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
526 words
oxide
B1
/ˈɑksaɪd/
a chemical compound of oxygen with another element
albino
C2
/ælˈbaɪnoʊ/
born with albinism and therefore having little or no melanin pigmentation
catalyst
B2
/ˈkæt.ə.lɪst/
Something or someone that causes an important change or event to happen.
digestion
B2
/daɪˈd͡ʒɛst͡ʃən/
learning and coming to understand ideas and information
enzyme
B2
/ˈɛn.zaɪm/
a protein or RNA molecule that catalyzes a biochemical reaction without being consumed by it
stardust
C2
/ˈstɑrˌdʌst/
fine particles of matter originating in stars or present in interstellar space
pathway
C1
/ˈpæθˌweɪ/
A path or track for walking.
alchemist
C1
/ˈælkəmɪst/
a person who practices alchemy, historically seeking transformations such as turning base metals into gold
gusto
C1
/ˈɡʌstoʊ/
Great energy and enthusiastic enjoyment in doing something.
statistical
C1
/stəˈtɪstɪkəl/
Relating to statistics or the analysis of numerical data.
iodine
C1
/ˈaɪəˌdaɪn/
the chemical element with atomic number 53, a dark halogen that forms a violet vapor when heated
radioactivity
C1
/ˌreɪdɪəʊakˈtɪvɪti/
Spontaneous emission of ionizing radiation as a consequence of a nuclear reaction, or directly from the breakdown of an unstable nucleus.
Jurassic
C2
/dʒəˈræsɪk/
relating to the second period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 201 to 145 million years ago
prism
C1
/ˈprɪzəm/
a transparent optical element with flat faces that refracts light, often separating it into colors
bray
C2
/bɹeɪ/
to laugh loudly and harshly
decomposition
B2
/ˌdiːkəmpoʊˈzɪʃən/
The process of rotting and breaking down, caused by bacteria or fungi.
optics
C1
/ˈɑptɪks/
the branch of physics concerned with light, vision, and the behavior of electromagnetic radiation
skylight
C2
/ˈskaɪˌlaɪt/
a window in a roof to admit daylight
helix
C2
/ˈhiːlɪks/
a three-dimensional curve that winds around an axis at a constant slope, as in a screw or spiral staircase
stigma
C2
/ˈstɪɡmə/
a mark of shame or social disapproval
extort
C2+
/ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/
obtain by coercion or intimidation
phonograph
C2
/ˈfoʊnəˌɡɹæf/
A record player.
fluorescent
C2
/flɔːˈɹɛs.ənt/
emitting visible or other electromagnetic radiation while excited by absorbed radiation or energetic particles, with the emission usually ending almost at once when excitation stops
subatomic
B2
/ˌsʌbəˈtɑːmɪk/
of or relating to constituents of the atom or forces within the atom
vigorously
B2
/ˈvɪɡəɹəsli/
With great energy, force, or determination.
amino
C1
/əˈmiːnoʊ/
relating to or containing the nitrogen-based amino group, especially in an amino acid
hydraulics
B2
/haɪˈdrɑː.lɪks/
the science and engineering of liquids in motion and their use to transmit force
larynx
C2
/ˈlɛɹ.ɪŋks/
A hollow muscular organ of the neck of mammals situated just below where the tract of the pharynx splits into the trachea and the oesophagus. It is involved in breath control and protection of the trachea, and, as it houses the vocal cords, sound production.
beaker
B2
/ˈbiː.kɚ/
a straight-sided, flat-bottomed laboratory container, usually with a pouring lip
fulcrum
C1
/ˈfʊlkɹəm/
the fixed support or pivot about which a lever turns
crossover
C2
/ˈkrɔːsˌoʊ.vɚ/
a crossing or transition from one place, group, activity, or system to another
causeway
C2+
/ˈkɔːz.weɪ/
to provide with a causeway
empirical
C1
/ˌɛmˈpɪrɪkəl/
Based on observation, experiment, or real experience rather than on theory.
saturation
C1
/ˌsætʃəˈreɪʃən/
the state or process of being completely soaked, filled, or supplied to capacity
biochemical
C1
/ˌbaɪ.oʊˈkem.ɪ.kəl/
relating to biochemistry or to the chemical substances and processes that occur in living organisms
elliptical
C2
/ɪˈlɪp.tɪ.kəl/
In a shape of, or reminding of, an ellipse; oval.
ammonium
C1
/əˈmoʊni.əm/
the ion NH4 derived from ammonia
paraffin
C2
/ˈpɛɹ.ə.fɪn/
A petroleum-based thin and colourless fuel oil.
mutate
C1
/ˈmjuː.teɪt/
to undergo a change in genetic material or another heritable biological change
unattainable
C2+
/ˌɐnəˈtæɪnəbəl/
impossible to achieve
cosmology
C2
/kɑːzˈmɑː.lə.dʒi/
the scientific study of the origin, structure, development, and possible fate of the universe
tuff
C2
/tʌf/
rock formed from compacted or cemented volcanic ash and other fine volcanic fragments
anatomical
C2
/æ.nəˈtɑ.mɪ.kəl/
of or relating to the structure of the body
enthusiastically
B2
/ɪnˌθuːziːˈæstɪkli/
In a way that shows great excitement and interest.
linguistic
C1
/lɪŋˈgwɪstɪk/
consisting of or related to language
shingle
C2
/ˈʃɪŋgəl/
cover with shingles
aromatic
C1
/ˌɛɹ.əˈmæt.ɪk/
(chemistry) of or relating to or containing one or more benzene rings
naturalist
B2
/ˈnætʃɝələst/
a biologist knowledgeable about natural history (especially botany and zoology)
concealment
C1
/kənˈsiːlmənt/
The practice of keeping secrets.
carbonate
B2
/ˈkɑːrbənət/
a salt or ester of carbonic acid, typically containing the carbonate ion CO3^2-
reversible
C1
/ɹəˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪbəl/
capable of assuming or producing either of two states
reliance
C1
/ɹɪˈlaɪ.əns/
certainty based on past experience
gaseous
B2
/ˈɡæsiəs/
existing in the physical state of a gas rather than a solid or liquid
transcendental
C2
/ˌtɹænˌ(t)sɛnˈdɛntl̩/
existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
linguistics
C1
/lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪks/
the scientific study of human language, including its sounds, structures, meanings, use, acquisition, history, and variation
spectrometer
C2
/spekˈtrɑː.mə.t̬ɚ/
an instrument that separates radiation, particles, or signals into a spectrum and measures their intensity or abundance by wavelength, frequency, energy, or mass-to-charge ratio
levitation
C2
/ˌlɛvɪˈteɪʃən/
the phenomenon of a person or thing rising into the air by apparently supernatural means
fertilization
C2
/ˌfɝːtəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
the union of male and female gametes to begin the development of a new organism
geneticist
C2
/dʒəˈnɛtɪsɪst/
a scientist who specializes in genes, heredity, and genetic variation
amoeba
C2
/əˈmiː.bə/
a single-celled organism that changes shape and moves or feeds by extending pseudopodia
symbiosis
C2
/sɪmbaɪˈoʊsɪs/
The occurrence of two different or opposing things in the same time and place.
heredity
C1
/həˈɹɛdəti/
Hereditary transmission of the physical and genetic qualities of parents to their offspring; the biological law by which living beings tend to repeat their characteristics in their descendants.
nitric
C2
/ˈnaɪ.trɪk/
relating to nitrogen, especially nitrogen in a relatively high oxidation state
evaporation
B2
/ɪˌvæpəˈreɪʃən/
the process by which a liquid changes into a gas, especially at its surface
filament
C2
/ˈfɪl.ə.mənt/
a very thin thread or fiber of natural or manufactured material
thermodynamics
C2
/ˌθɜː(ɹ)moʊdaɪˈnæmɪks/
The science of the conversions between heat and other forms of energy.
forcible
C2
/ˈfɔrsəbəl/
impelled by physical force especially against resistance
graviton
C2
/ˈɡræv.ɪˌtɑːn/
a hypothetical massless spin-2 boson that would be the quantum carrier of gravity in a quantum theory of the gravitational field
deuterium
C2
/djuːˈtɪɹi.əm/
An isotope of hydrogen with one proton and one neutron in each atom - 21H.
unrestrained
C1
/ˌənriːˈstreɪnd/
not subject to restraint
tinge
C2
/ˈtɪndʒ/
color lightly
fermentation
C1
/ˌfɝmənˈteɪʃən/
a metabolic process in which microorganisms or enzymes convert organic substances, often sugars, without oxygen
electromagnetism
C2
/ɪˌlɛk.tɹoʊˈmæɡ.nəˌtɪzm̩/
magnetism produced by an electric current
decanter
C1
/dɪˈkæntə(ɹ)/
A receptacle for decanted liquor, especially a crystal bottle with a stopper.
rigidity
C1
/ɹɪˈd͡ʒɪdɪti/
The quality or state of being rigid; lack of pliability; the quality of resisting change of physical shape.
basalt
C2
/bəˈsɔlt/
the commonest type of solidified lava
stargazer
C1
/ˈstɑːɹˌɡeɪzɚ/
a person who observes the stars, especially an amateur astronomer
quasar
C2
/ˈkweɪ.zɑɹ/
an extremely luminous active galactic nucleus powered by matter falling into a supermassive black hole
electrostatic
C2
/ɪˌlek.troʊˈstæt.ɪk/
relating to stationary electric charges, the fields and forces they produce, or devices that use those forces
biotechnology
B2
/ˌbaɪoʊˌtɛkˈnɑːlədʒi/
The use of living things, such as cells or bacteria, to make medicines, foods, and other useful products.
unscientific
C1
/ənˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk/
not consistent with the methods or principles of science
tertiary
C1
/ˈtɝ.ʃiˌɛɹ.i/
coming next after the second and just before the fourth in position
ornithologist
C2
/ˌɔɹnɪˈθɑləd͡ʒɪst/
a scientist who studies birds
sedimentary
C2
/ˌsɛd.əˈmɛn.tə.ɹi/
resembling or containing or formed by the accumulation of sediment
bacillus
C2
/bəˈsɪləs/
any rod-shaped bacterium
paleontology
C2
/ˌpeɪliənˈtɑːlədʒi/
the scientific study of prehistoric life through fossils and other remains preserved in rocks
morphology
B2
/mɔɹˈfɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/
the branch of biology that deals with the structure of animals and plants
paleontologist
C1
/ˌpeɪ.li.ənˈtɑː.lə.dʒɪst/
a scientist who studies fossils and life from past geological periods
verifiable
C2
/ˌvɛɹ.əˈfaɪ.ə.bəl/
capable of being tested, verified or falsified, by experiment or observation
lackluster
C1
/ˈlæklʌstə(ɹ)/
Not impressive; dull and lacking energy or excitement.
materially
C1
/məˈtɪriːəli/
with respect to material aspects
cathode
C1
/ˈkæθ.oʊd/
a negatively charged electrode that is the source of electrons entering an electrical device
lactic
C2
/ˈlæktɪk/
relating to, derived from, or occurring in milk
sceptic
C2
/ˈskɛp.tɪk/
someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
retardation
C1
/ˌɹi.tɑɹˈdeɪ̯.ʃən/
Ellipsis of mental retardation.
entomology
C2
/ˌentəˈmɑːlədʒi/
the scientific study of insects, including their classification, anatomy, behavior, ecology, and relationships with humans