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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191 words
statuary
C2
/ˈstæ.t͡ʃu.ɛəɹi/
statues considered collectively
sartorial
C2
/sɑɹˈtɔɹ.i.əl/
Of or relating to the tailoring of clothing.
fleur-de-lis
C2
/ˌflɝː.dəˈliː/
a stylized three-petalled flower used as a heraldic charge and decorative emblem, especially associated with the French monarchy
quatrain
C2
/ˈkwɑˌtreɪn/
a stanza or complete poem consisting of four lines
cubist
C2
/ˈkjuː.bɪst/
an artist who works in the style of cubism
pianola
C2
/ˌpiːəˈnoʊlə/
a piano that plays music mechanically from instructions recorded on a perforated paper roll
oscillate
C2
/ˈɑsɪleɪt/
To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.
incise
C2
/ɪnˈsaɪz/
To cut into a surface with a sharp tool, especially to carve or engrave a design.
basso
C2
/ˈbæsoʊ/
low and deep in pitch, especially of a male voice
chromatic
C2
/kɹəˈmætɪk/
relating to color or to differences in color
rub-a-dub
C2
/ˌrʌb ə ˈdʌb/
the repeated beating or sound of a drum; a continuous rhythmic drumming
hornpipe
C2
/ˈhɔrnˌpaɪp/
a lively traditional solo dance associated especially with sailors
arpeggio
C2
/ɑːrˈpedʒ.i.oʊ/
the notes of a chord played one after another rather than simultaneously
oratorio
C2
/ˌɔrəˈtɔrioʊ/
a large musical work for orchestra, choir, and solo voices, usually on a sacred subject and performed without staging, costumes, or scenery
rapprochement
C2
/ɹæpɹoʊʃˈmɑn/
The reestablishment of cordial relations, particularly between two countries; a reconciliation.
dulcimer
C2
/ˈdʌl.sɪ.mɚ/
a stringed instrument with strings stretched over a usually trapezoidal soundboard and struck with small hammers
viol
C2
/ˈvaɪ.əl/
a member of a family of fretted bowed string instruments, usually with six strings and held vertically, prominent in European music from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries
stipple
C2
/ˈstɪpəl/
to draw, paint, engrave, or shade using many small dots or short marks
odalisque
C2
/ˈoʊdəlɪsk/
historical: an enslaved female attendant in an Ottoman palace or harem; in Western writing, often inaccurately treated as a concubine
contralto
C2
/kənˈtræl.toʊ/
the lowest standard female singing voice, below mezzo-soprano
lithograph
C2
/ˈlɪθəɡɹæf/
a print made by lithography, in which an image is drawn on a prepared flat surface and transferred to paper
diffident
C2
/ˈdɪfɪdənt/
lacking self-confidence
plectrum
C2
/ˈplɛktɹəm/
a small flat piece of plastic, metal, or other material used to pluck the strings of an instrument
polyphonic
C2
/ˌpɑːlɪˈfɑːnɪk/
in music, consisting of two or more independent melodic lines sounding together
chiaroscuro
C2
/ˌkjɑɹəˈsk(j)ʊɹoʊ/
the artistic use of strong contrasts between light and dark to model form or create dramatic effect
undulate
C2
/ˈʌndjəleɪt/
increase and decrease in volume or pitch, as if in waves
tremolo
C2
/ˈtrɛm.ə.loʊ/
a musical effect made by rapidly repeating one note or alternating between two notes
epigram
C2
/ˈɛpəˌgræm/
A short, witty or pithy poem.
pre-raphaelite
C2
/ˌpriːˈræf.i.ə.laɪt/
a member or follower of the nineteenth-century Pre-Raphaelite movement in British art
concomitant
C2
/kənˈkɑːmətənt/
Something happening or existing at the same time.
busk
C2
/bʌsk/
to perform music or another form of entertainment in a public place for voluntary donations
lacerate
C2
/ˈlæ.sɚ.ɛɪt/
irregularly slashed and jagged as if torn
roundelay
C2
/ˈɹaʊndəˌleɪ/
a song in which a line or phrase is repeated as the refrain
equivocate
C2
/ɪˈkwɪvəˌkeɪt/
To render equivocal or ambiguous.
risible
C2
/ˈɹɪzɪbəl/
Of or pertaining to laughter
tragedian
C2
/trəˈdʒiːdiən/
an actor who specializes in tragic roles
danseuse
C2
/dænˈsɜːz/
dated: a female professional dancer, especially a ballet dancer
clavichord
C2
/ˈklævɪˌkɔɹd/
an early keyboard instrument whose strings are struck by small metal blades, producing a soft, expressive sound
extirpate
C2
/ˈɛkstɚpeɪt/
To cause a population to go extinct in a particular region, but not across the entire range of the species or subspecies.
annotation
C2
/ənɵˈʈeʃən/
A critical or explanatory commentary or analysis.
impasto
C2
/ɪmˈpæs.toʊ/
painting: the technique of applying paint thickly enough for brush or palette-knife marks to remain visibly raised
lapidary
C2
/ˈlæpəˌdɛɹi/
of or relating to precious stones or the art of working with them
quaver
C2
/ˈkweɪvər/
in British musical terminology, a note with half the time value of a crotchet; an eighth note
consonance
C2
/ˈkɑnsənəns/
agreement or compatibility between opinions, principles, qualities, or actions
capriccio
C2
/kəˈpriː.tʃiː.oʊ/
music: a lively, freely formed instrumental composition with a fanciful or improvisatory character
excoriate
C2
/ɪkˈskɔɹ.iˌeɪt/
To strongly condemn or criticize.
poesy
C2
/ˈpoʊəzi/
literary: poetry, especially considered as an art or body of writing
diapason
C2
/daɪəˈpeɪzən/
a full, rich outpouring or range of musical sound; also a principal organ stop
recapitulation
C2
/ɹiː.kəˌpɪ.t͡ʃəˈleɪ.ʃ(ə)n/
The symmetry provided by Christ's life to the teachings of the Old Testament; the summation of human experience in Jesus Christ.
tracery
C2
/ˈtɹeɪsɚi/
ornamental stone, wood, or metalwork forming interlacing ribs or branching patterns, especially in a window
allusive
C2
/əˈluː.sɪv/
characterized by indirect references
castanet
C2
/ˌkæs.təˈnɛt/
one of a pair of small shell-shaped percussion instruments clicked together by the fingers, especially in Spanish dance
dithyramb
C2
/ˈdɪθɪˌræm/
an ancient Greek choral hymn sung with passionate intensity in honor of Dionysus
arriviste
C2
/ˌæ.ɹɪˈviːst/
An upstart or newcomer; nouveau riche; parvenu; an ambitious, brash or arrogant person who has yet to integrate with his or her new social group.
marquetry
C2
/ˈmɑːɹ.kə.tɹi/
the decorative craft of fitting thin pieces of differently colored wood, shell, metal, or other veneer into a surface to form a design
footlight
C2
/ˈfʊtˌlaɪt/
a stage light positioned along the front edge of a stage and directed upward at the performers
inharmonious
C2
/ˌɪnhɑrˈmoʊniəs/
lacking pleasing musical harmony; discordant
harlequinade
C2
/ˌhɑr.lə.kwəˈneɪd/
a comic theatrical entertainment featuring Harlequin and other stock characters, especially the concluding section of a traditional British pantomime
sybarite
C2
/ˈsɪbəˌɹaɪt/
A person devoted to luxury and pleasure; a hedonist.
gamboge
C2
/ɡæmˈbuʒ/
a yellow to orange gum resin from Southeast Asian Garcinia trees, formerly used as a pigment and purgative
taille
C2
/taɪ/
A form of taxation levied on the land of peasants in pre-Revolutionary France.
metrical
C2
/ˈmɛtɹɪkl̩/
Relating to birth certificates.
sforzando
C2
/sfɔɹˈtsændoʊ/
music: played or marked with a sudden, forceful emphasis
mephitic
C2
/ˌmɛˈfɪ.tɪk/
Foul-smelling or noxious, particularly of a gas or atmosphere.
truncate
C2
/ˈtɹʌŋˌkeɪt/
terminating abruptly by having or as if having an end or point cut off
emblazon
C2
/ɪmˈbleɪzən/
to display, write, or depict something prominently on a surface
putto
C2
/ˈpʊtoʊ/
a painted or sculpted figure of a small, usually naked and often winged boy, especially in Renaissance or Baroque art
eclogue
C2
/ˈɛk.lɒɡ/
a short pastoral poem, often presented as a monologue or dialogue between shepherds
idyl
C2
/ˈaɪdəl/
a short poem or prose piece depicting peaceful rural or pastoral life
villanelle
C2
/ˌvɪləˈnɛl/
a nineteen-line poem with five three-line stanzas and a final four-line stanza, using two repeating refrains and two rhymes
bandsman
C2
/ˈbændz.mən/
a musician who plays in a band, especially a brass or military band
plangent
C2
/ˈplænd͡ʒənt/
loud and resounding
cantatrice
C2
/ˌkæntəˈtriːtʃeɪ/
a professional female singer, especially an opera singer
threnody
C2
/ˈθrɛnədi/
a song, poem, or other composition expressing grief or mourning, especially for someone who has died
caryatid
C2
/ˌkɛriˈætɪd/
a sculpted female figure used as an architectural support in place of a column or pillar
tessellated
C2
/ˈtɛsəˌleɪtɪd/
covered or decorated with small tiles or pieces fitted together in a mosaic pattern
hautboy
C2
/ˈhoʊˌbɔɪ/
archaic: an oboe or an early form of that treble double-reed woodwind instrument
mezzotint
C2
/ˈmɛzoʊˌtɪnt/
a printmaking technique in which a metal plate is roughened to print dark tones and then scraped or burnished to create lighter areas
versify
C2
/ˈvɝːsəˌfaɪ/
to compose poetry or write in verse
choreographical
C2
Relating to choreography or the arranging of dance movements.
anapaest
C2
/ˈæn.ə.piːst/
prosody: a metrical foot of three syllables in which two unstressed syllables are followed by one stressed syllable
oleograph
C2
/ˈoʊ.li.əˌɡræf/
a color lithograph made to imitate the appearance of an oil painting
Jew's harp
C2
/ˈdʒuːzˌhɑrp/
a small plucked instrument held against the teeth or lips, whose flexible tongue vibrates while the player's mouth changes the tone
paeon
C2
/ˈpiːən/
a metrical foot of four syllables with one long or stressed syllable and three short or unstressed syllables
seriocomic
C2
/ˌsɪɹioʊˈkɑːmɪk/
combining serious and comic elements, subjects, or moods
lacquerwork
C2
/ˈlæk.ɚˌwɝːk/
decorative or artistic work made by applying, carving, painting, or inlaying layers of lacquer
dithyrambic
C2
/ˌdɪθəˈræm.bɪk/
wildly or extravagantly enthusiastic in expression
sceneshifter
C2
/ˈsiːnˌʃɪf.tɚ/
a stagehand who moves or changes theatrical scenery during a performance
palette knife
C2
/ˈpæl.ət ˌnaɪf/
a blunt, flexible, flat-bladed artist's tool used to mix colors on a palette and sometimes to apply or remove paint
crow quill
C2
/ˈkroʊ ˌkwɪl/
a quill from a crow's wing, especially one cut into a fine writing or drawing pen
trochee
C2
/ˈtroʊki/
a metrical foot consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable, or a long syllable followed by a short one
tetrachord
C2
/ˈtɛtɹəˌkɔɹd/
in music theory, a series of four notes spanning the interval of a perfect fourth
harmonist
C2
/ˈhɑːrmənɪst/
a musician or composer skilled in creating, performing, or analyzing harmony
trompe-l’oeil
C2
/ˌtrɔːmp ˈlɔɪ/
an artistic technique that uses realistic detail to create the illusion that painted objects are three-dimensional
photogravure
C2
/ˌfoʊ.toʊ.ɡrəˈvjʊr/
an intaglio printing process that transfers a photographic image to an etched plate, or a print made by that process