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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.
341 words
mythos
C2
/ˈmɪθoʊs/
the body of myths, stories, and symbols associated with a culture, religion, tradition, or fictional world
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excision
C2
/ekˈsɪʒ.ən/
the surgical removal of an organ, tumor, or other body tissue by cutting
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chemise
C2
/ʃəˈmiːz/
a loose shirtlike undergarment or nightdress, historically worn next to the skin by women
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mollusc
C2
/ˈmɑləsk/
invertebrate having a soft unsegmented body usually enclosed in a shell
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nodule
C2
/ˈnɑːdʒuːl/
a small rounded lump, knot, or mass in tissue, rock, or another material
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gonad
C2
/ˈɡoʊ.næd/
an organ, such as an ovary or testis, that produces reproductive cells
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precession
C2
/priːˈsɛʃən/
the slow conical motion of a spinning body's rotation axis, usually caused by an external torque
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hypertrophy
C2
/haɪˈpɝː.trə.fi/
an increase in the size of an organ or tissue caused by enlargement of its cells
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pustule
C2
/ˈpʌstjuːl/
a small raised lesion on the skin containing pus
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slat
C2
/slæt/
informal: a rib of the body, especially in the plural slats
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crinoline
C2
/ˈkrɪnəlɪn/
a stiff or hooped petticoat, or its framework, worn to hold a skirt out from the body
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buckler
C2
/ˈbʌk.lɚ/
historical: a small round shield held in the hand or worn on the arm for parrying blows
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depressor
C2
/dɪˈpɹɛsɚ/
an anatomical muscle that lowers or draws down a body part
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pharynx
C2
/ˈfer.ɪŋks/
the muscular passage behind the nose and mouth that leads toward the larynx and esophagus
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stria
C2
/ˈstraɪə/
a narrow stripe, streak, or band, especially one of a parallel series in tissue, plumage, or another patterned surface
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metempsychosis
C2
/mɪˌtɛm(p).sɪˈkoʊ.sɪs/
the supposed transmigration of a soul at death into another body, whether human, animal, or another living form
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woodlouse
C2
/ˈwʊdlaʊs/
a small terrestrial isopod crustacean with a rigid segmented body, usually found in damp, dark places
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puffball
C2
/ˈpʌfˌbɔːl/
a round fungus that releases a cloud of powdery spores when its mature fruiting body is pressed or broken
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extensor
C2
/ɪkˈstɛnsɚ/
a muscle whose contraction straightens a limb or increases the angle at a joint
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axilla
C2
/ækˈsɪlə/
anatomy: the armpit, especially the space beneath the shoulder joint through which major nerves and blood vessels pass
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tubercle
C2
/ˈtuːbɚkəl/
a small rounded projection on a bone, tooth, animal surface, or other anatomical structure
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sulcus
C2
/ˈsʌl.kəs/
in anatomy, a narrow groove or furrow in an organ or tissue, especially on the surface of the brain
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chorea
C2
/ˈkʰorɪjɑ/
any of several degenerative nervous disorders characterized by spasmodic movements of the body and limbs
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erysipelas
C2
/ˌɛɹ.əˈsɪp.əl.əs/
a bacterial skin infection causing a sharply defined, painful red rash, fever, and swelling
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macula
C2
/ˈmækjʊlə/
a patch of skin that is discolored but not usually elevated
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cuirass
C2
/kwɪˈræs/
a piece of body armour protecting the chest and back, originally of leather and later usually of metal
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centrum
C2
/ˈsɛntrəm/
the thick central body of a vertebra, to which the vertebral arch and other processes attach
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engram
C2
/ˈɛnˌɡɹæm/
A postulated physical or biochemical change in neural tissue that represents a memory.
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poundage
C2
/ˈpaʊndɪdʒ/
Weight, especially body weight.
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aureole
C2
/ˈɔriˌoʊl/
a halo or circle of radiant light around the head or body of a sacred figure in art
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contortion
C2
/kənˈtɔr.ʃən/
a twisted, strained, or unnatural position or movement of the body or face
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diverticulum
C2
/ˌdaɪvɚˈtɪkjələm/
a pouch, sac, or blind branch projecting from the wall of a hollow or tubular organ
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plenum
C2
/ˈplɛnəm/
a meeting attended by all members of a committee, legislature, or other body
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sternocleidomastoid
C2
/ˌstɝ.nəˌklaɪ.dəˈmæˌstɔɪd/
one of two thick muscles running from the sternum and clavicle to the mastoid and occipital bone
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levator
C2
/lɪˈveɪtɚ/
an anatomical muscle that raises the body part to which it is attached
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lacuna
C2
/ləˈkjuːnə/
a gap, omission, or missing part in a text, argument, record, or body of knowledge
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situs
C2
/ˈsaɪtəs/
The position, especially the usual, normal position, of a body part or part of a plant.
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tetter
C2
/ˈtɛtɚ/
archaic: any of various itching, scaly, blistering, or pustular skin eruptions, without the precision of a modern diagnosis
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hemiplegia
C2
/ˌhem.ɪˈpli.dʒə/
paralysis of one side of the body
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scintillation
C2
/ˌsɪn.təˈleɪ.ʃən/
The twinkling of a star or other celestial body caused by turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere.
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quagga
C2
/ˈkwɑɡə/
an extinct southern African subspecies of plains zebra, striped mainly on the head and front of the body
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apar
C2
/əˈpɑːr/
a South American three-banded armadillo of the genus Tolypeutes, able to roll its armored body into a nearly complete ball
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ovipositor
C2
/oʊvɪˈpɑzɪtɚ/
a tubular or blade-like organ used by a female insect or certain other animals to place or lay eggs
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zygoma
C2
/zaɪˈɡoʊmə/
anatomy: either zygomatic bone, forming the prominence of the cheek below and beside the eye
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bivalve
C2
/ˈbaɪvælv/
a mollusc of the class Bivalvia whose body is enclosed by two hinged shell valves, such as a clam, mussel, oyster, or scallop
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poesy
C2
/ˈpoʊəzi/
literary: poetry, especially considered as an art or body of writing
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orbicularis
C2
/ɔɹˌbɪk.jəˈlɛɹ.ɪs/
A muscle surrounding an opening.
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cornu
C2
/ˈkɔɹnuː/
a horn-shaped anatomical part, such as a projection of a bone, organ, or region of the spinal cord
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diapason
C2
/daɪəˈpeɪzən/
a full, rich outpouring or range of musical sound; also a principal organ stop
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albinism
C2
/ˈæl.bɪ.nɪ.zəm/
a group of inherited conditions involving little or no production of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes
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cere
C2
/sɪr/
the fleshy or waxy skin at the base of the upper beak in certain birds, containing the nostrils
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scurf
C2
/skɝːf/
flakes or scales shed from the surface of the skin, especially as dandruff or because of disease
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tapetum
C2
/təˈpiː.təm/
a reflective or pigmented layer of tissue behind or within the retina of the eye
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amphipod
C2
/ˈæmfɪˌpɑːd/
any small crustacean of the order Amphipoda, typically with a laterally compressed body and differently directed pairs of legs
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papilla
C2
/pəˈpɪlə/
a small nipple-shaped projection of tissue, such as one on the tongue or at the base of a hair, tooth, or feather
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aphelion
C2
/əˈfiːliən/
the point in the orbit of a planet, comet, or other body at which it is farthest from the Sun
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gesticulation
C2
/dʒɛˌstɪkjəˈleɪʃən/
an expressive movement of the hands, arms, or body, especially one made while speaking
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tuberosity
C2
/ˌtuːbəˈrɑːsəti/
anatomy: a large, rough, rounded prominence on a bone, commonly serving as an attachment site for a muscle, tendon, or ligament
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thallus
C2
/ˈθæləs/
a plantlike vegetative body, such as that of an alga, fungus, or lichen, which is not differentiated into true stems, leaves, and roots
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excrescence
C2
/ɪkˈskrɛsəns/
an abnormal growth or projection on a living body or natural object
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zygomaticus
C2
/ˌzaɪ.ɡəˈmæt.ək.əs/
One of several small subcutaneous facial muscles arising from or in relation with the zygomatic bone.
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auscultation
C2
/ˌɔːskəlˈteɪʃən/
medical examination by listening to sounds within the body, usually with a stethoscope
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frontalis
C2
/ˌfɹʌnˈteɪ.lɪs/
A muscle of the forehead, sometimes considered to be part of the occipitofrontalis muscle.
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viscus
C2
/ˈvɪskəs/
anatomy: an internal organ located in one of the body's major cavities
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tonus
C2
/ˈtoʊnəs/
the normal continuous tension or readiness of living muscles, arteries, or other tissue
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mandamus
C2
/mænˈdeɪməs/
law: a court order compelling a public official, lower court, agency, or other body to perform a duty required by law
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risorius
C2+
/ɹɪˈsɔɹ.i.əs/
A narrow band of facial muscle arising from the fascia over the masseter and inserting into the tissues at the corner of the mouth, which it draws laterally, as is used when smiling.
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commissure
C2
/ˈkɑm.əˌʃʊɹ/
a bundle of nerve fibers passing from one side to the other of the brain or spinal cord
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chilblain
C2
/ˈtʃɪlbleɪn/
an itchy, swollen patch of skin caused by an abnormal reaction to cold and damp conditions
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coxa
C2
/ˈkɑːksə/
the basal segment of an arthropod limb, by which the leg is attached to the body
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thornback
C2
/ˈθɔːrnˌbæk/
the thornback ray or skate, Raja clavata, a ray with rough skin and rows of thornlike spines along its back and tail
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frenum
C2
/ˈfriːnəm/
an anatomical fold of tissue that restrains or anchors the movement of an organ; a frenulum
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beroe
C2
/ˈberəwiː/
a transparent, often iridescent marine comb jelly of the genus Beroe, with a rounded or thimble-shaped body
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radula
C2
/ˈɹædʒələ/
a ribbonlike feeding organ bearing rows of tiny teeth, used by most mollusks to scrape or cut food
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branchia
C2
/ˈbræŋkiə/
zoology: a gill or another respiratory organ with the same function in an aquatic animal
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cicatrix
C2
/ˈsɪkəˌtrɪks/
a scar formed as fibrous tissue replaces or contracts over a healed wound
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ascidian
C2
/əˈsɪdiən/
a solitary or colonial marine tunicate of the class Ascidiacea, typically having a saclike adult body with an incurrent and an excurrent siphon
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suffusion
C2
/səˈfjuːʒən/
the spreading of a bodily fluid, especially blood, into surrounding tissue
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antihelix
C2
/ˌæn.tɪˈhi.lɪks/
anatomy: the curved ridge of cartilage inside and roughly parallel to the helix of the outer ear
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fasciculus
C2
/fəˈsɪkjʊləs/
anatomy: a small bundle of nerve, muscle, tendon, or other parallel fibers
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exanthem
C2
/ɪɡˈzænθəm/
a widespread skin eruption or rash occurring as a symptom of disease
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furcula
C2
/ˈfɝkjələ/
the forked bone formed by the fused collarbones of most birds; the wishbone
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pellicle
C2
/ˈpɛlɪkəl/
a very thin skin, membrane, or film covering a surface
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cerement
C2+
/ˈsɪr.mənt/
a shroud or waxed cloth in which a dead body is wrapped for burial, often used in the plural
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panniculus
C2
/pəˈnɪkjələs/
a thin sheet or layer of bodily tissue, especially a layer beneath the skin
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eclipse
C2+
/ɪˈklɪps/
the obscuring of one celestial body by another; to outshine
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fracture
C2+
/ˈfræktʃɚ/
a break or crack, especially in bone or rock
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mortification
C2+
/ˌmɔrtəfɪˈkeɪʃən/
a feeling of deep humiliation; also the death of tissue
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sect
C2+
/sɛkt/
a group with distinct beliefs that has separated from a larger body
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stricture
C2+
/ˈstrɪktʃɚ/
a severe criticism, or an abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body
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abdomen
C2+
/ˈæbdəmən/
the part of the body containing the digestive organs; the belly
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carcass
C2+
/ˈkɑrkəs/
the dead body of an animal; a framework or ruined remains
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cleft
C2+
/klɛft/
a split, crack, or fissure, especially in rock or skin
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eyeball
C2+
/ˈaɪˌbɔl/
the spherical body of the eye; to look at or estimate roughly
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judiciary
C2+
/dʒuˈdɪʃiɛri/
the branch of government, or the body of judges, that administers justice
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orb
C2+
/ɔrb/
a spherical object or body, especially a celestial one
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