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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73 words
da
C2+
/dɑ/
father (dialectal or informal)
fertile
C2+
/ˈfɜrtəl/
capable of producing abundant growth or offspring; productive
gull
C2+
/ɡʌl/
a seabird of the family Laridae; also, to deceive or cheat someone
kin
C2+
/kɪn/
one's family and relations collectively
sire
C2+
/ˈsaɪɚ/
a male parent of an animal, or a respectful address to a king
avuncular
C2+
/əˈvʌŋkjələr/
kind and genial in the manner of an uncle
chore
C2+
/tʃɔr/
a routine or tedious task, especially a household one
crossbreed
C2+
/ˈkrɔsˌbrid/
to breed from two different varieties; the offspring so produced
matrimony
C2+
/ˈmætrɪmoʊni/
the state or ceremony of being married; marriage
adder
C2+
/ˈædɚ/
a small venomous snake of the viper family
affinity
C2+
/əˈfɪnəti/
a natural attraction, kinship, or close relationship
ancestry
C2+
/ˈænsɛstri/
one's family or ethnic descent; lineage
annul
C2+
/əˈnʌl/
to declare invalid or void, especially a law or marriage
auntie
C2+
/ˈænti/
an aunt (affectionate or familiar form)
bae
C2+
/beɪ/
a romantic partner or sweetheart (slang)
beget
C2+
/bɪˈɡɛt/
to father offspring; to give rise to
consort
C2+
/ˈkɑnsɔrt/
a spouse, especially of a reigning monarch; to associate with
dysfunction
C2+
/dɪsˈfʌŋkʃən/
abnormal or impaired functioning of a system, organ, or relationship
empress
C2+
/ˈɛmprəs/
a female sovereign ruler of an empire, or the wife of an emperor
fatherling
C2+
/ˈfɑðərlɪŋ/
a little or dear father (an archaic affectionate term)
fecundity
C2+
/fɪˈkʌndɪti/
the ability to produce abundant offspring or fruit; fertility
fertility
C2+
/fərˈtɪlɪti/
the ability to produce offspring or abundant vegetation
granddaddy
C2+
/ˈɡrænˌdædi/
a grandfather; the oldest or largest example of its kind
helpmeet
C2+
/ˈhɛlpˌmit/
a helpful companion or partner, especially a spouse
hubby
C2+
/ˈhʌbi/
an informal or affectionate term for a husband
kindred
C2+
/ˈkɪndrəd/
one's family and relations; related or similar in nature
lineage
C2+
/ˈlɪniɪdʒ/
direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry
maternity
C2+
/məˈtɜrnɪti/
the state of being a mother; motherhood
progenitor
C2+
/proʊˈdʒɛnɪtɚ/
an ancestor or originator of a line or movement
unattached
C2+
/ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/
not joined to or connected with anything; not in a romantic relationship
widower
C2+
/ˈwɪdoʊɚ/
a man whose spouse has died and who has not remarried
acquaintanceship
C2+
/əˈkweɪntənsʃɪp/
the state of knowing someone slightly; a casual relationship
bandfish
C2+
/ˈbændˌfɪʃ/
a small elongated red marine fish of the family Cepolidae
bridechamber
C2+
/ˈbraɪdtʃeɪmbər/
archaic the bedroom of a newly married couple; the nuptial chamber
brotherly
C2+
/ˈbrʌðɚli/
of or befitting a brother; affectionate and loyal
divorcement
C2+
/dɪˈvɔrsmənt/
the act of divorcing or separating; dissolution of marriage
enemyship
C2+
/ˈɛnəmiˌʃɪp/
the state or relationship of being enemies (rare)
fam
C2+
/fæm/
informal term for one's family or close friends
familial
C2+
/fəˈmɪljəl/
relating to or characteristic of a family
forebear
C2+
/ˈfɔrbɛr/
an ancestor
forefather
C2+
/ˈfɔrfɑðɚ/
an ancestor, especially a male one
genitor
C2+
/ˈdʒɛnɪtɚ/
a biological father or male progenitor
handfast
C2+
/ˈhændˌfæst/
a betrothal or marriage sealed by clasping hands; to pledge thus
helpmate
C2+
/ˈhɛlpˌmeɪt/
a companion and helper, especially a spouse
hinny
C2+
/ˈhɪni/
the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey
husbandly
C2+
/ˈhʌzbəndli/
of or befitting a husband; marital
kinship
C2+
/ˈkɪnʃɪp/
blood relationship or a sense of affinity
ma
C2+
/mɑ/
(informal) mother
mam
C2+
/mæm/
a familiar or dialectal word for one's mother
mayoress
C2+
/ˈmeɪərɪs/
a female mayor, or the wife of a mayor
mummy
C2+
/ˈmʌmi/
a preserved embalmed body, or an informal word for mother
mutualist
C2+
/ˈmjutʃuəlɪst/
an advocate of mutualism, or an organism in a mutual relationship
mutuality
C2+
/ˌmjutʃuˈæləti/
the state of sharing a feeling, action, or relationship reciprocally
neighborship
C2+
/ˈneɪbərˌʃɪp/
the state or relationship of being neighbors
nuncle
C2+
/ˈnʌŋkəl/
uncle (archaic, especially as used by a fool to a master)
nuptials
C2+
/ˈnʌpʃəlz/
a wedding or marriage ceremony
papa
C2+
/ˈpɑpə/
an affectionate or childish term for one's father
pater
C2+
/ˈpeɪtər/
father, used as a dated or jocular British term
procreation
C2+
/ˌproʊkriˈeɪʃən/
the production of offspring; reproduction
regression
C2+
/rɪˈɡrɛʃən/
a return to an earlier or less developed state; a statistical relationship
relativeness
C2+
/ˈrɛlətɪvnəs/
the quality of being relative rather than absolute
seneschal
C2+
/ˈsɛnəʃəl/
a steward or major-domo in charge of a great medieval household
sib
C2+
/sɪb/
a sibling or blood relative; related by kinship
sis
C2+
/sɪs/
an informal term for sister
spirea
C2+
/spaɪˈriə/
a flowering shrub of the rose family with clustered white or pink blooms
stepbrother
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌbrʌðɚ/
a son of one's stepparent by an earlier marriage
stepchild
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌtʃaɪld/
a child of one's spouse from a previous relationship
stepdaughter
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌdɔtɚ/
a daughter of one's spouse by a former partner
stepniece
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌnis/
a niece by marriage; the daughter of a stepsibling
stepsister
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌsɪstɚ/
a daughter of one's stepparent by an earlier marriage
stepson
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌsʌn/
a son of one's spouse by a former partner
sterile
C2+
/ˈstɛrəl/
free from living germs, or unable to produce offspring
philoprogenitive
C2+
/ˌfɪl.oʊ.proʊˈdʒɛn.ə.tɪv/
producing many offspring; prolific