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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All 27,237 words
240 words
amour
C2
/əˈmʊɹ/
a love affair, especially one kept secret or considered illicit
wedlock
C2
/ˈwɛd.lɑːk/
the state of being married, especially in the phrases in wedlock and out of wedlock
godson
C2
/ˈɡɑdˌsʌn/
a male godchild, especially one whose baptism is sponsored by a godparent
patriarch
C1
/ˈpeɪtɹiˌɑɹk/
the male head of a family, tribe, or social group
monogamy
C2
/məˈnɑː.ɡə.mi/
the practice or state of being married to only one person at a time
filial
B2
/ˈfi.li.əl/
Relating to or suitable for a son or daughter, especially in their duty toward parents.
née
C2
/neɪ/
used before a married woman's birth surname
fatherly
B2
/ˈfɑðɚli/
showing the kindness, protectiveness, guidance, or concern associated with a good father
betrothal
C2
/bɪˈtroʊ.ðəl/
a formal agreement or mutual promise to marry; an engagement
infancy
C1
/ˈɪnfənsi/
the earliest period of childhood
comparative
A2
/kəmˈpæɹ.ə.tɪv/
Measured or judged by comparing one thing with another; relative.
matrimonial
C2
/ˌmætrəˈmoʊniəl/
relating to marriage or to the relationship between married partners
fatherhood
B2
/ˈfɑðɚˌhʊd/
the state, role, or experience of being a father
motherly
B2
/ˈmʌð.ɚ.li/
showing the warmth, care, and protectiveness associated with a mother
kinsman
C2
/ˈkɪnzmən/
a male relative, especially one belonging to the same extended family; now often literary or historical
flirtation
C1
/flɝˈteɪʃən/
playful behavior that shows romantic or sexual interest without necessarily implying serious intent
procreate
C2
/ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/
have offspring or produce more individuals of a given animal or plant
spousal
C2
/ˈspaʊzəl/
relating to a spouse
incestuous
C2
/ɪnˈsɛs.tʃu.əs/
involving or characterized by sexual relations between people too closely related to marry legally
virginal
C2
/ˈvɜː(ɹ)d͡ʒɪnəl/
Pure and untouched; like a virgin.
foundling
C2
/ˈfaʊndlɪŋ/
an abandoned infant or child whose parents are unknown
suckle
C2
/ˈsʌk.əl/
to feed by drawing milk from a breast or udder
endearment
C2
/ɪnˈdɪrmənt/
a word, name, gesture, or action that expresses affection
unromantic
B2
/ˌʌn.roʊˈmæn.tɪk/
not expressing romantic love or affection; lacking romantic feeling or behavior
dependant
A2
/dɪˈpɛndənt/
a person who relies on another person for support (especially financial support)
grandparent
A1
/ˈɡɹæn(d)pɛəɹənt/
A parent of your father or mother.
sterility
C2
/stɝˈɪlɪti/
The condition of being unable to produce children or offspring.
correlate
C2
/ˈkɔɹəleɪt/
To have a close connection or relationship with something else, so that they change together.
banns
C2
/bænz/
a public announcement, traditionally made in church, of an intended marriage
elopement
C1
/ɪˈloʊpmənt/
the act of secretly running away with a partner in order to marry, often without family approval
kinfolk
C2
/ˈkɪnfoʊk/
old-fashioned or regional: one's relatives or family considered collectively
grandpapa
C1
/ˈɡrændpəˌpɑ/
an informal or old-fashioned term for one's grandfather
assignation
C2
/ˌæsɪɡˈneɪʃən/
often dated: a secret appointment to meet, especially between lovers
domestically
C1
/dəˈmɛstɪkli/
Within a country, rather than abroad.
comradeship
C1
/ˈkɑːmreɪdʃɪp/
friendship, trust, and solidarity among people who live, work, or face difficulty together
wifely
C1
/ˈwaɪf.li/
of, relating to, or traditionally regarded as characteristic of a wife; now often old-fashioned
estrangement
C1
/ɪˈstreɪndʒmənt/
the state or process of losing affection, trust, or contact in a personal relationship
inheritor
B2
/ɪnˈhɛr.ɪ.tɚ/
a person who receives property, a title, or another possession by inheritance
groomsman
C2
/ˈɡruːmzmən/
a man who attends and supports a bridegroom at a wedding
childbearing
C2
/ˈtʃaɪldˌbɛɹɪŋ/
the process or period of carrying and giving birth to children
swaddle
C2
/ˈswɑːdəl/
to wrap a baby closely in cloth so that its arms and legs are held securely
grandmamma
C2
/ˌɡrændməˈmɑ/
Grandmother.
patronymic
C2
/ˌpætrəˈnɪmɪk/
a name derived from the given name of a person's father or a male ancestor
monogamist
C2
/məˈnɑːɡəmɪst/
a person who has only one spouse or romantic partner at a time, or who advocates that practice
polyamorous
C2
/ˌpɑliˈæmərəs/
involving or open to romantic relationships with more than one partner, with everyone informed and consenting
girlhood
B1
/ˈgɝːlˌhʊd/
the period of life when a female person is a girl
jilt
C2
/dʒɪlt/
to suddenly reject or abandon a romantic partner, especially shortly before an expected marriage
betroth
C2
/bəˈtɹoʊð/
to formally promise someone in marriage or become formally engaged to marry
grandsire
C2
/ˈɡrændsaɪɹ/
a grandfather, especially in old-fashioned or literary language
connubial
C2
/kəˈnubiəl/
relating to marriage or the relationship between spouses
intermarriage
C1
/ˌɪntɚˈmɛrɪdʒ/
marriage between people from different racial, ethnic, religious, social, or national groups
cohabit
C2
/koʊˈhæbɪt/
to live together as an intimate couple, especially without being married
coquetry
C2
/ˈkoʊkətri/
playfully flirtatious behavior intended to attract interest, often without serious romantic intent
kinswoman
C2
/ˈkɪnzwʊmən/
a female relative; a woman belonging to the same family or kin group
intermarry
C1
/ˌɪn.tɚˈmær.i/
for members of different families, communities, ethnic groups, or religions to marry one another
inamorata
C2
/ɪnˌæməˈrɑːtə/
literary or humorous: a woman with whom someone is in love; a female lover
dandle
C2
/ˈdændəl/
to move a baby or small child playfully up and down in one's arms or on one's knee
filiation
C2
/ˌfɪliˈeɪʃən/
the relationship of a child to a parent, especially as legally or genealogically established
consanguinity
C2
/kɑnsæŋˈɡwɪnɪti/
relationship by descent from a common ancestor; blood kinship
misalliance
C2
/ˌmɪsəˈlaɪəns/
an unsuitable or ill-judged partnership or alliance
nursling
C2
/ˈnɝzlɪŋ/
literary: a young child or animal being nursed or cared for
amatory
C2
/ˈæməˌtɔri/
literary: relating to or expressive of romantic or sexual love
fosterage
C2
/ˈfɑstərɪdʒ/
the practice or process of raising another person's child as one's own, especially as a historical social custom
affiance
C2
/əˈfaɪəns/
archaic: to promise someone in marriage; to betroth
exogamy
C2
/ɛkˈsɑːɡəmi/
marriage outside a defined kinship or social group, especially when required by custom or law
cherisher
B2
/ˈtʃɛrɪʃər/
a person who protects, values, or lovingly cares for someone or something
hymeneal
C2
/ˌhaɪməˈniəl/
relating to marriage or a wedding; nuptial, chiefly in literary use
sonship
C2
/ˈsʌnʃɪp/
the state, status, or relation of being a son
amorist
C2
/ˈæm.ər.ɪst/
a person devoted to love or lovemaking; a lover
da
C2+
/dɑ/
father (dialectal or informal)
fertile
C2+
/ˈfɜrtəl/
capable of producing abundant growth or offspring; productive
gull
C2+
/ɡʌl/
a seabird of the family Laridae; also, to deceive or cheat someone
kin
C2+
/kɪn/
one's family and relations collectively
sire
C2+
/ˈsaɪɚ/
a male parent of an animal, or a respectful address to a king
avuncular
C2+
/əˈvʌŋkjələr/
kind and genial in the manner of an uncle
chore
C2+
/tʃɔr/
a routine or tedious task, especially a household one
crossbreed
C2+
/ˈkrɔsˌbrid/
to breed from two different varieties; the offspring so produced
matrimony
C2+
/ˈmætrɪmoʊni/
the state or ceremony of being married; marriage
adder
C2+
/ˈædɚ/
a small venomous snake of the viper family
affinity
C2+
/əˈfɪnəti/
a natural attraction, kinship, or close relationship
ancestry
C2+
/ˈænsɛstri/
one's family or ethnic descent; lineage
annul
C2+
/əˈnʌl/
to declare invalid or void, especially a law or marriage
auntie
C2+
/ˈænti/
an aunt (affectionate or familiar form)
bae
C2+
/beɪ/
a romantic partner or sweetheart (slang)
beget
C2+
/bɪˈɡɛt/
to father offspring; to give rise to
consort
C2+
/ˈkɑnsɔrt/
a spouse, especially of a reigning monarch; to associate with
dysfunction
C2+
/dɪsˈfʌŋkʃən/
abnormal or impaired functioning of a system, organ, or relationship
empress
C2+
/ˈɛmprəs/
a female sovereign ruler of an empire, or the wife of an emperor
fatherling
C2+
/ˈfɑðərlɪŋ/
a little or dear father (an archaic affectionate term)
fecundity
C2+
/fɪˈkʌndɪti/
the ability to produce abundant offspring or fruit; fertility
fertility
C2+
/fərˈtɪlɪti/
the ability to produce offspring or abundant vegetation
granddaddy
C2+
/ˈɡrænˌdædi/
a grandfather; the oldest or largest example of its kind
helpmeet
C2+
/ˈhɛlpˌmit/
a helpful companion or partner, especially a spouse
hubby
C2+
/ˈhʌbi/
an informal or affectionate term for a husband
kindred
C2+
/ˈkɪndrəd/
one's family and relations; related or similar in nature
lineage
C2+
/ˈlɪniɪdʒ/
direct descent from an ancestor; ancestry