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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157 words
mien
C2
/miːn/
A person's appearance, manner, or facial expression, especially as a sign of mood or character.
fraternization
C2
/ˌfrætərnəˈzeɪʃən/
friendly or brotherly association with other people
Ainu
C2
/ˈaɪnuː/
a member of the Indigenous people native chiefly to Hokkaido and historically also to Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands
utilitarian
C2
/juˌtɪləˈtɛɹi.ən/
Designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive.
hobnob
C2
/ˈhɑbˌnɑb/
to associate or socialize familiarly, especially with important or high-status people
egalitarian
C2
/ɪˌɡæl.ɪˈtɛɹ.i.ən/
Believing in or based on equal rights and opportunities for everyone.
tranquilize
C2
/ˈtɹeɪ̯ŋkwɪlaɪ̯z/
To make a person or animal calm, often by giving them a sedative drug.
lyricist
C2
/ˈlɪɹ.ɪsɪst/
A person who writes the words for songs.
handmaid
C2
/ˈhændˌmeɪd/
dated or historical: a female personal servant or attendant
crony
C2
/ˈkɹoʊni/
A close friend or companion, often one who shares in someone's activities.
anarchic
C2
/əˈnɑɹ.kɪk/
Without any law, order, or control; chaotic.
idiosyncratic
C2
/ˌɪd.i.oʊ.sɪŋˈkɹæt.ɪk/
Particular to one individual; distinctive or peculiar to a person.
troglodyte
C2
/ˈtrɑːɡləˌdaɪt/
a person who lives in a cave, especially a supposed or prehistoric cave-dweller
gentility
C2
/dʒɛnˈtɪləti/
refined manners, appearance, or social behavior associated with being genteel
tribesman
C2
/ˈtraɪbzmæn/
a male member of a tribe or tribal community
onlooker
C2
/ˈɒnˌlʊk.ə(ɹ)/
a person who watches an event without taking part
humorist
C2
/ˈhjuː.mə.rɪst/
a person known for creating, writing, or performing humor, especially one who regularly tells amusing stories
souse
C2
/saʊs/
pork trimmings chopped, pickled, and jelled
hotelier
C2
/hoʊˈtɛl.i.əɹ/
A person who owns or manages a hotel.
conciliation
C2
/kənˌsɪliːˈeɪʃən/
The act of ending a conflict and bringing people back to peace.
gentlefolk
C2
/ˈdʒɛntəlˌfoʊk/
historical: people considered well-born, genteel, or of high social rank
anthropologically
C2
From the perspective of anthropology, the study of human cultures.
grandee
C2
/ɡrænˈdiː/
a nobleman of the highest rank in Spain or Portugal
townsman
C2
/ˈtaʊnzmən/
a person from the same town as yourself
idiosyncrasy
C2
/ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkɹəsi/
An unusual habit or feature that is typical of one particular person.
plutocrat
C2
/ˈpluːtəˌkræt/
A person who holds power because of their great wealth.
nurturer
C2
/ˈnɝtʃərɚ/
a person who cares for, supports, or encourages the growth and development of someone or something
Mandan
C2
/ˈmændæn/
a member of an Indigenous people whose traditional homelands lie along the upper Missouri River in the northern Great Plains
Aymara
C2
/ˌaɪ.mɑˈɹɑ/
a member of an Indigenous people of the central Andes, especially in Bolivia, Peru, and northern Chile
ostracism
C2
/ˈɑː.strəˌsɪz.əm/
deliberate exclusion from a group or from social acceptance
sharer
C2
/ˈʃɛrɚ/
a person who gives, receives, uses, or possesses part of something jointly with others
sociability
C2
/ˌsoʊ.ʃəˈbɪl.ə.ti/
the quality or disposition of enjoying and engaging readily in the company of others
Javan
C2
/ˈdʒɑːvən/
a native or inhabitant of the Indonesian island of Java; Javanese is now more usual for the principal ethnic group
papuan
C2
/ˈpæpjuən/
a native or inhabitant of Papua; more broadly, especially historically, an Indigenous person of New Guinea or adjacent parts of Melanesia
Melanesian
C2
/ˌmɛləˈniːʒən/
a person from Melanesia, the southwestern Pacific region that includes New Guinea and several neighboring island groups
presentational
C2
Relating to how something is presented or shown to people.
depopulate
C2
/diːˈpɑː.pjə.leɪt/
to greatly reduce or remove the population of a place
servitor
C2
/ˈsɝːvətɚ/
archaic or formal: a male servant or attendant
physiognomist
C2
/ˌfɪziˈɑːɡnəmɪst/
a practitioner of physiognomy, the discredited practice of judging character or personality from facial features and outward appearance
tableful
C2
/ˈteɪbəlˌfʊl/
a group of people seated together at a table
myrmidon
C2
/ˈmɝ.mɪˌdɑn/
a subordinate who carries out a powerful person's orders unquestioningly or ruthlessly
lionize
C2
/ˈlaɪ.ə.naɪz/
to treat someone as a celebrity or person of exceptional importance and give them conspicuous social attention
taste-maker
C2
A person whose opinions shape what becomes fashionable or popular.
preservationist
C2
/ˌprɛzɝˈveɪʃənɪst/
A person who works to protect historic buildings, natural areas, or endangered species
tenantry
C2
/ˈtɛnəntri/
the tenants of an estate, district, or landlord considered collectively
beldame
C2
/ˈbɛldəm/
archaic and often disparaging: an old woman, especially one imagined as ugly or witchlike
proscription
C2
/pɹəˈskɹɪp.ʃən/
An official ban or prohibition on something.
fellowman
C2
/ˈfɛloʊˌmæn/
another human being, especially one regarded as sharing a common humanity or community
womenkind
C2
/ˈwɪmɪnkaɪnd/
women considered collectively; womankind
borderer
C2
/ˈbɔrdərər/
a person who lives near a border between countries or districts
cosmopolite
C2
/kɑzˈmɑpəˌlaɪt/
literary: a person who is at home in many countries and regards the whole world as their community
indigene
C2
/ˈɪndɪdʒiːn/
an indigenous person, animal, or plant; a native of a place
starver
C2
/ˈstɑrvɚ/
a person who starves another or is held responsible for depriving people of food or livelihood
mull over
C2
consanguineous
C2
/ˌkɑnsæŋˈɡwɪniəs/
related by blood or descended from the same ancestor
hagiography
C2
/ˌhæɡiˈɒɡrəfi/
a biography of a saint or venerated person, often idealized or exaggerated
physiognomy
C2
/ˌfɪziˈɑːɡnəmi/
a person's facial features or expression, especially when regarded as indicative of character
uxoricide
C2
/ʌkˈsɔːrəˌsaɪd/
the act of killing one's wife
prenomen
C2
/ˌpriːˈnoʊmen/
a variant spelling of praenomen: the first or personal name in an ancient Roman name, preceding the nomen and cognomen
repeople
C2
/ˌriːˈpiːpəl/
to populate a place again after its inhabitants have left, disappeared, or been imagined away
Vedda
C2
/ˈvɛdə/
a member of an Indigenous minority people of Sri Lanka, also known by the self-designation Wanniyalaeto