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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290 words
acanthus
C2
/əˈkæn.θəs/
a plant of the genus Acanthus, with large deeply cut or spiny leaves and tall spikes of flowers
landholder
C2
/ˈlændˌhoʊldɝ/
a person or organization that owns or legally holds land, especially an agricultural estate
fructify
C2
/ˈfrʌktəˌfaɪ/
to bear fruit or become fruitful
orris
C2
/ˈɔɹ.ɪs/
the fragrant dried rhizome of certain irises, used especially in perfumery, potpourri, and flavoring
withy
C2
/ˈwɪð.i/
a tough, flexible willow twig or branch, especially one used for binding or weaving
hairiness
C2
/ˈhɛriːnəs/
The characteristic of being hairy.
orchis
C2
/ˈɔɹ.kɪs/
a terrestrial orchid, especially a plant of the genus Orchis
gnarl
C2
/nɑɹl/
to twist or deform something into a rough, knotted shape
canebrake
C2
/ˈkeɪn.breɪk/
a dense thicket of cane, bamboo, or similar tall plants
pelargonium
C2
/ˌpɛlɑɹˈɡoʊniəm/
a flowering plant of the genus Pelargonium, often cultivated as a tender ornamental and commonly called a geranium
opuntia
C2
/əˈpʌntiə/
botany: any cactus of the genus Opuntia, whose members typically have flattened jointed pads and include the prickly pears
carex
C2
/ˈkɛrɛks/
a sedge belonging to the large genus Carex, whose small fruits are enclosed in saclike structures
teasel
C2
/ˈtiːzəl/
a tall prickly plant of the genus Dipsacus with spiny, cone-shaped flower heads
barberry
C2
/ˈbɑɹbɛɹi/
a thorny shrub of the genus Berberis, typically bearing yellow flowers and red or dark berries
haycock
C2
/ˈheɪkɑːk/
a small conical pile of hay left in a field to dry
plowshare
C2
/ˈplaʊˌʃer/
the sharp cutting blade of a plow that slices horizontally through the soil
heartsease
C2
/ˈhɑɹtsˌiz/
the European wild pansy, Viola tricolor, a small flower with petals commonly marked in three colors
agrimony
C2
/ˈæɡ.rɪˌmoʊ.ni/
a perennial herb of the genus Agrimonia, with spikes of small yellow flowers and bristly fruits
thallus
C2
/ˈθæləs/
a plantlike vegetative body, such as that of an alga, fungus, or lichen, which is not differentiated into true stems, leaves, and roots
mulga
C2
/ˈmɐlɡə/
Any of a number of small acacia trees, especially Acacia aneura, forming dense scrub in dry inland areas of Australia.
thistledown
C2
/ˈθɪs.əlˌdaʊn/
the soft, feathery hairs attached to ripe thistle seeds that help the wind carry them
kauri
C2
/ˈkaʊɹi/
a large Australasian conifer of the genus Agathis, especially the New Zealand tree Agathis australis
métayer
C2
/ˌmɛtəˈjeɪ/
historical: a sharecropper who cultivates a landlord's land for a portion, often half, of the harvest while the landlord supplies stock, seed, or tools
araucaria
C2
/ærɔˈkɛriə/
an evergreen coniferous tree of the genus Araucaria, which includes the monkey puzzle, bunya pine, and hoop pine
pasturage
C2
/ˈpæs.tʃɚ.ɪdʒ/
land used or suitable for grazing livestock
scabious
C2
/ˈskeɪ.bi.əs/
a plant with pincushion-like flower heads, especially one of the genera Scabiosa or Knautia
buttonwood
C2
/ˈbʌtənˌwʊd/
the American sycamore, a large North American plane tree with round buttonlike fruiting heads
cotyledon
C2
/ˌkɑtəˈliːdən/
an embryonic leaf in a seed, often serving as the seedling's first leaf or food store
arborescent
C2
/ɑɹbəˈɹɛsənt/
resembling a tree in form, growth, or branching structure
stook
C2
/stʊk/
chiefly British: a group of sheaves of grain set upright together in a field to dry
ovule
C2
/ˈɑː.vjuːl/
in seed plants, the structure that contains the female reproductive cells and develops into a seed after fertilization
betony
C2
/ˈbɛtəni/
a perennial herb, especially Stachys officinalis, with spikes of purple flowers and a history of medicinal use
maidenhair
C2
/ˈmeɪdənˌhɛr/
a fern of the genus Adiantum, with delicate fan-shaped leaflets on slender dark stalks
pigweed
C2
/ˈpɪɡˌwiːd/
any of various common weedy plants, especially amaranths or goosefoots, some formerly used as pig fodder or leafy food
allamanda
C2
/ˌæləˈmændə/
a tropical American shrub or woody vine of the genus Allamanda, grown for its large funnel-shaped flowers
axil
C2
/ˈæksəl/
in botany, the upper angle between a leaf, branch, or leafstalk and the stem or axis from which it grows
sapwood
C2
/ˈsæpwʊd/
the younger, living outer wood of a tree trunk or branch, through which water and minerals are conducted
nectary
C2
/ˈnɛk.təɹi/
a gland or specialized plant structure that secretes nectar
corncrib
C2
/ˈkɔrnˌkrɪb/
a ventilated farm building or bin used to store and dry ears of maize
strophanthus
C2
/stroʊˈfænθəs/
a tropical African or Asian tree, shrub, or woody vine of the genus Strophanthus, often with long twisted petals
mullein
C2
/ˈmʌlɪn/
a plant of the genus Verbascum, typically having woolly leaves and a tall spike of yellow flowers
liverwort
C2
/ˈlɪv.ɚˌwɝːt/
a small nonvascular plant related to mosses, usually growing in damp places as a leafy shoot or flat thallus
ilex
C2
/ˈaɪlɛks/
an evergreen Mediterranean oak with leathery leaves; the holm oak
germen
C2
/ˈdʒɝːmən/
historical botany: the ovary of a flower, containing the ovules and developing into the fruit after fertilization
epiphyte
C2
/ˈɛpəˌfaɪt/
a plant that grows on another plant for physical support without drawing nourishment from it as a parasite
harebell
C2
/ˈhɛɚˌbɛl/
A perennial flowering plant, Campanula rotundifolia, native to the Northern Hemisphere, with blue, bell-like flowers.
antirrhinum
C2
/ˌæntəˈraɪnəm/
a snapdragon plant of the genus Antirrhinum
piny
C2
/ˈpaɪni/
covered with, full of, resembling, or characteristic of pine trees
serrate
C2
/ˈsɛɹˌeɪt/
having a saw-like edge with a row of sharp, tooth-like projections, especially of a leaf
cardoon
C2
/kɑː(ɹ)ˈduːn/
Any of species Cynara cardunculus of prickly perennial plants which has leaf stalks eaten as a vegetable, related to the artichoke.
sheepcote
C2
/ˈʃiːpˌkoʊt/
chiefly British or historical: a pen or small shelter for sheep
convolvulus
C2
/kənˈvɑlvjələs/
a trailing or twining plant of the genus Convolvulus, typically with trumpet-shaped flowers; a bindweed
odontoglossum
C2
/oʊˌdɑːntəˈɡlɑːsəm/
a showy tropical American orchid formerly classified in the genus Odontoglossum, now generally placed within Oncidium
polyandrous
C2
/ˌpɑːˌliːˈændrəs/
having numerous stamens, especially stamens inserted on the receptacle of a flower
fruitage
C2
/ˈfruː.tɪdʒ/
the fruit produced by a plant, or the amount of fruit it yields
cottar
C2
/ˈkɑːtər/
Scottish history: a peasant or farm laborer who occupied a cottage and sometimes a small plot, usually in return for labor services
papilionaceous
C2
/pəˌpɪliəˈneɪʃəs/
having a butterfly-shaped corolla, as in many flowers of the pea family
bulrush
C2
/ˈbʊlˌrʌʃ/
any of several tall, rushlike wetland plants, especially a cattail or reedmace with a cylindrical flower spike
pinnate
C2
/pɪnˈneɪt/
having leaflets, lobes, veins, or branches arranged in two rows along a central axis
foliate
C2
/ˈfoʊ.li.ət/
having, resembling, or arranged in thin leaflike layers
petiole
C2
/ˈpɛti.oʊl/
botany: the stalk that attaches a leaf blade to a plant stem
liliaceous
C2
/ˌlɪliˈeɪʃəs/
botany: belonging or relating to the lily family Liliaceae
weedless
C2
/ˈwiːdləs/
free from weeds
seedsman
C2
/ˈsiːdzmən/
a person or business that sells seeds
palmate
C2
/ˈpæl.meɪt/
shaped like an open hand, with lobes, leaflets, veins, or other parts radiating from a common point
ingathering
C2
/ˈɪnˌɡæðərɪŋ/
the gathering in of a harvest
gynaeceum
C2
/ˌɡaɪ.nəˈsiː.əm/
botany: variant of gynoecium, the collective female reproductive parts of a flower
orchidaceous
C2
/ˌɔrkɪˈdeɪʃəs/
relating to orchids or the orchid family
pedunculate
C2
/pɪˈdʌŋkjələt/
attached to or borne on a peduncle, stalk, or stem
leafage
C2
/ˈliː.fɪdʒ/
the leaves of plants collectively; foliage
winterberry
C2
/ˈwɪntɚˌbɛri/
an eastern North American deciduous holly (Ilex verticillata) bearing persistent bright red berries
plumbago
C2
/plʌmˈbeɪɡoʊ/
a warm-climate flowering plant of the genus Plumbago, commonly called leadwort
cinquefoil
C2
/ˈsɪŋkˌfɔɪl/
any of numerous plants of the genus Potentilla, typically bearing leaves with five leaflets and five-petaled flowers
monocotyledonous
C2
/ˌmɑːnəˌkɑːtəˈliːdənəs/
having or relating to a single cotyledon in the seed, as in grasses, lilies, palms, and other monocots
seedtime
C2
/ˈsiːdˌtaɪm/
the season or time for sowing seed
sweet william
C2
/ˌswiːt ˈwɪljəm/
a widely cultivated European flowering plant (Dianthus barbatus) with dense, flat clusters of white, pink, red, or purple flowers
conferva
C2
/kənˈfɝvə/
an obsolete or historical botanical term for threadlike freshwater algae, formerly grouped in the genus Conferva
cryptogamic
C2
/ˌkrɪptəˈɡæmɪk/
relating to cryptogams, the formerly grouped plants and plant-like organisms that reproduce by spores rather than flowers or seeds
foliaceous
C2
/ˌfoʊ.liˈeɪ.ʃəs/
resembling a leaf or composed of leaflike parts
fructification
C2
/ˌfrʌk.tɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
the process of bearing or producing fruit
scytheman
C2
/ˈsaɪðmən/
a person who cuts grass or grain with a scythe; a mower
wood sorrel
C2
/ˈwʊd ˌsɔːr.əl/
any herb of the genus Oxalis, especially woodland species with sour sap, compound leaves, and five-petaled white, pink, purple, or yellow flowers
peppergrass
C2
/ˈpɛpɚˌɡræs/
any of various pungent cresses of the genus Lepidium, especially garden cress or Virginia peppergrass
southernwood
C2
/ˈsʌðɚnˌwʊd/
an aromatic shrubby species of wormwood (Artemisia abrotanum), grown for its finely divided leaves and lemon-like scent
radicle
C2
/ˈɹædɪkəl/
the embryonic root of a seedling, which is the first part to grow downward from a germinating seed
dicotyledonous
C2
/ˌdaɪkɑtəlˈiːdənəs/
having an embryo with two cotyledons, as in the flowering plants traditionally called dicotyledons
pipewort
C2
/ˈpaɪpˌwɝt/
any of several aquatic or marsh plants of the genus Eriocaulon, with narrow leaves and small flowers gathered in dense heads
repastination
C2
/riːˌpæstɪˈneɪʃən/
obsolete: the act of digging or turning over soil again
umbel
C2
/ˈʌmbəl/
a flat-topped or rounded flower cluster whose individual stalks arise from nearly the same point
arborvitae
C2
/ˌɑrbərˈvaɪti/
any of several evergreen conifers of the genera Thuja and Thujopsis, commonly grown as ornamental trees or hedges
farmsteading
C2
/ˈfɑːrmˌstiː.dɪŋ/
chiefly British or Scottish: a farmstead, especially the farmhouse and its surrounding farm buildings considered as a group
inarch
C2
/ɪnˈɑːrtʃ/
to graft one growing plant onto another while both stock and scion remain attached to their own roots
stipule
C2
/ˈstɪpjuːl/
one of a pair of small, often leaflike appendages at the base of a leaf stalk
laciniate
C2
/ləˈsɪniət/
botany and zoology: cut into a fringe or into deep, narrow, irregular lobes
potamogeton
C2
/ˌpɑtəmoʊˈdʒiːtɑn/
a submerged or floating-leaved aquatic plant of the genus Potamogeton; a pondweed
elecampane
C2
/ˌɛləkæmˈpeɪn/
a tall Eurasian plant of the daisy family, Inula helenium, formerly valued for its aromatic medicinal root