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
causation
C2
/kɔˈzeɪ.ʃən/
The act or agency by which an effect is produced.
archon
C2
/ˈɑɹ.kɑn/
one of the chief magistrates of ancient Athens
ordain
C2
/ɔɹˈdeɪn/
To officially make someone a priest, minister, or other religious leader
excusable
C2
/ɪksˈkjuːzəbəl/
Possible to excuse; worthy of being excused.
functionary
C2
/ˈfʌŋ(k).ʃəˌnɛ.ri/
an official, especially one in a government or large organization, who performs prescribed duties
easement
C2
/ˈiːz.mənt/
law: a right to cross or use another person's land for a specified purpose without owning it
testator
C2
/ˈtɛˌsteɪtər/
law: a person who has made a legally valid will
deviance
C2
/ˈdiːvɪəns/
Actions or behaviors that violate formal and informal cultural norms such as laws and customs.
turnkey
C2
/ˈtɜː(ɹ)nˌkiː/
a complete product that is ready to be deployed immediately, without further customization
freehold
C2
/ˈfriːˌhoʊld/
ownership of land or a building for an indefinite period, rather than for a fixed lease term
unreality
C2
/ˌənriːˈæləti/
The state of being unreal.
recidivist
C2
/ɹɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/
One who falls back into prior habits, especially criminal habits.
sequestration
C2
/ˌsɛkwəˈstreɪʃən/
law: the seizure, isolation, or placing in custody of property by legal authority
droit
C2
/dɹɔɪt/
a legal right, entitlement, or lawful claim
selectman
C2
/səˈlɛktmən/
a member of an elected board that serves as the chief administrative authority of a New England town
protrusion
C2
/pɹəˈtɹuːʒən/
Something that sticks out from a surface; a bulge.
comitatus
C2
/ˌkɑmɪˈteɪtəs/
historical: a band of warriors or nobles bound by loyalty to a ruler or military leader
interdict
C2
/ˈɪntɚdɪkt/
To forbid (an action or thing) by formal or legal sanction.
conveyancing
C2
/kənˈveɪənsɪŋ/
the legal work of preparing documents and completing the transfer of property from one owner to another
enunciation
C2
/ɪˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
The act of enunciating, announcing, proclaiming, or making known; open attestation; declaration.
indemnify
C2
/ɪnˈdɛm.nɪ.faɪ/
To secure against loss or damage; to insure.
alternation
C2
/ˈɔl.tɚˌneɪ.ʃən/
successive change from one thing or state to another and back again
repudiation
C2
/rɪˌpjuːdiˈeɪʃən/
the act of rejecting, disowning, or refusing to accept something as valid
presentment
C2
/prɪˈzɛntmənt/
an appearance, representation, or image presented to the mind
pleasantry
C2
/ˈplɛzəntɹi/
A playful remark; a jest.
intestate
C2
/ɪnˈtɛsteɪt/
having died without leaving a legally valid will
lawgiver
C2
/ˈlɔˌɡɪv.ɚ/
One who provides laws to a society.
usurpation
C2
/ˌjuː.sɚˈpeɪ.ʃən/
the wrongful seizure and exercise of power, office, authority, or a right
legalistic
C2
/ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk/
excessively concerned with the strict and literal application of laws or rules, often at the expense of their purpose
preferment
C2
/pɹɪˈfəːmənt/
the act of preferring
unenforceable
C2
/ˌʌn.ɪnˈfɔːr.sə.bəl/
of a law, rule, or policy, impossible or impracticable to make people obey
tyrannous
C2
/ˈtɪɹənəs/
using authority in a cruel, oppressive, unjust, or arbitrary way; characteristic of a tyrant
narrowness
C2
/ˈnɛroʊnəs/
a restriction of range or scope
imbroglio
C2
/ɪmˈbɹoʊljoʊ/
A complicated situation; an entanglement.
gabelle
C2
/ɡəˈbɛl/
historical: a tax, especially the compulsory salt tax imposed in pre-Revolutionary France
legatee
C2
/ˌlɛɡəˈti/
law: a person or organization that receives a legacy under a will
pragmatically
C2
/prægˈmætɪkəli/
in a realistic manner
deterministic
C2
/dɪˌtɝ.mɪˈnɪs.tɪk/
Having at most one instruction associated with any given internal state.
enshrine
C2
/ɪnˈʃraɪn/
to establish and protect a principle or right in a law, constitution, or institution
sternness
C2
/ˈstɝːnnəs/
the quality of being grim, severe, or foreboding
enthrone
C2
/ɪnˈθroʊn/
to install a monarch or senior religious leader formally on a throne as a sign of office
rejoinder
C2
/ɹɪˈd͡ʒɔɪndɚ/
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
diffidence
C2
/ˈdɪfɪdəns/
The state of being diffident, timid or shy; reticence or self-effacement.
usufruct
C2
/ˈjuzəˌfɹəkt/
the legal right to use another person's property and receive its benefits or profits without destroying or substantially damaging it
scofflaw
C2
/ˈskɔfˌlɔ/
One who habitually violates minor laws or fails to answer trivial court summonses (such as parking tickets).
monarchical
C2
/məˈnɑːkɪk(ə)l/
having the characteristics of or befitting or worthy of a monarch
unequally
C2
/ʌnˈiːkwəli/
Not equally, unevenly, sometimes unfairly.
testamentary
C2
/ˌtɛstəˈmɛntɚi/
of, expressed in, or relating to a legal will or testament
discoverable
C2
/dɪˈskʌvɝəbəl/
capable of being ascertained or found out
ascendency
C2
/əˈsɛndənsi/
the state that exists when one person or group has power over another
pleader
C2
/ˈpliːdɚ/
formal or historical: a lawyer or advocate who pleads cases in court
attestation
C2
/ˌæt.ɛˈsteɪ.ʃən/
the act of witnessing, certifying, or formally declaring that something is true or authentic
politesse
C2
/pɑləˈtɛs/
Civility, politeness, courtesy or gallantry; genteel politeness or an instance of this.
misappropriate
C2
/ˌmɪs.əˈpɹoʊ.pɹi.eɪt/
To embezzle.
survivorship
C2
/sərˈvaɪvərˌʃɪp/
law and finance: the right of a surviving joint owner or beneficiary to receive property or benefits after another person's death
primogeniture
C2
/ˌprʌɪmə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪtʃə/
The principle that the eldest child has an exclusive right of inheritance.
outlawry
C2
/ˈaʊtˌlɔri/
historical law: the formal placing of a person outside the law and its protection
absolutist
C2
/ˈæb.səˌlu.tɪst/
a person who supports absolute political authority or treats a principle as allowing no exceptions
guardedly
C2
/ˈgɑːrdɪdli/
in a cautious and reserved manner
mortmain
C2
/ˈmɔɹt.meɪn/
the permanent and inalienable ownership of land or other property by a corporation, historically especially a church
quaestor
C2
/ˈkwistɚ/
an ancient Roman magistrate chiefly responsible for public revenue, accounts, and financial administration
baronetcy
C2
/ˈbærənətsi/
the hereditary rank, dignity, or title of a baronet
abrogation
C2
/ˌæbrəˈɡeɪʃən/
the formal repeal, abolition, or annulment of a law, agreement, right, or custom
condign
C2
/kənˈdaɪn/
Fitting, appropriate, deserved, especially denoting punishment.
subornation
C2
/ˌsʌbɔrˈneɪʃən/
the act of inducing someone to commit perjury or another unlawful act
syndic
C2
/ˈsɪndɪk/
an official or agent appointed to manage the affairs of a corporation, university, municipality, or similar body
gerrymander
C2
/ˈd͡ʒɛɹ.iˌmæn.dəɹ/
an act of gerrymandering, or dividing a voting area so as to give your own party an unfair advantage
chieftainship
C2
/ˈtʃiːftənˌʃɪp/
the position, authority, or period of rule of a chieftain
corvée
C2
/kɔːrˈveɪ/
historical: unpaid labor that a feudal tenant was required to perform for a lord, often in place of rent or tax
superintendency
C2
/ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛndənsi/
the act or responsibility of supervising, directing, or administering an organization or activity
simultaneity
C2
/ˌsaɪməltəˈniɪti/
happening or existing or done at the same time
princedom
C2
/ˈprɪnsdəm/
a territory or state ruled by a prince
attaint
C2
/əˈteɪnt/
historical law: to condemn a person for treason or felony by attainder, extinguishing civil rights and often forfeiting property
predecease
C2
/ˌpriː.dɪˈsiːs/
to die before another person
ejectment
C2
/ɪˈdʒekt.mənt/
the legal process of removing a person from possession of land or other property
indefeasible
C2
/ˌɪn.dɪˈfiː.zə.bəl/
especially in law, not capable of being annulled, defeated, or made void
oligarchical
C2
/ˌɑlɪˈɡɑrkɪkəl/
relating to, controlled by, or characteristic of an oligarchy
reimpose
C2
/ˌriː.ɪmˈpoʊz/
to impose a rule, tax, restriction, penalty, or burden again after it has been removed or has ceased to apply
mandamus
C2
/mænˈdeɪməs/
law: a court order compelling a public official, lower court, agency, or other body to perform a duty required by law
purveyance
C2
/pɚˈveɪəns/
historical British law: the Crown's right to requisition provisions, transport, or other goods and services for royal use at fixed prices
solitariness
C2
/sɑːləˈtɛriːnɪs/
The state of being alone or apart from others.
bema
C2
/ˈbimə/
a raised platform in ancient Greece used by speakers, officials, or judges addressing an assembly or court
regality
C2
/rɪˈɡæləti/
historical Scots law: territorial jurisdiction of a royal character granted by the Crown to a lord, or the territory subject to it
assignable
C2
/əˈsaɪnəbl̩/
Capable of being assigned (all senses).
cogency
C2
/ˈkəʊd͡ʒənsi/
The state of being cogent; the characteristic or quality of being reasonable and persuasive.
distinctness
C2
/ˌdɪˈstɪŋkt.nəs/
The property or degree of being distinct.
externality
C2
/ɛkstɚˈnælɪti/
The state of being external or externalized.
octroi
C2
/ˈɑːk.trɔɪ/
a tax formerly levied on goods brought into a town or city, especially in France
adulterine
C2
/əˈdʌltəraɪn/
historical: illegal, unauthorized, or spurious
apanage
C2
/ˈæpənɪdʒ/
a grant of land, revenue, or privilege made by a sovereign to a dependent member of a ruling family
divisibility
C2
/dɪˈvɪzɪbɪlɪti/
the quality of being divisible
gerousia
C2
/dʒəˈruːʒiə/
in ancient Greece, a council of elders; specifically, the Spartan senate formed by twenty-eight elders and the two kings
zamindari
C2
/zəˈminˌdəɹi/
in British India, a system of landholding and revenue collection in which zamindars collected payments from cultivators for the state
allodial
C2
/əˈloʊdiəl/
law: held in absolute ownership, without feudal duties or a superior landlord
intestacy
C2
/ɪnˈtɛstəsi/
the legal condition of dying without a valid will, or of having property not disposed of by a valid will
injuria
C2
/ɪnˈdʒʊə.ri.ə/
a wrongful injury or invasion of another person's legal rights