This week on The Missing Workbook
1 new learner
12 reviews
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.
Choose your level
View all levelsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
855 words
loggia
C2
/ˈloʊdʒə/
a roofed gallery or corridor that is open to the air on one or more sides, often along an upper story of a building
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
stevedore
C2
/ˈstivəˌdɔɹ/
A dockworker involved in loading and unloading cargo, or in supervising such work.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cyclotron
C2
/ˈsaɪ.kləˌtrɑːn/
a circular particle accelerator in which a magnetic field bends charged particles into an expanding spiral and an alternating electric field accelerates them whenever they cross the gap between electrodes
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
pianola
C2
/ˌpiːəˈnoʊlə/
a piano that plays music mechanically from instructions recorded on a perforated paper roll
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
eland
C2
/ˈiːlənd/
either of two very large African antelopes of the genus Taurotragus, with spirally twisted horns in both sexes
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
hydrophobia
C2
/ˌhaɪdrəˈfoʊbiə/
rabies, especially as formerly named for the painful difficulty in swallowing liquids that it can cause
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
parthenogenesis
C2
/ˌpɑːrθənoʊˈdʒenəsɪs/
reproduction in which an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
ephemera
C2
/ɪˈfɛməɹə/
Things that last or are useful for only a short time, especially printed items like tickets or posters.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
chasuble
C2
/ˈtʃæz.jə.bəl/
the sleeveless outer liturgical vestment worn by a priest when celebrating the Eucharist or Mass
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
neckerchief
C2
/ˈnɛkərtʃɪf/
a square or triangular scarf worn tied around the neck
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
farrago
C2
/fəˈrɑːɡoʊ/
a confused mixture or assortment of miscellaneous things
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
backstairs
C2
/ˈbækˌstɛrz/
a secondary staircase at the rear of a building, traditionally used by servants or tradespeople
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
palimpsest
C2
/ˈpælɪmpsɛst/
Something bearing the traces of an earlier, erased form.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
vertex
C2
/ˈvɝː.teks/
a point where two or more lines, edges, or curves meet, especially a corner of a geometric figure
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
burnet
C2
/ˈbɝːnɪt/
any herb of the genus Sanguisorba, especially salad burnet, with divided leaves and dense clusters of small flowers
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
iguanodon
C2
/ɪˈɡwɑːnəˌdɑːn/
a large herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur of the Early Cretaceous genus Iguanodon, known for its thumb spikes
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
antipodes
C2
/ænˈtɪp.əˌdiz/
two places or points situated directly opposite each other on the earth
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bullfinch
C2
/ˈbʊlˌfɪnt͡ʃ/
A large, thick quickset hedge.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
ramus
C2
/ˈɹeɪməs/
a branch or branchlike projecting part of an anatomical structure
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
mandrill
C2
/ˈmæn.dɹɪl/
A primate, Mandrillus sphinx, with a colorful face and rump.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
surfeit
C2
/ˈsɝː.fɪt/
An excessive amount of something.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
petrel
C2
/ˈpɛt.ɹəl/
a long-winged oceanic seabird of the order Procellariiformes, often seen skimming close to the waves
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
gyrus
C2
/ˈdʒaɪ.rəs/
an anatomical ridge between grooves, especially one of the folds on the surface of the brain
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
puna
C2
/ˈpuːnɑː/
altitude sickness experienced on the high Andes, marked by symptoms such as breathlessness, headache, or nausea
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
moraine
C2
/məˈɹeɪn/
a mass or ridge of rock, soil, and other debris carried and deposited by a glacier
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
lodestone
C2
/ˈloʊdˌstoʊn/
a naturally magnetized piece of magnetite capable of attracting iron
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
faugh
C2
/fɔː/
an exclamation expressing disgust or contempt, especially in reaction to a foul smell
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bedstead
C2
/ˈbɛdˌstɛd/
the rigid frame that supports a bed, excluding its mattress and bedding
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
chaffinch
C2
/ˈt͡ʃæfɪnt͡ʃ/
small European finch with a cheerful song
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
hornpipe
C2
/ˈhɔrnˌpaɪp/
a lively traditional solo dance associated especially with sailors
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
foreknowledge
C2
/ˌfɔɹˈnɑlɪdʒ/
knowledge of an event before it happens
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bight
C2
/baɪt/
a broad curve or indentation in a coastline, or the bay enclosed by it
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
logarithm
C2
/ˈlɑː.ɡəˌrɪ.ðəm/
the exponent to which a specified base must be raised to produce a given number
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
tontine
C2
/ˈtɑnˌtiːn/
a joint investment or annuity in which the benefits or shares of members who die pass to the surviving participants
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
oratorio
C2
/ˌɔrəˈtɔrioʊ/
a large musical work for orchestra, choir, and solo voices, usually on a sacred subject and performed without staging, costumes, or scenery
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
pleura
C2
/ˈplʊɹ.ə/
the thin serous membrane around the lungs and inner walls of the chest
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
coif
C2
/kwɑːf/
a close-fitting cap or headdress, especially one formerly worn by women, nuns, soldiers, or lawyers
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
morphia
C2
/ˈmɔrfiə/
morphine, especially under its older medical name
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
coverlet
C2
/ˈkʌvɚlɪt/
a decorative or light bed covering, often quilted
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
llano
C2
/ˈjɑːnoʊ/
a broad, nearly treeless grassy plain in Spanish-speaking parts of the Americas, especially the tropical plains of Venezuela and Colombia
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bravura
C2
/brəvˈjʊrə/
brilliant and showy technical skill
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
ammonite
C2
/ˈæ.məˌnaɪt/
one of the coiled chambered fossil shells of extinct mollusks
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
palisade
C2
/ˌpæl.əˈseɪd/
a defensive fence or barrier made from a close row of strong pointed wooden stakes
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
stymie
C2
/ˈstaɪmi/
An obstacle or obstruction.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
joist
C2
/d͡ʒɔɪst/
beam used to support floors or roofs
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
springbok
C2
/ˈsprɪŋbɑːk/
a swift southern African antelope, Antidorcas marsupialis, known for making high stiff-legged leaps
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
freestone
C2
/ˈfriːstoʊn/
stone, especially sandstone or limestone, that can be cut and worked easily in any direction
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
muon
C2
/ˈmju.ɑːn/
an unstable elementary lepton with about 207 times the electron's mass; the negative muon has the electron's charge, and its antiparticle is the positive antimuon
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
shipwright
C2
/ˈʃɪp.raɪt/
a craftsperson who builds or repairs ships, especially wooden ones
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
mainmast
C2
/ˈmeɪnˌmæst/
the principal mast of a vessel with two or more masts, usually the tallest and, on many sailing ships, the second from the bow
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bronchus
C2
/ˈbrɑːŋkəs/
either of the two main airways branching from the trachea into the lungs, or one of their larger branches
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
contralto
C2
/kənˈtræl.toʊ/
the lowest standard female singing voice, below mezzo-soprano
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
lithograph
C2
/ˈlɪθəɡɹæf/
a print made by lithography, in which an image is drawn on a prepared flat surface and transferred to paper
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
oakum
C2
/ˈoʊkəm/
loose hemp or jute fiber, traditionally made by untwisting old rope and used with pitch to seal seams
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
apse
C2
/æps/
a semicircular or polygonal recess in a building, especially the vaulted eastern end of a church behind the altar
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
mixin
C2
/ˈmɪksɪn/
a reusable unit of behavior or methods that can be included in a class without ordinary single inheritance
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
poltroon
C2
/pɑlˈtɹun/
a thoroughly contemptible or abject coward
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
fazenda
C2
/fəˈzɛndə/
a large Brazilian farm or plantation, especially one producing coffee
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
escutcheon
C2
/ɪˈskʌtʃən/
a shield-shaped surface on which a coat of arms is displayed, or the arms themselves
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
amperage
C2
/ˈæm.pəɹ.əd͡ʒ/
the strength of an electrical current measured in amperes
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
paroxysm
C2
/ˈpɛɹəkˌsɪzəm/
a sudden uncontrollable attack
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
pinchbeck
C2
/ˈpɪntʃ.bɛk/
an alloy of copper and zinc formerly used as an imitation of gold
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
melange
C2
/məˈlɑnʒ/
A mixture of different things; a disordered mixture.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cacique
C2
/kəˈsiːk/
A tribal chief in the Spanish West Indies.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
hardback
C2
/ˈhɑɹdˌbæk/
a book bound with a rigid protective cover
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cartload
C2
/ˈkɑɹt.loʊd/
the amount that a cart can carry
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
epigram
C2
/ˈɛpəˌgræm/
A short, witty or pithy poem.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
deathblow
C2
/ˈdɛθˌbloʊ/
a blow that causes death
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
hotchpotch
C2
/ˈhɒt͡ʃpɒt͡ʃ/
a confused or miscellaneous mixture of different things
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
colchicine
C2
/ˈkɑl.tʃəˌsiːn/
a toxic alkaloid obtained from Colchicum plants and used in controlled doses to treat gout and certain inflammatory conditions
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bogle
C2
/ˈboʊ.ɡəl/
a goblin, specter, or other frightening supernatural being in northern British and Scots folklore
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
meson
C2
/ˈmez.ɑːn/
a hadron with integer spin, conventionally composed of a quark and an antiquark bound by the strong interaction; pions and kaons are mesons
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
woodcut
C2
/ˈwʊdˌkʌt/
engraving consisting of a block of wood with a design cut into it
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cowslip
C2
/ˈkaʊslɪp/
a low-growing European primrose with clusters of fragrant yellow flowers, Primula veris
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
brushwood
C2
/ˈbɹʌʃˌwʊd/
the wood from bushes or small branches
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
bowsprit
C2
/ˈboʊ.sprɪt/
a spar projecting forward from a sailing vessel's bow, used to support rigging and forward sails
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
campanile
C2
/ˌkæm.pəˈniː.li/
a bell tower, especially a freestanding Italian bell tower beside a church or public building
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
monad
C2
/ˈmoʊnæd/
An ultimate atom, or simple, unextended point; something ultimate and indivisible.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
photophobia
C2
/ˌfoʊtəˈfoʊbiə/
abnormal sensitivity or intolerance to light, often causing eye pain or discomfort
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
hobnail
C2
/ˈhɑːbneɪl/
a short nail with a broad, thick head, driven into a boot sole to strengthen it or improve grip
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
breccia
C2
/ˈbrɛtʃiə/
rock composed of angular fragments cemented together in a finer-grained matrix
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
baize
C2
/beɪz/
a thick, soft woolen cloth resembling felt, often green and used to cover card or billiard tables
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cruet
C2
/ˈkɹu.ɪt/
a small bottle or container for oil, vinegar, or another condiment at a dining table
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
datum
C2
/ˈdeɪtəm/
one item of factual information used for measurement or reasoning
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
surplice
C2
/ˈsɝplɪs/
a loose white Christian liturgical vestment with wide sleeves, worn over a cassock by clergy and other ministers
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
coterie
C2
/ˈkoʊtəɹi/
A circle of individuals who associate with one another for a common purpose.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
scroop
C2
/skruːp/
Yorkshire dialect: the back or spine of a book
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
capercaillie
C2
/ˌkæpɚˈkeɪli/
a very large Eurasian woodland grouse, the male of which has dark plumage and a fan-shaped tail
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
doggerel
C2
/ˈdɑːgɝəl/
a comic verse of irregular measure
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
discomfiture
C2
/dɪsˈkʌmfɪtʃɚ/
embarrassment, frustration, or uneasy disappointment
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cannonade
C2
/ˌkæn.əˈneɪd/
intense or sustained firing by cannons or other artillery
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
imbroglio
C2
/ɪmˈbɹoʊljoʊ/
A complicated situation; an entanglement.
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cecum
C2
/ˈsiːkəm/
a pouch at the beginning of the large intestine, where the ileum opens into it
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
fusillade
C2
/ˌfjuː.zɪˈleɪd/
a large number of shots fired simultaneously or in rapid succession
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
hearthrug
C2
/ˈhɑrθˌrʌɡ/
a rug placed on the hearth or in front of a fireplace
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off
cordwood
C2
/ˈkɔrdˌwʊd/
firewood cut into lengths and stacked or sold by the cord
Meaning
Off
Sound
Off