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
269 words
axiomatical
C2+
/ˌæksiəˈmætɪkəl/
self-evident; of the nature of an axiom
cataclysmal
C2+
/ˌkætəˈklɪzməl/
of the nature of a cataclysm; catastrophically destructive
excavation
C2+
/ˌɛkskəˈveɪʃən/
the act of digging out earth, or a site so dug
flair
C2+
/flɛr/
a natural talent or stylish distinctiveness
geologic
C2+
/ˌdʒiəˈlɑdʒɪk/
relating to the structure or history of the earth
holding
C2+
/ˈhoʊldɪŋ/
land, property, or assets owned or controlled by someone
inclination
C2+
/ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/
a natural tendency, leaning, or preference toward something
lethe
C2+
/ˈliθi/
forgetfulness or oblivion, after the mythical river of the dead
mound
C2+
/maʊnd/
a rounded heap or pile of earth or other material
observatory
C2+
/əbˈzɝvətɔri/
a building equipped for observing astronomical or natural phenomena
oceanside
C2+
/ˈoʊʃənsaɪd/
situated beside or facing the ocean
serf
C2+
/sɝf/
a feudal laborer bound to and transferred with the land
timberland
C2+
/ˈtɪmbɚlænd/
land covered with forest suitable for producing timber
tombstone
C2+
/ˈtumstoʊn/
a stone marker placed over a grave, usually bearing the deceased's name
additionary
C2+
/əˈdɪʃəˌnɛri/
of the nature of an addition; supplementary
aftergrass
C2+
/ˈæftərˌɡræs/
grass that grows after the first crop of hay is cut
agriculturally
C2+
/ˌæɡrɪˈkʌltʃərəli/
with respect to farming or the cultivation of land
ait
C2+
/eɪt/
a small island, especially one in a river
animalish
C2+
/ˈænɪməlɪʃ/
resembling an animal; brutish or instinctive in nature
artlessly
C2+
/ˈɑrtləsli/
in a natural, ingenuous manner free of guile or cunning
atoll
C2+
/ˈæˌtɔl/
a ring-shaped coral reef or island enclosing a lagoon
augurous
C2+
/ˈɔɡərəs/
of the nature of an omen; foreboding or predictive
baltic
C2+
/ˈbɔltɪk/
of the Baltic Sea or its region; informally, bitterly cold
barkbound
C2+
/ˈbɑrkˌbaʊnd/
of a tree, stunted because its bark is too tight to allow growth
benchland
C2+
/ˈbɛntʃˌlænd/
a level terrace of land bounded by steeper slopes
boulevard
C2+
/ˈbʊləvɑrd/
a broad, often tree-lined city avenue
bushland
C2+
/ˈbʊʃlænd/
uncultivated land covered with natural scrub or bush, especially in Australia
canyon
C2+
/ˈkænjən/
a deep gorge with steep sides, often cut by a river
cape
C2+
/keɪp/
a sleeveless cloak; a headland jutting into the sea
catastrophal
C2+
/kəˈtæstrəfəl/
of the nature of a catastrophe; catastrophic
coastland
C2+
/ˈkoʊstˌlænd/
land bordering the sea; coastal country
congenial
C2+
/kənˈdʒinjəl/
pleasant and agreeable in nature or compatible in disposition
consultive
C2+
/kənˈsʌltɪv/
of or relating to consultation; advisory in nature
contranatural
C2+
/ˌkɑntrəˈnætʃərəl/
contrary to or against the laws of nature
cropland
C2+
/ˈkrɑpˌlænd/
land used or suitable for growing crops
decretory
C2+
/ˈdɛkrɪˌtɔri/
of the nature of a decree; decisive or definitive
demesne
C2+
/dɪˈmeɪn/
land attached to a manor and held for the owner's own use
earthy
C2+
/ˈɝθi/
resembling soil; plainly natural or coarsely direct
excavate
C2+
/ˈɛkskəˌveɪt/
to dig out and remove earth, or to uncover by digging
forsake
C2+
/fɚˈseɪk/
to abandon or desert; to renounce
interjectory
C2+
/ˌɪntɚˈdʒɛktəri/
of the nature of an interjection; thrown in parenthetically
islandic
C2+
/ˈaɪləndɪk/
of or relating to an island; insular
knap
C2+
/næp/
to break or chip stone, especially flint, by striking
lapidate
C2+
/ˈlæpɪˌdeɪt/
to stone, especially to stone to death
lith
C2+
/lɪθ/
a stone or rock; a limb or joint (archaic)
lithic
C2+
/ˈlɪθɪk/
of or relating to stone, especially stone tools
miraculous
C2+
/məˈrækjələs/
like a miracle; remarkable and inexplicable by natural laws
mont
C2+
/mɑnt/
a mountain or hill, chiefly in place names
nat
C2+
/næt/
a nature spirit in Burmese folk belief
overrefinement
C2+
/ˌoʊvɚrɪˈfaɪnmənt/
excessive subtlety or polish carried beyond what is natural or useful
phantomic
C2+
/fænˈtɑmɪk/
resembling or having the nature of a phantom; ghostly
reclamation
C2+
/ˌrɛkləˈmeɪʃən/
the act of reclaiming land or recovering useful material from waste
sandbank
C2+
/ˈsændˌbæŋk/
a raised bank of sand in a river or sea, often a hazard to boats
seaquake
C2+
/ˈsiˌkweɪk/
an earthquake occurring beneath or under the sea
seism
C2+
/ˈsaɪzəm/
an earthquake or earth tremor
stony
C2+
/ˈstoʊni/
full of or resembling stone; cold and unfeeling
subsea
C2+
/ˌsʌbˈsi/
situated or operating beneath the surface of the sea
subterranean
C2+
/ˌsʌbtəˈreɪniən/
existing, occurring, or done under the surface of the earth
surficial
C2+
/sɝˈfɪʃəl/
of or relating to the surface, especially the earth's surface in geology
talentless
C2+
/ˈtæləntləs/
having no special natural ability or aptitude
temblor
C2+
/ˈtɛmblɚ/
an earthquake or earth tremor
tortoise
C2+
/ˈtɔrtəs/
a slow-moving land reptile with a domed protective shell
whatness
C2+
/ˈwɑt.nəs/
the essential nature of a thing; its quiddity or whatness
woodsy
C2+
/ˈwʊd.zi/
characteristic of or suggestive of woods or a forest
acorn
B1
/ˈeɪ.kɔːrn/
the nut of the oak tree, typically rounded and held in a rough, scaly cupule
freshwater
B2
/ˈfrɛʃˌwɔtər/
living in, made of, or relating to water that is not salty
seacoast
B2
/ˈsiːˌkoʊst/
land along the edge of the sea
sea-loch
C2
/ˈsiː ˌlɑːk/
a long, narrow arm of the sea extending into the land, especially on the coast of Scotland
ignis fatuus
C2+
/ˈɪɡnɪs ˈfætʃuəs/
a pale, wandering light sometimes seen at night over marshy ground; a will-o'-the-wisp
headspring
C2
/ˈhɛdˌsprɪŋ/
a spring or source from which a stream begins; a fountainhead
diluvial
C2
/daɪˈluːviəl/
relating to, caused by, or deposited by a great flood
downthrow
C2
/ˈdaʊnˌθroʊ/
the downward displacement of rock strata on one side of a geological fault, or the amount of that displacement
metamorphism
C2
/ˌmɛtəˈmɔrˌfɪzəm/
the mineralogical and structural alteration of rock by heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids without complete melting
grassplat
C2+
/ˈɡræsˌplæt/
a small level plot of ground covered with grass; a lawn
sublittoral
C2
/ˌsʌbˈlɪtərəl/
situated or formed in the permanently submerged coastal zone below the low-tide line
mudpuddle
C2+
/ˈmʌdˌpʌdəl/
a shallow pool of muddy water
piscatory
C2+
/ˈpɪskəˌtɔri/
relating to or characteristic of the activity of fishing