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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218 words
vesperal
C2+
/ˈvɛspərəl/
of, occurring in, or suggestive of the evening
breakfast-time
C2+
/ˈbrɛkfəstˌtaɪm/
the customary or appointed time for eating breakfast
antediluvial
C2+
/ˌæntɪdɪˈluviəl/
belonging to the period before the biblical flood; extremely ancient
anachronistic
C2+
/əˌnækrəˈnɪstɪk/
belonging to a period other than the one portrayed; out of its time
archaic
C2+
/ɑrˈkeɪɪk/
belonging to an earlier period; old-fashioned or no longer in use
eld
C2+
/ɛld/
old age or antiquity; former times (archaic)
henceforth
C2+
/ˌhɛnsˈfɔrθ/
from this time on; from now onward
singly
C2+
/ˈsɪŋɡli/
one at a time; individually or separately
tarry
C2+
/ˈtæri/
to linger or delay; (separately) covered with tar
contingency
C2+
/kənˈtɪndʒənsi/
a future event that is possible but not certain; a provision for such
fleeting
C2+
/ˈfliːtɪŋ/
lasting only a very short time; passing swiftly
reminiscence
C2+
/ˌrɛməˈnɪsəns/
a recollection of a past experience; an account of such
antecedent
C2+
/ˌæntɪˈsiːdənt/
a thing that comes before another; (adj) preceding in time or order
broke
C2+
/broʊk/
having no money; (verb) past tense of break
henceforward
C2+
/hɛnsˈfɔrwɚd/
from this time on; henceforth
henceforwards
C2+
/hɛnsˈfɔrwɚdz/
from this time on; henceforth
musing
C2+
/ˈmjuzɪŋ/
a period of reflective or dreamy thought
transience
C2+
/ˈtrænʃəns/
the state of lasting only for a short time
duly
C2+
/ˈduli/
in the proper way or at the proper time; as expected
fling
C2+
/flɪŋ/
to throw forcefully; a brief period of indulgence or romance
forslow
C2+
/fərˈsloʊ/
(archaic) to delay, neglect, or be slow about
illustrious
C2+
/ɪˈlʌstriəs/
well known and admired for past achievements
jiff
C2+
/dʒɪf/
a very short period of time; a moment
seasonable
C2+
/ˈsizənəbəl/
suitable to the season, or opportune in timing
decrepit
C2+
/dɪˈkrɛpɪt/
worn out or weakened by age or long use
eyeblink
C2+
/ˈaɪˌblɪŋk/
a very brief moment of time
hoary
C2+
/ˈhɔri/
grayish-white with age; ancient and overfamiliar
individually
C2+
/ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒuəli/
separately, one at a time, as distinct persons or things
obsolete
C2+
/ˌɑbsəˈlit/
no longer in use or out of date
piecemeal
C2+
/ˈpisˌmil/
one piece or stage at a time; in a gradual, unsystematic way
quotidian
C2+
/kwoʊˈtɪdiən/
of or occurring every day; ordinary and commonplace
agelong
C2+
/ˈeɪdʒlɔːŋ/
lasting for an age; enduring for a very long time
boeotian
C2+
/biˈoʊʃən/
dull, stupid, or uncultured, after the ancient Greek region of Boeotia
centennial
C2+
/sɛnˈtɛniəl/
a hundredth anniversary; relating to a period of a hundred years
cockcrow
C2+
/ˈkɑkˌkroʊ/
the time at dawn when roosters first crow; daybreak
cognomen
C2+
/kɑɡˈnoʊmən/
a surname, nickname, or family name, especially in ancient Rome
dada
C2+
/ˈdɑdɑ/
an early-20th-century anti-art movement embracing absurdity; informally, father
effectivity
C2+
/ɪˌfɛkˈtɪvəti/
the quality of being effective; the date a thing takes effect
evergreen
C2+
/ˈɛvərˌɡrin/
retaining green leaves year-round; perennially fresh or relevant
existent
C2+
/ɪɡˈzɪstənt/
having actual being; existing at present
jiffy
C2+
/ˈdʒɪfi/
a very short moment of time
olden
C2+
/ˈoʊldən/
of or relating to a former age; bygone
predominant
C2+
/prɪˈdɑmənənt/
present as the strongest or main element; prevailing
temporal
C2+
/ˈtɛmpərəl/
relating to time or to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs
transiently
C2+
/ˈtrænʃəntli/
in a way that lasts only a short time
transitory
C2+
/ˈtrænsɪtɔri/
not permanent; lasting only a brief while
v
C2+
/viː/
the twenty-second letter of the English alphabet, or the Roman numeral for five
wast
C2+
/wɒst/
archaic second-person singular past of 'be' (thou wast)
wert
C2+
/wɜrt/
archaic second-person singular past or subjunctive of 'be' (thou wert)
congenital
C2+
/kənˈdʒɛnɪtəl/
present from birth; inherent or deep-seated
deciduous
C2+
/dɪˈsɪdʒuəs/
of trees, shedding leaves yearly; not permanent
depreciate
C2+
/dɪˈpriʃieɪt/
to diminish in value over time, or to belittle something
diurnal
C2+
/daɪˈɝnəl/
active during the day; occurring or recurring daily
diuturnal
C2+
/ˌdaɪjuˈtɝnəl/
lasting a long time; long-continued
ephemerally
C2+
/ɪˈfɛmərəli/
in a way that lasts for a very short time
eve
C2+
/iv/
the day or evening before a notable event; (poetic) evening
flora
C2+
/ˈflɔrə/
the plants of a particular region, period, or environment
forenoon
C2+
/ˈfɔrˌnuːn/
the part of the day before noon; the morning
inauspicious
C2+
/ˌɪnɔˈspɪʃəs/
not promising success; suggesting that the future is unlucky
infirm
C2+
/ɪnˈfɜrm/
physically weak, especially through age or illness
lastingly
C2+
/ˈlæstɪŋli/
in a way that endures over a long period
nones
C2+
/noʊnz/
the ninth day before the ides in the Roman calendar; a midday canonical hour
plunder
C2+
/ˈplʌndər/
to steal goods, typically by force in time of war or unrest
premature
C2+
/ˌpriməˈtʊr/
happening or done before the proper or usual time
procrastinate
C2+
/proʊˈkræstɪˌneɪt/
to delay or postpone action needlessly
prognostication
C2+
/prɑɡˌnɑstɪˈkeɪʃən/
the act of foretelling or predicting future events
promptness
C2+
/ˈprɑm(p)tnəs/
the quality of acting or responding quickly and without delay
provisional
C2+
/prəˈvɪʒənəl/
arranged or existing for the present, likely to be changed later
timelessness
C2+
/ˈtaɪmləsnəs/
the quality of being unaffected by the passage of time
yearly
C2+
/ˈjɪrli/
happening or produced once a year; annually
abiding
C2+
/əˈbaɪdɪŋ/
lasting a long time; enduring and permanent
antecedently
C2+
/ˌæntəˈsidəntli/
at a prior time; beforehand
awhile
C2+
/əˈwaɪl/
for a short time
beforetime
C2+
/bɪˈfɔrˌtaɪm/
formerly; in the past (archaic)
bygone
C2+
/ˈbaɪˌɡɔn/
belonging to an earlier time that has passed
coeval
C2+
/koʊˈiːvəl/
having the same age or date of origin; contemporary
contemporaneous
C2+
/kənˌtɛmpəˈreɪniəs/
existing or occurring during the same period of time
courtship
C2+
/ˈkɔrtʃɪp/
the period or activity of wooing someone with a view to marriage
cunctation
C2+
/kʌŋkˈteɪʃən/
delay or tardiness in acting; procrastination
deferment
C2+
/dɪˈfɝmənt/
the act of postponing something to a later time
destine
C2+
/ˈdɛstɪn/
to determine the future of something in advance; to ordain by fate
digression
C2+
/daɪˈɡrɛʃən/
a temporary departure from the main subject in speech or writing
faff
C2+
/fæf/
to spend time in ineffectual activity; dithering or fuss
fleetingly
C2+
/ˈflitɪŋli/
for a very short time; briefly
foreshadow
C2+
/fɔrˈʃædoʊ/
to indicate or suggest a future event beforehand
forevermore
C2+
/fɔrˌɛvɚˈmɔr/
for all future time; eternally
genetous
C2+
/ˈdʒɛnɪtəs/
present from birth; congenital
grudge
C2+
/ɡrʌdʒ/
a persistent feeling of resentment over a past wrong
hebdomad
C2+
/ˈhɛbdəˌmæd/
a group of seven, especially a period of seven days; a week
hebdomadal
C2+
/hɛbˈdɑmədəl/
occurring or appearing once a week; weekly
inopportune
C2+
/ɪnˌɑpərˈtun/
occurring at an unsuitable or inconvenient time
laborious
C2+
/ləˈbɔriəs/
requiring much time and hard effort
latterly
C2+
/ˈlætɚli/
recently; in the latter part of a period
lattermath
C2+
/ˈlætɚˌmæθ/
a second crop of grass cut after the first mowing; an aftermath
laze
C2+
/leɪz/
to spend time relaxing idly
moratorium
C2+
/ˌmɔrəˈtɔriəm/
a temporary, officially agreed prohibition or suspension of an activity