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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75 words
inventress
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛntrəs/
dated: a woman who invents; a female inventor
shopboy
C2+
/ˈʃɑːpˌbɔɪ/
historical: a boy or young male assistant employed in a shop
porkman
C2+
/ˈpɔrkmən/
a person who produces and sells pork.
undertaking
C2+
/ˌʌndɚˈteɪkɪŋ/
a task or project, especially a difficult one; a formal pledge
avocation
C2+
/ˌævəˈkeɪʃən/
a hobby or minor occupation pursued alongside one's main vocation
accede
C2+
/ækˈsid/
to agree to a request, or to assume an office
derivative
C2+
/dɪˈrɪvətɪv/
imitative of others' work; a thing based on another source
firing
C2+
/ˈfaɪərɪŋ/
the act of discharging a weapon, dismissing staff, or baking pottery
incompatible
C2+
/ˌɪnkəmˈpætəbəl/
unable to exist or work together harmoniously
abridgment
C2+
/əˈbrɪdʒmənt/
a shortened version of a written work; a condensation
accession
C2+
/ækˈsɛʃən/
the attainment of a rank, office, or throne
botch
C2+
/bɑtʃ/
to spoil through clumsiness; a bungled piece of work
bungle
C2+
/ˈbʌŋɡəl/
to carry out clumsily or incompetently; a botched job
hustle
C2+
/ˈhʌsəl/
to move or work energetically; to push or jostle
journeyman
C2+
/ˈdʒɜrnimən/
a trained worker qualified in a trade; a competent but unremarkable performer
managerial
C2+
/ˌmænəˈdʒɪriəl/
relating to the work or skills of a manager
absenteeism
C2+
/ˌæbsənˈtiɪzəm/
the habitual practice of being absent from work or duty
bishopric
C2+
/ˈbɪʃəprɪk/
the office or diocese of a bishop
depose
C2+
/dɪˈpoʊz/
to remove from office or power; to testify under oath
entropy
C2+
/ˈɛntrəpi/
a measure of disorder or of energy unavailable for work in a system
fag
C2+
/fæɡ/
a tiring or tedious task; (British informal) a cigarette
furtherance
C2+
/ˈfɜrðərəns/
the advancement or promotion of a plan or interest
hobo
C2+
/ˈhoʊboʊ/
a migratory worker or homeless vagrant, especially one riding trains
insinuate
C2+
/ɪnˈsɪnjuˌeɪt/
to suggest indirectly; to introduce or work in subtly
jobless
C2+
/ˈdʒɑbləs/
without paid employment; unemployed
jut
C2+
/dʒʌt/
to extend or project sharply beyond a surface
opus
C2+
/ˈoʊpəs/
an artistic work, especially a musical composition numbered in a composer's output
overture
C2+
/ˈoʊvɚtʃɚ/
an orchestral introduction to a larger work, or an opening approach or proposal
presidentship
C2+
/ˈprɛzɪdəntʃɪp/
the office or term of a president
protuberate
C2+
/proʊˈtjubəreɪt/
to bulge out or project beyond a surface
sus
C2+
/sʌs/
suspicious or suspect; to suspect or work something out
vocation
C2+
/voʊˈkeɪʃən/
a strong sense of suitability for a particular career or calling
beetle
C2+
/ˈbitəl/
an insect with hardened forewings; also to project or overhang
benchfellow
C2+
/ˈbɛntʃˌfɛloʊ/
one who shares a bench; a companion or colleague (archaic)
bravo
C2+
/ˈbrɑvoʊ/
a shout of approval; also a hired assassin or daring villain
cabdriving
C2+
/ˈkæbˌdraɪvɪŋ/
the occupation of driving a taxicab
calling
C2+
/ˈkɔlɪŋ/
a strong inner urge toward a vocation or profession
chancellery
C2+
/ˈtʃænsələri/
the office, staff, or residence of a chancellor
confrere
C2+
/ˈkɑnfrɛr/
a fellow member of a profession or association; a colleague
employable
C2+
/ɪmˈplɔɪəbəl/
having skills or qualities that make one suitable for work
examinership
C2+
/ɪɡˈzæmɪnɚˌʃɪp/
the office or process by which an insolvent company is placed under court protection
featherbed
C2+
/ˈfɛðɚˌbɛd/
to pamper, or to overstaff a job by enforcing wasteful labor practices
grillwork
C2+
/ˈɡrɪlˌwɚk/
ornamental work made of crossed metal bars
groundwork
C2+
/ˈɡraʊndˌwɚk/
the preliminary work that forms a foundation
imitator
C2+
/ˈɪmɪˌteɪtɚ/
one who copies the behavior or work of another
inauguration
C2+
/ɪˌnɔɡjəˈreɪʃən/
the formal ceremony marking the start of an office or undertaking
investiture
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛstətʃɚ/
the formal ceremony of conferring rank, office, or authority
jean
C2+
/dʒin/
a heavy twilled cotton cloth used for work clothes
licensure
C2+
/ˈlaɪsənʃɚ/
the granting of a license, especially to practice a profession
occupationless
C2+
/ˌɑkjəˈpeɪʃənləs/
having no job, profession, or regular activity
plasterwork
C2+
/ˈplæstɚˌwɚk/
decorative or structural work made of plaster, especially on walls and ceilings
plumbery
C2+
/ˈplʌməri/
the trade or work of a plumber; plumbing
powwow
C2+
/ˈpaʊˌwaʊ/
a Native American gathering or ceremony; an informal meeting for discussion
severance
C2+
/ˈsɛvərəns/
the act of ending or separating; pay given on termination of employment
swink
C2+
/swɪŋk/
to labour or toil hard; archaic word for hard work
temp
C2+
/tɛmp/
a temporary employee, especially in an office
tenancy
C2+
/ˈtɛnənsi/
the possession or occupation of land or property by rental tenure
unionization
C2+
/ˌjunjənəˈzeɪʃən/
the process of forming or joining a labor union
unionize
C2+
/ˈjunjəˌnaɪz/
to organize workers into a labor union
workfellow
C2+
/ˈwɝk.fɛl.oʊ/
a fellow worker; a colleague
workless
C2+
/ˈwɝk.ləs/
without work; unemployed
coal-heaver
C2+
/ˈkoʊlˌhiːvɚ/
a worker who carries or unloads coal
aulnager
C2+
Alternative form of alnager.
woodsawyer
C2+
/ˈwʊdˌsɔɪɚ/
a worker whose occupation is sawing wood or timber
apir
C2+
/əˈpɪr/
historical, Chilean mining: a worker who carried broken ore from an underground mine to the surface in a leather pack on the back
neatherd
C2+
/ˈniːtˌhɝːd/
archaic: a person who tends cattle or oxen; a cowherd
ice cutter
C2+
/ˈaɪsˌkʌtɚ/
historical: a worker who cuts and harvests blocks of natural ice from a frozen lake, pond, or river
knife grinder
C2+
/ˈnaɪf ˌɡraɪndɚ/
a person whose trade is sharpening knives and other edged tools, traditionally while traveling from place to place
ploughwright
C2+
/ˈplaʊˌraɪt/
a craftsperson who makes or repairs ploughs
coal-whipper
C2+
/ˈkoʊlˌwɪpɚ/
historical: a dock worker who unloaded coal from a ship's hold using a rope-and-counterweight hoisting system
corn chandler
C2+
/ˈkɔrn ˌtʃændlər/
British, historical: a retailer or merchant dealing in cereal grain, seeds, animal feed, and related agricultural goods
teataster
C2+
/ˈtiːˌteɪ.stɚ/
a professional who samples, evaluates, and grades tea for quality, flavor, aroma, or blending
house-parlourmaid
C2+
/ˌhaʊsˈpɑːr.lɚˌmeɪd/
historical British: a female domestic servant who combined the cleaning duties of a housemaid with the table service and reception duties of a parlourmaid
coalheaver
C2+
/ˈkoʊlˌhiːvər/
historical: a laborer employed to unload, carry, or shovel coal
gownsman
C2+
/ˈɡaʊnzmən/
a member of a profession traditionally marked by a gown, especially a cleric, lawyer, or university member