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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.
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All 27,899 wordsC2+ is beyond the official CEFR scale: rare, specialist, and literary words kept for reference.
2331 words
lectern
C2+
/ˈlɛktɚn/
a tall stand with a sloped top for holding a book or notes for a speaker
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lede
C2+
/lid/
the opening sentence or paragraph of a news story summarizing its essence
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lingerie
C2+
/ˌlɑnʒəˈreɪ/
women's underwear and nightclothes, especially of a delicate kind
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liqueur
C2+
/lɪˈkɝ/
a strong, sweet, often flavored alcoholic spirit
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mantle
C2+
/ˈmæntəl/
a loose sleeveless cloak; or a role or responsibility passed on
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manus
C2+
/ˈmeɪnəs/
the hand or its anatomical equivalent in vertebrates
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mart
C2+
/mɑrt/
a market or trading center
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masquerade
C2+
/ˌmæskəˈreɪd/
a costumed ball with masks; or a false outward show
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mese
C2+
/ˈmizi/
the central note of the ancient Greek musical scale
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midafternoon
C2+
/ˌmɪdˌæftərˈnun/
the middle part of the afternoon
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millpond
C2+
/ˈmɪlˌpɑnd/
a pool of water held to drive a mill wheel; a very calm surface
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min
C2+
/mɪn/
an abbreviation for minute or minimum
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mirage
C2+
/məˈrɑʒ/
an optical illusion of water or objects, especially in deserts; a delusion
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misbelief
C2+
/ˌmɪsbəˈlif/
a wrong or false belief; a heretical opinion
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mitt
C2+
/mɪt/
a padded glove, especially one used in baseball
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moonrise
C2+
/ˈmunˌraɪz/
the rising of the moon above the horizon, or the time it occurs
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mores
C2+
/ˈmɔreɪz/
the customs and moral conventions of a community
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mush
C2+
/mʌʃ/
a soft, pulpy mass, or sentimental nonsense
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nat
C2+
/næt/
a nature spirit in Burmese folk belief
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nexus
C2+
/ˈnɛksəs/
a connection or link; a central or focal point
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nightfall
C2+
/ˈnaɪtˌfɔl/
the onset of darkness; dusk
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node
C2+
/noʊd/
a point of connection, intersection, or swelling
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nonforfeiture
C2+
/ˌnɑnˈfɔrfətʃər/
the retention of value or rights that would otherwise be forfeited
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noumenon
C2+
/ˈnuməˌnɑn/
a thing as it is in itself, independent of perception (Kantian)
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nuptials
C2+
/ˈnʌpʃəlz/
a wedding or marriage ceremony
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odontalgia
C2+
/ˌoʊdɑnˈtældʒə/
toothache; pain in a tooth or the teeth
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omen
C2+
/ˈoʊmən/
a sign or event regarded as foretelling good or bad fortune
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onrush
C2+
/ˈɑnrʌʃ/
a sudden surging or forward rush of something
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onslaught
C2+
/ˈɑnslɔt/
a fierce or violent attack, or an overwhelming quantity of something
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opprobrium
C2+
/əˈproʊbriəm/
harsh public disgrace or scorn arising from shameful conduct
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otalgia
C2+
/oʊˈtældʒə/
earache; pain in the ear
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p
C2+
/ˈpi/
the sixteenth letter of the English alphabet
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packsack
C2+
/ˈpæksæk/
a bag carried on the back for transporting supplies, a knapsack
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palpebra
C2+
/ˈpælpɪbrə/
an eyelid, in anatomical terminology
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panache
C2+
/pəˈnɑʃ/
flamboyant confidence of style or manner
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pandemonium
C2+
/ˌpændəˈmoʊniəm/
wild and noisy disorder or confusion
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par
C2+
/ˈpɑr/
an accepted average or standard level; the standard score in golf
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parentage
C2+
/ˈpɛrəntɪdʒ/
the identity and origins of one's parents; ancestry
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parson
C2+
/ˈpɑrsən/
a parish priest or clergyman
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pentagram
C2+
/ˈpɛntəgræm/
a five-pointed star drawn in continuous lines, often symbolic
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periplus
C2+
/ˈpɛrɪpləs/
an ancient narrative account of a coastal voyage listing ports and landmarks
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placard
C2+
/ˈplækɑrd/
a printed sign or notice for public display; to post such notices
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platitude
C2+
/ˈplætəˌtud/
a trite or overused remark presented as though it were original or profound
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playfellow
C2+
/ˈpleɪˌfɛloʊ/
a companion in play; a playmate
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plethora
C2+
/ˈplɛθərə/
an excessive or overabundant amount of something
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plumelet
C2+
/ˈpluːmlɪt/
a small plume or tuft of feathers
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porcupine
C2+
/ˈpɔrkjəˌpaɪn/
a large rodent covered with protective quills or spines
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postbox
C2+
/ˈpoʊstˌbɑks/
a public box into which letters are placed for collection by the post office
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prank
C2+
/præŋk/
a playful or mischievous trick; to play such a trick
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preverb
C2+
/ˈpriˌvɝb/
a prefix or particle placed before a verb to modify its meaning
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prototype
C2+
/ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp/
an original model on which later versions are based; to make one
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psychoanalyst
C2+
/ˌsaɪkoʊˈænəlɪst/
a practitioner who treats mental disorders using psychoanalysis
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quack
C2+
/kwæk/
a fraudulent medical practitioner, or the sound a duck makes
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quietus
C2+
/kwaɪˈitəs/
something that ends or settles an affair; death or a final discharge
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quilt
C2+
/kwɪlt/
a padded bed covering of stitched layers, or to make one
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quoin
C2+
/kɔɪn/
an external corner of a building, or a wedge used to lock type
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rampage
C2+
/ˈræmpeɪdʒ/
a period of violent, frenzied, uncontrolled behavior
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ream
C2+
/rim/
a quantity of paper (typically 500 sheets); to enlarge a hole by reaming
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reflex
C2+
/ˈriflɛks/
an automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus
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reliquiae
C2+
/rɪˈlɪkwiˌi/
remains or remnants, especially fossil remains or relics
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roadblock
C2+
/ˈroʊdˌblɑk/
a barrier across a road; an obstacle to progress
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rosin
C2+
/ˈrɑzɪn/
a hard resin from pine used on bow strings; to treat with it
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ruckus
C2+
/ˈrʌkəs/
a noisy disturbance or commotion
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rumpus
C2+
/ˈrʌmpəs/
a noisy disturbance, uproar, or commotion
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sapphire
C2+
/ˈsæfaɪɚ/
a precious gemstone of corundum, typically a deep blue
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sash
C2+
/sæʃ/
a band of cloth worn around the waist or over the shoulder; a window frame
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scourge
C2+
/skɝdʒ/
a cause of great suffering; a whip; to afflict or punish severely
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seaquake
C2+
/ˈsiˌkweɪk/
an earthquake occurring beneath or under the sea
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seism
C2+
/ˈsaɪzəm/
an earthquake or earth tremor
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shim
C2+
/ʃɪm/
a thin wedge or strip used to fill a gap or level something
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showdown
C2+
/ˈʃoʊdaʊn/
a decisive confrontation meant to settle a dispute
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shriek
C2+
/ʃrik/
a shrill, piercing cry or sound
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sinecure
C2+
/ˈsaɪnɪkjʊr/
a position requiring little or no work but giving pay or status
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slump
C2+
/slʌmp/
a sudden decline or a sagging collapse
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smeddum
C2+
/ˈsmɛdəm/
spirited energy, mettle, or resourcefulness (Scots dialect)
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soapsuds
C2+
/ˈsoʊpsʌdz/
froth and bubbles formed from soap and water
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sobriquet
C2+
/ˈsoʊbrɪkeɪ/
a nickname or familiar epithet
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solidus
C2+
/ˈsɑlɪdəs/
a slash mark (/); also an ancient Roman gold coin
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soupspoon
C2+
/ˈsupspun/
a large rounded spoon used for eating soup
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spindle
C2+
/ˈspɪndəl/
a slender rod used to twist and wind thread in spinning
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springtime
C2+
/ˈsprɪŋˌtaɪm/
the season of spring
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squiggle
C2+
/ˈskwɪɡəl/
a short irregular wavy line or scrawl
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stench
C2+
/stɛntʃ/
a strong and very unpleasant smell
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stopple
C2+
/ˈstɑpəl/
a stopper or plug, especially for a bottle or jug
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storehouse
C2+
/ˈstɔrˌhaʊs/
a building or repository where goods are stored
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streak
C2+
/strik/
a long thin line or band, or an unbroken run of events
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strife
C2+
/straɪf/
angry or bitter conflict or disagreement
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sundown
C2+
/ˈsʌndaʊn/
the time in the evening when the sun disappears below the horizon; sunset
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sunup
C2+
/ˈsʌnʌp/
the time in the morning when the sun appears; sunrise
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syncope
C2+
/ˈsɪŋkəpi/
a temporary loss of consciousness from low blood flow; also the omission of a syllable
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tadpole
C2+
/ˈtædpoʊl/
the aquatic larval stage of a frog or toad
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tempest
C2+
/ˈtɛmpəst/
a violent windy storm; also a tumultuous outburst
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terrapin
C2+
/ˈtɛrəpɪn/
a small edible freshwater turtle of North America
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testicle
C2+
/ˈtɛstɪkəl/
either of the two oval male reproductive glands that produce sperm
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throne
C2+
/θroʊn/
the ceremonial seat of a monarch; royal power itself
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trammel
C2+
/ˈtræməl/
a restraint or hindrance; to restrict or impede freedom
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