This week on The Missing Workbook
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Word
English Vocabulary
Pick a CEFR level (A1–C2, plus C2+ for rare words beyond the CEFR scale) — 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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View all levelsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
855 words
idyll
C2
/ˈaɪ.dəl/
a simple poem or prose work portraying pastoral life or a peaceful, contented scene
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duodenum
C2
/ˌduːəˈdiːnəm/
the first and shortest section of the small intestine, between the stomach and the jejunum
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stegosaurus
C2
/ˌstɛɡəˈsɔrəs/
a large herbivorous dinosaur of the genus Stegosaurus, with upright plates along its back and spikes on its tail
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flambeau
C2
/ˈflambəʊ/
A burning torch, especially one carried in procession.
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brouhaha
C2
/ˈbruˌhɑˌhɑ/
A noisy and excited reaction to something, often greater than it deserves.
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colitis
C2
/kəˈlaɪtɪs/
inflammation of the colon
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bedclothes
C2
/ˈbɛdˌkloʊðz/
sheets, blankets, quilts, and other coverings used on a bed
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eglantine
C2
/ˈɛɡlənˌtaɪn/
a prickly Eurasian wild rose with fragrant leaves, pink flowers, and red hips; sweetbrier
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cottonwood
C2
/ˈkɑːtənˌwʊd/
any of several North American poplar trees whose seeds have tufts of cottonlike hairs
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shrike
C2
/ʃɹaɪk/
a predatory songbird with a hooked bill, known for impaling uneaten prey on thorns or wire
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toadstool
C2
/ˈtoʊdˌstuːl/
a mushroom, especially one regarded as poisonous or unsuitable for eating
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agave
C2
/əˈɡɑːveɪ/
any of a genus of succulent plants with a rosette of thick, often spiny leaves and a tall flowering stalk
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tern
C2
/tɝːn/
a slender seabird related to gulls, typically with long pointed wings and a forked tail
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broadsword
C2
/ˈbrɔːdˌsɔːrd/
a sword with a broad blade, typically sharpened on both edges and designed mainly for cutting
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tenderfoot
C2
/ˈtɛndɚˌfʊt/
an inexperienced newcomer, especially one unaccustomed to frontier, outdoor, or mining life
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nib
C2
/nɪb/
the pointed part of a pen that contacts the writing surface and delivers ink
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opossum
C2
/əˈpɑsəm/
a mainly nocturnal American marsupial with a pointed snout and usually a long, nearly hairless prehensile tail
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goldfinch
C2
/ˈɡoʊldˌfɪnt͡ʃ/
small European finch having a crimson face and yellow-and-black wings
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crag
C2
/kɹæɡ/
A rocky outcrop; a rugged steep cliff or rock.
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whippoorwill
C2
/ˈʍɪp.ɚˌwɪl/
a nocturnal North American nightjar whose repeated call sounds like 'whip-poor-will'
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underbrush
C2
/ˈʌndɚˌbɹʌʃ/
shrubs, young trees, ferns, and other dense vegetation growing beneath taller trees
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panacea
C2
/ˌpæn.əˈsiː.ə/
A solution to all problems.
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copra
C2
/ˈkɑːprə/
the dried white flesh or kernel of a coconut, from which coconut oil is extracted
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burgh
C2
/ˈbʌɹoʊ/
a borough in Scotland
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naivete
C2
/nɑːˌiːvəˈteɪ/
lack of experience, judgment, or sophistication
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rosebush
C2
/ˈɹoʊzˌbʊʃ/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
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isthmus
C2
/ˈɪsməs/
a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas and bordered by water on both sides
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waterline
C2
/ˈwɑːt̬ɚlaɪn/
the level reached by water on the side of a floating vessel, or a line marking that level
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yerba
C2
/ˈjɝːbə/
yerba mate: the South American holly Ilex paraguariensis or its dried leaves and twigs, used to make a caffeinated drink
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amine
C2
/əˈmiːn/
a compound derived from ammonia by replacing hydrogen atoms by univalent hydrocarbon radicals
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chassé
C2
/ʃæˈseɪ/
a gliding dance step in which one foot moves to the side and the other closes to it
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proviso
C2
/pɹəˈvaɪzoʊ/
A conditional provision to an agreement.
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martinet
C2
/ˈmæɹtɪnɛt/
A strict disciplinarian.
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parabola
C2
/pəˈræbələ/
a symmetrical open curve whose points are equally distant from a fixed point and a fixed line
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verbena
C2
/vɚˈbinə/
any of numerous tropical or subtropical American plants of the genus Verbena grown for their showy spikes of variously colored flowers
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cantata
C2
/kənˈtɑtə/
a work for one or more singers with instrumental accompaniment, typically arranged in several movements
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diadem
C2
/ˈdaɪəˌdem/
an ornamental headband or crown worn as a sign of royalty
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flagstone
C2
/ˈflæɡˌstoʊn/
a broad, flat slab of stone used for paving paths, floors, or roofs
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slivovitz
C2
/ˈslɪvəˌvɪts/
a strong, usually colorless brandy distilled from fermented plums, traditionally made in the Balkans and Central or Eastern Europe
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dogwood
C2
/ˈdɔɡˌwʊd/
any of various trees or shrubs of the genus Cornus, often bearing showy flowerlike bracts and red or dark fruit
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miasma
C2
/maɪˈæzmə/
unhealthy vapors rising from the ground or other sources
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amyl
C2
/ˈæ.mɪl/
a hydrocarbon radical that occurs in many organic compounds
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sago
C2
/ˈseɪɡoʊ/
an edible starch extracted from the pith of certain tropical palms and cycads, used in puddings and as a thickener
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frieze
C2
/ˈfɹiːz/
A banner with a series of pictures.
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archon
C2
/ˈɑɹ.kɑn/
one of the chief magistrates of ancient Athens
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lamplight
C2
/ˈlæmplaɪt/
The light emitted by a lamp.
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tinderbox
C2
/ˈtɪndɚˌbɑːks/
a small box holding tinder and usually a flint and steel, formerly used for starting fires
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frontage
C2
/ˈfɹʌn.tɪd͡ʒ/
the face or front of a building
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grandmamma
C2
/ˌɡrændməˈmɑ/
Grandmother.
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demagogue
C2
/ˈdɛməɡɑɡ/
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices
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positron
C2
/ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɹɑn/
an elementary particle with positive charge
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cashbox
C2
/ˈkæʃ.bɑːks/
a locked or sturdy box used for holding cash, coins, or other valuables
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brushwork
C2
/ˈbrʌˌʃwɝːk/
an artist's technique or characteristic manner of applying paint with a brush
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hydrangea
C2
/haɪˈdreɪndʒə/
a shrub of the genus Hydrangea, grown for its large rounded or flat clusters of white, pink, blue, or purple flowers
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maxilla
C2
/mækˈsɪlə/
either of the paired bones forming the upper jaw and supporting the upper teeth in vertebrates
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semicircle
C2
/ˈsem.iˌsɝː.kəl/
one half of a circle, bounded by a diameter and the arc joining its endpoints
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moorland
C2
/ˈmʊrˌlænd/
open, uncultivated land with acidic or peaty soil, typically covered with heather, grasses, or bracken
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colloquium
C2
/kəˈləʊkwiəm/
An academic meeting or seminar where scholars discuss a topic, often with a guest speaker.
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oligarch
C2
/ˈɑləɡɑɹk/
A very wealthy business owner who wields political power.
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wheelwright
C2
/ˈwiːlˌraɪt/
a craftsperson who builds and repairs wheels, especially traditional wooden spoked wheels
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aplomb
C2
/əˈplʌm/
Self-confidence; poise; composure.
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nard
C2
/nɑɹd/
an aromatic ointment used in antiquity
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hedgerow
C2
/ˈhɛdʒroʊ/
a line of closely planted shrubs or small trees forming a boundary between fields, gardens, or roads
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saiga
C2
/ˈsaɪɡə/
a migratory antelope of the Eurasian steppe with a distinctive enlarged, flexible nose
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noontime
C2
/ˈnuːnˌtaɪm/
the time around noon or midday
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redoubt
C2
/rɪˈdaʊt/
a small enclosed defensive fortification, often temporary or supplementary
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dross
C2
/dɹɔs/
Worthless or trivial matter.
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sconce
C2
/skɑns/
a decorative wall bracket that holds a candle, lamp, or other light
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trilobite
C2
/ˈtraɪloʊˌbaɪt/
an extinct Paleozoic marine arthropod with a segmented exoskeleton divided lengthwise into three lobes
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xenophobia
C2
/ˌziː.nəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/
a fear of foreigners or strangers
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souse
C2
/saʊs/
pork trimmings chopped, pickled, and jelled
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allosaurus
C2
/ˌæloʊˈsɔrəs/
a large two-legged carnivorous dinosaur of the genus Allosaurus that lived during the Late Jurassic period
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popgun
C2
/ˈpɑpˌɡʌn/
a toy gun that shoots a cork or similar object and makes a popping sound
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snuffbox
C2
/ˈsnʌfˌbɑːks/
a small, often ornamental box used for carrying powdered tobacco taken through the nose
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pergola
C2
/ˈpɝː.ɡə.lə/
an outdoor framework of posts and crossbeams, often supporting climbing plants and providing partial shade
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waxwork
C2
/ˈwæks.wɝːk/
a lifelike figure or effigy modeled in wax
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privet
C2
/ˈprɪvɪt/
an evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub with small leaves and white flowers, often planted as a hedge
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dewdrop
C2
/ˈduːˌdrɑːp/
a small drop of water formed as dew on a cool surface
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flinders
C2
/ˈflɪndɚz/
small broken pieces, splinters, or fragments, especially after something has been smashed
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skein
C2
/skeɪn/
a length of yarn or thread wound into a loose, elongated coil
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jowl
C2
/dʒaʊl/
the loose flesh of the lower cheek or jaw, especially when it hangs with age
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jackdaw
C2
/ˈdʒækˌdɔː/
a small black-and-gray Eurasian corvid related to crows and often nesting in buildings, cliffs, or trees
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quatrain
C2
/ˈkwɑˌtreɪn/
a stanza or complete poem consisting of four lines
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whish
C2
/wɪʃ/
a soft rushing or hissing sound made by rapid movement through air or water
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polygon
C2
/ˈpɑːliɡɑːn/
a closed plane figure bounded by three or more straight sides
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foxfire
C2
/ˈfɑksˌfaɪər/
the faint glow produced by bioluminescent fungi growing on decaying wood
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foretaste
C2
/ˈfɔɹteɪst/
an early sample or indication of an experience that will occur more fully later
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throstle
C2
/ˈθɹɒsəl/
Northern English: a song thrush
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gorse
C2
/ɡɔrs/
a dense evergreen shrub with spiny leaves and bright yellow flowers, common on open land in western Europe
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tritium
C2
/ˈtɹɪt.i.əm/
a radioactive isotope of hydrogen whose nucleus contains one proton and two neutrons; symbol 3H or T
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waterspout
C2
/ˈwɔ.təɹ spaʊt/
a rotating column of air and spray formed over water; figuratively, any violently whirling or surging mass
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pouf
C2
/puːf/
a low, firm, cushioned seat without a back or arms, also used as a footstool
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pleistocene
C2
/ˈplaɪ.stə.siːn/
the geological epoch from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago, preceding the Holocene
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protoplasm
C2
/ˈproʊtəˌplæzəm/
the living contents of a cell, including its cytoplasm and nucleus
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bevel
C2
/ˈbɛvəl/
a sloping edge or surface cut at an angle other than a right angle
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scintilla
C2
/sɪnˈtɪlə/
A small spark or flash.
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