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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227 words
sackcloth
C2
/ˈsækˌklɔθ/
a coarse, rough fabric like the material traditionally used for sacks
damask
C2
/ˈdæməsk/
a rich fabric whose woven pattern is visible through contrasting textures, often reversible
chloral
C2
/ˈklɔːr.əl/
a pungent, colorless oily aldehyde, CCl3CHO, used to make chloral hydrate and other chemicals
silicate
C2
/ˈsɪlɪkət/
chemistry: a salt or ester derived from a silicic acid and containing silicon and oxygen
amine
C2
/əˈmiːn/
a compound derived from ammonia by replacing hydrogen atoms by univalent hydrocarbon radicals
chintz
C2
/tʃɪnts/
a printed cotton fabric, often glazed and decorated with brightly colored floral patterns
clinker
C2
/ˈklɪŋ.kɚ/
a hard, stony lump of fused ash left after coal or other fuel has burned
vitreous
C2
/ˈvɪtriəs/
made of, resembling, or having the qualities of glass
amyl
C2
/ˈæ.mɪl/
a hydrocarbon radical that occurs in many organic compounds
ambergris
C2
/ˈæm.bɚ.ɡɹɪs/
a waxy substance formed in the digestive tract of a sperm whale and historically prized as a perfume fixative
bismuth
C2
/ˈbɪz.məθ/
the chemical element with symbol Bi and atomic number 83, a dense, brittle, crystalline metal that is silvery white with a pink tinge
sunstone
C2
/ˈsʌnˌstoʊn/
a gem variety of feldspar whose reflective inclusions often produce a glittering optical effect called aventurescence
buckskin
C2
/ˈbʌkˌskɪn/
soft, strong leather traditionally made from deerskin and now also from sheepskin
feldspar
C2
/ˈfɛldˌspɑr/
any mineral in a major group of rock-forming aluminosilicates containing potassium, sodium, or calcium
coagulate
C2
/koʊˈæɡ.jə.leɪt/
to change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
malachite
C2
/ˈmæl.əˌkaɪt/
a bright green copper carbonate mineral used as an ore, pigment, and ornamental stone
gabardine
C2
/ˈɡæbɚdiːn/
a firm, tightly woven fabric with a smooth face and a prominent diagonal twill, used especially for suits and coats
flinders
C2
/ˈflɪndɚz/
small broken pieces, splinters, or fragments, especially after something has been smashed
skein
C2
/skeɪn/
a length of yarn or thread wound into a loose, elongated coil
astrakhan
C2
/æs.trəˈkæn/
the tightly curled black or gray fleece of a young karakul lamb, used as fur
crystallization
C2
/ˌkɹ̠ɪstəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
The process of becoming clear, definite, or precise.
tritium
C2
/ˈtɹɪt.i.əm/
a radioactive isotope of hydrogen whose nucleus contains one proton and two neutrons; symbol 3H or T
cowhide
C2
/ˈkaʊˌhaɪd/
strong leather made from the skin of a cow
catgut
C2
/ˈkætˌɡʌt/
a tough cord made from the cleaned and twisted intestines of animals, usually sheep, formerly used for musical strings, racket strings, and surgical sutures
merino
C2
/məˈɹinoʊ/
The fabric made from this wool (or from any similar yarn).
whalebone
C2
/ˈweɪlˌboʊn/
baleen, the flexible keratin plates in certain whales' mouths that filter food from water
papier-mâché
C2
/ˌpeɪ.pɚ məˈʃeɪ/
a moldable material made from paper pulp or strips of paper mixed with glue or paste and hardened when dry
travertine
C2
/ˈtrævɚˌtin/
a light-colored, often porous form of limestone deposited by mineral springs and used as a building or decorative stone
vanadium
C2
/vəˈneɪ.di.əm/
the chemical element with symbol V and atomic number 23, a silvery transition metal used chiefly to strengthen steel and in several industrial catalysts
molybdenum
C2
/məˈlɪb.dɪ.nəm/
the hard, silvery chemical element with symbol Mo and atomic number 42, used especially to strengthen steel alloys
freestone
C2
/ˈfriːstoʊn/
stone, especially sandstone or limestone, that can be cut and worked easily in any direction
oakum
C2
/ˈoʊkəm/
loose hemp or jute fiber, traditionally made by untwisting old rope and used with pitch to seal seams
carnelian
C2
/kɑɹˈniː.li.ən/
a translucent red, orange, or reddish-brown variety of chalcedony used as a gemstone
bromine
C2
/ˈbroʊ.miːn/
the chemical element with atomic number 35 and symbol Br, a toxic, fuming red-brown halogen that is liquid at room temperature
pyrite
C2
/ˈpaɪraɪt/
a common brass-yellow mineral consisting of iron disulfide, often mistaken for gold
pinchbeck
C2
/ˈpɪntʃ.bɛk/
an alloy of copper and zinc formerly used as an imitation of gold
mousseline
C2
/ˌmuː.səˈliːn/
a very fine, soft, semi-transparent fabric resembling muslin, made from silk, wool, or cotton
woodcut
C2
/ˈwʊdˌkʌt/
engraving consisting of a block of wood with a design cut into it
dreg
C2
/dɹɛɡ/
a small amount of sediment or residue left at the bottom of a liquid
marl
C2
/mɑːrl/
a loose earthy deposit made chiefly of clay and calcium carbonate, often containing shell fragments
tole
C2
/toʊl/
decorative sheet-metal ware with a painted, lacquered, or enamelled surface
baize
C2
/beɪz/
a thick, soft woolen cloth resembling felt, often green and used to cover card or billiard tables
promethium
C2
/prəˈmiː.θi.əm/
the radioactive rare-earth chemical element with symbol Pm and atomic number 61, which has no stable isotopes
basaltic
C2
/bəˈsɑːl.tɪk/
geology: relating to, formed from, containing, or resembling basalt
rhodium
C2
/ˈɹoʊ.di.əm/
the rare, hard, silvery-white chemical element with symbol Rh and atomic number 45, belonging to the platinum group
oilcloth
C2
/ˈɔɪlˌklɔːθ/
cloth coated with oil, resin, or another waterproof material, formerly used for floors, tables, shelves, and coverings
sulfurous
C2
/ˈsʌl.fjʊr.əs/
containing, resembling, or smelling of sulfur
emulsifier
C2
/ɪˈmʌlsəˌfaɪɝ/
A substance that helps two liquids mix into a smooth blend and keeps them from separating.
verdigris
C2
/ˈvɝdəˌɡris/
the blue-green patina that forms on copper, brass, or bronze exposed to air and moisture
ormolu
C2
/ˈɔɹ.məˌluː/
gilt bronze or brass, especially mercury-gilded decorative mounts used on fine European furniture, clocks, and ornaments
porphyry
C2
/ˈpɔɹ.fɪ.ɹi/
an igneous rock containing conspicuous large crystals within a much finer-grained groundmass
spermaceti
C2
/spɚ.məˈsiː.ti/
a white waxy substance from the spermaceti organ in a sperm whale's head, historically used in candles, cosmetics, ointments, and lubricants
actinium
C2
/ækˈtɪn.i.əm/
the radioactive metallic chemical element with symbol Ac and atomic number 89, the first element of the actinide series
nacre
C2
/ˈneɪ.kɚ/
the hard, smooth, iridescent substance lining many mollusc shells and forming the outer coating of pearls
gneiss
C2
/ˈnaɪs/
a coarse-grained metamorphic rock with distinct light and dark mineral bands, commonly formed under high temperature and pressure
pasteboard
C2
/ˈpeɪstˌbɔrd/
stiff cardboard made by pasting together layers or sheets of paper
ammoniac
C2
/əˈmoʊ.ni.æk/
relating to, containing, or resembling ammonia
broadcloth
C2
/ˈbrɔdˌklɔθ/
a dense, smooth woolen cloth, historically woven wider than ordinary cloth and used for fine garments
cambric
C2
/ˈkeɪmbrɪk/
a fine, closely woven white fabric originally made of linen and now also made of cotton
solferino
C2
/ˌsoʊlfəˈɹiːnəʊ/
a vivid purplish-red or magenta color, originally the name of an aniline dye
selenite
C2
/ˈsɛl.əˌnaɪt/
a transparent or translucent crystalline variety of gypsum
emulsify
C2
/ɪˈmʊlsɪfaɪ/
To mix two liquids that normally separate, such as oil and water, into a smooth blend.
technetium
C2
/tɛkˈniː.ʃi.əm/
the radioactive metallic chemical element with symbol Tc and atomic number 43, all of whose isotopes are unstable
ironstone
C2
/ˈaɪ.ɚnˌstoʊn/
an iron-rich sedimentary rock or ore
matchwood
C2
/ˈmætʃˌwʊd/
wood reduced to small splinters, especially by violent damage
bituminous
C2
/bɪˈtuːmɪnəs/
containing, resembling, or having the tar-like qualities of bitumen
concretion
C2
/kənˈkriːʃən/
a hard, often rounded mineral mass formed by material accumulating within sediment or sedimentary rock
leathern
C2
/ˈlɛðɚn/
made of leather; now chiefly archaic or literary
neptunium
C2
/nɛpˈtjuːniəm/
the radioactive transuranic chemical element with symbol Np and atomic number 93
cretonne
C2
/ˈkriː.tɑːn/
a strong, often printed fabric of cotton, linen, or rayon used especially for curtains, slipcovers, and upholstery
viscid
C2
/ˈvɪsɪd/
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
granule
C2
/ˈɡrænjuːl/
a very small grain or particle of a substance
leavening
C2
/ˈlɛvənɪŋ/
A substance, such as yeast, that makes dough or batter rise.
satinwood
C2
/ˈsæt.ənˌwʊd/
a smooth, hard, lustrous yellowish wood used for fine furniture, veneers, marquetry, and cabinetwork
protactinium
C2
/ˌproʊ.tækˈtɪn.i.əm/
the chemical element with symbol Pa and atomic number 91, a dense, silvery, highly radioactive actinide metal with no stable isotopes
syenite
C2
/ˈsaɪəˌnaɪt/
a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock composed mainly of alkali feldspar with minerals such as hornblende or biotite and little or no quartz
castoreum
C2
/kæˈstɔːriəm/
a strong-smelling secretion from a beaver's castor sacs, used in scent marking and historically in medicine and perfumery
india-rubber
C2
/ˌɪndiə ˈrʌbər/
an old-fashioned name for natural rubber, the elastic waterproof material obtained from plant latex
curium
C2
/ˈkjʊə.ɹi.əm/
a synthetic radioactive metallic chemical element with atomic number 96 and symbol Cm
iodoform
C2
/aɪˈoʊ.də.fɔːrm/
a pale yellow crystalline compound, CHI₃, with a strong odor, formerly used as an antiseptic
vitrify
C2
/ˈvɪtrəˌfaɪ/
to convert a material into glass or a glasslike substance by heat and fusion, or to undergo that change
efflorescence
C2
/ˌefləˈresəns/
a powdery or crystalline deposit left on a surface when dissolved salts migrate and the water evaporates
sleave
C2
/sliːv/
archaic: to separate or spread into fine threads, strands, or filaments
carborundum
C2
/ˌkɑːrbəˈrʌndəm/
silicon carbide, an extremely hard crystalline material used as an abrasive and in industrial ceramics
greenstone
C2
/ˈɡriːnˌstoʊn/
any of various compact dark-green rocks, especially altered basic igneous rocks such as diabase or diorite
emulsification
C2
The process of mixing two liquids that normally separate, such as oil and water, into a smooth blend.
encrust
C2
/ɪnˈkɹʌst/
to cover or become covered with a hard crust or deposited layer
fusible
C2
/ˈfjuːzəbəl/
capable of being melted or fused by heat
siliceous
C2
/səˈlɪʃəs/
of, relating to, containing, or resembling silica or a silicate
picric
C2
/ˈpɪkɹɪk/
designating a type of bitter yellow acid.
aragonite
C2
/əˈræɡəˌnaɪt/
an orthorhombic mineral form of calcium carbonate, denser than calcite and common in shells, pearls, coral skeletons, and some cave deposits
fermium
C2
/ˈfɜːɹmiəm/
a synthetic radioactive chemical element with atomic number 100 and symbol Fm
bombazine
C2
/ˌbɑmbəˈzin/
a twilled fabric traditionally made with a silk warp and worsted weft, often dyed black for mourning clothes
whipcord
C2
/ˈwɪpˌkɔrd/
a thin, strong, tightly twisted cord, originally used for the lash of a whip
chrysolite
C2
/ˈkɹɪs.əˌlaɪt/
a yellow-green or golden-green gem variety of olivine, now generally called peridot
metalled
C2
(Of a road) surfaced with crushed stone or gravel.