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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218 words
noontide
C2+
/ˈnuntaɪd/
the time of noon; midday (literary)
overdue
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈdu/
not paid or done by the expected time; late
photoperiod
C2+
/ˌfoʊtoʊˈpɪriəd/
the duration of daily light exposure affecting an organism
prevision
C2+
/priˈvɪʒən/
foresight or foreknowledge of the future
pronto
C2+
/ˈprɑntoʊ/
promptly; without delay
protract
C2+
/proʊˈtrækt/
to prolong or lengthen in duration
punctually
C2+
/ˈpʌŋktʃuəli/
at the appointed time; on time
remission
C2+
/rɪˈmɪʃən/
a temporary lessening of disease or the cancellation of a debt
reprieve
C2+
/rɪˈpriv/
a temporary postponement of punishment or trouble
simultaneousness
C2+
/ˌsaɪməlˈteɪniəsnəs/
the state of happening or existing at the same time
stound
C2+
/staʊnd/
an archaic word for a moment, sharp pang, or time of trial
succor
C2+
/ˈsʌkɚ/
assistance and relief in time of distress; to give such aid
ubiquitous
C2+
/juˈbɪkwətəs/
present, appearing, or found everywhere
untimely
C2+
/ʌnˈtaɪmli/
happening at an unsuitable time; premature
yesteryear
C2+
/ˈjɛstɚˌjɪr/
a time in the recent past; former years
accrual
C2+
/əˈkruəl/
the accumulation of something, especially interest or benefits, over time
afterhand
C2+
/ˈæftərˌhænd/
afterward; at a later time
anticipatory
C2+
/ænˈtɪsɪpəˌtɔri/
happening in expectation of, or anticipating, a future event
attender
C2+
/əˈtɛndɚ/
a person who attends or is present at something
b
C2+
/ˈbi/
the second letter of the English alphabet
barfly
C2+
/ˈbɑrˌflaɪ/
a person who frequently spends time drinking in bars
behindhand
C2+
/bɪˈhaɪndˌhænd/
behind schedule or in arrears; late
betimes
C2+
/bɪˈtaɪmz/
in good time; early; on occasion (archaic)
biannual
C2+
/baɪˈænjuəl/
occurring twice a year
birthmark
C2+
/ˈbɜrθmɑrk/
a permanent colored mark on the skin present from birth
biweekly
C2+
/baɪˈwikli/
occurring every two weeks, or sometimes twice a week
bridegroom
C2+
/ˈbraɪdɡrum/
a man on or just before his wedding day
centurial
C2+
/sɛnˈtʊriəl/
relating to a century or to a Roman century of soldiers
centurion
C2+
/sɛnˈtʊriən/
a Roman officer commanding a century of about a hundred soldiers
christmastide
C2+
/ˈkrɪsməsˌtaɪd/
the festive season extending from Christmas through Epiphany
chronograph
C2+
/ˈkrɑnəˌɡræf/
an instrument or watch for recording precise intervals of time
chryselephantine
C2+
/ˌkrɪsɛləˈfæntɪn/
made of or overlaid with gold and ivory, as ancient statues
coetaneous
C2+
/ˌkoʊɪˈteɪniəs/
of the same age or duration; contemporary
cohort
C2+
/ˈkoʊhɔrt/
a group sharing a common feature, especially a statistical or age band
concurrency
C2+
/kənˈkɝənsi/
simultaneous occurrence; the running of processes at the same time
concurrent
C2+
/kənˈkɝənt/
existing or happening at the same time
concurrently
C2+
/kənˈkɝəntli/
at the same time; simultaneously
countersign
C2+
/ˈkaʊntɚˌsaɪn/
a secret password, or to add a second signature for authentication
dally
C2+
/ˈdæli/
to waste time idly or flirt casually
dateless
C2+
/ˈdeɪtləs/
having no date; timeless or endless
dawdle
C2+
/ˈdɔdl̩/
to move or act slowly, wasting time
daybook
C2+
/ˈdeɪˌbʊk/
a book for recording daily transactions or events
decadal
C2+
/ˈdɛkədəl/
relating to or occurring over a period of ten years
decennary
C2+
/dɪˈsɛnəri/
a period of ten years; relating to ten years
decennium
C2+
/dɪˈsɛniəm/
a period of ten years; a decade
delayer
C2+
/dɪˈleɪər/
a person or thing that causes delay
divinatory
C2+
/dɪˈvɪnətɔri/
relating to or used in foretelling the future by supernatural means
dodder
C2+
/ˈdɑdər/
to tremble or move feebly, as from age; also a parasitic plant
domicile
C2+
/ˈdɑməsaɪl/
a person's permanent legal residence
doomsday
C2+
/ˈdumzdeɪ/
the day of the Last Judgment; a time of catastrophe
dreadnought
C2+
/ˈdrɛdnɔt/
a heavily armed early-20th-century battleship
duplet
C2+
/ˈduplət/
a group of two notes played in the time of three
earliness
C2+
/ˈɝlinəs/
the quality of occurring or arriving before the usual time
envision
C2+
/ɛnˈvɪʒən/
to imagine or conceive of something, especially as a future possibility
eon
C2+
/ˈiˌɑn/
an immeasurably long period of time; the largest division of geologic time
epoch
C2+
/ˈɛpək/
a notable period in history marked by distinctive events or characteristics
erewhile
C2+
/ˈɛrˌwaɪl/
a short time ago; formerly
expiration
C2+
/ˌɛkspəˈreɪʃən/
the end of a period of validity, or the act of breathing out
expiry
C2+
/ɪkˈspaɪri/
the end of the period for which something is valid
expound
C2+
/ɪkˈspaʊnd/
to explain or present something in detail
fauna
C2+
/ˈfɔnə/
the animals of a particular region, period, or habitat
forecaster
C2+
/ˈfɔrkæstɚ/
a person who predicts future events, especially the weather
foretell
C2+
/fɔrˈtɛl/
to predict or prophesy a future event
forthwith
C2+
/fɔrθˈwɪθ/
immediately; without delay
hallucination
C2+
/həˌluːsəˈneɪʃən/
a perception of something not actually present, often from illness or drugs
hebdomadally
C2+
/hɛbˈdɑːmədəli/
on a weekly basis; once every week
hebdomadary
C2+
/hɛbˈdɑːməˌdɛri/
weekly; a monk or canon serving in weekly rotation
heyday
C2+
/ˈheɪˌdeɪ/
the period of greatest success, vigour, or popularity
hobbyist
C2+
/ˈhɑːbiɪst/
a person who pursues an activity for pleasure in their spare time
immutable
C2+
/ɪˈmjutəbəl/
unchanging over time; not capable of being altered
inefficient
C2+
/ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃənt/
not achieving maximum productivity; wasteful of time or resources
involutional
C2+
/ˌɪnvəˈluʃənəl/
relating to a shrinking or degenerative decline of an organ or faculty with age
lastingness
C2+
/ˈlæstɪŋnəs/
the quality of enduring or persisting over time
leisured
C2+
/ˈliʒɚd/
having ample free time; unhurried
lit
C2+
/lɪt/
illuminated; (slang) exciting or excellent; past tense of light
mese
C2+
/ˈmizi/
the central note of the ancient Greek musical scale
min
C2+
/mɪn/
an abbreviation for minute or minimum
morrow
C2+
/ˈmɑroʊ/
the following day; the time after an event
neonate
C2+
/ˈniəˌneɪt/
a newborn infant, especially one less than a month old
nychthemeral
C2+
/nɪkˈθɛmərəl/
relating to a full period of a day and a night (24 hours)
overlive
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈlɪv/
to outlive; to survive beyond a person, time, or event
particulate
C2+
/pərˈtɪkjələt/
consisting of or relating to minute separate particles
periplus
C2+
/ˈpɛrɪpləs/
an ancient narrative account of a coastal voyage listing ports and landmarks
permanency
C2+
/ˈpɜrmənənsi/
the state or quality of being permanent
predate
C2+
/priˈdeɪt/
to exist or occur before something; to assign an earlier date to
prematurely
C2+
/ˌpriməˈtʊrli/
before the proper, usual, or expected time
primordial
C2+
/praɪˈmɔrdiəl/
existing from the very beginning; ancient and primeval
prognostic
C2+
/prɑɡˈnɑstɪk/
foretelling a future course; a sign or forecast of what will happen
prophesy
C2+
/ˈprɑfəsaɪ/
to predict or foretell a future event
prudent
C2+
/ˈprudənt/
acting with care and sound judgment for the future
rampage
C2+
/ˈræmpeɪdʒ/
a period of violent, frenzied, uncontrolled behavior
reattendance
C2+
/ˌriəˈtɛndəns/
the act of attending again or being present once more
recrudesce
C2+
/ˌrikruˈdɛs/
to break out or become active again after a period of dormancy
sat
C2+
/sæt/
past tense and past participle of sit
seasonableness
C2+
/ˈsizənəbəlnəs/
the quality of being timely or appropriate to the season or occasion
sec
C2+
/sɛk/
a second of time (informal); of wine, dry