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
841 words
condor
C2
/ˈkɒndɔː(ɹ)/
Either of two New World vultures, Vultur gryphus of the Andes or Gymnogyps californianus, a nearly extinct vulture of the mountains of California.
firefly
B1
/ˈfaɪ.ɚˌflaɪ/
a beetle of the family Lampyridae whose abdomen produces light, especially at twilight
antelope
C2
/ˈæn.tɪ.loʊp/
The pronghorn, Antilocapra americana.
prowess
C2
/ˈpɹaʊəs/
Skillfulness or extraordinary ability in a particular area of expertise; dexterity, mastery, or proficiency.
flamingo
B1
/fləˈmɪŋɡoʊ/
a tall wading bird with long legs, a curved bill, and usually pink or reddish feathers
midge
C2
/mɪdʒ/
a very small two-winged fly, including both biting and non-biting kinds
rhea
C2
/ˈriːə/
a large, fast-running, flightless bird native to South America, with long legs and three-toed feet
yelp
C2
/jɛlp/
a sharp, high-pitched cry, especially by a dog
oar
C2
/oɹ/
A type of lever used to propel a boat, having a flat blade at one end and a handle at the other, and pivoted in a rowlock atop the gunwale, whereby a rower seated in the boat and pulling the handle can pass the blade through the water by repeated strokes against the water's resistance, thus moving the boat.
fawn
C2
/fɔn/
A young deer.
gazelle
C2
/ɡəˈzel/
a small, slender, swift antelope native to Africa or Asia
dragonfly
C2
/ˈdræɡənˌflaɪ/
a predatory insect with a long body, very large eyes, and two pairs of transparent wings held open at rest, especially one of the infraorder Anisoptera
mangy
C1
/ˈmeɪndʒi/
affected by mange, or looking as though affected by it
wren
C1
/ɹɛn/
a very small, active songbird, typically brown, with a short upright tail
blackbird
B2
/ˈblækˌbɚd/
To enslave someone, especially through chicanery or force
albatross
C2
/ˈæl.bəˌtɹɔs/
a very large oceanic bird with long, narrow wings adapted for gliding great distances
frock
C2
/fɹɑk/
To clothe (somebody) in a frock.
stinger
C1
/ˈstɪŋɚ/
a sharp organ used by an insect, scorpion, stingray, or other animal to wound or inject venom
koala
C2
/koʊˈɑːlə/
a tree-dwelling Australian marsupial with thick grey fur, rounded ears, and a diet consisting mainly of eucalyptus leaves
trotter
C2
/ˈtrɑtər/
a foot of a pig or sheep, especially when prepared as food
iguana
C2
/ɪˈɡwɑːnə/
a large tropical American lizard, typically with a crest of spines along its back and a long tail
roost
C2
/ɹuːst/
a perch on which a bird rests or sleeps
greyhound
C2
/ˈɡɹeɪhaʊnd/
a tall slender dog of an ancient breed noted for swiftness and keen sight
coachman
C2
/ˈkoʊt͡ʃmən/
A man who drives a horse-drawn coach, a male coach driver.
horseshoe
B2
/ˈhɔːɹs.ʃuː/
a U-shaped metal plate fixed to a horse's hoof
gander
C2
/ˈɡæn.dɚ/
A male goose.
bluebird
C2
/ˈbluːˌbɝd/
any of three North American thrushes of the genus Sialia, whose males have conspicuous blue plumage
therein
B2
/ðɛˈrɪn/
(formal) in or into that thing or place
shrew
C1
/ʃɹuː/
a small, active, insect-eating mammal with a pointed snout, resembling a mouse
sardine
C2
/sɑrˈdiːn/
any of several small, oily, silvery fish related to herrings, especially a pilchard
mite
C1
/maɪt/
any of numerous minute arachnids, many of which live as parasites on animals or plants
starfish
C2
/ˈstɑɹˌfɪʃ/
a star-shaped marine echinoderm, typically with five or more arms radiating from a central disc
mallard
C2
/ˈmælɚd/
a widespread dabbling duck, Anas platyrhynchos, from which most domestic duck breeds descend; the male has a glossy green head
wildcat
C2
/ˈwaɪ.əldˌkæt/
a small or medium-sized cat that lives in the wild, especially a species resembling the domestic cat
bourgeoisie
C2
/ˌbʊə(ɹ)ʒwɑːˈziː/
A class of citizens who were wealthier members of the third estate.
caw
C1
/kɔ/
the harsh cry made by a crow, rook, or raven
loon
C2
/ˈluːn/
A crazy or deranged person; a lunatic.
yoke
C2
/joʊk/
stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team
terrier
C1
/ˈtɛɹiə(ɹ)/
Someone displaying terrier-like qualities such as determined pursuit.
venomous
C2
/ˈvɛnəməs/
Of an animal: producing venom and able to inject it by biting or stinging.
chipmunk
B2
/ˈtʃɪpˌmʌŋk/
a small striped ground squirrel with cheek pouches, native chiefly to North America
molasses
C2
/məˈlæsɪz/
A thick, sweet syrup drained from sugarcane, especially (Canada, US) the still thicker and sweeter syrup produced by boiling down raw molasses.
llama
C2
/ˈlɑː.mə/
a domesticated South American camelid kept as a pack animal and for its wool and meat
flipper
B2
/ˈflɪp.ɚ/
a broad, flat limb adapted for swimming in animals such as whales, seals, turtles, and plesiosaurs
cob
C2
/kɑb/
a strong, compact horse with short legs, commonly used for riding or pulling a carriage
gar
C2
/ɡɑɹ/
any of several large North American freshwater fish with an armored body and long, toothed jaws
primate
C2
/ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/
any mammal of the order Primates, including humans, apes, monkeys, lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers
caribou
C2
/ˈkærəbuː/
a North American reindeer, a large Arctic and subarctic deer in which both sexes can grow antlers
tigress
C1
/ˈtaɪ.ɡrəs/
a female tiger
scallop
C2
/ˈskɑləp/
a marine bivalve mollusc with a fan-shaped, fluted shell, capable of swimming by rapidly opening and closing its shell
centipede
B2
/ˈsɛntɪˌpiːd/
a predatory arthropod of the class Chilopoda, with a flattened segmented body and one pair of legs on each leg-bearing segment
sportsman
C2
/ˈspɔrtsmən/
A man who engages in sports; an athlete.
beehive
B2
/ˈbiːhaɪv/
a structure or container in which a colony of bees lives
armadillo
B2
/ɑɹməˈdɪloʊ/
a burrowing mammal of the Americas whose body is protected by jointed bony plates
salamander
C2
/ˈsæləˌmændɚ/
a long-bodied amphibian with a tail and short legs, superficially resembling a lizard
lemur
B2
/ˈliːmɚ/
a primate native to Madagascar and nearby islands, typically with large eyes, a pointed face, and a long tail
mew
C2
/mjuː/
a short, high-pitched cry made by a cat or similar animal
trachea
C2
/ˈtɹeɪ.ki.ə/
membranous tube with cartilaginous rings that conveys inhaled air from the larynx to the bronchi
schoolmaster
C2
/ˈskuːlˌmæstɝ/
Anything that teaches.
foal
C2
/foʊl/
a young horse or other equine, especially one less than a year old
termite
B2
/ˈtɝːmaɪt/
a pale, soft-bodied social insect that lives in a colony and feeds chiefly on wood or other cellulose-rich material
duckling
B1
/ˈdʌklɪŋ/
a young duck
cur
C2
/kɝ/
a dog regarded as aggressive, inferior, or of mixed breed; now usually contemptuous
peat
C1
/ˈpiːt/
Soil formed of dead but not fully decayed plants found in bog areas, often burned as fuel.
spaniel
C2
/ˈspænjəl/
any of several breeds of small to medium-sized gun dogs with a long silky coat and long frilled ears
footman
C2
/ˈfʊtmən/
A man in waiting; a male servant whose duties are to attend the door, the carriage, the table, etc.
heron
C2
/ˈhɛɹən/
grey or white wading bird with long neck and long legs and (usually) long bill
bloodhound
C2
/ˈblʌdhaʊnd/
a large scent hound with an exceptionally keen sense of smell, used to track people
thoroughbred
C2
/ˈθɝːəbred/
a horse of the Thoroughbred breed, developed chiefly for racing from English mares and imported Arabian, Barb, and Turkoman stallions
reptilian
C2
/ɹɛpˈtɪljən/
Relating to reptiles such as snakes, lizards, and crocodiles.
haddock
B2
/ˈhædək/
a North Atlantic marine fish related to cod and widely caught for food
retriever
C2
/ɹiˈtɹivəɹ/
a gun dog trained to find and bring back shot game, or a dog belonging to one of the breeds developed for that work
woodpecker
C2
/ˈwʊdˌpɛkɚ/
Any bird of species-rich family Picidae, with a strong pointed beak suitable for pecking holes in wood.
roan
C2
/roʊn/
having a coat in which white hairs are evenly mixed with hairs of a darker base color
larva
C2
/ˈlɑɹ.və/
an immature form of an insect, amphibian, or other animal, usually very different from the adult
pterodactyl
C2
/ˌtɛɹəˈdæktl̩/
Any pterosaur.
full-grown
C2+
/ˈfʊlˌɡɹoʊn/
Fully developed in a broader sense; complete, at one’s height.
shiner
C2
/ˈʃaɪnɚ/
any of numerous small, silvery North American freshwater fishes, especially minnows used as bait
carnivorous
C2
/kɑɹˈnɪv.ə.ɹəs/
relating to or characteristic of carnivores
lynx
C2
/lɪŋks/
any of several medium-sized wild cats of the genus Lynx, with a short tail, long legs, and usually tufted ears
bushy
C2
/ˈbʊʃi/
Like a bush in having many branches that spread out densely in all directions.
hippopotamus
C2
/ˌhɪp.əˈpɑ.tə.məs/
The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
restlessness
C1
/ˈɹɛstləsnəs/
the quality of being ceaselessly moving or active
orangutan
C2
/ɔːˈræŋətæn/
a large, long-armed arboreal ape of the genus Pongo, native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra
thrifty
C2
/ˈθɹɪfti/
Thriving, prosperous, successful; (of an animal or plant) growing rapidly or vigorously.
bream
C2
/brɪm/
any of various deep-bodied freshwater fishes, especially the European common bream or North American sunfishes
crayfish
C2
/ˈkreɪˌfɪʃ/
a small freshwater crustacean resembling a lobster, or its flesh used as food
parakeet
C1
/ˈpɛɹəkit/
any of numerous small or medium-sized parrots with a slender body and a long tail
collie
B2
/ˈkɑːli/
a dog of any of several related herding breeds, typically alert, agile, and long-muzzled
marten
C2
/ˈmɑrtən/
a slender, agile, tree-climbing mammal of the weasel family, especially one of the genus Martes
uncontrolled
C1
/ˌənkənˈtroʊld/
Not controlled; not under control.
sturgeon
C2
/ˈstɝː.dʒən/
any of a family of usually large, long-bodied freshwater or migratory fishes with rows of bony plates, valued especially for roe used as caviar
bough
C2
/ˈbaʊ/
A tree-branch, usually a primary one directly attached to the trunk.
good-natured
C2+
/ɡʊdˈneɪtʃəd/
having an easygoing and cheerful disposition
cookery
C2
/ˈkʊk(ə)ɹi/
The art and practice of preparing food for consumption, especially by the application of heat; cooking.
locust
C2
/ˈloʊ.kəst/
A fruit or pod of a carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua).