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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257 words
shove
C2
/ʃʌv/
the act of giving a push to someone or something
mademoiselle
C2
/ˌmæ.dəm.wəˈzɛl/
A young woman or girl, especially one who is French or French-speaking.
perimeter
C2
/pəˈɹɪmətɚ/
the total length of the boundary of a two-dimensional shape
iris
C2
/ˈaɪ.ɹɪs/
A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms (See Iris (plant) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia ).
cardinal
C2
/ˈkɑɹdɪnəl/
serving as an essential component
twilight
C2
/ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt/
a condition of decline following successes
dagger
C2
/ˈdæɡɚ/
A stabbing weapon, similar to a sword but with a short, double-edged blade.
squirrel
C2
/ˈskwɝ(ə)l/
Any of the rodents of the family Sciuridae.
willow
C2
/ˈwɪloʊ/
Any of various deciduous trees or shrubs in the genus Salix, in the willow family Salicaceae, found primarily on moist soils in cooler zones in the northern hemisphere.
sly
C2
/slaɪ/
Done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy; subtle
reindeer
C2
/ˈɹeɪndɪɹ/
Arctic deer with large antlers in both sexes
hazel
C2
/ˈheɪzəl/
A tree or shrub of the genus Corylus, bearing edible nuts called hazelnuts or filberts.
intercept
C2
/ɪntɚˈsɛpt/
seize on its way
bamboo
C2
/bæmˈbu/
Any of the fast-growing grasses of the Bambusoideae subfamily, characterised by its woody, hollow, round, straight, jointed stem.
legion
C2
/ˈli.d͡ʒən/
A very large number of people or things.
revolver
C2
/ɹɪˈvɒl.vɚ/
Synonym of revolving line of credit, a form of credit permitting the holder to repeatedly borrow money.
woof
C2
/wʊf/
The set of yarns carried by the shuttle of a loom which are placed crosswise at right angles to and interlaced with the warp; the weft.
sermon
C2
/ˈsɝ.mən/
Religious discourse; a written or spoken address on a religious or moral matter.
quadrant
C2
/ˈkwɑ.dɹənt/
one of four roughly equal sectors into which a plane, circle, area, or display is divided
mutiny
C2
/ˈmju.tə.ni/
An organized rebellion against a legally constituted authority, especially by seamen against their officers.
ledge
C2
/led͡ʒ/
A narrow surface projecting horizontally from a wall, cliff, or other surface.
pooh
C2
/puː/
An instance of saying "pooh".
jaguar
C2
/ˈd͡ʒæɡ.wɑɹ/
a large spotted feline of tropical America similar to the leopard
chord
C2
/kɔɹd/
A harmonic set of three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously.
saline
C2
/ˈseɪ.lin/
containing salt
neon
C2
/ˈni.ɒn/
Neon signs or lights, collectively.
livelihood
C2
/ˈlaɪvlihʊd/
A means of providing the necessities of life for oneself (for example, a job or income).
rad
C2
/ræd/
a non-SI unit of absorbed ionizing-radiation dose equal to 0.01 gray, or 100 ergs per gram
partridge
C2
/ˈpɑɹtɹɪd͡ʒ/
Any bird of a number of genera in the family Phasianidae, notably in the genera Perdix and Alectoris.
arsenic
C2
/ˈɑɹsənɪk/
a very poisonous metallic element that has three allotropic forms
mar
C2
/mɑɹ/
make imperfect
trot
C2
/tɹɑt/
cause to trot
dreary
C2
/ˈdɹɪɹi/
Drab; dark, colorless, or cheerless.
tod
C2
/tɑːd/
a former British unit of weight for wool, usually equal to 28 pounds (about 12.7 kilograms)
plutonium
C2
/pluːˈtoʊniəm/
The transuranic chemical element with atomic number 94 and symbol Pu: a silvery-gray fissile radioactive actinide metal that tarnishes when exposed to air.
sledge
C2
/slɛd͡ʒ/
ride in or travel with a sledge
cobbler
C2
/ˈkɑblɚ/
a pie made of fruit with rich biscuit dough usually only on top of the fruit
galley
C2
/ˈɡæli/
An oblong tray of wood or brass, with upright sides, for holding type which has been set, or is to be made up, etc.
fathom
C2
/ˈfæðəm/
(mining) a unit of volume (equal to 6 cubic feet) used in measuring bodies of ore
ell
C2
/ɛl/
a former unit for measuring cloth, equal in England to 45 inches or about 1.14 metres
equator
C2
/ɪˈkweɪ.tɚ/
an imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is equidistant from the north and south poles
hillside
C2
/ˈhɪlˌsaɪd/
The side of a hill.
quartet
C2
/kwɔː(ɹ)ˈtɛt/
four people considered as a unit
gallop
C2
/ˈɡæləp/
a fast gait of a horse
cluck
C2
/klʌk/
the sound made by a hen, as in calling her chicks
alpine
C2
/ˈæl.paɪn/
living or growing above the timber line
pedigree
C2
/ˈpɛdəgri/
The history or provenance of an idea, custom etc.
rem
C2
/rɛm/
a non-SI unit of radiation dose equivalent equal to 0.01 sievert
intolerant
C2
/ɪnˈtɑləɹənt/
Unable to digest food or be given substances of a certain composition without adverse effects.
gramophone
C2
/ˈɡɹæ.məˌfoʊn/
an antique record player
puma
C2
/puːmə/
A woman in her 20s or 30s who seeks relationships with younger men; a younger cougar.
octave
C2
/ˈɑktɪv/
An interval of twelve semitones spanning eight degrees of the diatonic scale, representing a doubling or halving in pitch frequency.
swish
C2
/swɪʃ/
sophisticated; fashionable; smooth.
photon
C2
/ˈfəʊtɒn/
The quantum of light and other electromagnetic energy, regarded as a discrete particle having zero rest mass, no electric charge, and an indefinitely long lifetime. It is a gauge boson.
billiard
C2
/ˈbɪl.i.ə(ɹ)d/
of or relating to billiards
lawless
C2
/ˈlɔːləs/
disobedient to or defiant of law
correlation
C2
/ˌkɔɹ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/
A connection between two or more things in which they change together.
snipe
C2
/snaɪp/
A fool; a blockhead.
incoherent
C2
/ˌɪnkoʊˈhɪrənt/
without logical or meaningful connection
circumference
C2
/sɚˈkʌmfɹəns/
the boundary line encompassing an area or object
decimal
C2
/ˈdɛs.ɪ.məl/
based on or organized in powers of ten
inhospitable
C2
/ˌɪnhɒsˈpɪtəbəl/
unfavorable to life or growth
livery
C2
/ˈlɪ.və.ɹi/
Any distinctive identifying uniform worn by a group, such as the uniform worn by chauffeurs and male servants.
lope
C2
/loʊp/
To travel an easy pace with long strides.
gallantry
C2
/ˈɡæləntri/
courage.
ejaculation
C2
/iːˌdʒækjuːˈleɪʃən/
The act of throwing or darting out with a sudden force and rapid flight.
isotope
C2
/ˈaɪ.sə.toʊp/
one of two or more atoms with the same atomic number but with different numbers of neutrons
kerchief
C2
/ˈkɝ.t͡ʃɪf/
a square scarf that is folded into a triangle and worn over the head or about the neck
angular
C2
/ˈæŋ.ɡjə.lɚ/
Having sharp corners or pointed shapes rather than smooth, rounded ones.
immeasurable
C2
/ɪˈmɛʒəɹəbəl/
vast
diagonal
C2
/ˌdaɪ̯ˈeɪ̯ɡ(ə)nəl/
connecting two nonadjacent corners of a plane figure or any two corners of a solid that are not in the same face
scaly
C2
/ˈskeɪli/
Covered or abounding with scales.
azure
C2
/ˈæʒɚ/
to color blue
genealogy
C2
/ˌd͡ʒiniˈɑlədʒi/
the study or investigation of ancestry and family history
camphor
C2
/ˈkæmfɚ/
a pungent resin obtained from the camphor tree, often used in pharmacy
levity
C2
/ˈlɛvɪti/
The state or quality of being light, buoyancy.
exponential
C2
/ˌek.spəˈnen.ʃəl/
describing growth or decay whose rate is proportional to the quantity's current value, producing repeated multiplication over equal intervals
impropriety
C2
/ˌɪm.pɹəˈpɹaɪ.ɪ.ti/
The condition of being improper.
undergrowth
C2
/ˈʌndɚˌɡɹoʊθ/
The plants in a forest which only reach a relatively low height (such as shrubs and bushes).
furlong
C2
/ˈfɝː.lɔːŋ/
a unit of distance equal to one eighth of a mile, 220 yards, or 201.168 metres, now used chiefly in horse racing
scullery
C2
/ˈskʌləɹi/
A small room, next to a kitchen, where washing up and other domestic chores are done.
asymmetrical
C2
/ˌeɪsɪˈmɛtɹɪk(ə)l/
irregular in shape or outline
muslin
C2
/ˈmʌz.lɪn/
a prototype of a sewing project, generally made of muslin or other cheap plain fabric
octagon
C2
/ˈɑːk.təˌɡɑːn/
a polygon with eight sides and eight angles
homunculus
C2
/həˈmʌŋk.jə.ləs/
A miniature man, once imagined by spermists to be present in human sperm.
yew
C2
/juː/
any of numerous evergreen trees or shrubs having red cup-shaped berries and flattened needlelike leaves
shrubbery
C2
/ˈʃɹʌbəɹi/
A planting of shrubs; a wide border to a garden where shrubs are thickly planted; or a similar larger area with a path winding through it.
swarthy
C2
/ˈswɔɹði/
Dark-skinned; black.
tuft
C2
/tʌft/
A small clump of trees or bushes.
acreage
C2
/ˈeɪkərɪdʒ/
An area of land, measured in acres.
fingertip
C2
/ˈfɪŋɡɚˌtɪp/
The tip of the human finger.
unmoved
C2
/ənˈmuːvd/
Not affected emotionally, or not showing emotion.
sextant
C2
/ˈsɛk.stənt/
A navigational device for deriving angular distances between objects so as to determine latitude and longitude.
quadratic
C2
/kwɒdˈɹætɪk/
of or relating to the second power
quotient
C2
/ˈkwoʊʃənt/
the result obtained by dividing one number or quantity by another
slovenly
C2
/ˈslʌvənli/
Having an untidy appearance; unkempt.