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
maternity
C2+
/məˈtɜrnɪti/
the state of being a mother; motherhood
progenitor
C2+
/proʊˈdʒɛnɪtɚ/
an ancestor or originator of a line or movement
unattached
C2+
/ˌʌnəˈtætʃt/
not joined to or connected with anything; not in a romantic relationship
widower
C2+
/ˈwɪdoʊɚ/
a man whose spouse has died and who has not remarried
acquaintanceship
C2+
/əˈkweɪntənsʃɪp/
the state of knowing someone slightly; a casual relationship
bandfish
C2+
/ˈbændˌfɪʃ/
a small elongated red marine fish of the family Cepolidae
bridechamber
C2+
/ˈbraɪdtʃeɪmbər/
archaic the bedroom of a newly married couple; the nuptial chamber
brotherly
C2+
/ˈbrʌðɚli/
of or befitting a brother; affectionate and loyal
divorcement
C2+
/dɪˈvɔrsmənt/
the act of divorcing or separating; dissolution of marriage
enemyship
C2+
/ˈɛnəmiˌʃɪp/
the state or relationship of being enemies (rare)
fam
C2+
/fæm/
informal term for one's family or close friends
familial
C2+
/fəˈmɪljəl/
relating to or characteristic of a family
forebear
C2+
/ˈfɔrbɛr/
an ancestor
forefather
C2+
/ˈfɔrfɑðɚ/
an ancestor, especially a male one
genitor
C2+
/ˈdʒɛnɪtɚ/
a biological father or male progenitor
handfast
C2+
/ˈhændˌfæst/
a betrothal or marriage sealed by clasping hands; to pledge thus
helpmate
C2+
/ˈhɛlpˌmeɪt/
a companion and helper, especially a spouse
hinny
C2+
/ˈhɪni/
the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey
husbandly
C2+
/ˈhʌzbəndli/
of or befitting a husband; marital
kinship
C2+
/ˈkɪnʃɪp/
blood relationship or a sense of affinity
ma
C2+
/mɑ/
(informal) mother
mam
C2+
/mæm/
a familiar or dialectal word for one's mother
mayoress
C2+
/ˈmeɪərɪs/
a female mayor, or the wife of a mayor
mummy
C2+
/ˈmʌmi/
a preserved embalmed body, or an informal word for mother
mutualist
C2+
/ˈmjutʃuəlɪst/
an advocate of mutualism, or an organism in a mutual relationship
mutuality
C2+
/ˌmjutʃuˈæləti/
the state of sharing a feeling, action, or relationship reciprocally
neighborship
C2+
/ˈneɪbərˌʃɪp/
the state or relationship of being neighbors
nuncle
C2+
/ˈnʌŋkəl/
uncle (archaic, especially as used by a fool to a master)
nuptials
C2+
/ˈnʌpʃəlz/
a wedding or marriage ceremony
papa
C2+
/ˈpɑpə/
an affectionate or childish term for one's father
pater
C2+
/ˈpeɪtər/
father, used as a dated or jocular British term
procreation
C2+
/ˌproʊkriˈeɪʃən/
the production of offspring; reproduction
regression
C2+
/rɪˈɡrɛʃən/
a return to an earlier or less developed state; a statistical relationship
relativeness
C2+
/ˈrɛlətɪvnəs/
the quality of being relative rather than absolute
seneschal
C2+
/ˈsɛnəʃəl/
a steward or major-domo in charge of a great medieval household
sib
C2+
/sɪb/
a sibling or blood relative; related by kinship
sis
C2+
/sɪs/
an informal term for sister
spirea
C2+
/spaɪˈriə/
a flowering shrub of the rose family with clustered white or pink blooms
stepbrother
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌbrʌðɚ/
a son of one's stepparent by an earlier marriage
stepchild
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌtʃaɪld/
a child of one's spouse from a previous relationship
stepdaughter
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌdɔtɚ/
a daughter of one's spouse by a former partner
stepniece
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌnis/
a niece by marriage; the daughter of a stepsibling
stepsister
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌsɪstɚ/
a daughter of one's stepparent by an earlier marriage
stepson
C2+
/ˈstɛpˌsʌn/
a son of one's spouse by a former partner
sterile
C2+
/ˈstɛrəl/
free from living germs, or unable to produce offspring
polyandrist
C2
/ˌpɑliˈændrɪst/
a person who practices polyandry; in its marital sense, a woman who has more than one husband at the same time
stirp
C2
/stɝp/
a line of descent from a common ancestor; a stock or lineage
philoprogenitive
C2+
/ˌfɪl.oʊ.proʊˈdʒɛn.ə.tɪv/
producing many offspring; prolific