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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111 words
colonel
C2+
/ˈkɝ.nl̩/
A commissioned officer in an armed military organization, typically the highest rank before flag officer ranks (generals). It is generally found in armies, air forces or naval infantry (marines).
chapel
C2+
/ˈt͡ʃɛp.əl/
a service conducted in a place of worship that has its own altar
inwards
C2+
/ˈɪnwɚdz/
toward the center or interior
convex
C2+
/ˈkɑn.vɛks/
Curved or bowed outward like the outside of a bowl, circle, or sphere.
yawl
C2+
/jɔl/
A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel with two masts, main and mizzen, the mizzen stepped abaft the rudder post.
left-handedness
C2+
/ˌleftˈhæn.dɪd.nəs/
the tendency or preference to use the left hand rather than the right for skilled actions
teethe
C2+
/tiːð/
to grow or cut teeth
risorius
C2+
/ɹɪˈsɔɹ.i.əs/
A narrow band of facial muscle arising from the fascia over the masseter and inserting into the tissues at the corner of the mouth, which it draws laterally, as is used when smiling.
naris
C2+
/ˈner.ɪs/
either external opening of the nose or either corresponding opening into the nasal cavity; a nostril
vasomotor
C2+
/ˌveɪzoʊˈmoʊtər/
relating to the nerves and muscles that cause the blood vessels to constrict or dilate
irid
C2+
/ˈaɪrɪd/
archaic: the iris, or colored ring surrounding the pupil of the eye
eclipse
C2+
/ɪˈklɪps/
the obscuring of one celestial body by another; to outshine
fracture
C2+
/ˈfræktʃɚ/
a break or crack, especially in bone or rock
backbone
C2+
/ˈbækboʊn/
the spine; the chief support or strength of something
bodily
C2+
/ˈbɑdəli/
relating to the body; as a whole physical entity
butt
C2+
/bʌt/
the thicker or blunt end of something; to strike with the head
canonical
C2+
/kəˈnɑnɪkəl/
conforming to an accepted rule, standard, or authoritative body of texts
chappy
C2+
/ˈtʃæpi/
marked by cracks or chaps in the skin; British informal for a fellow
corporeal
C2+
/kɔrˈpɔriəl/
relating to a material body; physical rather than spiritual
fillip
C2+
/ˈfɪləp/
a stimulus or boost; a quick flick of a finger
kicking
C2+
/ˈkɪkɪŋ/
striking with the foot; informally, lively or still active
sect
C2+
/sɛkt/
a group with distinct beliefs that has separated from a larger body
stricture
C2+
/ˈstrɪktʃɚ/
a severe criticism, or an abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body
abdomen
C2+
/ˈæbdəmən/
the part of the body containing the digestive organs; the belly
amalgamate
C2+
/əˈmælɡəmeɪt/
to combine or unite into one organization or body
azygous
C2+
/ˈæzɪɡəs/
occurring singly; not one of a pair, especially in anatomy
buffet
C2+
/ˈbʌfɪt/
to strike repeatedly; a blow, as from a hand or wind
carcass
C2+
/ˈkɑrkəs/
the dead body of an animal; a framework or ruined remains
cleft
C2+
/klɛft/
a split, crack, or fissure, especially in rock or skin
extraneous
C2+
/ɪkˈstreɪniəs/
irrelevant or unrelated to the matter at hand
eyeball
C2+
/ˈaɪˌbɔl/
the spherical body of the eye; to look at or estimate roughly
irrelevance
C2+
/ɪˈrɛləvəns/
the state of having no bearing on the matter at hand
judiciary
C2+
/dʒuˈdɪʃiɛri/
the branch of government, or the body of judges, that administers justice
orb
C2+
/ɔrb/
a spherical object or body, especially a celestial one
paunch
C2+
/pɔntʃ/
a protruding belly or stomach
rupture
C2+
/ˈrʌptʃər/
a break, burst, or breach, as of tissue, a pipe, or relations
systemic
C2+
/sɪˈstɛmɪk/
affecting an entire system or body rather than a single part
weariness
C2+
/ˈwɪrinəs/
the state of being tired; fatigue of body or spirit
airway
C2+
/ˈɛrˌweɪ/
a passage for air, especially the breathing passages of the body
anatomy
C2+
/əˈnætəmi/
the bodily structure of an organism, or its study
appendage
C2+
/əˈpɛndɪdʒ/
a part attached or subordinate to a larger body
bonce
C2+
/bɑns/
(British slang) the head
brainpan
C2+
/ˈbreɪnˌpæn/
(informal) the skull, especially the part enclosing the brain
cursive
C2+
/ˈkɝsɪv/
written with the letters joined together in a flowing hand
drool
C2+
/drul/
to let saliva drip from the mouth; to show excessive admiration
effector
C2+
/ɪˈfɛktər/
an organ, cell, or molecule that produces a response to a stimulus
gob
C2+
/ɡɑb/
a lump or mass; also slang for the mouth
jugglery
C2+
/ˈdʒʌɡləri/
trickery or deception, especially by sleight of hand
lesion
C2+
/ˈliʒən/
a region of damaged or abnormal tissue in the body
outgrowth
C2+
/ˈaʊtɡroʊθ/
a natural development or result; something that grows out from a main body
ovum
C2+
/ˈoʊvəm/
a mature female reproductive cell; an egg cell
pelt
C2+
/pɛlt/
to strike repeatedly with thrown objects, or the skin of an animal
pith
C2+
/pɪθ/
the essential or central part of something; spongy plant tissue
poke
C2+
/poʊk/
to jab or prod with a finger or pointed object
rector
C2+
/ˈrɛktɚ/
a clergyman in charge of a parish or head of an institution
slough
C2+
/slaʊ/
a swamp or muddy hollow, or to shed dead skin or outer layer
smack
C2+
/smæk/
to strike sharply with the open hand, or a sharp slapping blow
soma
C2+
/ˈsoʊmə/
the body of an organism as distinct from its germ cells or psyche
wriggle
C2+
/ˈrɪɡəl/
to twist and turn the body with quick writhing movements
anchorhold
C2+
/ˈæŋkɚˌhoʊld/
the cell or dwelling of a religious recluse, or anchorite
angelfish
C2+
/ˈeɪndʒəlˌfɪʃ/
a brightly colored tropical fish with a flattened, disk-shaped body
arrowhead
C2+
/ˈæroʊˌhɛd/
the pointed striking head of an arrow, or a marsh plant with arrow-shaped leaves
belch
C2+
/bɛltʃ/
to emit wind noisily from the stomach; to expel forcefully
bladebone
C2+
/ˈbleɪdboʊn/
the shoulder blade or scapula, especially of an animal
caries
C2+
/ˈkɛriz/
decay and crumbling of a tooth or bone
claw
C2+
/klɔ/
a sharp curved nail on an animal's foot; to scratch or grasp with it
collum
C2+
/ˈkɑləm/
a neck or neck-like part of a structure in anatomy
countersink
C2+
/ˈkaʊntɚˌsɪŋk/
to bevel a hole so a screw head sits flush with the surface
cremation
C2+
/krɪˈmeɪʃən/
the disposal of a dead body by burning it to ashes
defecate
C2+
/ˈdɛfɪˌkeɪt/
to discharge feces from the body; or to purify of dregs
directorate
C2+
/dɪˈrɛktərɪt/
a board of directors or a section of an organization they head
dislocate
C2+
/ˈdɪsloʊkeɪt/
to displace a bone from its joint; to disrupt or disturb
dunch
C2+
/dʌnʧ/
to nudge or push, especially with the elbow (dialectal)
encephalon
C2+
/ɛnˈsɛfəˌlɑn/
the brain, considered as the contents of the cranium
fission
C2+
/ˈfɪʃən/
the splitting of an atomic nucleus or a cell into parts
flatus
C2+
/ˈfleɪtəs/
gas generated in the stomach or intestines
gag
C2+
/ɡæɡ/
a joke; a cloth to silence the mouth; to retch or silence
gait
C2+
/ɡeɪt/
a manner of walking or moving on foot
gammon
C2+
/ˈɡæmən/
cured ham from a pig's hind leg; nonsense or humbug
gore
C2+
/ˈɡɔr/
blood from a wound, or to pierce with a horn or tusk
graze
C2+
/ˈɡreɪz/
to feed on growing grass, or to scrape the skin lightly
hamshackle
C2+
/ˈhæmˌʃækəl/
to fasten an animal's head to a foreleg to restrain it from straying
handgrip
C2+
/ˈhændˌɡrɪp/
a part designed to be held; the act or manner of gripping with the hand
headstone
C2+
/ˈhɛdˌstoʊn/
a stone marker set at the head of a grave
heartbeat
C2+
/ˈhɑːrtˌbiːt/
a single pulsation of the heart; a moment or animating force
ideologically
C2+
/ˌaɪdiəˈlɑdʒɪkli/
with respect to ideology or a body of doctrines
impropriate
C2+
/ɪmˈproʊprieɪt/
to transfer church property or revenues to a layman or secular body
incorpse
C2+
/ɪnˈkɔrps/
to merge into one body; to incorporate (archaic)
infantry
C2+
/ˈɪnfəntri/
soldiers who fight on foot
judicature
C2+
/ˈdʒudɪkəˌtʃʊr/
the administration of justice or the body of judges collectively
labium
C2+
/ˈleɪbiəm/
a lip or liplike structure in anatomy or botany
manus
C2+
/ˈmeɪnəs/
the hand or its anatomical equivalent in vertebrates
neb
C2+
/nɛb/
a bird's beak, or the nose or mouth (dialectal)
percussion
C2+
/pərˈkʌʃən/
the striking of one body against another; instruments played by striking
pertinence
C2+
/ˈpɜrtɪnəns/
relevance to the matter at hand
receptor
C2+
/rɪˈsɛptɚ/
a cell or molecule that detects a stimulus and responds to it