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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307 words
pion
C2
/ˈpaɪˌɑːn/
any of three unstable spin-zero mesons, positively charged, negatively charged, or neutral, made from combinations of up and down quarks and antiquarks
electrochemical
C2
/ˌəˌlɛktroʊˈkɛmɪkəl/
of or involving electrochemistry
relativistic
C2
/ˌrɛlətɪˈvɪstɪk/
relating or subject to the special or the general theory of relativity
spectrograph
C2
/ˈspɛk.trəˌɡræf/
an instrument that separates radiation, sound, or charged particles into a spectrum and records or maps the resulting distribution
prostration
C2
/pɹɒsˈtɹeɪʃən/
an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion
refractive
C2
/rɪˈfræktɪv/
relating to refraction or to the bending of light, sound, or another wave
pipette
C2
/paɪˈpet/
a narrow graduated tube used to measure or transfer a small quantity of liquid
Carboniferous
C2
/ˌkɑɹbəˈnɪfɚəs/
relating to the geological period between the Devonian and Permian, about 359 to 299 million years ago
nodule
C2
/ˈnɑːdʒuːl/
a small rounded lump, knot, or mass in tissue, rock, or another material
phosphor
C2
/ˈfɑs.fɚ/
a substance that emits light after being excited by radiation or another form of energy, as in fluorescent lamps and display screens
lodestone
C2
/ˈloʊdˌstoʊn/
a naturally magnetized piece of magnetite capable of attracting iron
chaffinch
C2
/ˈt͡ʃæfɪnt͡ʃ/
small European finch with a cheerful song
psychical
C2
/ˈsaɪkɪkəl/
Performed by or pertaining to the psyche (the mind, spirit, or both): mental, psychic.
tannin
C2
/ˈtænɪn/
any of a group of astringent plant compounds that bind proteins and are found in bark, leaves, fruit, tea, and wine
precession
C2
/priːˈsɛʃən/
the slow conical motion of a spinning body's rotation axis, usually caused by an external torque
parasitical
C2
/ˌpɛɹəˈsɪtɪkəl/
relating to, caused by, or living as a parasite; parasitic
ammonite
C2
/ˈæ.məˌnaɪt/
one of the coiled chambered fossil shells of extinct mollusks
interferometer
C2
/ˌɪn.tɚ.fəˈrɑː.mə.tɚ/
an instrument that superimposes two or more waves and analyzes their interference pattern to make precise measurements of distance, wavelength, refractive index, or related quantities
phrenology
C2
/frəˈnɑːlədʒi/
historical: a discredited system that claimed a person's character and mental faculties could be read from the shape of the skull
muon
C2
/ˈmju.ɑːn/
an unstable elementary lepton with about 207 times the electron's mass; the negative muon has the electron's charge, and its antiparticle is the positive antimuon
ethnologist
C2
/ɛθˈnɑːlədʒɪst/
a scholar who studies and compares peoples, cultures, and social institutions, especially within the field of ethnology
metamorphic
C2
/ˌmɛtəˈmɔɹfɪk/
relating to rock altered by intense heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids without fully melting
stalactite
C2
/stəˈlæktaɪt/
an icicle-shaped mineral deposit that hangs from the roof of a cave
stria
C2
/ˈstraɪə/
a narrow stripe, streak, or band, especially one of a parallel series in tissue, plumage, or another patterned surface
Devonian
C2
/dɪˈvoʊniən/
the geological period of the Paleozoic Era between the Silurian and Carboniferous periods, about 419 to 359 million years ago
plutonic
C2
/pluˈtɑnɪk/
of igneous rock formed when magma cools and solidifies deep below the earth's surface
corpuscle
C2
/ˈkɔɹˌpʌsəl/
a blood cell, especially a red or white blood cell; now chiefly used in older or nontechnical language
alluvial
C2
/ˌæˈluːviːəl/
Pertaining to the soil deposited by a stream.
undifferentiated
C2
/ˌʌndɪfəˈrɛnʃieɪtɪd/
not divided, distinguished, or developed into different parts or types
meson
C2
/ˈmez.ɑːn/
a hadron with integer spin, conventionally composed of a quark and an antiquark bound by the strong interaction; pions and kaons are mesons
refract
C2
/rɪˈfrækt/
to make light, sound, or another wave change direction as it passes between media
electrolytic
C2
/ɨˌlɛk.tɹɵˈlɪ.tɪk/
of or concerned with or produced by electrolysis
fallibility
C2
/fæləˈbɪləti/
The state of being prone to error.
ichthyologist
C2
/ˌɪkθiˈɑːlədʒɪst/
a scientist or specialist who studies fish
monad
C2
/ˈmoʊnæd/
An ultimate atom, or simple, unextended point; something ultimate and indivisible.
spectroscopic
C2
/ˌspɛktrəˈskɑpɪk/
relating to spectroscopy or to the production, measurement, or analysis of spectra
breccia
C2
/ˈbrɛtʃiə/
rock composed of angular fragments cemented together in a finer-grained matrix
datum
C2
/ˈdeɪtəm/
one item of factual information used for measurement or reasoning
mutagenic
C2
/ˌmjuːtəˈdʒɛnɪk/
capable of causing genetic mutation, or relating to the production of mutations
prescience
C2
/ˈpɹɛʃəns/
Knowledge of events before they take place.
stratification
C2
/ˌstrætəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the formation, arrangement, or classification of something into distinct layers
hydrodynamic
C2
/ˌhaɪ.droʊ.daɪˈnæm.ɪk/
relating to the motion of liquids and the forces acting on bodies in moving liquids
galvanism
C2
/ˈɡælvəˌnɪzəm/
electricity produced by chemical action, especially as understood in early electrical science
unverifiable
C2
/ˌʌnˌvɛrəˈfaɪəbəl/
not capable of being checked, confirmed, or established as true by available evidence or method
ecliptic
C2
/ɪˈklɪptɪk/
the great circle on the celestial sphere representing the Sun's apparent yearly path
atavism
C2
/ˈætəˌvɪzəm/
the reappearance in an organism of a trait associated with a remote ancestor
phlogiston
C2
/floʊˈdʒɪstɑn/
a hypothetical fire-like substance once thought to exist in combustible materials and to be released during burning
vibratory
C2
/ˈvaɪbrətɔːri/
involving, characterized by, or causing rapid back-and-forth motion or vibration
paleontological
C2
/ˌpeɪliəntəˈlɑːdʒɪkəl/
relating to paleontology or to the study of life in the geological past through fossils
mineralogist
C2
/ˌmɪn.əˈrɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a scientist who studies the formation, composition, properties, and classification of minerals
synchrotron
C2
/ˈsɪŋ.krəˌtrɑːn/
a circular particle accelerator in which radiofrequency electric fields accelerate charged particles while a synchronized magnetic field keeps them on a fixed closed path as their energy increases
engram
C2
/ˈɛnˌɡɹæm/
A postulated physical or biochemical change in neural tissue that represents a memory.
phosphorescence
C2
/ˌfɑsfəˈrɛsəns/
the emission of light by a substance that continues after the source of excitation has been removed
Eocene
C2
/ˈiːəˌsiːn/
relating to the geological epoch from about 56 to 34 million years ago, between the Paleocene and Oligocene
epistemology
C2
/ɪˌpɪstəˈmɑləd͡ʒi/
The branch of philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge; the theory of knowledge, asking such questions as "What is knowledge?", "How is knowledge acquired?", "What do people know?", "How do we know what we know?", "How do we know it is true?", and so on.
lamina
C2
/ˈlæm.ɪ.nə/
a thin layer, plate, sheet, or scale of material
anode
C2
/ˈæn.oʊd/
the electrode at which oxidation occurs in an electrochemical cell; it is negative in a cell supplying current and positive when external power drives the reaction
gibbous
C2
/ˈɡɪbəs/
having more than half but less than all of the visible disk illuminated, especially of the moon
radioisotope
C2
/ˌreɪ.di.oʊˈaɪ.sə.toʊp/
a radioactive isotope of an element, whose unstable nuclei decay and emit radiation
albumen
C2
/ˈælbjʊmən/
the white part of an egg
inhere
C2
/ɪnˈhɪə/
To be inherent; to be an essential or intrinsic part of; to be fixed or permanently incorporated with something.
perihelion
C2
/ˌpɛɹ.əˈhiː.li.ən/
The point in the elliptical orbit of a comet, planet, etc., where it is nearest to the Sun.
paleozoic
C2
/ˈpeɪl.iəˌzəʊɪk/
of or relating to or denoting the Paleozoic era
evolutionist
C2
/ˌɛvəˈluʃənɪst/
a person who accepts, studies, or advocates the theory of biological evolution
embryology
C2
/ˌɛmbriːˈɑːlədʒi/
the branch of biology that studies the formation and early development of living organisms
meiosis
C2
/maɪˈoʊ.sɪs/
cell division in which one diploid cell undergoes two divisions to produce four haploid cells
mineralogy
C2
/ˌmɪnəˈɹɑlədʒi/
the branch of geology that studies minerals, including their composition, structure, properties, and classification
globule
C2
/ˈɡlɑːbjuːl/
a very small round mass, particle, or drop of a liquid or softened solid
bacteriologist
C2
/bækˌtɪriˈɑlədʒɪst/
a scientist who specializes in the study of bacteria
polestar
C2
/ˈpoʊlˌstɑɹ/
the North Star, used as a fixed point for finding direction
periodicity
C2
/ˌpɪriəˈdɪsəti/
the quality of recurring at regular intervals
pliocene
C2
/ˈplaɪəˌsiːn/
the geological epoch about 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago, immediately before the Pleistocene
geocentric
C2
/ˌd͡ʒioʊˈsɛntɹɪk/
treating Earth as the center, especially in an astronomical model of the universe
autosomal
C2
/ˌɔːtoʊˈsoʊməl/
relating to an autosome, or inherited through a chromosome other than a sex chromosome
vivisect
C2
/ˈvɪv.ə.sekt/
to operate on or dissect a living animal for scientific investigation
vivisectionist
C2
/ˌvɪv.ɪˈsek.ʃən.ɪst/
a person who practices, advocates, or defends vivisection
reflexion
C2
/ɹɪˈflɛkʃ(ə)n/
Uncommon spelling of reflection.
dualism
C2
/ˈduːəˌlɪzəm/
Duality; the condition of being double.
dynamical
C2
/daɪˈnæmɪkəl/
relating to dynamics, forces, or the laws governing motion and change
undulation
C2
/ˌʌndjʊˈleɪʃən/
a smooth rising-and-falling or back-and-forth movement like a wave
polypeptide
C2
/ˌpɑliˈpɛpˌtaɪd/
a chain of amino acids joined by peptide bonds, forming all or part of a protein
capitation
C2
/kapɪˈteɪʃən/
A system of remuneration for providers of health care, in which providers enroll patients as permanent clients and receive a fixed (and capped) periodic payment for each enrollee (i.e., per capita).
antiproton
C2
/ˌæn.tiˈproʊ.tɑːn/
the antiparticle of the proton, with the same mass but a negative electric charge
luminiferous
C2
/ˌluːmɪˈnɪfərəs/
producing or transmitting light; luminous.
compressive
C2
/kəmˈpɹɛsɪv/
that compresses
orrery
C2
/ˈɔɹəɹi/
a mechanical model that shows the relative positions and movements of bodies in the solar system
biophysical
C2
/ˌbaɪ.oʊˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl/
relating to biophysics or to the application of physical principles and methods to biological systems
heliocentric
C2
/ˌhiːlioʊˈsɛntɹɪk/
treating the sun as the center, especially in an astronomical model of the solar system
calorific
C2
/ˌkæləˈɹɪf.ɪk/
Containing a lot of calories and likely to be fattening.
kinematic
C2
/ˌkɪnəˈmætɪk/
relating to motion considered without reference to the forces or masses that cause it
unobservable
C2
/ˌʌnəbˈzɝvəbəl/
not capable of being directly seen, measured, detected, or otherwise observed
vesicle
C2
/ˈvɛsɪkəl/
a small membrane-bound sac or cavity in a cell or organism, often containing fluid or another substance
extrinsic
C2
/ɛksˈtɹɪn.zɪk/
not forming an essential part of a thing or arising or originating from the outside
plasm
C2
/ˈplæzəm/
biology, now rare: the living substance of a cell; protoplasm
transuranic
C2
/ˌtrænz.jʊˈræn.ɪk/
of a chemical element, having an atomic number greater than uranium's atomic number of 92
anatomize
C2
/əˈnætəmaɪz/
to analyze a subject, argument, or character in minute detail