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145 words
dictum
C2+
/ˈdɪktəm/
a formal pronouncement or an authoritative saying
doddle
C2+
/ˈdɑdəl/
something accomplished very easily (British informal)
emmet
C2+
/ˈɛmət/
an ant (archaic or dialectal)
gal
C2+
/ɡæl/
informal term for a girl or woman
icebox
C2+
/ˈaɪsˌbɑks/
an insulated cabinet cooled by ice; an early or informal term for a refrigerator
loo
C2+
/lu/
(British informal) a toilet
mon
C2+
/mɑn/
a man or fellow, in dialectal or informal address
naw
C2+
/nɔ/
a casual or dialectal form of 'no'
necessitude
C2+
/nəˈsɛsəˌtud/
necessity or distress; a close bond of obligation (archaic)
negatron
C2+
/ˈnɛɡəˌtrɑn/
an electron, especially as opposed to a positron (dated)
nightie
C2+
/ˈnaɪti/
a woman's or child's nightgown (informal)
pismire
C2+
/ˈpɪsˌmaɪɚ/
an ant (archaic or dialectal)
pol
C2+
/pɑl/
a politician (informal)
specs
C2+
/spɛks/
informal term for spectacles or for technical specifications
tosh
C2+
/tɑʃ/
British informal term for nonsense or rubbish
trike
C2+
/traɪk/
an informal name for a tricycle
cachinnate
C2+
/ˈkækɪneɪt/
To laugh loudly, immoderately, or too often.
peregrinate
C2+
/ˈpɛ.ɹɪ.ɡɹəˌneɪt/
travel around, through, or over, especially on foot
repertorial
C2+
Of or pertaining to a repertory.
nuther
C2+
/ˈnʌðɚ/
dialectal: either or neither, especially after a negative statement
lawsy
C2+
/ˈlɔːzi/
dialectal or dated: an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, or emphasis
ther
C2+
/ðɛr/
eye dialect: there
lameter
C2+
/ˈleɪ.mɪ.tɚ/
a dated Scottish and dialectal term for a person who has difficulty walking; now potentially offensive
hoast
C2+
/hoʊst/
a cough, especially in Scots and northern British dialect
illsome
C2+
/ˈɪlsəm/
characterized by illness, harm, or evil; sickly, harmful, or baleful (rare)
strewment
C2+
/ˈstruːmənt/
archaic and literary: something strewn or intended for strewing, especially flowers scattered over a bier or grave as part of a funeral rite
scowderment
C2+
/ˈskaʊdɚmənt/
Northern English dialect: confusion, bustle, or turmoil, especially commotion while preparing for an event or carrying out household work
yabblins
C2+
/ˈjæblɪnz/
North Yorkshire dialect: possibly; perhaps
cowardy-cat
C2+
/ˈkaʊ.ɚ.diˌkæt/
informal, chiefly childish or dialectal: a timid or cowardly person, especially as a taunting form of address
young'un
C2+
/ˈjʌŋən/
a child or young person, in informal or regional speech
unconspicuous
C2+
/ˌʌn.kənˈspɪk.ju.əs/
not readily visible or noticeable; not attracting attention
io
C2+
/ˈaɪ.oʊ/
rare and archaic: an exclamation of joy, triumph, celebration, or ritual invocation
reindue
C2+
/ˌriːɪnˈduː/
rare or literary: to clothe or invest again; figuratively, to assume a form, character, or personality again
disobligation
C2+
/dɪsˌɑːbləˈɡeɪʃən/
obsolete: an offence, discourtesy, or act that causes someone to feel disobliged
redivivus
C2+
/ˌrɛdəˈvaɪvəs/
literary, used after a noun: brought back to life, revived, or appearing again in a new form
dronage
C2+
/ˈdroʊnɪdʒ/
rare: the state or condition of being a social drone, especially an idle or dependent person who lives on the work or resources of others
beknow
C2+
/bɪˈnoʊ/
archaic or dialectal: to know about, recognize, or understand
suent
C2+
/ˈsuːənt/
dialectal: smooth, even, regular, or working steadily
enhalo
C2+
/ɪnˈheɪloʊ/
literary: to surround with a halo or with something resembling a halo
sockdolager
C2+
/ˌsɑːkˈdɑːlədʒɚ/
dated US informal: a decisive blow, overwhelming answer, or event that settles a matter
ain't
C2+
/eɪnt/
nonstandard: am not, is not, or are not
laws-a-mercy
C2+
/ˌlɔːzəˈmɝːsi/
dated or dialectal: an exclamation of surprise, alarm, or wonder; a minced form of Lord have mercy
gee whillikins
C2+
/ˌdʒiː ˈwɪlɪkɪnz/
dated and informal, chiefly US: an exclamation of surprise, astonishment, or delight
cretinize
C2+
/ˈkriː.tən.aɪz/
rare and offensive: to make a person intellectually dulled, degraded, or treated as though unintelligent
straitwaistcoated
C2+
/ˈstreɪtˌweɪstkoʊtɪd/
historical: confined in a strait-waistcoat, or figuratively subjected to severe intellectual or institutional restraint
jostlement
C2+
/ˈdʒɑsəlmənt/
crowding or bustle.
aphorismic
C2+
/ˌæfəˈrɪzmɪk/
relating to aphorisms or expressed in short, memorable statements
varletry
C2+
/ˈvɑɹlɪtri/
a disorderly crowd of common people, viewed with contempt
overshade
C2+
/ˌoʊvərˈʃeɪd/
to cast a shadow over; to overshadow literally or figuratively