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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529 words
peccary
C2
/ˈpekəri/
a social, piglike hoofed mammal native to the Americas, belonging to the family Tayassuidae
pichi
C2
/ˈpiːtʃi/
a small hairy armadillo, Zaedyus pichiy, native to the dry grasslands and scrub of Argentina and Chile
ruminant
C2
/ˈɹuːmɪnənt/
A hoofed animal, such as a cow, sheep, or deer, that chews the cud and has a stomach with several compartments.
quagga
C2
/ˈkwɑɡə/
an extinct southern African subspecies of plains zebra, striped mainly on the head and front of the body
apar
C2
/əˈpɑːr/
a South American three-banded armadillo of the genus Tolypeutes, able to roll its armored body into a nearly complete ball
casque
C2
/kæsk/
a hard helmet-like structure on the head or bill of certain birds and reptiles
courser
C2
/ˈkɔrsɝ/
historical or literary: a swift, strong horse, especially one ridden in battle
raffish
C2
/ˈɹæfɪʃ/
marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
ovipositor
C2
/oʊvɪˈpɑzɪtɚ/
a tubular or blade-like organ used by a female insect or certain other animals to place or lay eggs
merganser
C2
/mɚˈɡænsɚ/
any of several fish-eating diving ducks with a narrow bill edged by toothlike serrations
bivalve
C2
/ˈbaɪvælv/
a mollusc of the class Bivalvia whose body is enclosed by two hinged shell valves, such as a clam, mussel, oyster, or scallop
pipit
C2
/ˈpɪpɪt/
a small, slender, usually brown and streaked ground-feeding songbird, chiefly of the genus Anthus, found in open country
carnivora
C2
Carnivorans.
spoonbill
C2
/ˈspuːnˌbɪl/
a long-legged wading bird related to the ibises, with a broad, flat bill rounded at the tip
greenfinch
C2
/ˈɡriːnfɪntʃ/
a small Old World finch of the genus Chloris, typically with greenish plumage and bright yellow areas on the wings and tail
dewlap
C2
/ˈduːˌlæp/
a loose fold of skin hanging beneath the neck of cattle, dogs, goats, and some other animals
pickerel
C2
/ˈpɪkɝəl/
A freshwater fish of the genus Esox.
kulan
C2
/ˈkuːˌlɑːn/
an Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus) of the Central Asian steppes and deserts, especially the Turkmen kulan subspecies (E. h. kulan)
megalosaurus
C2
/ˌmɛɡəloʊˈsɔːrəs/
a large meat-eating theropod dinosaur of the genus Megalosaurus, known from Middle Jurassic fossils in England
gaur
C2
/ˈɡaʊər/
a very large wild bovine, Bos gaurus, native to forests of South and Southeast Asia
cere
C2
/sɪr/
the fleshy or waxy skin at the base of the upper beak in certain birds, containing the nostrils
plesiosaurus
C2
/ˌpliː.si.oʊˈsɔːr.əs/
a marine reptile of the extinct genus Plesiosaurus, with a small head, long neck, broad body, and four paddle-shaped limbs
currycomb
C2
/ˈkɝiˌkoʊm/
a comb with rows of short teeth or ridges, used especially for grooming a horse
peafowl
C2
/ˈpiːfaʊl/
any of several large pheasant-family birds whose males are peacocks and females are peahens, especially species of Pavo and Afropavo
annelid
C2
/ˈænəlɪd/
a segmented worm of the phylum Annelida, such as an earthworm, leech, or ragworm
guanaco
C2
/ɡwəˈnɑːkəʊ/
wild llama
wapiti
C2
/ˈwɑːpəti/
the North American elk (Cervus canadensis), a large deer whose males bear branching antlers
amphipod
C2
/ˈæmfɪˌpɑːd/
any small crustacean of the order Amphipoda, typically with a laterally compressed body and differently directed pairs of legs
shorthorn
C2
/ˈʃɔːɹtˌhɔːɹn/
a member of a British breed of cattle developed in northeastern England and raised in dairy and beef varieties
mudcat
C2
/ˈmʌdˌkæt/
US: any of several catfish associated with muddy water, especially a bullhead or flathead catfish
chough
C2
/tʃʌf/
either of two glossy black Eurasian birds of the genus Pyrrhocorax, noted for red or yellow bills and legs
nudibranch
C2
/ˈnuːdɪˌbræŋk/
a shell-less marine gastropod in the group Nudibranchia, often brightly colored and bearing exposed gills or other respiratory structures
crossbill
C2
/ˈkrɑːsˌbɪl/
any finch of the genus Loxia whose upper and lower bill tips cross, an adaptation for extracting seeds from conifer cones
untrammeled
C2
/ənˈtræməld/
not confined or limited
tragopan
C2
/ˈtræɡəpæn/
any of several Asian forest pheasants of the genus Tragopan, whose brightly colored males have two fleshy head horns and an inflatable throat lappet
insectivorous
C2
/ˌɪnsɛkˈtɪv(ə)ɹəs/
feeding mainly or entirely on insects
turnspit
C2
/ˈtɝnˌspɪt/
a small type of dog formerly trained to turn a roasting spit by running in a wheel
cavy
C2
/ˈkeɪvi/
any short-tailed South American rodent of the family Caviidae, including the wild ancestors and relatives of guinea pigs
cowbird
C2
/ˈkaʊˌbɝd/
a New World blackbird of the genus Molothrus that commonly lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species
fieldfare
C2
/ˈfiːldfer/
a large Eurasian thrush, Turdus pilaris, with a gray head and rump, often seen in flocks during winter
ichthyosaurus
C2
/ˌɪkθiəˈsɔːrəs/
an extinct dolphin-shaped marine reptile of the genus Ichthyosaurus, known chiefly from Early Jurassic rocks of Europe
ursine
C2
/ˈɝsaɪn/
relating to, characteristic of, or resembling a bear
scoter
C2
/ˈskoʊtɚ/
a large northern sea duck of the genus Melanitta, whose adult males are predominantly black and which feeds by diving
effectually
C2
/ɪˈfɛkt͡ʃuːəli/
in an effectual or successful manner
clasper
C2
/ˈklæspɚ/
a specialized appendage used to hold a mate during reproduction, especially in male fish, insects, or crustaceans
macaco
C2
/məˈkɑːkoʊ/
a historical common name for the black lemur, Eulemur macaco, and formerly for several related lemurs
wildfowl
C2
/ˈwaɪldˌfaʊl/
wild birds hunted as game or food, especially ducks, geese, and other waterfowl
pintail
C2
/ˈpɪnteɪl/
a slender, long-necked dabbling duck whose central tail feathers form a narrow point, especially the northern pintail
blenny
C2
/ˈblɛni/
a small, usually elongated marine fish of the blenny groups, especially a bottom-dwelling combtooth blenny of the family Blenniidae
godwit
C2
/ˈɡɑːdwɪt/
a large migratory wading bird of the genus Limosa, with a very long bill and long legs
redstart
C2
/ˈrɛdstɑːrt/
any of several small Old World insect-eating birds, especially members of the genus Phoenicurus, with conspicuous reddish tails
twite
C2
/twaɪt/
a small brown finch, Linaria flavirostris, breeding in northern Eurasia and identified by its yellow bill and forked tail
hamadryas
C2
/ˌhæməˈdraɪəs/
a large baboon native to northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, whose adult males have a silvery mantle
aphis
C2
/ˈeɪfɪs/
technical and now uncommon: an aphid, especially an aphid of the genus Aphis
crinoid
C2
/ˈkraɪnɔɪd/
a marine echinoderm of the class Crinoidea, including sea lilies and feather stars, with feathery arms around a central body
dunnock
C2
/ˈdʌnək/
A small European and Asian passerine bird, Prunella modularis; the hedge sparrow or hedge warbler.
fritillary
C2
/ˈfrɪtəlɛri/
any of several orange, brown, or tawny butterflies, especially nymphalids with dark markings and often silvery spots beneath the wings
muntjac
C2
/ˈmʌntdʒæk/
a small Asian deer of the genus Muntiacus, whose barking call gives it the alternative name barking deer
trogon
C2
/ˈtroʊɡɑːn/
a tropical forest bird of the family Trogonidae, typically with brilliant plumage, a long tail, and a short broad bill
plantigrade
C2
/ˈplæntəˌɡreɪd/
walking with the entire sole of the foot touching the ground, as humans and bears do
hawfinch
C2
/ˈhɔːfɪntʃ/
a large Eurasian finch with a very powerful bill used to crack hard seeds and fruit stones
blackcap
C2
/ˈblækˌkæp/
a small Eurasian warbler, Sylvia atricapilla, whose adult male has a black crown
plastron
C2
/ˈplæstrən/
the lower, usually flatter part of a turtle's or tortoise's shell
protozoon
C2
/ˌproʊtəˈzoʊɑn/
dated: a single protozoan organism; one of the mostly microscopic unicellular organisms formerly grouped as Protozoa
spiracle
C2
/ˈspɪrəkəl/
zoology: an external respiratory opening in an insect or another air-breathing arthropod, connected to the tracheal system
coxa
C2
/ˈkɑːksə/
the basal segment of an arthropod limb, by which the leg is attached to the body
incrustation
C2
/ɪnkɹʌsˈteɪʃən/
An accumulated characteristic of a person that disguises their true nature.
lancelet
C2
/ˈlænslət/
a small translucent, fishlike marine chordate that retains a notochord and usually lives partly buried in sand
thornback
C2
/ˈθɔːrnˌbæk/
the thornback ray or skate, Raja clavata, a ray with rough skin and rows of thornlike spines along its back and tail
batrachian
C2
/bəˈtreɪkiən/
a frog, toad, or other amphibian, especially one formerly classified in the group Batrachia
banteng
C2
/ˈbæntɛŋ/
a wild Southeast Asian ox, Bos javanicus, with marked differences in color and horn size between adult males and females
ouzel
C2
/ˈuːzəl/
an old name for the Eurasian blackbird or a related dark thrush, retained especially in ring ouzel
beroe
C2
/ˈberəwiː/
a transparent, often iridescent marine comb jelly of the genus Beroe, with a rounded or thimble-shaped body
coralline
C2
/ˈkɔːr.ə.laɪn/
a branching bryozoan or hydroid that resembles coral, especially in older zoological writing
radula
C2
/ˈɹædʒələ/
a ribbonlike feeding organ bearing rows of tiny teeth, used by most mollusks to scrape or cut food
branchia
C2
/ˈbræŋkiə/
zoology: a gill or another respiratory organ with the same function in an aquatic animal
unwearied
C2
/ʌnˈwɪəɹid/
Not wearied, not tired.
cockchafer
C2
/ˈkɑkˌtʃeɪfɚ/
a large European scarab beetle whose larvae and adults can damage crops and other vegetation
blackcock
C2
/ˈblækˌkɑk/
chiefly British: a male black grouse, distinguished by glossy dark plumage and a lyre-shaped tail
ascidian
C2
/əˈsɪdiən/
a solitary or colonial marine tunicate of the class Ascidiacea, typically having a saclike adult body with an incurrent and an excurrent siphon
echinus
C2
/ɪˈkaɪnəs/
a sea urchin, especially one described by the older zoological name Echinus
coypu
C2
/ˈkɔɪ.pu/
aquatic South American rodent resembling a small beaver
prothorax
C2
/proʊˈθɔræks/
the front of the three segments of an insect's thorax, bearing the first pair of legs but no wings
guenon
C2
/ɡəˈnoʊn/
a slender, long-tailed African monkey of the genus Cercopithecus, often with distinctive facial coloring
curculio
C2
/kɝˈkjuːlioʊ/
a weevil of the genus Curculio, especially one whose larvae develop inside acorns or nuts
viviparous
C2
/vɪˈvɪpərəs/
producing live young that developed inside the parent's body rather than laying eggs
hymenopterous
C2
/ˌhaɪməˈnɑːptərəs/
belonging or relating to the insect order Hymenoptera, which includes bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies
operculum
C2
/oʊˈpɝ.kjə.ləm/
a hard flap or plate that covers an opening in an animal, such as a fish's gills or a snail's shell
pewee
C2
/ˈpiːwiː/
a small North American flycatcher of the genus Contopus, named for its call
scutella
C2
/skuːˈtɛlə/
a small horny plate or scale on a bird's foot or toe
furcula
C2
/ˈfɝkjələ/
the forked bone formed by the fused collarbones of most birds; the wishbone
veery
C2
/ˈvɪəɹi/
a tawny North American woodland thrush noted for its descending, flute-like song
melanism
C2
/ˈmɛlənɪzəm/
an unusually high amount of dark melanin pigment in an animal or person, making the skin, fur, feathers, or eyes darker than usual
goatsucker
C2
/ˈɡoʊtˌsʌkɚ/
a dated name for a nightjar, a crepuscular or nocturnal bird of the family Caprimulgidae
frugivorous
C2
/fruˈdʒɪvərəs/
feeding chiefly or entirely on fruit
sphex
C2
/sfɛks/
a sand or digger wasp of the genus Sphex or a closely related genus