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
maladministration
C2
/ˌmælədˌmɪnəˈstreɪʃən/
faulty, improper, or inefficient management, especially by a public authority
ephor
C2
/ˈɛf.ɚ/
one of five annually elected senior magistrates in ancient Sparta, empowered to supervise the kings and enforce civic law
contumacy
C2
/ˈkɑːntʊməsi/
stubborn resistance to authority; deliberate and obstinate disobedience
nonage
C2
/ˈnoʊnəd͡ʒ/
the state or period of being below the legal age of adulthood; minority
indefeasibility
C2
/ɪn.dɪˌfiː.zɪˈbɪl.ə.ti/
the quality of being impossible to annul, invalidate, or defeat, especially as a legal right or title
prohibitory
C2
/proʊˈhɪbəˌtɔɹi/
serving or intended to prohibit or forbid something
socage
C2
/ˈsɑːkɪdʒ/
historical law: land tenure in return for agricultural services fixed in amount and kind or for money rent, rather than military service
cursitor
C2
/ˈkɝsɪtɚ/
historical English law: a clerk in the Court of Chancery who prepared original writs issued as a matter of routine
taxgatherer
C2
/ˈtæksˌɡæð.ɚ.ɚ/
one who collects taxes or public revenues; a tax collector
hotchpot
C2
/ˈhɑtʃˌpɑt/
the legal combining of property or earlier gifts into a common fund so that an inheritance can be divided equally
comitia
C2
/koʊˈmɪʃ.i.ə/
in ancient Rome, an assembly of citizens convened to elect officials or exercise legislative or judicial authority
disencumbrance
C2
/ˌdɪs.ɪnˈkʌm.brəns/
freedom or release from an encumbrance, burden, debt, or legal claim
metic
C2
/ˈmɛtɪk/
in an ancient Greek city-state, a resident foreigner who lacked full citizen rights and usually paid a special tax
mutinously
C2
In a rebellious way that refuses to obey authority.
arbitrament
C2
/ɑːrˈbɪtrəmənt/
an authoritative judgment or the power of deciding a matter; arbitration
pontage
C2
A duty or tax paid for repairing bridges.
mulct
C2
/mʌlkt/
A fine or penalty, especially a pecuniary one.
phylarch
C2
/ˈfaɪ.lɑːrk/
the chief ruler of a phyle, or tribal division, in ancient Greece
vice-warden
C2
/ˈvaɪsˌwɔːr.dən/
a deputy or assistant to a warden, authorized to act in the warden's place
predial
C2
/ˈpriːdiəl/
of, relating to, or derived from land, landed property, or agriculture
denaturalize
C2
/diˈnætʃərəˌlaɪz/
to revoke or deny a person's naturalized citizenship
pedantocracy
C2
/ˌpɛd.ənˈtɑː.krə.si/
government or administration dominated by pedants who value rigid rules and narrow learning over practical judgment
preappoint
C2
/ˌpriːəˈpɔɪnt/
to appoint, arrange, or determine beforehand
purpresture
C2
/pɚˈprɛstʃɚ/
law: a wrongful enclosure, occupation, or appropriation of land subject to public or common rights
muniment
C2
/ˈmjunəmənt/
a legal deed, charter, or other document preserved as evidence of a right or title
superficies
C2
/ˌsuːpərˈfɪʃiˌiːz/
the outer surface or external aspect of something