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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.
95 words
dementia
C2
/dɪˈmɛnʃə/
a syndrome involving progressive decline in memory, reasoning, language, or other cognitive abilities
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blasphemy
C2
/ˈblæs.fə.mi/
speech or conduct that shows contempt for God, a religion, or something held sacred
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telepathy
C2
/təˈlep.ə.θi/
the supposed direct communication of thoughts or feelings between minds without speech, writing, or other ordinary physical signals
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eulogy
C2
/ˈjuː.lə.dʒi/
a speech or piece of writing praising a person who has died, usually delivered at a funeral
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hunchback
C2
/ˈhʌntʃ.bæk/
a dated and potentially offensive term for a person with a markedly hunched back or kyphosis
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hussy
C2
/ˈhʌsi/
old-fashioned, offensive: an insulting term for a woman or girl judged sexually immoral
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rhetoric
C2
/ɹɪˈtɒɹɪk/
Language used skillfully, especially in speeches, to persuade or impress people.
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rheumatism
C2
/ˈɹuːmətɪzəm/
an older, nonspecific term for painful or stiff conditions affecting joints, muscles, or connective tissue
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libel
C2
/ˈlaɪbəl/
a published false statement in a lasting form, such as writing or an image, that unjustly damages a person's reputation; also the legal wrong of publishing it
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libido
C2
/ləˈbaɪˌdoʊ/
a Freudian term for sexual urge or desire
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euphemism
C2
/ˈjuː.fəˌmɪz.əm/
A mild or indirect word used in place of one that is harsh, blunt, or offensive.
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Burmese
C2
/bɝːˈmiːz/
the principal language of Myanmar, belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family
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fabrication
C2
/fæbɹɪˈkeɪʃən/
A made-up story or statement; a lie
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creole
C2
/ˈkriː.oʊl/
a natural language that developed in a contact community from elements of two or more languages and became a community's first language
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behest
C2
/bɪˈhɛst/
An order or strong request, usually in the phrase "at the behest of".
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trollop
C2
/ˈtrɑː.ləp/
old-fashioned and offensive: an insulting term for a woman regarded as sexually promiscuous or immoral
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yore
C2
/jɔr/
a time long past, now used chiefly in the phrase 'of yore'
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rhapsody
C2
/ˈræpsədi/
an intensely enthusiastic or emotional expression in speech or writing
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spiel
C2
/ʃpiːl/
a long, practiced speech intended to explain, promote, or persuade, especially a sales pitch
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testimonial
C2
/tɛstɪˈmoʊni.əl/
A written or spoken statement praising someone's worth, character, or a product.
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perpetuity
C2
/ˌpɝpəˈtuːɪti/
endless or indefinitely continuing duration, especially in the phrase in perpetuity
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nonce
C2
/nɑːns/
the present occasion or time, chiefly in the phrase for the nonce
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caveat
C2
/ˈkæviˌɑt/
a warning, reservation, or qualification attached to a statement or agreement
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endearment
C2
/ɪnˈdɪrmənt/
a word, name, gesture, or action that expresses affection
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schlep
C2
/ʃlɛp/
a Yiddish term for an awkward and stupid person
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aphasia
C2
/əˈfeɪʒə/
a disorder caused by damage to language areas of the brain that impairs speaking, understanding, reading, or writing
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abbreviation
C2
/əˌbɹi.viˈeɪ.ʃn̩/
a shortened form of a word or phrase used to represent the whole
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frivolity
C2
/fɹɪˈvɑlɪti/
lack of seriousness or sensible purpose in behavior, thought, or speech
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oratory
C2
/ˈɔ.ɹəˌtɔ.ɹi/
addressing an audience formally, usually a long and rhetorical address and often pompous
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denunciation
C2
/dɪˌnənsiːˈeɪʃən/
A strong public statement criticizing someone or something.
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vitriol
C2
/ˈvɪtɹiəl/
cruel and bitter criticism; savagely hostile or abusive language
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tirade
C2
/ˈtaɪɹeɪd/
A long, angry or violent speech.
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annum
C2
/ˈænəm/
a year, used especially in the phrase per annum
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alliteration
C2
/əˌlɪtəˈreɪʃən/
the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words, especially in a phrase or line of verse
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axiom
C2
/ˈæk.si.əm/
A statement accepted as obviously true without needing proof.
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misnomer
C2
/ˌmɪsˈnoʊməɹ/
A term which is misleading, even if firmly established, technically correct, or both.
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negress
C2
/ˈniːɡrɪs/
an old-fashioned and now offensive term formerly used for a Black woman or girl
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wrack
C2
/ɹæk/
Destruction or ruin (especially in the phrase 'wrack and ruin').
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snippet
C2
/ˈsnɪpɪt/
A small piece or part of something, such as a song, text, or conversation.
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pronouncement
C2
/prəˈnaʊns.mənt/
a formal or authoritative statement, especially one made publicly
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howdy-do
C2
/ˌhaʊdiˈduː/
dated, especially US: an awkward, surprising, or troublesome situation, often in the phrase a pretty howdy-do
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patois
C2
/pæˈtwɑ/
a regional dialect of a language
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falsification
C2
/ˌfɔlsəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the showing or proving that a claim, hypothesis, or statement is false
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dustman
C2
/ˈdʌstˌmæn/
a person employed to collect household refuse; an old-fashioned British term for a refuse collector
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freehold
C2
/ˈfriːˌhoʊld/
ownership of land or a building for an indefinite period, rather than for a fixed lease term
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philology
C2
/fɪˈlɑːlədʒi/
the scholarly study of historical texts through their language, transmission, literary context, and interpretation
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inaccuracy
C2
/ɪnˈæk.jɚ.ə.si/
A statement, passage etc. that is inaccurate or false.
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gabble
C2
/ˈɡæbəl/
rapid and indistinct speech
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syllogism
C2
/ˈsɪlədʒɪz(ə)m/
An argument whose conclusion is supported by two premises, of which one contains the term that is the predicate of the conclusion, and the other contains the term that is the subject of the conclusion; common to both premises is a term that is excluded from the conclusion.
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grandsire
C2
/ˈɡrændsaɪɹ/
a grandfather, especially in old-fashioned or literary language
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truism
C2
/tɹuːizəm/
A statement that is so obviously true it hardly needs saying.
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aphorism
C2
/ˈæfərɪzəm/
a concise, memorable statement expressing a general truth or principle
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corpuscle
C2
/ˈkɔɹˌpʌsəl/
a blood cell, especially a red or white blood cell; now chiefly used in older or nontechnical language
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roundelay
C2
/ˈɹaʊndəˌleɪ/
a song in which a line or phrase is repeated as the refrain
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bombast
C2
/ˈbɑːmbæst/
pompous, inflated language with little real meaning
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screed
C2
/skɹid/
A piece of writing (such as an article, letter, or list) or a speech, especially if long.
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rejoinder
C2
/ɹɪˈd͡ʒɔɪndɚ/
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
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disputation
C2
/ˌdɪspjəˈteɪʃən/
formal argument or sustained verbal controversy about a question
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indelicacy
C2
/ɪnˈdɛlɪkəsi/
lack of tact, propriety, or sensitivity in speech or behavior
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scofflaw
C2
/ˈskɔfˌlɔ/
One who habitually violates minor laws or fails to answer trivial court summonses (such as parking tickets).
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précis
C2
/ˈpreɪ.si/
a concise summary of the essential facts or main points of a text, speech, or argument
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ribaldry
C2
/ˈrɪbəldri/
coarse, vulgar, or sexually indecent humor, language, or behavior
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declamation
C2
/ˌdɛkləˈmeɪʃən/
the formal, forceful, or theatrical delivery of a speech
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neologism
C2
/niˈɑləˌd͡ʒɪzəm/
A word or phrase which has recently been coined; a new word or phrase.
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debenture
C2
/dəˈbɛntʃɝ/
a long-term debt instrument issued by a company or government; in US usage it is usually unsecured, while in UK usage it may be secured on assets
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fustian
C2
/ˈfʌs.t͡ʃən/
inflated, pompous, or pretentious speech or writing
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panegyric
C2
/ˌpænəˈdʒɪrɪk/
a formal speech or piece of writing that offers elaborate praise
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wordage
C2
The number of words in a piece of writing; word count.
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lubra
C2
/ˈluː.brə/
dated and offensive Australian term for an Aboriginal Australian woman
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signification
C2
/ˌsɪɡnɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
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misstatement
C2
/ˌmɪsˈsteɪtmənt/
an inaccurate or incorrect statement, especially one made unintentionally
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behoof
C2
/bɪˈhuːf/
advantage, benefit, or interest, chiefly in the formal phrase for someone's behoof
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archaism
C2
/ˈɑɹ.kiˌɪz.əm/
an old-fashioned word, expression, spelling, grammatical form, custom, or stylistic feature no longer in ordinary use
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ophthalmia
C2
/ɑfˈθælmiə/
inflammation of the conjunctiva or eyeball; an older general medical term for inflammatory eye disease
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scurrility
C2
/skəˈrɪləti/
coarse, abusive, obscene, or foul-mouthed language
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solecism
C2
/ˈsɑləsɪzəm/
a grammatical error or nonstandard construction in speech or writing
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denotation
C2
/ˌdiː.noʊˈteɪ.ʃən/
The direct, literal meaning of a word, as opposed to the feelings it suggests.
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abbacy
C2
/ˈæbəsi/
the office, dignity, jurisdiction, estate, or term of service of an abbot or abbess
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exordium
C2
/ɛɡˈzɔrdiəm/
the introductory part of a speech, essay, or other formal discourse
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unreserve
C2
/ˌʌn.rɪˈzɝːv/
absence of restraint or concealment in speech or behavior; complete frankness or openness (formal or literary)
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malapropism
C2
/ˈmæləpɹɑpˌɪzəm/
The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate word or expression in place of a similar-sounding one.
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divagation
C2
/ˌdaɪ.vəˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
a departure from the main subject in speech or writing; a digression
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quine
C2
/kwaɪn/
a self-replicating program or statement that outputs its own source code
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illiberality
C2
An illiberal word or action
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conferva
C2
/kənˈfɝvə/
an obsolete or historical botanical term for threadlike freshwater algae, formerly grouped in the genus Conferva
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enclitic
C2
/ɪnˈklɪt.ɪk/
a clitic that is phonologically dependent on and attaches to the preceding word
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Santali
C2
/sænˈtɑːli/
an Austroasiatic language spoken chiefly by Santal communities in eastern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal
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bandy about
C2
to mention or discuss something casually without careful consideration
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chime in
C2
to join a conversation by adding a comment
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dredge up
C2
to bring an unpleasant event or memory back into discussion
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harp on
C2
to keep discussing or complaining about the same subject in an irritating way
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obtrude upon
C2
to intrude on someone or something in an unwelcome way
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quibble over
C2
to argue about small details that are not very important
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shove off
C2
to leave, especially in an informal or rude expression
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compellation
C2
/ˌkɑmpəˈleɪʃən/
archaic or rare: a name or title used to address or identify someone
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