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.
Choose your level
All 27,237 words
1623 words
heathen
C2+
/ˈhiːðən/
a person not belonging to a widely held religion; irreligious
homosexual
C2+
/ˌhoʊməˈsɛkʃuəl/
sexually attracted to people of one's own sex
horde
C2+
/hɔrd/
a large, often unruly crowd or group
humanistic
C2+
/ˌhjuːməˈnɪstɪk/
relating to human values, interests, or the study of humanities
ignominy
C2+
/ˈɪɡnəmɪni/
public shame or disgrace resulting from dishonourable conduct
imbecile
C2+
/ˈɪmbəsəl/
a stupid person; (dated) someone of severely limited intelligence
invalid
C2+
/ɪnˈvælɪd/
not legally or logically valid; (ˈɪnvəlɪd) a person weakened by illness
irregardless
C2+
/ˌɪrɪˈɡɑrdləs/
(nonstandard) regardless; without regard to circumstances
keepsake
C2+
/ˈkipseɪk/
a small item kept in memory of the person who gave or owned it
lexicon
C2+
/ˈlɛksɪkɑn/
the vocabulary of a language, person, or field; a dictionary
libertine
C2+
/ˈlɪbərtin/
a person who is morally or sexually unrestrained
luckless
C2+
/ˈlʌkləs/
having or bringing no luck; unfortunate
manipulator
C2+
/məˈnɪpjəleɪtər/
a person who controls others unfairly; a device for handling objects
moron
C2+
/ˈmɔrɑn/
a foolish or stupid person
nonpareil
C2+
/ˌnɑnpəˈrɛl/
having no equal; a person or thing without rival
peerless
C2+
/ˈpɪrləs/
having no equal; matchless
peopleless
C2+
/ˈpipəlləs/
devoid of people; unpopulated
pimp
C2+
/pɪmp/
a person who manages prostitutes and takes their earnings
pitiless
C2+
/ˈpɪtiləs/
showing no pity; merciless or relentless
posterior
C2+
/pɑˈstɪriər/
situated at or toward the rear; the buttocks
precursor
C2+
/prɪˈkɜrsər/
something that comes before and signals or leads to another
proxy
C2+
/ˈprɑksi/
a person authorized to act or vote on behalf of another
publican
C2+
/ˈpʌblɪkən/
a person who owns or manages a pub
reprobate
C2+
/ˈrɛprəbeɪt/
an unprincipled or morally depraved person
reverend
C2+
/ˈrɛvərənd/
worthy of deep respect; used as a title for a member of the clergy
ruse
C2+
/ruz/
a trick or stratagem intended to deceive someone
scribe
C2+
/skraɪb/
a person who copies documents, especially before printing
specter
C2+
/ˈspɛktər/
a ghost, or a haunting threatening prospect
spendthrift
C2+
/ˈspɛndθrɪft/
a person who spends money wastefully and extravagantly
throng
C2+
/θrɔŋ/
a large, densely packed crowd; to gather or crowd together
turncoat
C2+
/ˈtɜrnˌkoʊt/
a person who deserts one party or cause for the opposing one
twosome
C2+
/ˈtusəm/
a group or pairing of two people
ulterior
C2+
/ʌlˈtɪriər/
hidden beyond what is openly stated; concealed and self-serving
villain
C2+
/ˈvɪlən/
a wicked person, especially the chief evildoer in a story
virgin
C2+
/ˈvɜrdʒɪn/
a person who has not had sex; pristine and untouched
witch
C2+
/wɪtʃ/
a person, typically a woman, believed to practise magic
abuser
C2+
/əˈbjuzɚ/
a person who maltreats another or misuses something habitually
accessary
C2+
/ækˈsɛsəri/
a person who aids in a crime without being the principal; an accessory
ager
C2+
/ˈeɪdʒɚ/
a person or agent that causes or undergoes ageing
alphabetarian
C2+
/ˌælfəbɪˈtɛriən/
a beginner learning the alphabet; a novice
arguer
C2+
/ˈɑrɡjuɚ/
a person who argues or debates
artificer
C2+
/ɑrˈtɪfɪsɚ/
a skilled craftsman or inventor of ingenious devices
asunder
C2+
/əˈsʌndɚ/
apart or into separate pieces
auctioneer
C2+
/ˌɔkʃəˈnɪr/
a person who conducts sales by auction
automaton
C2+
/ɔˈtɑmətən/
a self-operating machine, or a person acting mechanically without thought
backfriend
C2+
/ˈbækˌfrɛnd/
a false friend or secret enemy
backside
C2+
/ˈbækˌsaɪd/
the rear part of something; a person's buttocks
bagger
C2+
/ˈbæɡɚ/
a person or machine that fills or packs bags
bamboozler
C2+
/bæmˈbuzlɚ/
a person who cheats or deceives others
barkeeper
C2+
/ˈbɑrˌkipɚ/
a person who serves drinks at a bar
baron
C2+
/ˈbærən/
a member of the lowest rank of the nobility; a powerful magnate
barrister
C2+
/ˈbærɪstɚ/
a lawyer qualified to plead in the higher courts (chiefly British)
bearer
C2+
/ˈbɛrɚ/
a person who carries or holds something
bedfellow
C2+
/ˈbɛdˌfɛloʊ/
a person who shares a bed; an associate or ally
beggar
C2+
/ˈbɛɡɚ/
a person who lives by asking for charity
bigoted
C2+
/ˈbɪɡətɪd/
obstinately intolerant of other people's beliefs or opinions
blatherskite
C2+
/ˈblæðɚˌskaɪt/
a person who talks foolishly at length; nonsensical talk
boarder
C2+
/ˈbɔrdɚ/
a person who pays to live and take meals in someone's house
bod
C2+
/bɑd/
(informal) a person; the human body
bombardier
C2+
/ˌbɑmbɚˈdɪr/
a crew member who aims and releases bombs from an aircraft
boner
C2+
/ˈboʊnɚ/
(informal) a foolish and embarrassing mistake
bounder
C2+
/ˈbaʊndɚ/
(dated, British) a dishonorable or ill-bred man; a cad
buster
C2+
/ˈbʌstɚ/
(informal) a man or boy, used as an address; something that breaks or stops
busybody
C2+
/ˈbɪziˌbɑdi/
a meddlesome person who pries into others' affairs
byword
C2+
/ˈbaɪˌwɝd/
a person or thing taken as a typical example of a quality
camper
C2+
/ˈkæmpɚ/
a person who camps; a vehicle equipped for camping
chandler
C2+
/ˈtʃændlɚ/
a dealer in supplies and provisions, especially for ships
changeless
C2+
/ˈtʃeɪndʒləs/
remaining the same; never altering or varying
chump
C2+
/tʃʌmp/
a foolish or easily deceived person
collectivism
C2+
/kəˈlɛktɪˌvɪzəm/
the principle of giving the group priority over the individual
comportment
C2+
/kəmˈpɔrtmənt/
the way a person behaves or carries themselves; deportment
compositor
C2+
/kəmˈpɑzətɚ/
a person who sets type for printing
conferrer
C2+
/kənˈfɜrɚ/
a person who confers, grants, or bestows something
contaminator
C2+
/kənˈtæməˌneɪtɚ/
a person or thing that pollutes or defiles something
contestant
C2+
/kənˈtɛstənt/
a person who takes part in a competition
convent
C2+
/ˈkɑnvɛnt/
a community of nuns, or the building they occupy
copycat
C2+
/ˈkɑpiˌkæt/
a person who imitates another, or an act that imitates one before it
countenance
C2+
/ˈkaʊntənəns/
a person's face or expression; to give support to
courier
C2+
/ˈkʊriɚ/
a messenger who transports goods or documents, often urgently
creationist
C2+
/kriˈeɪʃənɪst/
a person who believes in creation by a divine agent rather than evolution
cumber
C2+
/ˈkʌmbɚ/
to hamper or burden; an obstruction or encumbrance
custodian
C2+
/kʌˈstoʊdiən/
a person responsible for guarding or maintaining something
demonstrator
C2+
/ˈdɛmənˌstreɪtɚ/
a person who takes part in a public protest, or who shows how something works
descendant
C2+
/dɪˈsɛndənt/
a person or thing descended from a particular ancestor
detractor
C2+
/dɪˈtræktɚ/
a person who disparages or belittles someone or something
dialect
C2+
/ˈdaɪəˌlɛkt/
a regional or social variety of a language with distinctive features
dilettante
C2+
/ˌdɪləˈtɑnt/
a person who dabbles in an art or field of knowledge without serious commitment
dissever
C2+
/dɪˈsɛvər/
to sever or divide; to separate forcibly
dissolver
C2+
/dɪˈzɑlvər/
a person or substance that dissolves something
distributer
C2+
/dɪˈstrɪbjətər/
a person or firm that distributes goods (variant of distributor)
dominator
C2+
/ˈdɑmɪˌneɪtər/
a person or thing that dominates or rules over others
dower
C2+
/ˈdaʊər/
the portion of an estate a widow receives, or a dowry
drunkard
C2+
/ˈdrʌŋkərd/
a person who is habitually drunk
edifier
C2+
/ˈɛdɪˌfaɪər/
a person or thing that instructs or improves morally or intellectually
endowment
C2+
/ɛnˈdaʊmənt/
a fund or natural quality with which a person or institution is provided
enigma
C2+
/əˈnɪɡmə/
a person or thing that is mysterious or hard to understand