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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130 words
dummy
C2
/ˈdʌmi/
having the appearance of being real but lacking capacity to function
magnum
C2
/ˈmæɡ.nəm/
a wine or champagne bottle holding 1.5 liters, twice the volume of a standard bottle
vintage
C2
/ˈvɪntɪdʒ/
wine from a particular grape harvest, especially one identified by its year and region
ale
C2
/ˈeɪl/
a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast
tavern
C2
/ˈtævəɹn/
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
cognac
C2
/ˈkoʊnjæk/
a fine brandy distilled from white wine in the Cognac region of western France
porridge
C2
/ˈpɔɹɪd͡ʒ/
A dish made of grain or legumes, milk or water, heated and stirred until thick and typically eaten for breakfast.
platter
C2
/ˈplætɚ/
a large, shallow dish or tray used for serving food
brownie
C2
/ˈbraʊni/
a small, rich chocolate cake with a dense or chewy texture, usually baked in a flat pan and cut into squares
celery
C2
/ˈseləri/
a cultivated plant, Apium graveolens, whose crisp leaf stalks are eaten as a vegetable
malt
C2
/mɔlt/
grain, usually barley, that has been soaked, allowed to germinate, and dried for brewing or food
pew
C2
/ˈpjuː/
One of the long benches in a church, seating several persons, usually fixed to the floor and facing the chancel.
dumpling
C2
/ˈdʌmp.lɪŋ/
a small mass of dough cooked by boiling, steaming, frying, or baking, sometimes wrapped around a filling
teapot
C2
/ˈti.pɔt/
pot for brewing tea
savor
C2
/ˈseɪvɝ/
to enjoy a taste, smell, experience, or moment slowly and appreciatively
saffron
C2
/ˈsæfɹən/
a costly yellow-orange spice made from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus
thermos
C2
/ˈθɝː.məs/
a vacuum-insulated flask or container designed to keep its contents hot or cold
corkscrew
C2
/ˈkɔɹk.skɹu/
An implement for opening bottles that are sealed by a cork. Sometimes specifically such an implement that includes a screw-shaped part, or worm.
venison
C2
/ˈvɛ.nɪ.sən/
meat from a deer used as food
apricot
C2
/ˈeɪ.pɹɪ.kɑt/
a small round stone fruit with yellow-orange flesh and lightly fuzzy skin
vermouth
C2
/vɚˈmuːθ/
a fortified red or white wine flavored with herbs and spices, served as an aperitif or used in cocktails
precipice
C2
/ˈpɹɛsɪpɪs/
A very steep cliff.
pomegranate
C2
/ˈpɑmɪˌɡɹænɪt/
a round fruit with a tough reddish rind and many seeds surrounded by sweet-tart red pulp
quince
C2
/kwɪns/
a hard, fragrant, yellow pear-shaped fruit usually cooked before eating
spatula
C2
/ˈspætjʊlə/
a kitchen utensil consisting of a flat surface attached to a long handle, used for turning, lifting, or stirring food.
synonymous
C2
/sɪˈnɑnɪməs/
of words, meaning the same or nearly the same
cornbread
C2
/ˈkɔrnˌbrɛd/
bread made chiefly from cornmeal, especially as a traditional food in the United States
swill
C2
/swɪl/
wet feed, especially for pigs, consisting of mostly kitchen waste mixed with water or milk
goblet
C2
/ˈɡɒblət/
A drinking vessel with a foot and stem.
kernel
C2
/ˈkɝ.nəl/
a single whole grain of a cereal
cantaloupe
C2
/ˈkæn.tə.loʊp/
a sweet muskmelon with orange flesh and, especially in North America, a rough netted rind
skillet
C2
/ˈskɪlɪt/
a frying pan, especially a heavy one with a long handle
stealthy
C2
/ˈstɛlθi/
Characterized by or resembling stealth or secrecy.
guava
C2
/ˈɡwɑːvə/
a tropical American tree or shrub of the myrtle family, especially Psidium guajava
mimosa
C2
/mɪˈmoʊsə/
a cocktail made with sparkling wine and orange juice
vinaigrette
C2
/ˌvɪn.əˈɡret/
a dressing or sauce made chiefly from oil, vinegar, and seasonings
anchovy
C2
/ˈænt͡ʃoʊ.vi/
a small marine fish, especially one preserved in salt or oil and used for its strong savory flavor
teatime
C2
/ˈtiːˌtaɪm/
the customary time in the afternoon or early evening when tea is served
crumpet
C2
/ˈkɹʌm.pɪt/
a small, round British bread made from yeast batter, with holes on top, usually toasted and eaten with butter
nosh
C2
/nɑʃ/
from Yiddish, a snack or light meal
dram
C2
/dræm/
a small measure or drink of an alcoholic spirit, especially whisky
persimmon
C2
/pəɹˈsɪmən/
an orange or reddish fruit of a tree in the genus Diospyros, sweet when ripe but often astringent when unripe
guzzle
C2
/ˈɡʌzəl/
drink greedily or as if with great thirst
anise
C2
/ˈæn.ɪs/
liquorice-flavored seeds, used medicinally and in cooking and liquors
offal
C2
/ˈɔːfəl/
the edible internal organs and other trimmings of a butchered animal
sarsaparilla
C2
/ˌsæs.pəˈrɪl.ə/
a sweet carbonated drink traditionally flavored with sarsaparilla, sassafras, or birch oil
parsnip
C2
/ˈpɑrsnɪp/
a cultivated biennial plant related to the carrot, or its long, pale, sweet-tasting edible root
bonbon
C2
/ˈbɑnˌbɑn/
a small sweet, especially a chocolate-coated confection with a soft or flavoured centre
mealtime
C2
/ˈmiːlˌtaɪm/
the hour at which a meal is habitually or customarily eaten
smokehouse
C2
/ˈsmoʊkˌhaʊs/
a building or enclosed structure in which meat or fish is cured and flavored with smoke
sweetmeat
C2
/ˈswiːt.miːt/
a small sweet delicacy, such as a confection, candied fruit, or preserve
watercress
C2
/ˈwɔtəɹkɹɛs/
a water-loving plant, especially Nasturtium officinale, whose peppery green leaves are eaten in salads or used as a garnish
caraway
C2
/ˈkærəˌweɪ/
the aromatic, crescent-shaped dried fruit commonly called a seed and used as a spice
masher
C2
/ˈmæʃər/
a utensil or machine used to crush food or another material into a soft mass
farina
C2
/fəˈriːnə/
a fine meal or flour made from cereal grain or other starchy vegetable material, especially one cooked as a breakfast cereal or pudding
tankard
C2
/ˈtæŋkɚd/
large drinking vessel with one handle
currant
C2
/ˈkʌɹənt/
a small tart red, black, or white berry growing on a shrub of the genus Ribes
swipes
C2
/swaɪps/
dated British slang: weak, watery, or inferior beer
suet
C2
/ˈsuː.ɪt/
the hard white fat around the kidneys and loins of cattle or sheep, used in cooking and in making tallow
kava
C2
/ˈkɑːvə/
a Pacific island shrub, Piper methysticum, whose roots contain psychoactive kavalactones
ragout
C2
/ɹæˈɡuː/
a richly seasoned stew of meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables cooked slowly in a sauce
tipple
C2
/ˈtɪpəl/
drink moderately but regularly
aniseed
C2
/ˈæ.nɪ.sid/
the aromatic seed of the anise plant, used to flavor food, drink, and medicine
cud
C2
/kʌd/
food brought back from a ruminant's stomach to the mouth and chewed again
tureen
C2
/təˈrin/
a large, deep, usually covered serving dish for soup, stew, or similar food
laver
C2
/ˈleɪvɚ/
an edible red seaweed, especially one used to make laverbread or as sheets for wrapping food
steadfastly
C2
/ˈstɛdfæstli/
In a steadfast manner; firmly; with conviction
yerba
C2
/ˈjɝːbə/
yerba mate: the South American holly Ilex paraguariensis or its dried leaves and twigs, used to make a caffeinated drink
curdle
C2
/ˈkɝːdəl/
to separate a liquid, especially milk, into solid curds and liquid, or to cause it to do so
deservedly
C2
/dɪˈzɝːvədli/
as deserved
slivovitz
C2
/ˈslɪvəˌvɪts/
a strong, usually colorless brandy distilled from fermented plums, traditionally made in the Balkans and Central or Eastern Europe
sago
C2
/ˈseɪɡoʊ/
an edible starch extracted from the pith of certain tropical palms and cycads, used in puddings and as a thickener
chine
C2
/tʃaɪn/
the backbone of an animal, especially with the adjoining flesh, or a cut of meat or fish containing it
granular
C2
/ˈɡɹæn.jə.lə(ɹ)/
composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency
beery
C2
/ˈbɪɹi/
smelling of beer
subsist
C2
/səbˈsɪst/
To stay alive with only the bare minimum of food or resources.
grist
C2
/ɡrɪst/
grain brought to a mill to be ground, or a quantity of grain prepared for grinding
refrigerate
C2
/ɹɪˈfɹɪd͡ʒəɹeɪt/
cool or chill in or as if in a refrigerator
hominy
C2
/ˈhɑːməni/
maize kernels treated with an alkali to remove the hulls, eaten whole or dried and ground into grits
pottle
C2
/ˈpɑtəl/
a small pot or food container, especially one used for fruit; chiefly British and Commonwealth English
capsicum
C2
/ˈkæpsɪkəm/
a plant of the genus Capsicum, which includes sweet peppers and chili peppers
peaty
C2
/ˈpiːtiː/
Of whisky, having a complex smoky flavour imparted by compounds released by peat fires used to dry the malted barley.
negus
C2
/ˈniːɡəs/
a hot drink of wine, usually port, mixed with water, sugar, citrus, and spices
unappetizing
C2
/ʌnˈæpəˌtaɪzɪŋ/
not appealing to the appetite because of an unpleasant appearance, smell, or taste
mangosteen
C2
/ˈmæŋ.ɡoʊ.stin/
a round tropical fruit with a thick purple rind and sweet, juicy white segments
wheaten
C2
/ˈwiːtən/
made from, containing, or relating to wheat
insuperable
C2
/ɪnˈsup(ə)ɹəb(ə)l/
incapable of being surmounted or excelled
epicure
C2
/ˈɛpɪkjʊr/
a person with refined and discriminating tastes, especially in food and wine
cocotte
C2
/kɔˈkɔt/
a small covered casserole or Dutch oven, especially one used to cook and serve an individual portion
polymorphic
C2
/ˌpɑliˈmɔɹfɪk/
having or occurring in several distinct forms
cruet
C2
/ˈkɹu.ɪt/
a small bottle or container for oil, vinegar, or another condiment at a dining table
firkin
C2
/ˈfɝkɪn/
a small wooden cask used especially for butter, ale, or other provisions
yeasty
C2
/ˈjiːsti/
containing yeast or having the smell or taste of yeast
pottage
C2
/ˈpɑtɪdʒ/
a thick soup or stew made by slowly boiling vegetables, grains, and sometimes meat
gastronomical
C2
/ˌɡæstrəˈnɑːmɪkəl/
relating to gastronomy, especially the preparation, appreciation, or culture of good food
voracity
C2
/vəˈɹæ.sə.ti/
Extreme eagerness to eat; greedy hunger.