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.
Choose your level
View all levels
227 words
argillaceous
C2
/ˌɑrdʒɪˈleɪʃəs/
made of, containing, or resembling clay
lawrencium
C2
/ləˈɹɛnsiəm/
a synthetic radioactive chemical element with atomic number 103 and symbol Lr
corrugate
C2
/ˈkɔːr.əˌɡeɪt/
to form a material into parallel ridges, folds, or grooves
sardius
C2
/ˈsɑːɹ.di.əs/
historical or biblical: sard, a translucent brownish-red to deep orange-red variety of chalcedony used as a gemstone
silex
C2
/ˈsaɪleks/
silica or a hard siliceous material, especially flint
balas
C2
/ˈbaləs/
a pale red or rose-coloured spinel historically called a balas ruby and often mistaken for true ruby
spinel
C2
/spɪˈnɛl/
a hard, glassy magnesium aluminium oxide mineral that crystallizes in the cubic system and occurs in many colors
jacinth
C2
/ˈdʒæ.sɪnθ/
a transparent reddish-orange or reddish-brown variety of zircon used as a gemstone
ammoniacal
C2
/aməˈnʌɪəkəl/
pertaining to or containing or similar to ammonia
tussore
C2
/ˈtʌs.ɔɹ/
a strong, naturally tan or brownish silk produced by the larvae of several wild Asian saturniid moths
ferruginous
C2
/fəˈruːdʒənəs/
containing iron or an iron compound
gumwood
C2
/ˈɡʌmwʊd/
the wood of a gum tree, especially eucalyptus or sweetgum, used for timber and other products
silvern
C2
/ˈsɪlvɚn/
having the white lustrous sheen of silver
litharge
C2
/ˈlɪθɑrdʒ/
lead monoxide, especially the fused yellow or reddish material produced during the refining of lead or silver
fusibility
C2
/ˌfjuːzəˈbɪləti/
the quality or degree of being capable of melting or being fused by heat
peltry
C2
/ˈpɛltri/
animal pelts or furs collectively, especially raw, undressed skins traded as a commodity
steatite
C2
/ˈstiːəˌtaɪt/
a soft, dense variety of talc with a soapy feel, commonly called soapstone
castor oil
C2
/ˌkæs.tɚ ˈɔɪl/
a pale, thick oil pressed from castor beans, used medicinally as a laxative and industrially as a lubricant, plasticizer, and chemical feedstock
moreen
C2
/moʊˈrin/
historical: a heavy woolen or wool-and-cotton furnishing fabric, often with a ribbed or watered finish
feldspathic
C2
/feldˈspæθɪk/
relating to, containing, or rich in feldspar
benzoline
C2
/ˈben.zə.liːn/
a historical name for a volatile petroleum or coal-tar solvent, used especially for cleaning and removing grease
dissoluble
C2
/dɪˈsɑljəbəl/
capable of being dissolved or broken down into constituent parts
cinnamon stone
C2
/ˈsɪn.ə.mən ˌstoʊn/
an orange to reddish-brown gemstone variety of grossular garnet, also called hessonite
senega
C2
/ˈsɛnɪɡə/
historical: gum arabic obtained in or exported from the Senegal region, used especially in dyeing and manufacturing
copperas
C2
/ˈkɑːpərəs/
historical chemistry: iron(II) sulfate, a green crystalline compound used in dyes, inks, tanning, and other processes
shruff
C2
/ʃrʌf/
historical metalworking: old or broken brass or copper, filings, dross, and similar metal refuse kept for remelting
fustic
C2
/ˈfʌstɪk/
the yellow dyewood or dye obtained from the tropical American tree Maclura tinctoria, also called old fustic or dyer's mulberry
greensand
C2
/ˈɡriːnˌsænd/
greenish sand or sandstone containing the mineral glauconite
iron mould
C2
/ˈaɪərn ˌmoʊld/
a yellow, brown, or reddish stain on cloth, paper, or a similar material caused by rusty iron or an iron-based ink
muriate
C2
/ˈmjʊriət/
an obsolete chemical name for a chloride, a salt regarded as derived from muriatic acid
whinstone
C2
/ˈwɪnˌstoʊn/
chiefly British: hard, dark basaltic rock or traprock, often quarried for road stone
chrysoberyl
C2
/ˈkɹɪs.əˌbɛɹ.əl/
a very hard beryllium aluminium oxide mineral, commonly yellow to green and used as a gemstone
micaceous
C2
/maɪˈkeɪʃəs/
containing or consisting partly of mica
phonolite
C2
/ˈfoʊnəˌlaɪt/
a fine-grained volcanic rock composed chiefly of alkali feldspar and nepheline, some varieties of which ring when struck
shagreen
C2
/ʃʌˈɡriːn/
a tough leather with a granular surface, historically made from horsehide and now commonly from shark or ray skin