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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126 words
cart
C2
/kɑɹt/
a heavy open wagon usually having two wheels and drawn by an animal
hull
C2
/hʌl/
The main body or frame of a ship or boat.
marquis
C2
/mɑɹˈki/
nobleman (in various countries) ranking above a count
chauffeur
C2
/ʃoʊˈfɝ/
a person employed to drive a private or luxury passenger vehicle
vicar
C2
/ˈvɪkɚ/
in the Church of England, a clergyman appointed to act as priest of a parish
believer
C2
/bɪˈlivɚ/
A person who believes; especially regarding religion.
sleigh
C2
/sleɪ/
a vehicle on runners for traveling over snow or ice, usually pulled by an animal
helm
C2
/ˈhɛlm/
The position of leadership or control of an organization.
moor
C2
/mʊə/
To fix a boat or ship in place with ropes, chains, or an anchor.
limousine
C2
/ˌlɪməˈziːn/
a large luxurious car, often with a chauffeur and sometimes with a lengthened passenger compartment
hymn
C2
/hɪm/
praise by singing a hymn
navigator
C2
/ˈnavɪɡeɪtə/
in earlier times, a person who explored by ship
wharf
C2
/wɔrf/
a platform built along or out from a shore where ships load, unload, or moor
buoy
C2
/ˈbu.i/
to mark with a buoy or other sea-borne marker
locomotive
C2
/ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
The engine of a train that pulls the carriages or wagons.
maritime
C2
/ˈmæ.ɹɪˌtaɪm/
bordering on or living or characteristic of those near the sea
autopilot
C2
/ˈɔtoʊˌpaɪlət/
A system that automatically steers a vehicle, plane, or ship without a person controlling it.
layman
C2
/ˈleɪmən/
Someone who is not a professional in a given field.
shorthand
C2
/ˈʃɔɹthænd/
written in abbreviated or symbolic form
ballast
C2
/ˈbæləst/
to make a ship steady with a ballast
muffler
C2
/ˈmʌflɚ/
a device in a vehicle's exhaust system that reduces engine noise; in British English, a silencer
boathouse
C2
/ˈboʊtˌhaʊs/
a building beside or over water in which boats and boating equipment are kept
headlight
C2
/ˈhɛdˌlaɪt/
a powerful light with reflector
turret
C2
/ˈtɝ.ɪt/
A small tower on a building or castle, often at a corner.
shunt
C2
/ʃʌnt/
railways: to move a train or carriage onto another track, especially in or near a station
landau
C2
/ˈlæn.dɔː/
a four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with facing passenger seats and a two-part folding roof
aground
C2
/əˈɡraʊnd/
onto or against the bottom of a body of water, so that a vessel can no longer move freely
turnpike
C2
/ˈtɜː(ɹ)npaɪk/
an expressway on which tolls are collected
mariner
C2
/ˈmæɹɪnɚ/
A sailor, especially one who works on a ship at sea.
helmsman
C2
/ˈhɛlmzmən/
a person who steers a ship or boat
waterman
C2
/ˈwɔtɝmən/
a person who lives or works on the water, especially a boatman who carries passengers or goods on a river or canal
boatswain
C2
/ˈboʊ.sən/
a ship's officer responsible for the deck crew, rigging, anchors, and other deck equipment
hackney
C2
/ˈhækni/
a carriage or cab kept for public hire; now chiefly historical except in the term hackney carriage
chaise
C2
/ʃeɪz/
a light horse-drawn carriage, usually for one or two people
porthole
C2
/ˈpɔː(ɹ)t.həʊl/
a small, usually circular window in the side of a ship, aircraft, or similar vehicle
flotsam
C2
/ˈflɑːtsəm/
floating wreckage, cargo, or other debris from a ship
yaw
C2
/jɑː/
of a ship or aircraft, to turn or swing temporarily away from its intended direction
odometer
C2
/oʊˈdɑːmətɚ/
a meter that shows mileage traversed
coxswain
C2
/ˈkɑːksən/
the sailor in charge of a ship's boat and crew, usually responsible for steering it
prow
C2
/praʊ/
the forward part of a ship or boat, especially when it projects above the water
longboat
C2
/ˈlɔŋˌboʊt/
the largest open boat formerly carried by a sailing ship, used for transport, work, or emergencies
lading
C2
/ˈleɪdɪŋ/
goods or cargo carried by a ship or other vehicle
scow
C2
/skaʊ/
a broad, flat-bottomed boat used chiefly to carry bulk freight
outrigger
C2
/ˈaʊtˌɹɪɡɚ/
a float attached parallel to a canoe or boat by projecting struts to improve stability
dockyard
C2
/ˈdɑːˌkjɑːrd/
A place where ships are repaired or outfitted.
aerodrome
C2
/ˈerədroʊm/
chiefly British: an area from which aircraft operate, including its runways and associated buildings; an airfield
larboard
C2
/ˈlɑɹbɔɹd/
on or toward the left side of a vessel when facing forward; port
signalman
C2
/ˈsɪɡ.nəl.mən/
a railway employee who controls signals and points to regulate the safe movement of trains
cabriolet
C2
/kæbriəˈleɪ/
a car with a roof that folds down or can be removed
shipboard
C2
/ˈʃɪpˌbɔːrd/
a ship considered as a place where people live, meet, or travel, chiefly in the phrase on shipboard
waterline
C2
/ˈwɑːt̬ɚlaɪn/
the level reached by water on the side of a floating vessel, or a line marking that level
phaeton
C2
/ˈfeɪətən/
a light four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, usually open and having one or two forward-facing seats
landsman
C2
/ˈlændzmən/
a person who lives or works on land rather than at sea, especially one who lacks a sailor's skills or experience
dray
C2
/dreɪ/
a low, strong cart or wagon, traditionally horse-drawn and used for carrying heavy loads
mizzen
C2
/ˈmɪzən/
the mast immediately behind a ship's mainmast; a mizzenmast
brougham
C2
/ˈbɹuːəm/
a light four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with an enclosed passenger body and an open driver's seat
pharos
C2
/ˈfɛɹ.ɑːs/
historical or literary: a lighthouse or beacon, especially an ancient monumental one
biplane
C2
/ˈbaɪpleɪn/
an airplane that has two main wings, one above the other and supported by struts.
navigable
C2
/ˈnævɪɡəbəl/
able to be sailed on or through safely
scupper
C2
/ˈskʌp.ɚ/
an opening in a ship's side, or in a building wall, through which water drains from a deck, floor, or flat roof
forecastle
C2
/ˈfoʊk.səl/
the raised forward part of a ship's upper deck or the structure built there
voiture
C2
/vwɑːˈtjʊr/
literary or historical, chiefly in French contexts: a carriage or other vehicle
barque
C2
/bɑrk/
a sailing ship with three or more masts, square-rigged except on the rearmost mast
wagoner
C2
/ˈwægənɝ/
a person who drives or transports goods with a wagon
cabman
C2
/ˈkæb.mən/
historical: a man who drove a horse-drawn cab for hire
coble
C2
/ˈkoʊ.bəl/
a small flat-bottomed open fishing boat designed for launching from beaches in northeastern England and Scotland
switchback
C2
/ˈswɪtʃˌbæk/
chiefly British, dated: a roller coaster or amusement ride with steep rises and descents
demonstrably
C2
/diˈmɑnstrəbli/
in an obvious and provable manner
brakeman
C2
/ˈbreɪkmən/
historical: a railway worker responsible for operating a train's brakes and assisting with couplings and switching
merchantman
C2
/ˈmɝtʃəntmən/
a ship used to carry goods in trade rather than for naval warfare
byway
C2
/ˈbaɪweɪ/
a minor, less-traveled road or path branching from a main route
hatchway
C2
/ˈhætʃweɪ/
an opening through a ship's deck, floor, or wall that is fitted with a hatch
spanker
C2
/ˈspæŋ.kɚ/
a fore-and-aft sail set on or behind the mast nearest the stern of a square-rigged ship, or the corresponding aftermost sail of a large schooner
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
hawser
C2
/hɔzɚ/
a thick, heavy-duty rope or cable used to tow or moor a ship
furl
C2
/fɝl/
to roll or fold a sail, flag, or similar sheet and secure it
bowsprit
C2
/ˈboʊ.sprɪt/
a spar projecting forward from a sailing vessel's bow, used to support rigging and forward sails
oarsman
C2
/ˈɔɹzmən/
a male rower, especially a member of a boat's racing or working crew
perambulator
C2
/pəˈræmbjəˌleɪtɚ/
a baby carriage; a chiefly British and now dated term for a pram
howdah
C2
/ˈhaʊdə/
a seat or enclosed platform, often canopied and ornamented, carried on the back of an elephant or camel
barouche
C2
/bəˈruːʃ/
historical: a large four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with two facing passenger seats, a folding hood over the rear seat, and a raised driver's seat in front
flatcar
C2
/ˈflæt.kɑːr/
chiefly North American, a railroad freight car with a flat open deck and no permanent sides or roof, used for containers, vehicles, machinery, and other bulky loads
propulsive
C2
/prəˈpʌlsɪv/
tending to or capable of propelling
highroad
C2
/ˈhaɪˌroʊd/
a main public road or highway; now more often written high road
monoplane
C2
/ˈmɑːnəˌpleɪn/
an airplane with one main pair of wings rather than two or more pairs
musher
C2
/ˈmʌʃɚ/
a person who drives or travels with a team of sled dogs, especially in a dogsled race
flivver
C2
/ˈflɪv.ɚ/
an automobile or cart, particularly one which is old and inexpensive.
hearer
C2
/ˈhɪɹɚ/
One who hears.
binnacle
C2
/ˈbɪnəkəl/
a fixed housing for a ship's compass, often fitted with a light and correcting magnets
cordage
C2
/ˈkɔrdədʒ/
cords and ropes considered collectively, especially the ropes used in a ship's rigging
gunwale
C2
/ˈɡʌnəl/
the upper edge of the side of a boat or ship
pilothouse
C2
/ˈpaɪlətˌhaʊs/
an enclosed compartment on a ship or boat from which the vessel is steered and navigated
aeronaut
C2
/ˈɛr.əˌnɔːt/
a person who travels through the air in a balloon or airship; historically, an aviator
dearness
C2
/ˈdɪə(ɹ)nəs/
The quality of having great value or price.
abaft
C2
/əˈbæft/
at, near, or toward the stern of a ship
wherry
C2
/ˈwɛɹi/
a light rowboat formerly used to carry passengers or goods on rivers and in harbors