This week on The Missing Workbook
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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.
Choose your level
All 27,899 wordsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
2191 words
stilt
B2
/stɪlt/
one of a pair of tall poles with raised footrests that allow a person to walk high above the ground
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infrasound
C2+
/ˈɪnfrəˌsaʊnd/
sound waves having a frequency below the human audible range (below about 20 Hz).
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pedlar
C2
someone who travels about selling his wares (as on the streets or at carnivals)
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dramatist
C1
/ˈdɹæmətɪst/
A person who writes plays.
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hanger-on
C2
/ˈhæŋɚˌɑn/
a person who stays close to someone powerful, wealthy, or famous in the hope of gaining status or advantage
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Hottentot
C2
/ˈhɑːtənˌtɑːt/
a dated and derogatory colonial name for a Khoikhoi or Khoekhoe person of southern Africa
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transcriber
C2
/trænˈskraɪ.bɚ/
a person who converts speech, handwriting, or recorded material into written or typed text
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swineherd
C2
/ˈswaɪnˌhɝd/
a person who herds, tends, and cares for pigs
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fijian
C2
/fiˈdʒiːən/
a person from Fiji or of Fijian descent
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schoolmistress
C1
/ˈskuːlˌmɪstrəs/
a woman who teaches in or is in charge of a school, now chiefly in historical contexts
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shaper
C2
/ˈʃeɪ.pɚ/
a person, force, or thing that gives form or character to something
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wagoner
C2
/ˈwægənɝ/
a person who drives or transports goods with a wagon
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irradiation
B2
/ɪˌreɪ.diˈeɪ.ʃən/
the process of exposing a person, organism, food, or material to ionizing radiation
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interviewee
B1
/ˌɪn.tɚ.vjuːˈiː/
The person who is being interviewed and answers the questions.
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peignoir
C2
/peɪnˈwɑːr/
a woman's loose dressing gown, often light or sheer
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addressee
B1
/ˌædɹɛˈsiː/
the person that a letter or message is sent to
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sorter
B2
/ˈsɔrtɚ/
a person whose job is to separate or arrange items into groups or classes
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boaster
B2
/ˈboʊstər/
a person who talks with excessive pride about their achievements or possessions
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charwoman
C2
/ˈtʃɑːrwʊmən/
a woman hired, traditionally by the day or hour, to clean a house or other building; dated
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gentlefolk
C2
/ˈdʒɛntəlˌfoʊk/
historical: people considered well-born, genteel, or of high social rank
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forelock
C2
/ˈfɔrˌlɑk/
a lock of hair that grows or falls over a person's forehead
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girlhood
B1
/ˈgɝːlˌhʊd/
the period of life when a female person is a girl
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coxcomb
C2
/ˈkɒks.koʊm/
dated: a vain, conceited man excessively concerned with his appearance
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somnambulist
C2
/sɑmˈnæmbjəlɪst/
a person who walks while asleep
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cabman
C2
/ˈkæb.mən/
historical: a man who drove a horse-drawn cab for hire
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wayfarer
C2
/ˈweɪˌfɛrər/
literary: a person traveling from place to place, especially on foot
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palpitation
C2
/ˌpæl.pəˈteɪ.ʃən/
a heartbeat that feels unusually rapid, strong, fluttering, or irregular, especially when noticed by the person experiencing it
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townsman
C2
/ˈtaʊnzmən/
a person from the same town as yourself
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approver
B1
/əˈpruvɚ/
a person or authority empowered to approve a request, decision, or proposal
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Jacobin
C2
/ˈdʒækəbɪn/
a member or supporter of the radical Jacobin Club during the French Revolution, or by extension a radical political reformer
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octogenarian
C2
/ˌɑktəd͡ʒɪˈnɛɹiən/
A person between 80 and 89 years old.
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headsman
C2
/ˈhɛdzmən/
historical: an executioner who puts condemned people to death by beheading
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polyglot
C2
/ˈpɑlɪˌɡlɑt/
a person who can speak or use several languages
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idiosyncrasy
C2
/ˌɪdiəˈsɪŋkɹəsi/
An unusual habit or feature that is typical of one particular person.
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mutineer
C2
/ˌmjuː.tənˈɪr/
a person who takes part in a mutiny, especially a sailor or soldier rebelling collectively against commanding officers
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selectman
C2
/səˈlɛktmən/
a member of an elected board that serves as the chief administrative authority of a New England town
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dentition
C2
/dɛnˈtɪʃən/
the number, kinds, and arrangement of teeth in a person or animal
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churchman
C2
/ˈtʃɝːtʃmən/
a male member of the clergy or another man holding authority in a Christian church
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plenipotentiary
C2
/plɛn.ɪ.poʊˈtɛn.ʃ(i)əɹ.i/
A person invested with full powers, especially as the diplomatic agent of a sovereign state, (originally) charged with handling a certain matter.
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horsewoman
C2
/ˈhɔːrsˌwʊm.ən/
a woman who rides horses, especially one skilled in riding or managing them
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concurrence
C2
/kənˈkɝːəns/
Agreement between people or in their opinions.
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folktale
C1
/ˈfoʊkteɪl/
A traditional story passed down by word of mouth among ordinary people.
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chucklehead
C2+
/ˈtʃʌkl̩ˌhɛd/
informal, disparaging: a stupid, foolish, or clumsy person
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stonecutter
C2
/ˈstoʊnˌkʌtɚ/
a person who cuts, carves, or dresses stone
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lawmaker
B2
/ˈlɔˌmeɪkɝ/
A person who creates or passes laws, such as a member of parliament or congress.
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sluggard
C2
/ˈslʌɡ.ɚd/
a habitually lazy or idle person, especially one slow to begin necessary work
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corrupter
B2
/kəˈrʌp.tɚ/
a person, influence, or thing that morally degrades, debases, bribes, contaminates, or otherwise causes corruption
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plutocrat
C2
/ˈpluːtəˌkræt/
A person who holds power because of their great wealth.
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lamplighter
C2
/ˈlæmˌplaɪtɝ/
A person employed to light streetlights at dusk and snuff them at dawn.
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lubber
C2
/ˈlʌb.ɚ/
dated or insulting: a large, clumsy, lazy, or foolish person
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baldhead
C2
/ˈbɔːldˌhɛd/
dated: a person with a bald head
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cenotaph
C2
/ˈsɛnəˌtæf/
a monument honoring a dead person or group whose remains are buried elsewhere or cannot be recovered
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appellation
C2
/ˌæpəˈleɪʃən/
A name or title by which someone is addressed or identified; a designation.
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emulation
C2
/ˌɛm.juˈleɪ̯.ʃən/
The effort to match or do as well as someone you admire.
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wiseacre
C2
/ˈwaɪzˌeɪkɚ/
old-fashioned or informal: a person who pretends to be knowledgeable or makes conceitedly clever remarks
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latecomer
B1
/ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ɚ/
A person who arrives late.
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introducer
C1
/ˌɪntrəˈduːsɚ/
a person or thing that brings someone, something, or an idea into use, notice, or acquaintance
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silly-billy
B2
/ˌsɪliˈbɪli/
informal, especially British: a silly or foolish person, used as a mild or affectionate teasing expression
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interlocutor
C2
/ˌɪn.təɹˈlɑk.jə.təɹ/
A person who takes part in dialogue or conversation: a locutive partner.
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nurturer
C2
/ˈnɝtʃərɚ/
a person who cares for, supports, or encourages the growth and development of someone or something
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respecter
B1
/rɪˈspɛktɚ/
a person who respects or shows consideration for someone or something
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Aymara
C2
/ˌaɪ.mɑˈɹɑ/
a member of an Indigenous people of the central Andes, especially in Bolivia, Peru, and northern Chile
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balloonist
C1
/bəˈluːnɪst/
a person who pilots or travels in a balloon, especially a hot-air or gas balloon
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Guarani
C2
/ˌɡwɑːrəˈniː/
a member of any of several Indigenous Guarani peoples of South America
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intermarriage
C1
/ˌɪntɚˈmɛrɪdʒ/
marriage between people from different racial, ethnic, religious, social, or national groups
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dipsomaniac
C2
/ˌdɪpsəˈmeɪniˌæk/
a person with an uncontrollable or habitual craving for alcohol; an old-fashioned term
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workflow
C1
/ˈwɝkfloʊ/
the sequence of steps, people, and tools by which work is completed
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sharer
C2
/ˈʃɛrɚ/
a person who gives, receives, uses, or possesses part of something jointly with others
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beefeater
C1
/ˈbiːfˌiː.tɚ/
a person who eats beef, especially one characterized as eating a great deal of it
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felicitation
C2
/fəˌlɪsəˈteɪʃən/
formal and usually plural: an expression of congratulation, pleasure, or good wishes offered for someone's success or good fortune
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epicure
C2
/ˈɛpɪkjʊr/
a person with refined and discriminating tastes, especially in food and wine
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gadfly
C2
/ˈɡædˌflaɪ/
A person who takes without giving back; a bloodsucker.
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pre-raphaelite
C2
/ˌpriːˈræf.i.ə.laɪt/
a member or follower of the nineteenth-century Pre-Raphaelite movement in British art
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holograph
C2
/ˈhɑləɡræf/
a document written entirely in the handwriting of the person named as its author or signer
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blackamoor
C2
/ˈblæk.əˌmɔɹ/
historical and offensive: an obsolete racial label for a Black person, especially one perceived as African or North African; also formerly used for a Black servant
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chewer
B2
/ˈtʃuːɚ/
a person or animal that chews, especially a person who habitually chews tobacco
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ecclesiastic
C2
/ɪˌkliːziˈæstɪk/
a member of the clergy, especially in a Christian church; formal
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perfumer
C1
/pɚˈfjuːmɚ/
a person who creates, blends, or sells perfumes
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attractor
C1
/əˈtræktɚ/
a person, thing, or quality that draws interest, attention, or other things toward it
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oarsman
C2
/ˈɔɹzmən/
a male rower, especially a member of a boat's racing or working crew
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indenture
C1
/ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/
a formal contract binding a person to work for another for a fixed period, especially as an apprentice or servant
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niggard
C2
/ˈnɪɡɚd/
archaic: a person who is extremely unwilling to spend or give; a miser
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dyspeptic
C2+
/ˌdɪˈspɛptɪk/
A dyspeptic person.
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cocotte
C2
/kɔˈkɔt/
a small covered casserole or Dutch oven, especially one used to cook and serve an individual portion
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reticule
C2
/ˈrɛtɪˌkjuːl/
historical: a small woman's handbag, often closed with a drawstring
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internationalist
C1
/ˌɪn.tɚˈnæʃ.ə.nə.lɪst/
a person who supports cooperation and solidarity among nations rather than narrow national self-interest
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ratcatcher
C2
/ˈrætˌkætʃɚ/
a person employed to catch or destroy rats and other vermin
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essayist
B2
/ˈɛ.seɪ.ɪst/
A person who writes essays.
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cutpurse
C2
/ˈkʌtˌpɝs/
historical: a thief who steals purses or valuables from people in public, especially by cutting a purse from its fastening
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disturber
C1
/dɪˈstɝːbɚ/
a person or thing that interrupts peace, order, concentration, or normal activity
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protectress
C2
/prəˈtɛktrɪs/
a woman who protects, guards, or acts as a patron; now uncommon
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simulacrum
C2
/ˌsɪmjəˈleɪkɹəm/
A physical image or representation of a deity, person, or thing.
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aircrew
B2
/ˈɛrˌkruː/
The team of people who operate an aircraft during a flight.
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coattail
C1
/ˈkoʊtˌteɪl/
usually plural: another person's success or influence from which an associate gains an advantage
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almshouse
C2
/ˈɑmzˌhaʊs/
a residence provided by a charity for poor, elderly, or disabled people, often in a historically endowed building
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laggard
C2
/ˈlæɡɚd/
a person or thing that is slow or falls behind others
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