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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67 words
enlighten
C2+
/ɪnˈlaɪtən/
to give greater knowledge or understanding to someone
ethics
C2+
/ˈɛθɪks/
moral principles governing conduct, or the study thereof
familiarity
C2+
/fəˌmɪliˈærɪti/
close acquaintance with or knowledge of something
imbibe
C2+
/ɪmˈbaɪb/
to drink, especially alcohol; to absorb ideas or knowledge
learned
C2+
/ˈlɝnɪd/
having or showing deep, extensive knowledge from study
provost
C2+
/ˈproʊvoʊst/
a senior academic administrator; the head of certain colleges
don
C2+
/dɑn/
to put on a garment; also a university teacher or distinguished man
pervert
C2+
/pɚˈvɝt/
to distort or corrupt from the original or proper course
politic
C2+
/ˈpɑləˌtɪk/
prudent and shrewd in pursuing a sensible course; expedient
regimen
C2+
/ˈrɛdʒəmən/
a prescribed course of diet, exercise, or treatment
tutelage
C2+
/ˈtuːtəlɪdʒ/
instruction or guardianship under a teacher or protector
deviate
C2+
/ˈdiviˌeɪt/
to depart from an established course, standard, or norm
disclaim
C2+
/dɪsˈkleɪm/
to renounce or deny any claim to, knowledge of, or responsibility for
doctorate
C2+
/ˈdɑktərət/
the highest academic degree awarded by a university
errant
C2+
/ˈɛrənt/
straying from the proper course or standards; wandering
indoctrinate
C2+
/ɪnˈdɑktrɪneɪt/
to teach someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically
instructive
C2+
/ɪnˈstrʌktɪv/
useful in providing knowledge or information; enlightening
preceptor
C2+
/prɪˈsɛptər/
a teacher or instructor, especially a tutor or mentor
prognosis
C2+
/prɑɡˈnoʊsɪs/
a forecast of the likely course of a disease or situation
sophistication
C2+
/səˌfɪstɪˈkeɪʃən/
refined worldly knowledge, or complexity of design
academism
C2+
/əˈkædəˌmɪzəm/
adherence to traditional academic conventions or doctrines
antiquary
C2+
/ˈæntəˌkwɛri/
a student or collector of antiquities
bursary
C2+
/ˈbɝsəri/
a grant or scholarship awarded to a student; a treasury office
canalize
C2+
/ˈkænəˌlaɪz/
to convert into or direct through a channel; to channel into a fixed course
casebook
C2+
/ˈkeɪsˌbʊk/
a book recording cases for study; serving as a textbook example
cram
C2+
/kræm/
to force into a tight space, or to study intensively before an exam
dean
C2+
/din/
a senior official of a college, university, or cathedral
deviation
C2+
/ˌdiviˈeɪʃən/
the act of departing from an established course or norm
divinity
C2+
/dɪˈvɪnəti/
the state of being divine, a deity, or the study of theology
erudition
C2+
/ˌɛrʊˈdɪʃən/
extensive knowledge acquired through study; learning
frosh
C2+
/frɑʃ/
a first-year student at a college or high school; a freshman
hilary
C2+
/ˈhɪləri/
the spring legal and university term in parts of the British Isles
meteorologic
C2+
/ˌmitiərəˈlɑdʒɪk/
relating to weather or the study of the atmosphere
paroemia
C2+
/pəˈrimiə/
a proverb or adage, especially as a subject of study
perversion
C2+
/pɚˈvɜrʒən/
a distortion or corruption of something from its proper course
phenomenalism
C2+
/fəˈnɑmənəˌlɪzəm/
the doctrine that knowledge is limited to phenomena or sense data
piscatology
C2+
/ˌpɪskəˈtɑlədʒi/
the study or art of fishing
specialism
C2+
/ˈspɛʃəlɪzəm/
a particular branch of study or work in which one specializes
teachable
C2+
/ˈtitʃəbəl/
able to be taught; willing and able to learn
academical
C2+
/ˌækəˈdɛmɪkəl/
relating to a school, college, or scholarly learning
academically
C2+
/ˌækəˈdɛmɪkli/
in a manner relating to education or scholarship
afterknowledge
C2+
/ˈæftərˌnɑlɪdʒ/
knowledge gained after an event; hindsight
alumnus
C2+
/əˈlʌmnəs/
a male former student or graduate of a school or college
drilling
C2+
/ˈdrɪlɪŋ/
the act of boring holes or of repeated practice or training
erudite
C2+
/ˈɛrjʊˌdaɪt/
having or showing great learning or scholarship
experienceless
C2+
/ɪkˈspɪriənsləs/
lacking experience; without practical knowledge
headmaster
C2+
/ˈhɛdˌmæstər/
the male head teacher in charge of a school
inquisitive
C2+
/ɪnˈkwɪzətɪv/
eager for knowledge; curious, sometimes unduly prying
knowledgeably
C2+
/ˈnɑlɪdʒəbli/
in a manner showing knowledge or expertise
lear
C2+
/lɪr/
learning or lore; (dialect) to teach or learn
magister
C2+
/ˈmædʒɪstɚ/
a master or teacher, especially in a medieval or academic context
nescient
C2+
/ˈnɛʃənt/
lacking knowledge; ignorant
orthoepy
C2+
/ɔrˈθoʊəpi/
the study of correct or accepted pronunciation of words
physicist
C2+
/ˈfɪzɪsɪst/
a scientist who specializes in the study of physics
phytology
C2+
/faɪˈtɑlədʒi/
the scientific study of plants; botany
poetics
C2+
/poʊˈɛtɪks/
the study or theory of the principles and forms of poetry and literature
scholarism
C2+
/ˈskɑlɚˌɪzəm/
pedantic or doctrinaire scholarship; rigid academic learning
sidetrack
C2+
/ˈsaɪdtræk/
to divert from the main course or topic
syllabus
C2+
/ˈsɪləbəs/
an outline of the subjects and topics covered in a course of study
trajectory
C2+
/trəˈdʒɛktəri/
the curved path of a moving object; a course of development
uneducated
C2+
/ʌnˈɛdʒəˌkeɪtɪd/
lacking formal schooling or knowledge
unlearned
C2+
/ʌnˈlɜrnɪd/
lacking education or knowledge; not acquired by training
unskilled
C2+
/ʌnˈskɪld/
not having or requiring special training or skill
varsity
C2+
/ˈvɑrsɪti/
the principal team representing a university or school in a sport
epistemic
C2+
/ˌɛpɪˈstiːmɪk/
relating to knowledge, its nature, and its justification
book-body
C2+
/ˈbʊkˌbɑː.di/
a learned or book-educated person, in northern English dialect
Ollendorffian
C2+
/ˌɑlənˈdɔɹfiən/
relating to Heinrich Ollendorff or his method of language teaching through highly repetitive questions, answers, and substitutions