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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675 words
busybody
C2+
/ˈbɪziˌbɑdi/
a meddlesome person who pries into others' affairs
byword
C2+
/ˈbaɪˌwɝd/
a person or thing taken as a typical example of a quality
camper
C2+
/ˈkæmpɚ/
a person who camps; a vehicle equipped for camping
chandler
C2+
/ˈtʃændlɚ/
a dealer in supplies and provisions, especially for ships
changeless
C2+
/ˈtʃeɪndʒləs/
remaining the same; never altering or varying
chump
C2+
/tʃʌmp/
a foolish or easily deceived person
collectivism
C2+
/kəˈlɛktɪˌvɪzəm/
the principle of giving the group priority over the individual
comportment
C2+
/kəmˈpɔrtmənt/
the way a person behaves or carries themselves; deportment
compositor
C2+
/kəmˈpɑzətɚ/
a person who sets type for printing
conferrer
C2+
/kənˈfɜrɚ/
a person who confers, grants, or bestows something
contaminator
C2+
/kənˈtæməˌneɪtɚ/
a person or thing that pollutes or defiles something
contestant
C2+
/kənˈtɛstənt/
a person who takes part in a competition
convent
C2+
/ˈkɑnvɛnt/
a community of nuns, or the building they occupy
copycat
C2+
/ˈkɑpiˌkæt/
a person who imitates another, or an act that imitates one before it
countenance
C2+
/ˈkaʊntənəns/
a person's face or expression; to give support to
courier
C2+
/ˈkʊriɚ/
a messenger who transports goods or documents, often urgently
creationist
C2+
/kriˈeɪʃənɪst/
a person who believes in creation by a divine agent rather than evolution
cumber
C2+
/ˈkʌmbɚ/
to hamper or burden; an obstruction or encumbrance
custodian
C2+
/kʌˈstoʊdiən/
a person responsible for guarding or maintaining something
demonstrator
C2+
/ˈdɛmənˌstreɪtɚ/
a person who takes part in a public protest, or who shows how something works
descendant
C2+
/dɪˈsɛndənt/
a person or thing descended from a particular ancestor
detractor
C2+
/dɪˈtræktɚ/
a person who disparages or belittles someone or something
dialect
C2+
/ˈdaɪəˌlɛkt/
a regional or social variety of a language with distinctive features
dilettante
C2+
/ˌdɪləˈtɑnt/
a person who dabbles in an art or field of knowledge without serious commitment
dissever
C2+
/dɪˈsɛvər/
to sever or divide; to separate forcibly
dissolver
C2+
/dɪˈzɑlvər/
a person or substance that dissolves something
distributer
C2+
/dɪˈstrɪbjətər/
a person or firm that distributes goods (variant of distributor)
dominator
C2+
/ˈdɑmɪˌneɪtər/
a person or thing that dominates or rules over others
dower
C2+
/ˈdaʊər/
the portion of an estate a widow receives, or a dowry
drunkard
C2+
/ˈdrʌŋkərd/
a person who is habitually drunk
edifier
C2+
/ˈɛdɪˌfaɪər/
a person or thing that instructs or improves morally or intellectually
endowment
C2+
/ɛnˈdaʊmənt/
a fund or natural quality with which a person or institution is provided
enigma
C2+
/əˈnɪɡmə/
a person or thing that is mysterious or hard to understand
entrant
C2+
/ˈɛntrənt/
a person or thing that enters a competition or institution
eponym
C2+
/ˈɛpənɪm/
a person after whom something is named, or the name so derived
equalitarian
C2+
/ɪˌkwɑlɪˈtɛriən/
believing in or relating to the equality of all people
escort
C2+
/ˈɛskɔrt/
a person or group accompanying another for protection or guidance
exhibitor
C2+
/ɪɡˈzɪbɪtər/
a person or company that displays goods or works at an exhibition
explicator
C2+
/ˈɛksplɪkeɪtər/
a person who explains or interprets, especially a text
exposition
C2+
/ˌɛkspəˈzɪʃən/
a comprehensive explanation, or a large public exhibition
financier
C2+
/ˌfɪnənˈsɪr/
a person who manages or provides large amounts of money
forgather
C2+
/fɔrˈɡæðɚ/
to assemble or gather together, especially socially
fraternity
C2+
/frəˈtɜrnɪti/
a group of people with shared interests; brotherly fellowship
glaik
C2+
/ɡleɪk/
a trick or deception; a foolish or flighty person (dialectal)
greedyguts
C2+
/ˈɡridiɡʌts/
a greedy or gluttonous person (informal)
gudgeon
C2+
/ˈɡʌdʒən/
a small freshwater fish; a gullible person; a pivot pin
habitus
C2+
/ˈhæbɪtəs/
a person's bodily constitution or ingrained dispositions and habits
headliner
C2+
/ˈhɛdˌlaɪnɚ/
the main performer or featured attraction at an event
healer
C2+
/ˈhilɚ/
a person who cures or restores others to health
heir
C2+
/ɛr/
a person legally entitled to inherit property or rank
humorless
C2+
/ˈhjumɚləs/
lacking a sense of humor; grimly serious
identifier
C2+
/aɪˈdɛntəˌfaɪɚ/
a name or symbol used to mark or distinguish something uniquely
illusionist
C2+
/ɪˈluʒənɪst/
a magician who performs tricks of deception and optical illusion
imposture
C2+
/ɪmˈpɑstʃɚ/
the act of deceiving by assuming a false identity or character
individualist
C2+
/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəlɪst/
a person who asserts independence in thought or action
individualize
C2+
/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəˌlaɪz/
to make distinct or tailor to a particular person or case
insurgent
C2+
/ɪnˈsɜrdʒənt/
a person who rises in revolt against authority; rebellious
interrogator
C2+
/ɪnˈtɛrəˌɡeɪtər/
a person who questions someone closely, often in an official inquiry
jogger
C2+
/ˈdʒɑɡər/
a person who runs at a steady, gentle pace for exercise
juryman
C2+
/ˈdʒʊrimən/
a male member of a jury
jurywoman
C2+
/ˈdʒʊriˌwʊmən/
a female member of a jury
lessee
C2+
/lɛˈsi/
a person who holds property under a lease
loser
C2+
/ˈluzɚ/
a person who loses or who is regarded as a failure
lusterless
C2+
/ˈlʌstɚləs/
lacking shine or brilliance; dull
maniac
C2+
/ˈmeɪniˌæk/
a person behaving wildly or violently; a fanatic
marketer
C2+
/ˈmɑrkɪtɚ/
a person who promotes or sells products or services
mimicker
C2+
/ˈmɪmɪkɚ/
a person or thing that imitates another
mixer
C2+
/ˈmɪksɚ/
a device or person that mixes; a social gathering for meeting people
mockery
C2+
/ˈmɑkəri/
contemptuous ridicule or derision; a thing or person treated as ludicrously inadequate
moderator
C2+
/ˈmɑdəreɪtɚ/
a person who presides over a debate, discussion, or panel
monger
C2+
/ˈmʌŋɡɚ/
a dealer or trader in a specified commodity; to promote something discreditable
naif
C2+
/nɑˈif/
a naive or inexperienced person
nameless
C2+
/ˈneɪmləs/
having no name; unidentified or too dreadful to specify
nanny
C2+
/ˈnæni/
a person employed to care for a family's children; a female goat
neuter
C2+
/ˈnutɚ/
neither masculine nor feminine in grammatical gender; to castrate or spay
nithing
C2+
/ˈnaɪðɪŋ/
a contemptible or cowardly person; a wretch (archaic)
nonconformist
C2+
/ˌnɑnkənˈfɔrmɪst/
a person who does not conform to prevailing custom, belief, or practice
nonentity
C2+
/nɑnˈɛntəti/
a person or thing of no importance; something that does not exist
notability
C2+
/ˌnoʊtəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being noteworthy; a notable person
oldster
C2+
/ˈoʊldstɚ/
an old person (informal)
overpower
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈpaʊɚ/
to defeat or subdue by greater strength or force
packer
C2+
/ˈpækɚ/
a person or machine that packs goods, especially food, for transport or sale
pageant
C2+
/ˈpædʒənt/
an elaborate public spectacle, procession, or competition
pauper
C2+
/ˈpɔpɚ/
a very poor person, especially one dependent on charity
peddler
C2+
/ˈpɛdlɚ/
a person who travels about selling small goods
perceptiveness
C2+
/pɚˈsɛptɪvnəs/
keen insight or sensitivity in understanding
premiere
C2+
/prɪˈmɪr/
the first public performance or showing of a work
prodigy
C2+
/ˈprɑdədʒi/
a person with exceptional talent, especially a child
proffer
C2+
/ˈprɑfɚ/
to offer something for acceptance
publicist
C2+
/ˈpʌblɪsɪst/
a person who manages publicity for a client
reckoner
C2+
/ˈrɛkənɚ/
a person or table used for calculating
referrer
C2+
/rɪˈfɝɚ/
a person or thing that refers another
relict
C2+
/ˈrɛlɪkt/
a surviving remnant of a former population or species
renter
C2+
/ˈrɛntɚ/
a person who pays rent to use property
savant
C2+
/sæˈvɑnt/
a person of great learning, or one with extraordinary skill in one field
scrag
C2+
/skræɡ/
a scrawny person or animal, or the lean end of a neck of mutton