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
335 words
electrician
B2
/ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪʃən/
A worker who installs, repairs, and maintains electrical wiring and equipment.
undertaker
C2
/ˈʌndə(ɹ)ˌteɪkə(ɹ)/
one whose business is the management of funerals
ringer
B2
/ˈɹɪŋə(ɹ)/
a person who rings a bell, especially a church or public bell
cinematography
C2
/ˌsɪnɪməˈtɑːgrəfi/
The art and craft of filming a movie, especially the camera work and lighting.
developer
B1
/dɪˈvɛləpɚ/
a person who creates or modifies software
housework
B1
/ˈhaʊsˌwɝk/
The work of cleaning, cooking, and looking after a home.
redundant
B2
/ɹɪˈdɐn.dənt/
No longer needed or useful; more than is necessary.
nominate
C1
/ˈnɑ.mɪ.neɪt/
To officially suggest someone as a candidate for a job, position, or award.
collaborate
C1
/kəˈlæb.ə.ɹeɪt/
To work together with others to achieve a shared goal.
advancement
B2
/ædˈvæns.mənt/
Progress or development in knowledge, skill, or a field of work.
occupational
C1
/ɑkjuˈpeɪʃənəl/
Relating to a person's job or profession.
milkman
B1
/ˈmɪlk.mən/
a man whose job is to deliver milk to homes or businesses
grocer
B2
/ˈɡroʊ.sɚ/
a person who owns or works in a shop that sells food and everyday household supplies
compute
B2
/kəmˈpjut/
to work something out using numbers or a computer; to calculate
locksmith
B2
/ˈlɑksmɪθ/
a person whose job is to make, fit, open, or repair locks and keys
innkeeper
C2
/ˈɪnˌkipɚ/
a person who owns or manages an inn
brewer
C2
/ˈbruːɝ/
the owner or manager of a brewery
seamstress
C2
/ˈsɛm(p).stɹɪs/
A woman who sews clothes professionally.
barman
B1
/ˈbɑɹmæn/
A man whose job is serving drinks in a bar or pub.
feller
B2
/ˈfɛlɚ/
a person whose work is cutting down trees
productivity
C1
/ˌpɹɑ.dʌkˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/
The rate at which workers produce goods or services; how efficiently work is done.
lackey
C2
/ˈlæ.ki/
A footman, a liveried male servant.
shoemaker
C2
/ˈʃuˌmeɪkɚ/
a person who makes or repairs shoes
clerical
B2
/ˈklɛrəkəl/
Relating to office work such as keeping records and files.
workforce
B2
/ˈwɝk.foɹs/
All the people who work for a company or on a project.
hatter
B2
/ˈhætɚ/
a person who makes, sells, or repairs hats
sabbatical
C2
/səˈbætɪkəl/
an extended period of authorized leave from regular work, often for study, travel, or research
masseur
B2
/məˈsʊɹ/
A man whose job is to give massages.
lumberjack
C2
/ˈlʌm.bɚ.d͡ʒæk/
a person whose work is to fell trees.
businesswoman
A2
/ˈbɪznɪˌswʊmən/
A woman who works in business, especially as an owner or manager.
barmaid
C2
/ˈbɑrˌmeɪd/
chiefly British: a woman who serves drinks in a bar or pub
deduce
B2
/dɪˈdʒuːs/
To work something out by reasoning from the facts you have.
economist
B2
/iˈkɑ.nə.mɪst/
An expert in economics who studies how money, trade, and industry work.
workman
B2
/ˈwɝkmən/
A man who does physical or manual work for pay.
servitude
C2
/ˈsərvəˌt(j)ud/
state of subjection to an owner or master or forced labor imposed as punishment
beater
B2
/ˈbiː.tər/
a person employed during a hunt to drive birds or other game out of cover toward the hunters
goldsmith
C2
/ˈɡoʊldˌsmɪθ/
a craftsperson who makes, repairs, or sells objects made of gold, especially jewelry
paralyze
B1
/ˈpæɹəˌlaɪz/
To make someone unable to move part or all of their body.
carpentry
C1
/ˈkɑːrpəntri/
The skill or work of making and repairing things out of wood
chambermaid
C1
/ˈtʃeɪmbərˌmeɪd/
a woman employed to clean and care for bedrooms, now chiefly in a hotel and historically in a private household
numerical
B2
/n(j)uˈmɛɹ.ɪ.kəl/
Shown or measured using numbers.
nursemaid
C2
/ˈnɝːsˌmeɪd/
a woman or girl employed to look after young children
gamekeeper
C2
/ˈɡeɪmˌkiːpɚ/
a person employed to manage game animals and their habitat on an estate, especially for hunting
workroom
C2
/ˈwɝːk.ruːm/
a room equipped or set aside for practical, manual, or creative work
redundancy
C2
/ɹɪˈdʌndən(t)si/
The loss of a job because the work is no longer needed, or the act of dismissing such workers.
bonne
C2
/ˈbɑːn/
a French nursemaid or children's governess, especially in an English-speaking household
postmaster
C1
/ˈpoʊstˌmæstɚ/
The head of a post office.
stenographer
C1
/stəˈnɑɡɹəfɚ/
a person trained to transcribe speech rapidly using shorthand or a stenotype machine
gravedigger
C2
/ˈɡreɪvˌdɪɡ.ɚ/
a person employed to dig graves and prepare them for burial
croupier
C1
/ˈkruː.pi.ɚ/
a casino employee who manages a gaming table, handles bets, and pays winnings
woodman
C2
/ˈwʊdmən/
a person whose work is cutting trees or chopping and preparing wood
purser
C2
/ˈpɝsɚ/
a senior crew member on a passenger ship or aircraft responsible for passengers and administrative matters
bricklayer
C2
/ˈbrɪˌkleɪɝ/
a craftsman skilled in building with bricks
forestry
B2
/ˈfɒɹ.ɪst.ɹi/
The science and work of planting and looking after forests.
tradesman
C2
a merchant who owns or manages a shop
horner
C2
/ˈhɔrnɚ/
historical: a craftsperson who works animal horn into combs, vessels, handles, or other goods
unsatisfactory
B2
/ˌʌnsætɪsˈfækt(ə)ɹi/
Not good enough; not meeting the required standard
gaucho
C2
/ˈɡaʊ.tʃoʊ/
a skilled horseman and cattle worker of the South American pampas, especially in Argentina and Uruguay
workday
C2
/ˈwɝːkdeɪ/
a day on which a person normally works rather than taking time off
watchmaker
C2
/ˈwɑːtʃˌmeɪkɚ/
a craftsperson or company that makes, maintains, or repairs watches
fishmonger
C2
/ˈfɪʃmʌŋɡər/
a person whose trade is selling fish and seafood
underling
C1
/ˈʌndɚlɪŋ/
a person of lower rank who works for or is controlled by someone more powerful, often used disparagingly
prospector
B2
/prəˈspek.tɚ/
a person who searches an area for valuable minerals, oil, or other natural resources
biographer
C2
/baɪˈɑːɡɹəfɚ/
a person who writes an account of someone else's life, especially as a profession
probationary
C1
/proʊˈbeɪ.ʃəˌner.i/
subject to a trial period before a position, status, or arrangement becomes permanent
ferryman
B2
/ˈfɛriˌmæn/
a man who operates a ferry or carries passengers across water by boat
hawker
C1
/ˈhɔkɚ/
someone who travels about selling his wares (as on the streets or at carnivals)
saleswoman
B2
/ˈseɪlzˌwʊmən/
A woman whose job is to sell things, in a shop or by visiting customers.
woodcutter
B2
/ˈwʊdˌkʌtər/
a person whose work is cutting down trees or cutting timber into firewood
entomologist
C2
/ˌen.t̬əˈmɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a scientist who specializes in the study of insects
businesslike
C1
/ˈbɪznɪslaɪk/
methodical, efficient, practical, and focused on accomplishing a task
taskmaster
C2
/ˈtæskˌmæstɚ/
a person who imposes hard, continuous, or exacting work on others
drudge
C2
/dɹʌdʒ/
a person made to do hard, dull, or menial work
drover
C2
/ˈdroʊvər/
a person who drives cattle, sheep, or other livestock, especially over a long distance
laundress
C2
/ˈlɔːndrəs/
a woman employed to wash and iron clothes; now dated
deckhand
C1
/ˈdɛkˌhænd/
a member of a ship or boat crew who performs manual work on deck
furrier
C2
/ˈfɝː.i.ɚ/
a person who prepares, makes, repairs, or sells garments and other goods made of fur
gunsmith
C2
/ˈɡʌnˌsmɪθ/
a craftsperson who makes, modifies, maintains, or repairs firearms
engraver
C2
/ɪnˈɡreɪvɚ/
a craftsperson or artist who cuts words or designs into a hard surface, or prepares engraved plates for printing
washerwoman
C2
/ˈwɑʃɚˌwʊmən/
historical: a woman employed to wash other people's clothes and household linen
teamster
C2
/ˈtiːm.stɚ/
a person who drives a team of draft animals, especially while hauling a wagon or freight
scribbler
C2
/ˈskrɪblər/
historical textile work: a worker who coarsely cards or teases wool before spinning
cowherd
C2
/ˈkaʊˌhɝd/
a person whose work is tending and herding cattle
confectioner
C1
/kənˈfɛkʃənɝ/
a person or business that makes or sells sweets, chocolates, cakes, or other confections
piecework
C2
/ˈpiːsˌwɝːk/
work for which payment is based on the number of items or units produced rather than the time spent
indolence
C2
/ˈɪndl̩əns/
Habitual laziness; a dislike of work or effort.
goatherd
C2
/ˈɡoʊthɝːd/
a person who tends, guards, and guides a herd of goats
wheelwright
C2
/ˈwiːlˌraɪt/
a craftsperson who builds and repairs wheels, especially traditional wooden spoked wheels
scullion
C2
/ˈskʌljən/
historical: a low-ranking kitchen servant who performed menial work such as cleaning pots and dishes
farrier
C2
/ˈfɛɹi.ɚ/
a craftsperson who trims and shoes horses' hooves
majordomo
C2
/ˌmeɪ.dʒɚˈdoʊ.moʊ/
historical: the chief servant or steward in a wealthy or royal household
navvy
C2
/ˈnæv.i/
a laborer employed in heavy excavation or construction work, especially on canals, roads, or railways; chiefly British and historical
pedlar
C2
someone who travels about selling his wares (as on the streets or at carnivals)
dustman
C2
/ˈdʌstˌmæn/
a person employed to collect household refuse; an old-fashioned British term for a refuse collector
sorter
B2
/ˈsɔrtɚ/
a person whose job is to separate or arrange items into groups or classes
charwoman
C2
/ˈtʃɑːrwʊmən/
a woman hired, traditionally by the day or hour, to clean a house or other building; dated