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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44 words
transmitter
C2
/trænˈsmɪtɝ/
A device that sends out radio, television, or other signals.
scrapbook
C2
/ˈskɹæpˌbʊk/
a book in which photographs, clippings, notes, and other memorabilia are collected and arranged
paperback
C2
/ˈpeɪ.pɚˌbæk/
a book bound with a flexible paper or card cover
epilogue
C2
/ˈɛp.ɪˌlɔɡ/
a concluding section added to a literary work that comments on or reveals what happens after the main narrative
pundit
C2
/ˈpʌn.dɪt/
an expert who regularly gives opinions or analysis in the media
addendum
C2
/əˈden.dəm/
a section of additional information appended to a document or publication
watermark
C2
/ˈwɔːtəmɑːk/
a faint identifying design formed in paper during manufacture and visible when held to the light
folio
C2
/ˈfoʊliˌoʊ/
a book made from sheets folded once to form two leaves each, especially a large-format volume
cinematographic
C2
/ˌsɪnəmætəˈɡræfɪk/
relating to cinematography, motion-picture technique, or the representation of movement as successive images
newsboy
C2
/ˈnuːzˌbɔɪ/
historical: a boy or young man who sells or delivers newspapers
trope
C2
/tɹoʊp/
a familiar theme, device, or convention that recurs in a type of story, art, or discussion
dénouement
C2
/deɪˈnuː.mɑ̃ː/
the final part of a story or drama in which complications are resolved
cutaway
C2
/ˈkʌtəweɪ/
a drawing, photograph, or model with part of the exterior removed to reveal the internal structure
bookbinder
C2
/ˈbʊkˌbaɪn.dɚ/
a craftsperson or worker who binds pages into books or repairs book bindings
reissue
C2
/riːˈɪʃuː/
To issue or publish something again, often in a new version.
cinematograph
C2
/ˌsɪnəməˈtæɡræf/
an early apparatus that recorded and projected motion pictures
typographical
C2
/ˌtaɪ.pəˈɡræf.ɪ.kəl/
relating to typography, typesetting, or the appearance and arrangement of printed text
hardback
C2
/ˈhɑɹdˌbæk/
a book bound with a rigid protective cover
holograph
C2
/ˈhɑləɡræf/
a document written entirely in the handwriting of the person named as its author or signer
quarto
C2
/ˈkwɔːrtoʊ/
a book or page format made by folding a full sheet twice to create four leaves, or eight pages
scroop
C2
/skruːp/
Yorkshire dialect: the back or spine of a book
octavo
C2
/ɑkˈteɪ.voʊ/
a book or page size produced by folding a full sheet three times to make eight leaves
satirize
C2
/ˈsætəraɪz/
to expose or ridicule the faults of a person, institution, or idea through satire
vignette
C2
/vɪˈnjɛt/
a brief, vivid description, scene, or episode that captures a person, place, or situation
quire
C2
/ˈkwaɪɚ/
a set of twenty-four or twenty-five sheets of paper, traditionally one twentieth of a ream
assonance
C2
/ˈæsənəns/
the repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in poetry
coauthor
C2
/ˌkoʊˈɔːθɚ/
a person who writes a book, article, or other work jointly with another author
frontispiece
C2
/ˈfrʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/
an illustration facing or immediately preceding the title page of a book
inkstand
C2
/ˈɪŋkˌstænd/
a small stand or tray made to hold an inkwell and writing implements; sometimes, the inkwell itself
proem
C2
/ˈproʊɛm/
an introduction, preface, or preamble to a work or discourse
newsvendor
C2
/ˈnuːzˌvɛndɚ/
a person who sells newspapers and often magazines, especially at a street stand
ibid
C2
/ˈɪbɪd/
in the same source or passage just cited, used in notes and bibliographies
typescript
C2
/ˈtaɪpskɹɪpt/
a typewritten manuscript or other text prepared in typewritten form, especially as a copy for printing
halftone
C2
/ˈhæfˌtoʊn/
a printing or image-reproduction method that simulates continuous tones with dots of varying size or spacing
foolscap
C2
/ˈfʊlˌskæp/
a traditional British size of writing or printing paper, historically about 13 by 16 inches before folding or cutting
letterpress
C2
/ˈlɛtɚˌprɛs/
printing in which an inked raised surface is pressed directly onto paper
plagiary
C2
/ˈpleɪdʒiˌɛri/
a plagiarist; a person who presents another's words or ideas as their own
passim
C2
/ˈpæs.ɪm/
in many places throughout a cited work, used after a page or section reference
heliotype
C2
/ˈhiːlioʊtaɪp/
historical: a photomechanical printing process using a gelatin relief plate
expurgation
C2
/ˌek.spɚˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
the removal of material considered offensive, objectionable, or unsuitable from a text or other work
scientifiction
C2
/ˌsaɪ.ən.tɪˈfɪk.ʃən/
dated: science fiction, especially fiction that combines scientific facts or speculation with adventure and predictions about the future
apologue
C2
/ˈæp.əˌlɔːɡ/
a short allegorical story or fable intended to convey a moral lesson
anapestic
C2
/ˌænəˈpɛstɪk/
in prosody, relating to or composed of anapests, metrical feet with two unstressed or short syllables followed by one stressed or long syllable
paragrapher
C2
/ˈpær.əˌɡræf.ər/
a writer of short newspaper paragraphs, especially gossip, editorial, or society items