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
166 words
trope
C2
/tɹoʊp/
a familiar theme, device, or convention that recurs in a type of story, art, or discussion
monograph
C1
/ˈmɑnəˌɡræf/
a detailed scholarly work devoted to one subject or a closely related group of subjects
dénouement
C2
/deɪˈnuː.mɑ̃ː/
the final part of a story or drama in which complications are resolved
cutaway
C2
/ˈkʌtəweɪ/
a drawing, photograph, or model with part of the exterior removed to reveal the internal structure
bookbinder
C2
/ˈbʊkˌbaɪn.dɚ/
a craftsperson or worker who binds pages into books or repairs book bindings
reissue
C2
/riːˈɪʃuː/
To issue or publish something again, often in a new version.
inset
B2
/ˈɪnˌsɛt/
a small picture, map, panel, or passage placed within a larger one
cinematograph
C2
/ˌsɪnəməˈtæɡræf/
an early apparatus that recorded and projected motion pictures
typographical
C2
/ˌtaɪ.pəˈɡræf.ɪ.kəl/
relating to typography, typesetting, or the appearance and arrangement of printed text
bibliography
B1
/bɪbliˈɒɡɹəfi/
a list of books, articles, or other sources relating to a subject or used in preparing a work
hardback
C2
/ˈhɑɹdˌbæk/
a book bound with a rigid protective cover
holograph
C2
/ˈhɑləɡræf/
a document written entirely in the handwriting of the person named as its author or signer
quarto
C2
/ˈkwɔːrtoʊ/
a book or page format made by folding a full sheet twice to create four leaves, or eight pages
scroop
C2
/skruːp/
Yorkshire dialect: the back or spine of a book
octavo
C2
/ɑkˈteɪ.voʊ/
a book or page size produced by folding a full sheet three times to make eight leaves
satirize
C2
/ˈsætəraɪz/
to expose or ridicule the faults of a person, institution, or idea through satire
vignette
C2
/vɪˈnjɛt/
a brief, vivid description, scene, or episode that captures a person, place, or situation
quire
C2
/ˈkwaɪɚ/
a set of twenty-four or twenty-five sheets of paper, traditionally one twentieth of a ream
assonance
C2
/ˈæsənəns/
the repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words, especially in poetry
coauthor
C2
/ˌkoʊˈɔːθɚ/
a person who writes a book, article, or other work jointly with another author
frontispiece
C2
/ˈfrʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/
an illustration facing or immediately preceding the title page of a book
anchorperson
B2
The main presenter of a television or radio news programme.
inkstand
C2
/ˈɪŋkˌstænd/
a small stand or tray made to hold an inkwell and writing implements; sometimes, the inkwell itself
unprintable
B1
/ʌnˈprɪntəbəl/
too offensive, shocking, or legally objectionable to be published in print
proem
C2
/ˈproʊɛm/
an introduction, preface, or preamble to a work or discourse
newsvendor
C2
/ˈnuːzˌvɛndɚ/
a person who sells newspapers and often magazines, especially at a street stand
ebook
B1
/ˈiːˌbʊk/
a book published in a digital form that can be read on a screen
ibid
C2
/ˈɪbɪd/
in the same source or passage just cited, used in notes and bibliographies
tentpole
C2+
/ˈtɛntˌpoʊl/
a pole that supports a tent
typescript
C2
/ˈtaɪpskɹɪpt/
a typewritten manuscript or other text prepared in typewritten form, especially as a copy for printing
halftone
C2
/ˈhæfˌtoʊn/
a printing or image-reproduction method that simulates continuous tones with dots of varying size or spacing
foolscap
C2
/ˈfʊlˌskæp/
a traditional British size of writing or printing paper, historically about 13 by 16 inches before folding or cutting
letterpress
C2
/ˈlɛtɚˌprɛs/
printing in which an inked raised surface is pressed directly onto paper
belles-lettres
C2+
/ˌbɛlˈlɛtrə/
literature valued primarily for beauty, style, and imaginative expression rather than for practical information
plagiary
C2
/ˈpleɪdʒiˌɛri/
a plagiarist; a person who presents another's words or ideas as their own
passim
C2
/ˈpæs.ɪm/
in many places throughout a cited work, used after a page or section reference
heliotype
C2
/ˈhiːlioʊtaɪp/
historical: a photomechanical printing process using a gelatin relief plate
chat show
B1
soap opera
B1
video clip
B1
web page
A2
scoop
C2+
/skup/
a utensil for lifting loose material, or an exclusive news story
tattle
C2+
/ˈtætəl/
to report another's wrongdoing; to gossip idly
dob
C2+
/dɑb/
chiefly British to inform on or report someone for wrongdoing
marginalia
C2+
/ˌmɑrdʒɪˈneɪliə/
notes written in the margins of a book or manuscript
announcer
C2+
/əˈnaʊnsɚ/
a person who introduces programs or reads news on radio or television
ascribe
C2+
/əˈskraɪb/
to attribute something to a cause, source, or author
autocab
C2+
/ˈɔtoʊˌkæb/
a taxicab, especially one summoned by an automated radio system
bookpress
C2+
/ˈbʊkprɛs/
a press used in bookbinding, or a cupboard or case for storing books
clipsheet
C2+
/ˈklɪpˌʃit/
a sheet of press items or news clippings issued for reprinting
finis
C2+
/ˈfɪnɪs/
the end, especially printed at the close of a book or film
intelligencer
C2+
/ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒənsɚ/
one who conveys news or secret information; an informer or spy (archaic)
mag
C2+
/mæɡ/
(informal) a magazine; also a magneto or ammunition magazine
newspaperman
C2+
/ˈnuzˌpeɪpərˌmæn/
a man who writes for or owns a newspaper; a male journalist
newspaperwoman
C2+
/ˈnuzˌpeɪpərˌwʊmən/
a woman who writes for or owns a newspaper; a female journalist
periodical
C2+
/ˌpɪriˈɑdɪkəl/
a magazine or journal published at regular intervals
preface
C2+
/ˈprɛfəs/
an introduction to a book; to introduce or precede with remarks
pressman
C2+
/ˈprɛsmən/
a person who operates a printing press, or a newspaper journalist
wireless
C2+
/ˈwaɪɚ.ləs/
operating without connecting wires, or (chiefly British) a radio
expurgation
C2
/ˌek.spɚˈɡeɪ.ʃən/
the removal of material considered offensive, objectionable, or unsuitable from a text or other work
sourcebook
C2+
/ˈsɔrsˌbʊk/
a book that collects primary documents, readings, or reference material on a particular subject
scientifiction
C2
/ˌsaɪ.ən.tɪˈfɪk.ʃən/
dated: science fiction, especially fiction that combines scientific facts or speculation with adventure and predictions about the future
apologue
C2
/ˈæp.əˌlɔːɡ/
a short allegorical story or fable intended to convey a moral lesson
leaderette
C2+
/ˌliːdərˈɛt/
chiefly British and dated: a short newspaper editorial or a brief paragraph within an editorial
anapestic
C2
/ˌænəˈpɛstɪk/
in prosody, relating to or composed of anapests, metrical feet with two unstressed or short syllables followed by one stressed or long syllable
noveldom
C2+
/ˈnɑvəldəm/
the realm of novels, novelists, or fictional narrative considered collectively
goosequill
C2+
/ˈɡuːsˌkwɪl/
a large feather from a goose prepared for use as a writing pen
unemended
C2+
/ˌʌnɪˈmɛndɪd/
not corrected or altered by editorial emendation, especially in a transmitted text
republication
C1
/ˌriːˌpʌblɪˈkeɪʃən/
the act of publishing again
paragrapher
C2
/ˈpær.əˌɡræf.ər/
a writer of short newspaper paragraphs, especially gossip, editorial, or society items