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
handicraftsman
C2+
/ˈhændɪˌkræftsmən/
a person skilled in a manual trade or craft
hector
C2+
/ˈhɛktər/
to bully or intimidate with bluster; a swaggering bully
hireling
C2+
/ˈhaɪərlɪŋ/
a person who works only for pay, with implied lack of loyalty
hirer
C2+
/ˈhaɪərər/
a person who hires or employs another, or who rents something
homelander
C2+
/ˈhoʊmˌlændər/
a native or inhabitant of one's home country
homeowner
C2+
/ˈhoʊmˌoʊnər/
a person who owns the house in which they live
homicide
C2+
/ˈhɑːməˌsaɪd/
the killing of one person by another
hostelry
C2+
/ˈhɑstəlri/
an inn or public house providing lodging and food
humankind
C2+
/ˈhjumənˌkaɪnd/
human beings considered collectively; the human race
huntsman
C2+
/ˈhʌntsmən/
a man who hunts or who manages hounds during a hunt
idealist
C2+
/aɪˈdiəlɪst/
a person guided by ideals rather than practical considerations
ignoramus
C2+
/ˌɪɡnəˈreɪməs/
an utterly ignorant or stupid person
impostor
C2+
/ɪmˈpɑstɚ/
a person who deceives others by pretending to be someone else
improver
C2+
/ɪmˈpruvɚ/
a person or thing that improves something, or a learner gaining skill
industrialist
C2+
/ɪnˈdʌstriəlɪst/
a person who owns or runs an industrial enterprise
inebriate
C2+
/ɪnˈibrieɪt/
to make drunk, or a person who is habitually drunk
infanticide
C2+
/ɪnˈfæntɪsaɪd/
the killing of an infant, or a person who commits it
instrumentalist
C2+
/ˌɪnstrəˈmɛntəlɪst/
a person who plays a musical instrument; an adherent of instrumentalist philosophy
integrator
C2+
/ˈɪntəˌɡreɪtɚ/
a person or device that combines separate parts into a unified whole
intelligentsia
C2+
/ɪnˌtɛləˈdʒɛntsiə/
the class of educated people engaged in cultural and political ideas
interrogatee
C2+
/ɪnˌtɛrəɡəˈti/
a person who is being interrogated or questioned
intertwist
C2+
/ˌɪntɚˈtwɪst/
to twist together; to interweave
jailbird
C2+
/ˈdʒeɪlˌbɜrd/
a person who is or has often been in prison
kitchener
C2+
/ˈkɪtʃənər/
a person in charge of a kitchen; also a kind of cooking range
laity
C2+
/ˈleɪəti/
lay people, as distinct from clergy or professionals
laundryowner
C2+
/ˈlɔndriˌoʊnər/
a person who owns a laundry business
leaseholder
C2+
/ˈlisˌhoʊldɚ/
a person who holds property under a lease
leftover
C2+
/ˈlɛftˌoʊvɚ/
something remaining after the rest has been used or consumed
lender
C2+
/ˈlɛndɚ/
a person or institution that lends money or goods
leper
C2+
/ˈlɛpɚ/
a person with leprosy; a social outcast
lessor
C2+
/ˈlɛsɔr/
a person who grants a lease of property to another
liberalism
C2+
/ˈlɪbərəˌlɪzəm/
a political philosophy favoring individual liberty, equality, and reform
libertarian
C2+
/ˌlɪbɚˈtɛriən/
a person who upholds maximum individual liberty and minimal state intervention
lidless
C2+
/ˈlɪdləs/
having no lid; (poetic) ever-watchful, never closing
lifesaver
C2+
/ˈlaɪfˌseɪvɚ/
a person or thing that rescues someone from difficulty or danger
lifesaving
C2+
/ˈlaɪfˌseɪvɪŋ/
serving to save lives; the skill of rescuing people from drowning
looker
C2+
/ˈlʊkɚ/
(informal) a strikingly attractive person
loyalist
C2+
/ˈlɔɪəlɪst/
a person who remains loyal to a government, ruler, or cause
luminary
C2+
/ˈlumɪˌnɛri/
a person of prominence or brilliance in a field; a celestial light
lustreless
C2+
/ˈlʌstɚləs/
lacking shine or brilliance; dull
magnet
C2+
/ˈmæɡnɪt/
an object that attracts iron; a person or thing that draws others
mandatary
C2+
/ˈmændəˌtɛri/
a person or state to whom a mandate is given to act on another's behalf
manslaughter
C2+
/ˈmænˌslɔtər/
the unlawful killing of a person without premeditated malice
marginalize
C2+
/ˈmɑrdʒənəˌlaɪz/
to treat as insignificant or push to the edges of society
measureless
C2+
/ˈmɛʒərləs/
having no measurable limit; boundless or immense
mechanization
C2+
/ˌmɛkənəˈzeɪʃən/
the replacement of human or animal labor with machinery
meddler
C2+
/ˈmɛdlər/
a person who interferes in matters that are not their concern
memento
C2+
/məˈmɛntoʊ/
an object kept as a reminder of a person or event
memorabilia
C2+
/ˌmɛmərəˈbɪliə/
objects valued for their connection to memorable people or events
mends
C2+
/mɛndz/
repairs or restores; third-person form of mend
mettle
C2+
/ˈmɛtəl/
a person's spirit, courage, and resolve under pressure
migrant
C2+
/ˈmaɪɡrənt/
a person or animal that moves from one region to another
mineworker
C2+
/ˈmaɪnˌwɝkər/
a person employed to extract minerals from a mine
misfit
C2+
/ˈmɪsˌfɪt/
a person poorly suited to their environment or situation
mister
C2+
/ˈmɪstər/
a form of address for a man; informal title or term of address
modeler
C2+
/ˈmɑdələr/
a person who makes models or constructs representations of systems
moniker
C2+
/ˈmɑnɪkər/
a name or nickname
monopersonal
C2+
/ˌmɑnoʊˈpɜrsənəl/
existing as or relating to a single person
mores
C2+
/ˈmɔreɪz/
the customs and moral conventions of a community
muster
C2+
/ˈmʌstər/
to assemble or summon, especially troops or courage
napper
C2+
/ˈnæpər/
a person who naps, or slang for the head
nonesuch
C2+
/ˈnʌnˌsʌtʃ/
a person or thing without equal; a paragon
noninhabitant
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪnˈhæbətənt/
a person who is not an inhabitant of a place
nonpublic
C2+
/nɑnˈpʌblɪk/
not open to or intended for the general public; private
nonsailor
C2+
/nɑnˈseɪlər/
a person who is not a sailor
numskull
C2+
/ˈnʌmˌskʌl/
(informal) a stupid person; a dolt
nurseryman
C2+
/ˈnɝsəriˌmæn/
a person who owns or works at a plant nursery
obit
C2+
/ˈoʊbɪt/
an obituary; a notice of a person's death
objector
C2+
/əbˈdʒɛktɚ/
a person who expresses opposition or dissent to something
obligee
C2+
/ˌɑblɪˈdʒi/
a person to whom another is bound by a contract or legal obligation
obligor
C2+
/ˈɑblɪɡɔr/
a person who is legally bound to fulfill an obligation to another
obloquy
C2+
/ˈɑbləkwi/
strong public criticism or verbal abuse; disgrace from such censure
obtainer
C2+
/əbˈteɪnɚ/
a person who acquires or gets possession of something
offenseless
C2+
/əˈfɛnsləs/
causing no offense; inoffensive and harmless
officeholder
C2+
/ˈɔfɪsˌhoʊldɚ/
a person who holds a public or official position
opprobrium
C2+
/əˈproʊbriəm/
harsh public disgrace or scorn arising from shameful conduct
originator
C2+
/əˈrɪdʒəˌneɪtɚ/
a person who creates or initiates something
ostracization
C2+
/ˌɑstrəsɪˈzeɪʃən/
the act of excluding someone from a group or society
overwinter
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚˈwɪntɚ/
to spend or survive through the winter
pandemia
C2+
/pænˈdimiə/
a widespread epidemic affecting a whole region or population
pandemian
C2+
/pænˈdimiən/
relating to or characteristic of a pandemic; sensual or worldly in older usage
parentage
C2+
/ˈpɛrəntɪdʒ/
the identity and origins of one's parents; ancestry
parishioner
C2+
/pəˈrɪʃənər/
a member or inhabitant of a church parish
patroness
C2+
/ˈpeɪtrənəs/
a woman who supports or sponsors a person, cause, or institution
patronless
C2+
/ˈpeɪtrənləs/
lacking a patron or sponsor
pedant
C2+
/ˈpɛdənt/
a person who is overly concerned with minor rules and details
personation
C2+
/ˌpɜrsəˈneɪʃən/
the act of assuming another person's identity, especially to deceive
persuader
C2+
/pərˈsweɪdər/
a person or thing that convinces or induces someone to act
pharmacopolist
C2+
/ˌfɑrməˈkɑpəlɪst/
a seller of medicines; an apothecary or druggist
pillory
C2+
/ˈpɪləri/
a wooden frame for publicly punishing offenders; to expose to public ridicule
placard
C2+
/ˈplækɑrd/
a printed sign or notice for public display; to post such notices
plantation
C2+
/plænˈteɪʃən/
a large estate on which crops are grown, often using resident labor
plotter
C2+
/ˈplɑtɚ/
a person who plans a secret scheme, or a device for drawing graphs
podium
C2+
/ˈpoʊdiəm/
a raised platform on which a person stands to speak, conduct, or receive an award
polluter
C2+
/pəˈlutɚ/
a person or organization that releases harmful substances into the environment
popinjay
C2+
/ˈpɑpɪnˌdʒeɪ/
a vain, conceited person, especially one given to showy dress or chatter