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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.
181 words
japan
C2
/dʒəˈpæn/
a hard, usually dark lacquer or enamel used to give wood or metal a durable glossy finish
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sal
C2
/sæl/
salt, especially in traditional chemical or pharmaceutical names such as sal volatile
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velvet
C2
/ˈvɛlvɪt/
A closely woven fabric (originally of silk, now also of cotton or man-made fibres) with a thick short pile on one side.
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splinter
C2
/ˈsplɪn.tɚ/
A small, thin, sharp piece of wood, glass, or metal.
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serge
C2
/sɝːdʒ/
a strong twill-weave fabric, traditionally made of wool or worsted and often used for suits and uniforms
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puddle
C2
/ˈpʌdl̩/
a small, shallow pool of water or another liquid, especially one formed by rain
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ore
C2
/oɹ/
Rock from which valuable metal or minerals can be extracted.
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chime
C2
/ˈtʃaɪm/
a melodious ringing sound, or a set of tuned bells or metal bars that produces it
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hoop
C2
/huːp/
a rigid circular or curved band of metal, wood, or another material, used for holding, fastening, hanging, or forming a framework
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slab
C2
/slæb/
A large, flat, thick piece of solid material such as stone, concrete, or wood.
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terra
C2
/ˈtɛˌrɑː/
earth, land, or solid ground, especially in the Latin expression terra firma
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gauze
C2
/ɡɔːz/
A similar bleached cotton fabric used as a surgical dressing.
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blob
C2
/blɑb/
a small rounded or shapeless amount of a thick liquid or soft substance
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bale
C2
/beɪl/
a large quantity of material compressed and tightly bound for storage or transport
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boa
C2
/ˈboʊ.ə/
a long decorative scarf made of feathers, fur, or a similar fluffy material
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gunny
C2
/ˈɡʌni/
a coarse, strong fabric made from jute or hemp, especially for sacks
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krypton
C2
/ˈkɹɪp.tɑːn/
the colorless, odorless noble-gas chemical element with symbol Kr and atomic number 36
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muff
C2
/mʌf/
a tube of fur or warm fabric into which both hands are placed for warmth
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mesh
C2
/mɛʃ/
A material made of connected threads, wire, or rope with small evenly spaced holes.
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beryl
C2
/ˈbɛr.əl/
a hard mineral that is the chief ore of beryllium and occurs in gemstone varieties such as emerald and aquamarine
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seam
C2
/siːm/
a line where two pieces of cloth, leather, or similar material are joined, usually by sewing
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poncho
C2
/ˈpɑntʃoʊ/
a cloak made from a single piece of fabric with an opening for the head, traditionally worn in South America
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blowtorch
C2
/ˈbloʊˌtɔɹtʃ/
a portable burner that produces a very hot, concentrated flame by mixing fuel gas with air or oxygen
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clack
C2
/klæk/
a sharp, hard sound made when solid objects strike together
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turquoise
C2
/ˈtɝ.k(w)ɔɪz/
an opaque blue-green mineral containing hydrated copper and aluminium phosphate, valued as a gemstone
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crepe
C2
/kɹeɪp/
a light, thin fabric with a finely wrinkled or crinkled surface
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smithy
C2
/ˈsmɪði/
a workshop where a smith heats, shapes, and repairs metal; a forge
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drape
C2
/dɹeɪp/
the manner in which fabric hangs or falls
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smut
C2
/smʌt/
sexually explicit or obscene writing, images, or other material, especially when regarded as having little artistic value
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pellet
C2
/ˈpel.ɪt/
a solid missile discharged from a firearm
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bullion
C2
/ˈbʊl.jən/
gold or silver in bulk form, especially bars or ingots valued by weight
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cinder
C2
/ˈsɪndɚ/
a small piece of partly burned coal, wood, or other material
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siphon
C2
/ˈsaɪ.fən/
a bent tube used to move liquid from a higher container to a lower one through continuous flow
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topaz
C2
/ˈtoʊˌpæz/
a hard aluminium fluorosilicate mineral, often transparent and cut as a gemstone in colorless, yellow, blue, pink, brown, or other varieties
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crucible
C2
/ˈkɹuː.sɪ.bəl/
a vessel made of material that does not melt easily
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chiffon
C2
/ʃɪˈfɑːn/
a very light, sheer fabric woven from silk or synthetic fibers
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turpentine
C2
/ˈtɝː.pən.taɪn/
a volatile liquid distilled from pine resin and used as a solvent, paint thinner, and source of chemical compounds
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clod
C2
/klɑd/
a compact lump of earth, clay, or a similar material
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palladium
C2
/pəˈleɪdiəm/
a rare, lustrous, silvery-white chemical element with atomic number 46 and symbol Pd
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nitroglycerin
C2
/ˌnaɪ.troʊˈɡlɪs.ɚ.ɪn/
a dense, oily, highly explosive liquid made by nitrating glycerol and used in explosives such as dynamite
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fakir
C2
/fəˈkɪr/
a Muslim religious mendicant, especially a Sufi ascetic who renounces material possessions
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lye
C2
/laɪ/
a strongly alkaline solution, traditionally made by leaching water through wood ashes
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drainpipe
C2
/ˈdreɪnˌpaɪp/
a pipe that carries rainwater, wastewater, or another liquid away
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lapis
C2
/ˈlæp.ɪs/
lapis lazuli, especially when used as a gemstone, pigment source, inlay, or decorative material
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shackle
C2
/ˈʃæk.əl/
a metal restraint for a wrist or ankle, usually one of a connected pair; figuratively, anything that severely restricts freedom
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awning
C2
/ˈɔnɪŋ/
a sheet of canvas or other material extended over a window, doorway, deck, or outdoor area to provide shelter from sun or rain
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muslin
C2
/ˈmʌz.lɪn/
a prototype of a sewing project, generally made of muslin or other cheap plain fabric
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wisp
C2
/wɪsp/
a small, thin strand or tuft of hair, grass, or similar material
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pumice
C2
/ˈpʌm.ɪs/
a very light, porous volcanic glass formed when gas-rich lava cools rapidly
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filament
C2
/ˈfɪl.ə.mənt/
a very thin thread or fiber of natural or manufactured material
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lacquer
C2
/ˈlæk.ɚ/
a liquid or resinous coating that dries to form a hard, smooth, glossy surface on wood, metal, or another material
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brocade
C2
/brəˈkeɪd/
a rich, heavy fabric woven with a raised ornamental design, traditionally using gold or silver thread
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mackintosh
C2
/ˈmækɪntɑʃ/
a waterproof raincoat, traditionally made from rubberized fabric
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glob
C2
/ɡlɑb/
a compact, rounded, and usually shapeless lump of a soft or sticky substance
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cesium
C2
/ˈsiːziəm/
the soft, highly reactive alkali-metal chemical element with atomic number 55 and symbol Cs
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condenser
C2
/ˈkʰəndɛnsɚ/
an apparatus that converts vapor into liquid
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lattice
C2
/ˈlætəs/
A flat panel constructed with widely-spaced crossed thin strips of wood or other material, commonly used as a garden trellis.
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acetylene
C2
/əˈsɛtəˌlin/
a colorless, highly flammable gas used especially for welding and cutting metals; ethyne
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liniment
C2
/ˈlɪn.ə.mənt/
a medicinal liquid or lotion rubbed on the skin to ease pain or stiffness
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etching
C2
/ˈɛt͡ʃ.ɪŋ/
The art of cutting a design into a metal plate with acid so prints can be made from it.
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tarpaulin
C2
/tɑrˈpɔlɪn/
a large sheet of strong waterproof material used to cover and protect things
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emulsion
C2
/ɪˈmʌl.ʃən/
a dispersion of tiny droplets of one liquid in another liquid with which it does not normally mix
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patina
C2
/pəˈtiː.nə/
a thin surface layer produced by oxidation or other chemical change, especially the green coating on aged copper or bronze
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talc
C2
/tælk/
an extremely soft hydrous magnesium silicate mineral with a greasy or soapy feel, used in ceramics, paint, paper, plastics, and powders
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windowpane
C2
/ˈwɪndoʊˌpeɪn/
A fabric pattern of widely-spaced intersecting vertical and horizontal lines forming large squares.
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diuretic
C2
/ˌdaɪ.jəˈrɛt.ɪk/
a drug or other substance that increases urine production, often helping the body remove excess salt and water
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brazier
C2
/ˈbɹeɪʒəɹ/
large metal container in which coal or charcoal is burned
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filigree
C2
/ˈfɪləˌgriː/
A delicate and intricate ornamentation made from platinum, gold or silver (or sometimes other metal) twisted wire.
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sackcloth
C2
/ˈsækˌklɔθ/
a coarse, rough fabric like the material traditionally used for sacks
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damask
C2
/ˈdæməsk/
a rich fabric whose woven pattern is visible through contrasting textures, often reversible
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flagon
C2
/ˈfleɪ̯ɡ(ə)n/
a large metal or pottery vessel with a handle and spout
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chintz
C2
/tʃɪnts/
a printed cotton fabric, often glazed and decorated with brightly colored floral patterns
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metalwork
C2
/ˈmɛtəlˌwɝk/
objects, fittings, or structural parts made of metal
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ambergris
C2
/ˈæm.bɚ.ɡɹɪs/
a waxy substance formed in the digestive tract of a sperm whale and historically prized as a perfume fixative
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ducat
C2
/ˈdʌk.ət/
historical: a gold or silver coin formerly issued by many European states, especially the widely traded gold ducat
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stovepipe
C2
/ˈstoʊvˌpaɪp/
a metal pipe that carries smoke and gases from a stove to a chimney or flue
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jerkin
C2
/ˈdʒɝː.kɪn/
a close-fitting jacket, often sleeveless and made of leather or rich fabric, worn especially by men in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
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feldspar
C2
/ˈfɛldˌspɑr/
any mineral in a major group of rock-forming aluminosilicates containing potassium, sodium, or calcium
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murk
C2
/mɝk/
an atmosphere in which visibility is reduced because of a cloud of some substance
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portcullis
C2
/pɔrtˈkʌlɪs/
a heavy gate made of a wood or metal grating that slides vertically to block a fortified entrance
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briquette
C2
/bɹɪˈkɛt/
a small compressed block of combustible material, especially charcoal or coal dust, used as fuel
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leaven
C2
/ˈlev.ən/
A substance, such as yeast, added to dough to make it rise.
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placer
C2
/ˈplæsɚ/
a surface or near-surface deposit of sand or gravel containing particles of a valuable mineral, especially gold
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malachite
C2
/ˈmæl.əˌkaɪt/
a bright green copper carbonate mineral used as an ore, pigment, and ornamental stone
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gasworks
C2
/ˈɡæs.wɝːks/
a factory where fuel gas is produced, stored, or distributed
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gabardine
C2
/ˈɡæbɚdiːn/
a firm, tightly woven fabric with a smooth face and a prominent diagonal twill, used especially for suits and coats
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emetic
C2
/ɪˈmɛtɪk/
a substance or medicine that causes vomiting
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wagonload
C2
/ˈwæɡənˌloʊd/
the amount of goods or material that a wagon carries or can hold
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fluorescence
C2
/flʊˈɹɛsəns/
The emission of light (or other electromagnetic radiation) by a material when stimulated by the absorption of radiation or of a subatomic particle.
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merino
C2
/məˈɹinoʊ/
The fabric made from this wool (or from any similar yarn).
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decoction
C2
/dɪˈkɑkʃən/
a medicinal or herbal liquid made by boiling plant material in water
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papier-mâché
C2
/ˌpeɪ.pɚ məˈʃeɪ/
a moldable material made from paper pulp or strips of paper mixed with glue or paste and hardened when dry
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travertine
C2
/ˈtrævɚˌtin/
a light-colored, often porous form of limestone deposited by mineral springs and used as a building or decorative stone
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phosphor
C2
/ˈfɑs.fɚ/
a substance that emits light after being excited by radiation or another form of energy, as in fluorescent lamps and display screens
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blowpipe
C2
/ˈbloʊˌpaɪp/
a narrow tube used to direct air or gas into a flame, concentrating its heat for chemical tests, metalwork, or mineral analysis
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molybdenum
C2
/məˈlɪb.dɪ.nəm/
the hard, silvery chemical element with symbol Mo and atomic number 42, used especially to strengthen steel alloys
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