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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32 words
Anglo-Saxon
C2+
/ˌæŋ.ɡloʊˈsæk.sən/
a member of the Germanic-speaking peoples who settled in England from the fifth century and whose kingdoms preceded Norman rule
souteneur
C2+
/ˌsuː.təˈnɝː/
A man who protects, and commonly compels, a prostitute of any gender and lives off the earnings; a pimp. Originally a Parisian term, but since adopted into other languages such as English
nombril
C2+
/ˈnɑːmbrəl/
heraldry: the point midway between the center and the bottom of an escutcheon
lapidation
C2+
/ˌlæpɪˈdeɪʃən/
the act of pelting with stones
acculturation
C2+
/əˌkʌltʃəˈreɪʃən/
adoption of the cultural traits of another group
patronage
C2+
/ˈpeɪtrənɪdʒ/
support or custom given by a patron, or the power to grant appointments
pogrom
C2+
/ˈpoʊɡrəm/
an organized massacre, especially of an ethnic group
babylonian
C2+
/ˌbæbəˈloʊniən/
of ancient Babylon or its people, language, or culture
classicism
C2+
/ˈklæsəˌsɪzəm/
adherence to the principles of ancient Greek and Roman art and culture
conventionalism
C2+
/kənˈvɛnʃənəˌlɪzəm/
adherence to convention or established custom
decadence
C2+
/ˈdɛkədəns/
moral or cultural decline marked by self-indulgence
donjon
C2+
/ˈdɑndʒən/
the great central tower or keep of a medieval castle
ethnical
C2+
/ˈɛθnɪkəl/
of or relating to ethnic groups or races; ethnic
habitually
C2+
/həˈbɪtʃuəli/
as a regular practice or custom
hellenic
C2+
/hɛˈlɛnɪk/
relating to ancient or modern Greece, its people, or culture
imperially
C2+
/ɪmˈpɪriəli/
in a manner befitting an emperor or empire; majestically
nontraditional
C2+
/ˌnɑntrəˈdɪʃənəl/
not following tradition or convention
tithing
C2+
/ˈtaɪðɪŋ/
the practice of paying a tithe; a historical group of ten households
traditionalism
C2+
/trəˈdɪʃənəˌlɪzəm/
adherence to tradition, especially in opposition to change
unconventionally
C2+
/ˌʌnkənˈvɛnʃənəli/
in a way that departs from accepted custom or practice
through-stone
C2+
/ˈθruːˌstoʊn/
a flat horizontal tombstone or grave slab, especially in Scottish and northern English usage
death-sark
C2+
/ˈdɛθˌsɑːrk/
a shirt or garment put on a dead body for burial; a shroud
syssitia
C2+
/sɪˈsɪt.i.ə/
historical communal meals or dining groups for male citizens and youths in ancient Greece, especially in Sparta and Crete
logographer
C2+
/loʊˈɡɑɡrəfɚ/
an early ancient Greek prose writer who recorded genealogies, legends, local histories, or accounts of peoples and places
wassailer
C2+
/ˈwɑsələr/
a person who carouses or drinks and celebrates noisily
invected
C2+
/ɪnˈvɛktɪd/
heraldry: edged with a series of convex semicircles or arcs whose points face inward
velarium
C2+
/vɪˈlɛəɹ.i.əm/
historical: a large retractable fabric awning spread over a Roman amphitheatre or theatre to shade spectators
emancipist
C2+
/ɪˈmænsəpɪst/
historical Australian English: a transported convict who had completed the sentence or received a pardon
polygenist
C2+
/pəˈlɪdʒənɪst/
historical: an advocate of polygenism, the now-discredited doctrine that human populations or supposed races had separate origins and could constitute different species
monogenist
C2+
/məˈnɑːdʒənɪst/
historical: an advocate of monogenism, the view that all human populations share a single origin and belong to one species
necropole
C2+
/ˈnɛkrəˌpoʊl/
a cemetery, especially a large or ancient burial ground; a rare form of ‘necropolis’
ephebus
C2+
/ɪˈfiː.bəs/
a young man of ancient Greece, especially one undergoing civic or military training