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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127 words
spit
C2+
/ˈspɪt/
expel saliva, phlegm, or sputum from the mouth
pierce
C2+
/pɪɹs/
make a hole into
buffalo
C2+
/ˈbʌf.ə.loʊ/
any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo
spear
C2+
/spɪɹ/
pierce with a spear
lantern
C2+
/ˈlæ̝ntɚn/
An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
mast
C2+
/mæst/
The fruit of forest-trees (beech, oak, chestnut, pecan, etc.), especially if having fallen from the tree, used as fodder for pigs and other animals.
jackal
C2+
/ˈd͡ʒækəl/
an Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog
walrus
C2+
/ˈwɑl.ɹəs/
A large Arctic marine mammal related to seals and having long tusks, tough, wrinkled skin, and four flippers, Odobenus rosmarus.
dun
C2+
/dʌn/
of a dull greyish brown to brownish grey color
full-grown
C2+
/ˈfʊlˌɡɹoʊn/
Fully developed in a broader sense; complete, at one’s height.
good-natured
C2+
/ɡʊdˈneɪtʃəd/
having an easygoing and cheerful disposition
squalid
C2+
/ˈskwɒlɪd/
Extremely dirty and unpleasant.
varmint
C2+
/ˈvɑɹmɪnt/
a troublesome wild pest, especially around farms
man-eater
C2+
/ˈmænˌiːtɚ/
an animal that has killed and eaten humans, especially a tiger, lion, crocodile, or shark
well-to-do
C2+
/ˌwɛltəˈdu/
Rich, prosperous, financially stable and comfortable.
looking-glass
C2+
/ˈlʊkɪŋ ˌɡlæs/
Synonym of mirror (“smooth surface that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it”).
devilfish
C2+
/ˈdɛvəlˌfɪʃ/
any of several large or striking marine animals, especially an octopus or manta ray
vinchuca
C2+
/vɪnˈtʃuːkə/
a blood-feeding South American triatomine bug, especially Triatoma infestans, that may transmit the parasite causing Chagas disease
toxodon
C2+
/ˈtɑksəˌdɑn/
a large extinct herbivorous South American mammal of the genus Toxodon, a member of the hoofed-mammal order Notoungulata
birdcatcher
C2+
/ˈbɝdˌkætʃɚ/
a person who catches or traps wild birds
dimorphodon
C2+
/daɪˈmɔrfəˌdɑn/
an extinct long-tailed pterosaur of the genus Dimorphodon, known from the Early Jurassic period
babirusa
C2+
/ˌbɑːbiˈruːsə/
a wild pig of the Indonesian genus Babyrousa, whose adult males have long upper canine teeth that curve upward through the snout
necrophagous
C2+
/neˈkrɑːfəɡəs/
feeding on dead or decaying animal matter
ousel
C2+
/ˈuːzəl/
a blackbird or related thrush, especially in older or regional usage
bee-eater
C2+
/ˈbiːˌiːtɚ/
any brightly colored insect-eating bird of the family Meropidae, known for catching bees and wasps in flight
sandhopper
C2+
/ˈsændˌhɑːpɚ/
a small beach-dwelling amphipod crustacean, especially a talitrid, that moves by hopping
bearlike
C2+
/ˈberˌlaɪk/
resembling a bear in appearance, movement, strength, or temperament
seabeach
C2+
/ˈsiːˌbiːtʃ/
A beach lying along the sea.
peludo
C2+
/pəˈluːdoʊ/
a hairy South American armadillo, especially the big hairy armadillo of Argentina and neighboring countries
nemertean
C2+
/nəˈmɝtiən/
an unsegmented worm of the phylum Nemertea, typically marine and equipped with a long eversible proboscis; a ribbon worm
motmot
C2+
/ˈmɑːtˌmɑːt/
a tropical American bird of the family Momotidae, usually green or blue-green and often having two long racket-tipped central tail feathers
teru-tero
C2+
/ˌtɛruːˈtɛroʊ/
a South American lapwing with a conspicuous crest, a sharp alarm call, and a spur at the bend of each wing
aculeate
C2+
/əˈkjuːliət/
zoology: having a stinger, especially belonging to the hymenopteran group Aculeata
blackbeetle
C2+
/ˈblækˌbiːtəl/
chiefly British: the Oriental cockroach, a large dark-brown or blackish cockroach
landrail
C2+
/ˈlændˌreɪl/
the corncrake, a migratory Eurasian rail that lives mainly in meadows and fields
hindfoot
C2+
/ˈhaɪndˌfʊt/
a rear foot of a four-legged animal, especially when contrasted with a forefoot
fang
C2+
/fæŋ/
a long sharp tooth, as of a snake or dog
badger
C2+
/ˈbædʒɚ/
a burrowing nocturnal mammal; to pester or harass persistently
barking
C2+
/ˈbɑːrkɪŋ/
making a dog's sharp cry; British slang for mad or crazy
beastly
C2+
/ˈbiːstli/
like a beast; very unpleasant or disagreeable
bovine
C2+
/ˈboʊvaɪn/
relating to cattle; sluggish or dull in manner
hound
C2+
/haʊnd/
a hunting dog; also, to pursue or harass relentlessly
pest
C2+
/pɛst/
a destructive insect or animal, or an annoying person
decoy
C2+
/ˈdiˌkɔɪ/
something used to lure or mislead, often a fake bird
halter
C2+
/ˈhɔltɚ/
a rope or strap for leading an animal; a noose for hanging
brutish
C2+
/ˈbrutɪʃ/
savagely violent, coarse, or animal-like
cub
C2+
/kʌb/
the young of a bear, lion, or other carnivorous mammal
mongrel
C2+
/ˈmʌŋɡrəl/
a dog or animal of mixed or indeterminate breed
animalcule
C2+
/ˌænɪˈmælkjul/
a microscopic animal, such as an amoeba or other tiny organism
animalivore
C2+
/ˌænɪˈmælɪˌvɔr/
an animal that feeds on other animals; a carnivore
arachnid
C2+
/əˈræknɪd/
an eight-legged invertebrate such as a spider, scorpion, or mite
barghest
C2+
/ˈbɑrɡɛst/
a monstrous goblin-dog of northern English folklore, an omen of death
bleat
C2+
/blit/
to make the wavering cry of a sheep or goat; to complain feebly
burdenous
C2+
/ˈbɜrdənəs/
burdensome; oppressive or heavy to bear
burrow
C2+
/ˈbɜroʊ/
an animal's underground hole; to dig or nestle into something
carp
C2+
/kɑrp/
to complain or find fault persistently; a freshwater fish
catlike
C2+
/ˈkætˌlaɪk/
resembling a cat in stealth, grace, or agility
doe
C2+
/doʊ/
a female deer, rabbit, or hare
elephantic
C2+
/ˌɛləˈfæntɪk/
of or resembling an elephant; huge and ponderous
feline
C2+
/ˈfiˌlaɪn/
of or resembling a cat; catlike
herbivore
C2+
/ˈhɜːrbəˌvɔːr/
an animal that feeds on plants
howler
C2+
/ˈhaʊlɚ/
a glaring and ludicrous mistake; also an animal that howls
leam
C2+
/lim/
a leash for a hound, or to lead a dog by such a leash
leonine
C2+
/ˈliəˌnaɪn/
resembling or characteristic of a lion
maw
C2+
/mɔ/
the jaws or gullet of a voracious animal; a devouring opening
ovine
C2+
/ˈoʊvaɪn/
of, relating to, or resembling sheep
porkish
C2+
/ˈpɔrkɪʃ/
resembling pork or a pig; piggish
ratter
C2+
/ˈrætɚ/
a dog or other animal that hunts and kills rats
redbreast
C2+
/ˈrɛdˌbrɛst/
a bird with a red breast, especially the European robin
reptile
C2+
/ˈrɛptaɪl/
a cold-blooded scaly vertebrate such as a snake, lizard, or crocodile
rook
C2+
/rʊk/
a black crow-like bird; a chess castle; to cheat or swindle
sloth
C2+
/slɔθ/
habitual laziness; also a slow-moving tropical mammal
talon
C2+
/ˈtælən/
a sharp hooked claw, especially of a bird of prey
tether
C2+
/ˈtɛðɚ/
a rope or chain that ties an animal so it can graze only within a set range
visitant
C2+
/ˈvɪzɪtənt/
a visitor, especially a supernatural one or a migratory bird
wether
C2+
/ˈwɛð.ɚ/
a castrated male sheep
bizcacha
C2+
Rare form of viscacha.
tuco-tuco
C2+
/ˈtuː.koʊˌtuː.koʊ/
any of several stocky burrowing South American rodents of the genus Ctenomys
ocellated
C2+
/ˈɑː.səˌleɪ.tɪd/
marked with rounded, eye-shaped spots called ocelli
zoophagous
C2+
/zoʊˈɑfəɡəs/
feeding on animals or animal matter; carnivorous
cleg
C2+
/klɛɡ/
a horsefly or gadfly, especially in northern British and Irish usage
dowp
C2+
/daʊp/
the carrion crow, in northern English dialect
nauplius
C2+
/ˈnɔː.pli.əs/
an early free-swimming crustacean larva with a median eye, little body segmentation, and usually three pairs of appendages
tornaria
C2+
/tɔrˈnɑːr.i.ə/
the transparent, free-swimming larva of an acorn worm or another enteropneust hemichordate
lepidopteron
C2+
/ˌlɛpɪˈdɑptərən/
an insect of the order Lepidoptera, comprising butterflies, moths, and skippers
staghound
C2+
/ˈstæɡˌhaʊnd/
a large, powerful hound formerly bred and used to hunt stags and other large game
zoophagy
C2+
/zoʊˈɑfədʒi/
the feeding on animals or animal matter; carnivorous feeding
mammiferous
C2+
/mæˈmɪf.ɚ.əs/
historical zoology: mammalian; belonging to the class of animals whose females have mammary glands
chucao
C2+
/tʃuːˈkaʊ/
the chucao tapaculo (Scelorchilus rubecula), a secretive, loud-calling forest bird with a reddish throat and breast, native to central and southern Chile and adjacent Argentina
niata
C2+
/niˈɑː.tə/
an extinct breed of small South American cattle, formerly found in Argentina and Uruguay, distinguished by a very short, broad, upturned muzzle and projecting lower jaw
tropilla
C2+
/troʊˈpiː.jə/
in Argentina and Uruguay, a group of riding horses kept together, traditionally trained to follow a bell mare
surmullet
C2+
/ˌsɚˈmʌlɪt/
a red mullet or related goatfish, a brightly colored marine fish with sensory barbels beneath its chin
aperea
C2+
/ˌɑːpəˌriˈɑː/
a wild South American cavy of the species Cavia aperea, closely related to the domestic guinea pig
coleoptera
C2+
/ˌkoʊ.liˈɑːp.tə.rə/
beetles collectively; insects of the order Coleoptera, characterized by hardened forewings that protect the flight wings
phorusrhacos
C2+
/ˌfɔːrəsˈrɑːkɑːs/
an extinct giant flightless predatory bird of the South American genus Phorusrhacos, known from Miocene fossils
brown thrasher
C2+
/ˌbraʊn ˈθræʃɚ/
a reddish-brown North American songbird (Toxostoma rufum) with a long tail, streaked underparts, and a varied song