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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307 words
galaxy
C2
/ˈɡɛl.ək.si/
a vast gravitationally bound system of stars, gas, dust, dark matter, and other astronomical objects
ivy
C2
/ˈaɪvi/
Any of several woody, climbing, or trailing evergreen plants of the genus Hedera.
coroner
C2
/ˈkɔɹ.ə.nɚ/
A public official who presides over an inquest into unnatural deaths, and who may have (or historically had) additional powers such as investigating cases of treasure trove.
mutant
C2
/ˈmjuː.tənt/
an organism, cell, gene, or other biological entity that carries a mutation
asteroid
C2
/ˈæst(ə)ɹɔɪd/
a natural rocky or metallic body smaller than a planet that orbits a star, especially one orbiting the Sun
crate
C2
/kɹeɪt/
to put into a crate
radioactive
C2
/ˌɹeɪdioʊˈæktɪv/
exhibiting or caused by radioactivity
suction
C2
/ˈsʌkʃən/
the process or force by which reduced pressure draws in a fluid or makes surfaces adhere
Martian
C2
/ˈmɑːr.ʃən/
of or relating to the planet Mars or its actual or imagined inhabitants
unicorn
C2
/ˈju.nɪ.kɔɹn/
A mythical horse, widely believed to exist until the 17th century, with a single, straight, spiraled horn projecting from its forehead.
hypothesis
C2
/[haɪˈpʰɑθəsɪs]/
An idea put forward to explain something, which can then be tested.
watermelon
C2
/ˈwɑtəɹˌmɛlən/
An environmentalist with socialist leanings, an ecosocialist.
gravitational
C2
/ˌɡɹævɪˈteɪʃənəl/
Relating to or caused by gravity.
infrared
C2
/ˌɪnfɹəˈɹɛd/
using or relating to electromagnetic wavelengths longer than visible red light but shorter than microwaves
zodiac
C2
/ˈzoʊ.di.æk/
the belt of the sky centered on the ecliptic through which the sun, moon, and visible planets appear to move
nebula
C2
/ˈnebjələ/
an interstellar cloud of gas and dust, often associated with the formation or death of stars
elk
C2
/ɛlk/
large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male
chameleon
C2
/kəˈmi.li.ən/
A small to mid-size reptile, of the family Chamaeleonidae, and one of the best known lizard families able to change color and project its long tongue.
Neanderthal
C2
/niˈændərˌtɑːl/
a member of an extinct human species, Homo neanderthalensis, that lived in Europe and western Asia until about 40,000 years ago
evasion
C2
/ɪˈveɪʒən/
nonperformance of something distasteful, as by deceit or trickery, that you are supposed to do
inconclusive
C2
/ˌɪnkənˈklusɪv/
Not conclusive, not leading to a conclusion.
albino
C2
/ælˈbaɪnoʊ/
born with albinism and therefore having little or no melanin pigmentation
stardust
C2
/ˈstɑrˌdʌst/
fine particles of matter originating in stars or present in interstellar space
Jurassic
C2
/dʒəˈræsɪk/
relating to the second period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 201 to 145 million years ago
bray
C2
/bɹeɪ/
to laugh loudly and harshly
skylight
C2
/ˈskaɪˌlaɪt/
a window in a roof to admit daylight
helix
C2
/ˈhiːlɪks/
a three-dimensional curve that winds around an axis at a constant slope, as in a screw or spiral staircase
stigma
C2
/ˈstɪɡmə/
a mark of shame or social disapproval
phonograph
C2
/ˈfoʊnəˌɡɹæf/
A record player.
fluorescent
C2
/flɔːˈɹɛs.ənt/
emitting visible or other electromagnetic radiation while excited by absorbed radiation or energetic particles, with the emission usually ending almost at once when excitation stops
larynx
C2
/ˈlɛɹ.ɪŋks/
A hollow muscular organ of the neck of mammals situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the oesophagus. It is involved in breath control and protection of the trachea, and, as it houses the vocal cords, sound production.
crossover
C2
/ˈkrɔːsˌoʊ.vɚ/
a crossing or transition from one place, group, activity, or system to another
elliptical
C2
/ɪˈlɪp.tɪ.kəl/
In a shape of, or reminding of, an ellipse; oval.
paraffin
C2
/ˈpɛɹ.ə.fɪn/
A petroleum-based thin and colourless fuel oil.
cosmology
C2
/kɑːzˈmɑː.lə.dʒi/
the scientific study of the origin, structure, development, and possible fate of the universe
tuff
C2
/tʌf/
rock formed from compacted or cemented volcanic ash and other fine volcanic fragments
anatomical
C2
/æ.nəˈtɑ.mɪ.kəl/
of or relating to the structure of the body
shingle
C2
/ˈʃɪŋgəl/
cover with shingles
transcendental
C2
/ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/
existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
spectrometer
C2
/spekˈtrɑː.mə.t̬ɚ/
an instrument that separates radiation, particles, or signals into a spectrum and measures their intensity or abundance by wavelength, frequency, energy, or mass-to-charge ratio
levitation
C2
/ˌlɛvɪˈteɪʃən/
the phenomenon of a person or thing rising into the air by apparently supernatural means
fertilization
C2
/ˌfɝːtəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
the union of male and female gametes to begin the development of a new organism
geneticist
C2
/dʒəˈnɛtɪsɪst/
a scientist who specializes in genes, heredity, and genetic variation
amoeba
C2
/əˈmiː.bə/
a single-celled organism that changes shape and moves or feeds by extending pseudopodia
symbiosis
C2
/sɪmbaɪˈoʊsɪs/
The occurrence of two different or opposing things in the same time and place.
nitric
C2
/ˈnaɪ.trɪk/
relating to nitrogen, especially nitrogen in a relatively high oxidation state
filament
C2
/ˈfɪl.ə.mənt/
a very thin thread or fiber of natural or manufactured material
thermodynamics
C2
/ˌθɜː(ɹ)moʊdaɪˈnæmɪks/
The science of the conversions between heat and other forms of energy.
forcible
C2
/ˈfɔrsəbəl/
impelled by physical force especially against resistance
graviton
C2
/ˈɡræv.ɪˌtɑːn/
a hypothetical massless spin-2 boson that would be the quantum carrier of gravity in a quantum theory of the gravitational field
deuterium
C2
/djuːˈtɪɹi.əm/
An isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in each atom - 21H.
tinge
C2
/ˈtɪndʒ/
color lightly
electromagnetism
C2
/ɪˌlɛk.tɹoʊˈmæɡ.nəˌtɪzm̩/
magnetism produced by an electric current
basalt
C2
/bəˈsɔlt/
the commonest type of solidified lava
quasar
C2
/ˈkweɪ.zɑɹ/
an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus powered by matter falling into a supermassive black hole
electrostatic
C2
/ɪˌlek.troʊˈstæt.ɪk/
relating to stationary electric charges, the fields and forces they produce, or devices that use those forces
ornithologist
C2
/ˌɔɹnɪˈθɑləd͡ʒɪst/
a scientist who studies birds
sedimentary
C2
/ˌsɛd.əˈmɛn.tə.ɹi/
resembling or containing or formed by the accumulation of sediment
bacillus
C2
/bəˈsɪləs/
any rod-shaped bacterium
paleontology
C2
/ˌpeɪliənˈtɑːlədʒi/
the scientific study of prehistoric life through fossils and other remains preserved in rocks
verifiable
C2
/ˌvɛɹ.əˈfaɪ.ə.bəl/
capable of being tested, verified or falsified, by experiment or observation
lactic
C2
/ˈlæktɪk/
relating to, derived from, or occurring in milk
sceptic
C2
/ˈskɛp.tɪk/
someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
entomology
C2
/ˌentəˈmɑːlədʒi/
the scientific study of insects, including their classification, anatomy, behavior, ecology, and relationships with humans
electrolysis
C2
/ˌɛˌlɛkˈtrɑːləsɪs/
The chemical change produced by passing an electric current through a conducting solution or a molten salt.
vivisection
C2
/ˌvɪvɪˈsɛkʃən/
surgical cutting into, or other invasive experimentation on, a living animal or organism for scientific research
vehement
C2
/ˈviː.hə.mənt/
marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions
phonetic
C2
/fəˈnɛt.ɪk/
of or relating to the scientific study of speech sounds
chromosomal
C2
/ˌkɹoʊməˈsoʊməl/
relating to, carried on, or caused by chromosomes
prussic
C2
/ˈprʌs.ɪk/
dated in chemistry: relating to hydrogen cyanide or hydrocyanic acid, especially in the term prussic acid
gravitationally
C2
/ˌgrævəˈteɪʃnəli/
In a way relating to or caused by gravity.
elliptic
C2
/ɪˈlɪp.tɪk/
characterized by extreme economy of expression or omission of superfluous elements
hyperbolic
C2
/ˌhaɪ.pɚˈbɔl.ɪk/
enlarged beyond truth or reasonableness
mitosis
C2
/maɪˈtoʊ.sɪs/
cell-nuclear division in which duplicated chromosomes separate into two genetically equivalent nuclei
ornithology
C2
/ˌɔɹnɪˈθɑlədʒi/
the branch of zoology concerned with the scientific study of birds
extant
C2
/ˈɛk.stənt/
Still existing; not lost or destroyed.
luminosity
C2
/ˌluː.məˈnɑː.sə.ti/
the quality or degree of giving off or reflecting light; brightness
igneous
C2
/ˈɪɡniəs/
geology: formed when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies
anatomist
C2
/əˈnætəmɪst/
One who studies, teaches, writes on, or does research on anatomy and anatomical structures.
positron
C2
/ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɹɑn/
an elementary particle with positive charge
alchemical
C2
/ælˈkɛmɪkəl/
relating to alchemy, an early tradition concerned with transforming matter
leaven
C2
/ˈlev.ən/
A substance, such as yeast, added to dough to make it rise.
trilobite
C2
/ˈtraɪloʊˌbaɪt/
an extinct Paleozoic marine arthropod with a segmented exoskeleton divided lengthwise into three lobes
falsification
C2
/ˌfɔlsəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
the showing or proving that a claim, hypothesis, or statement is false
foxfire
C2
/ˈfɑksˌfaɪər/
the faint glow produced by bioluminescent fungi growing on decaying wood
costal
C2
/ˈkɑːstəl/
anatomy: relating to a rib or the ribs
Silurian
C2
/sɪˈlʊɹiən/
relating to the geological period between the Ordovician and Devonian, about 444 to 419 million years ago
pleistocene
C2
/ˈplaɪ.stə.siːn/
the geological epoch from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago, preceding the Holocene
protoplasm
C2
/ˈproʊtəˌplæzəm/
the living contents of a cell, including its cytoplasm and nucleus
cyclotron
C2
/ˈsaɪ.kləˌtrɑːn/
a circular particle accelerator in which a magnetic field bends charged particles into an expanding spiral and an alternating electric field accelerates them whenever they cross the gap between electrodes
spectroscope
C2
/ˈspɛktɹəˌskoʊp/
an instrument that disperses electromagnetic radiation into its component wavelengths so that the resulting spectrum can be viewed or examined, especially in visible light
parthenogenesis
C2
/ˌpɑːrθənoʊˈdʒenəsɪs/
reproduction in which an embryo develops from an unfertilized egg
photoelectric
C2
/ˌfoʊtoʊɪˈlɛktrɪk/
of or pertaining to photoelectricity
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.
artesian
C2
/ɑrˈtiːʒən/
of groundwater that is confined under pressure and can rise in a well above the level at which it is first reached
hybridization
C2
/ˌhaɪbrədəˈzeɪʃən/
the crossing of genetically different organisms, varieties, or species to produce hybrids