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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196 words
encyclical
C2
/ɛnˈsɪk.lɪ.kəl/
an authoritative pastoral letter issued by the pope and circulated broadly within the Roman Catholic Church
churchman
C2
/ˈtʃɝːtʃmən/
a male member of the clergy or another man holding authority in a Christian church
Gehenna
C2
/ɡɪˈhɛnə/
a place or state of extreme suffering or misery
missal
C2
/ˈmɪsəl/
a book containing the prayers and texts used in the Roman Catholic Mass
impiety
C2
/ɪmˈpaɪəti/
lack of reverence or respect for a god, religion, or something regarded as sacred
puritanism
C2
/ˈpjʊr.ə.təˌnɪz.əm/
the religious beliefs, practices, and historical movement of the Protestant Puritans
pontifical
C2
/pɑːnˈtɪfɪkəl/
pompously self-important or pretentiously dogmatic
blessedness
C2
/ˈblɛsɪdnəs/
a state of complete happiness, fulfillment, or spiritual well-being
scriptural
C2
/ˈskrɪptʃɚəl/
relating to, contained in, or derived from the sacred writings of a religion, especially the Bible
censer
C2
/ˈsɛn.sɚ/
a vessel in which incense is burned, especially a covered metal container swung on chains during a religious ceremony
metempsychosis
C2
/mɪˌtɛm(p).sɪˈkoʊ.sɪs/
the supposed transmigration of a soul at death into another body, whether human, animal, or another living form
conjuration
C2
/ˌkɑndʒəˈreɪʃən/
the supposed act of summoning a spirit or supernatural being by magic
bogle
C2
/ˈboʊ.ɡəl/
a goblin, specter, or other frightening supernatural being in northern British and Scots folklore
ecclesiastic
C2
/ɪˌkliːziˈæstɪk/
a member of the clergy, especially in a Christian church; formal
hierophant
C2
/ˈhaɪərəˌfænt/
in ancient Greece, a priest who revealed and interpreted sacred mysteries, especially at Eleusis
surplice
C2
/ˈsɝplɪs/
a loose white Christian liturgical vestment with wide sleeves, worn over a cassock by clergy and other ministers
glebe
C2
/ɡliːb/
land belonging to a parish church or ecclesiastical benefice and providing income for its clergy
demoniac
C2
/dɪˈmoʊniˌæk/
of, resembling, or apparently possessed by a demon; frenzied and terrifying
vestment
C2
/ˈvɛstmənt/
a ceremonial garment worn by a member of the clergy during worship
beatitude
C2
/biˈætəˌtud/
a state of supreme happiness or blessedness
deify
C2
/ˈdiː.ə.faɪ/
consider as a god or godlike
catechist
C2
/ˈkætəkɪst/
One who practices catechesis, i.e., catechizes catechumens; a teacher who instructs students in the doctrines of a particular Christian denomination typically in preparation for confirmation.
solemnize
C2
/ˈsɑːləmnaɪz/
to perform the official or religious ceremony of a marriage
stoup
C2
/stuːp/
a small basin for holy water, especially one fixed near the entrance of a church
sectarianism
C2
/sekˈter.i.ə.nɪ.zəm/
rigid or exclusive loyalty to a religious, political, or ideological group, especially when it causes hostility toward other groups
philter
C2
/ˈfɪltɚ/
a supposedly magical potion, especially one intended to arouse love
aureole
C2
/ˈɔriˌoʊl/
a halo or circle of radiant light around the head or body of a sacred figure in art
flagellate
C2
/ˈflæ.d͡ʒəˌleɪt/
to whip or scourge, especially as punishment or religious mortification
polytheism
C2
/ˈpɑːliˌθiːɪzəm/
belief in or worship of more than one god
theosophy
C2
/θiˈɑs.ə.fi/
religious or mystical philosophy claiming direct spiritual insight into the nature of God, the soul, or the divine world
saintliness
C2
/ˈseɪnt.li.nəs/
the quality of being exceptionally holy, virtuous, selfless, or like a saint
soutane
C2
/suːˈtɑːn/
a long, close-fitting robe worn by some Christian clergy
propitiate
C2
/ˌpɹəˈpɪʃieɪt/
To conciliate, appease, or make peace with someone, particularly a god or spirit.
revivalist
C2
/rɪˈvaɪ.və.lɪst/
a preacher who conducts Christian religious revivals, often traveling between communities
monasticism
C2
/məˈnæstɪsɪzəm/
a religious way of life in which people withdraw from ordinary society and live under spiritual discipline, often in a community
sylph
C2
/sɪlf/
in the occult system of Paracelsus and later literature, an elemental spirit of the air, usually invisible and often represented as female
numinous
C2
/ˈn(j)umənəs/
evincing the presence of a deity
baptistry
C2
/ˈbæp.tɪ.stri/
a part of a church, or a separate building beside one, where baptisms are performed
monstrance
C2
/ˈmɑːn.strəns/
an ornamental vessel with a transparent central compartment in which the consecrated Eucharistic host is displayed for veneration
purgation
C2
/pɝːˈɡeɪʃən/
the act of cleansing someone or something of impurity, guilt, or defilement
paraclete
C2
/ˈpæɹəkliːt/
An advocate or helper
orison
C2
/ˈɒɹɪsən/
A prayer.
evangelize
C2
/ɪˈvændʒəlaɪz/
to preach the Christian gospel, especially in order to convert people
psalmist
C2
/ˈsɑːmɪst/
a writer or composer of psalms, especially one of the biblical Psalms
demoniacal
C2
/ˌdiːməˈnaɪəkəl/
resembling, caused by, or characteristic of a demon; wildly evil or frenzied
benefice
C2
/ˈbɛn.ə.fɪs/
an endowed church office or living that provides income to its holder
evangelization
C2
/ɪˌvændʒələˈzeɪʃən/
the activity of spreading the Christian gospel or seeking to convert people to Christianity
unreligious
C2
/ˌʌnrɪˈlɪdʒəs/
not believing in, practicing, or showing an interest in religion
sectary
C2
/ˈsɛktəri/
a member or adherent of a particular religious sect, school of thought, or party; now rare
phylactery
C2
/fəˈlæktəri/
either of two small leather cases containing Torah passages, traditionally worn during weekday morning prayer; a tefilla
theosophist
C2
/θiˈɑːsəfɪst/
a follower or advocate of theosophy, especially a member of the modern Theosophical movement
hymnbook
C2
/ˈhɪmˌbʊk/
a book containing a collection of hymns for worship or communal singing
Vulgate
C2
/ˈvʌlɡeɪt/
the Latin version of the Bible chiefly prepared by Saint Jerome and adopted as the Catholic Church's standard Latin text
animistic
C2
/ˌænəˈmɪstɪk/
relating to animism, the belief that spirits or souls inhabit natural beings, objects, or phenomena
doxology
C2
/dɑkˈsɑləd͡ʒi/
a short hymn or formula praising God, often sung at the end of a Christian service
curacy
C2
/ˈkjʊrəsi/
the office, appointment, or period of service of a curate, including the stipend attached to the post
religieuse
C2
/rə.li.ˈʒjøz/
dated: a nun or other woman belonging to a religious order
psalmody
C2
/ˈsɑ.mə.di/
the act of singing psalms or hymns
chimerical
C2
/kɪˈmɛɹɪkəl/
produced by a wildly fanciful imagination
votary
C2
/ˈvoʊtəri/
a devoted follower, supporter, or practitioner of a cause, leader, or pursuit
uncreated
C2
/ˌʌnkriˈeɪtɪd/
not brought into existence by an act of creation; existing without having been created
kirkyard
C2
/ˈkɪɹkjaɹd/
A churchyard, especially one in Scotland.
proselyte
C2
/ˈprɑsəˌlaɪt/
a person newly converted to a religion, doctrine, or cause
consistorial
C2
/ˌkɑnsɪˈstɔriəl/
of or relating to a consistory, especially an ecclesiastical council, court, or governing body
transcendentalist
C2
/ˌtɹænsɛnˈdɛntəlɪst/
a follower of transcendentalism, especially the nineteenth-century American movement that emphasized intuition, individual conscience, and the spiritual value of nature
diablerie
C2
/diˈɑːbləri/
sorcery, witchcraft, or supposed dealings with devils
salvationist
C2
/sælˈveɪ.ʃən.ɪst/
a person who preaches or strongly emphasizes religious salvation, especially a member of the Salvation Army
houri
C2
/ˈhʊri/
in Islamic tradition, one of the beautiful companions of the blessed in Paradise
dalmatic
C2
/dælˈmæt.ɪk/
a long, loose, wide-sleeved liturgical vestment worn especially by a deacon at Mass or the Eucharist
spiritualize
C2
/ˈspɪr.ɪ.tʃu.əˌlaɪz/
to make a person, experience, or activity more spiritual, elevated, or concerned with the soul
quietist
C2
/ˈkwaɪətɪst/
a follower of Quietism, a mystical tradition emphasizing passive contemplation and surrender of the will
sacerdotal
C2
/ˌsæsərˈdoʊtəl/
relating to priests, the priesthood, or priestly functions
martyrology
C2
/ˌmɑːr.təˈrɑː.lə.dʒi/
a calendar, register, or book listing martyrs and saints, often arranged by feast day
deistic
C2
/deɪˈɪstɪk/
relating to deism, the belief in a creator known through reason rather than revelation and generally not intervening in the universe
conventicle
C2
/kənˈvɛntəkəl/
historical: a secret, unauthorized, or legally prohibited meeting for religious worship
catechize
C2
/ˈkætəˌkaɪz/
to instruct someone in religious doctrine by means of questions and answers
abbacy
C2
/ˈæbəsi/
the office, dignity, jurisdiction, estate, or term of service of an abbot or abbess
atheistical
C2
/ˌeɪθiˈɪstɪkəl/
Of or relating to atheism; atheistic.
secularly
C2
In a way not connected with religion.
supernal
C2
/suˈpɝnəl/
literary: belonging to heaven, the sky, or a spiritual realm
prelapsarian
C2
/ˌpriː.læpˈser.i.ən/
relating to the state of humanity before the biblical Fall
dedicatory
C2
/ˈdɛdəkəˌtɔri/
serving as or relating to a dedication
canonry
C2
/ˈkænənri/
the office, benefice, or prebend held by a canon of a cathedral or collegiate church
diabolism
C2
/daɪˈæ.bəˌlɪ.zəm/
belief in, worship of, or ritual dealings with devils
quietism
C2
/ˈkwaɪəˌtɪzəm/
a Christian mystical doctrine emphasizing passive contemplation and the surrender of personal will to God
sudarium
C2
/ˌsuˈdɛɹ.i.əm/
in ancient Rome, a small linen cloth carried for wiping perspiration from the face; a handkerchief
priestcraft
C2
/ˈpriːstˌkræft/
derogatory: the use of priestly authority or religious influence for political or worldly control
fire-worshiper
C2
/ˈfaɪr ˌwɝː.ʃɪ.pɚ/
a person who worships or religiously venerates fire
chalice veil
C2
/ˈtʃæl.ɪs ˌveɪl/
a cloth used to cover a chalice and its associated vessels before or after their use in Christian liturgy, especially at Mass
solemnization
C2
/ˌsɑːləmnəˈzeɪʃən/
the official or ceremonial performance of a marriage
pneumatology
C2
/ˌnuːməˈtɑːlədʒi/
the study of spirits or spiritual beings; in older philosophy, the study of the soul and God
presentee
C2
/ˌprɛzənˈtiː/
a person formally presented or nominated for an office, benefice, award, or other position
impropriation
C2
/ɪmˌproʊpriˈeɪʃən/
English ecclesiastical law: the transfer of a church benefice or its tithes into the hands of a layperson or secular corporation
provisor
C2
/prəˈvaɪzər/
historical church law: a person appointed by papal provision to a benefice, sometimes before the office became vacant
predestine
C2
/ˌpriːˈdɛstɪn/
to decide, determine, or make inevitable in advance
antinomianism
C2
/æntiˈnoʊmi.ənɪzəm/
the Christian theological doctrine that salvation by faith and grace frees believers from the obligation of moral law