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
524 words
preservative
B2
/prɪˈzɝvətɪv/
a substance added to food, medicine, wood, or another material to prevent decay, spoilage, or deterioration
sweetmeat
C2
/ˈswiːt.miːt/
a small sweet delicacy, such as a confection, candied fruit, or preserve
watercress
C2
/ˈwɔtəɹkɹɛs/
a water-loving plant, especially Nasturtium officinale, whose peppery green leaves are eaten in salads or used as a garnish
caraway
C2
/ˈkærəˌweɪ/
the aromatic, crescent-shaped dried fruit commonly called a seed and used as a spice
masher
C2
/ˈmæʃər/
a utensil or machine used to crush food or another material into a soft mass
farina
C2
/fəˈriːnə/
a fine meal or flour made from cereal grain or other starchy vegetable material, especially one cooked as a breakfast cereal or pudding
greenish
C1
/ˈɡɹiːnɪʃ/
of the color between blue and yellow in the color spectrum
tankard
C2
/ˈtæŋkɚd/
large drinking vessel with one handle
currant
C2
/ˈkʌɹənt/
a small tart red, black, or white berry growing on a shrub of the genus Ribes
windsurfing
B1
A water sport in which you stand on a board with a sail attached and are pushed along by the wind.
swipes
C2
/swaɪps/
dated British slang: weak, watery, or inferior beer
discoverer
C1
/dɪˈskʌvəɹəɹ/
One who discovers: a person who has discovered something.
unwillingness
C1
/ənˈwɪlɪŋnɪs/
the trait of being unwilling
suet
C2
/ˈsuː.ɪt/
the hard white fat around the kidneys and loins of cattle or sheep, used in cooking and in making tallow
carafe
C1
/kəˈræf/
a glass container used for serving water, wine, or another drink
uncork
C1
/ʌnˈkɔrk/
to remove the cork or stopper from a bottle or other container
kava
C2
/ˈkɑːvə/
a Pacific island shrub, Piper methysticum, whose roots contain psychoactive kavalactones
confectionery
C1
/kənˈfɛkʃənəɹi/
sweets, chocolates, candies, and other foods made chiefly with sugar, considered collectively
ragout
C2
/ɹæˈɡuː/
a richly seasoned stew of meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables cooked slowly in a sauce
fixings
B1
/ˈfɪk.sɪŋz/
the preparations, arrangements, equipment, or supplies needed for an activity or occasion
tipple
C2
/ˈtɪpəl/
drink moderately but regularly
aniseed
C2
/ˈæ.nɪ.sid/
the aromatic seed of the anise plant, used to flavor food, drink, and medicine
cud
C2
/kʌd/
food brought back from a ruminant's stomach to the mouth and chewed again
tureen
C2
/təˈrin/
a large, deep, usually covered serving dish for soup, stew, or similar food
laver
C2
/ˈleɪvɚ/
an edible red seaweed, especially one used to make laverbread or as sheets for wrapping food
steadfastly
C2
/ˈstɛdfæstli/
In a steadfast manner; firmly; with conviction
peppercorn
C1
/ˈpɛpɚkɔɹn/
a dried berry of the pepper plant, used whole or ground as a spice
yerba
C2
/ˈjɝːbə/
yerba mate: the South American holly Ilex paraguariensis or its dried leaves and twigs, used to make a caffeinated drink
curdle
C2
/ˈkɝːdəl/
to separate a liquid, especially milk, into solid curds and liquid, or to cause it to do so
deservedly
C2
/dɪˈzɝːvədli/
as deserved
slivovitz
C2
/ˈslɪvəˌvɪts/
a strong, usually colorless brandy distilled from fermented plums, traditionally made in the Balkans and Central or Eastern Europe
wetland
B1
/ˈwɛtˌlænd/
An area of land where the soil is soaked or covered with water, such as a marsh or swamp.
sago
C2
/ˈseɪɡoʊ/
an edible starch extracted from the pith of certain tropical palms and cycads, used in puddings and as a thickener
chine
C2
/tʃaɪn/
the backbone of an animal, especially with the adjoining flesh, or a cut of meat or fish containing it
granular
C2
/ˈɡɹæn.jə.lə(ɹ)/
composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency
beery
C2
/ˈbɪɹi/
smelling of beer
subsist
C2
/səbˈsɪst/
To stay alive with only the bare minimum of food or resources.
grist
C2
/ɡrɪst/
grain brought to a mill to be ground, or a quantity of grain prepared for grinding
refrigerate
C2
/ɹɪˈfɹɪd͡ʒəɹeɪt/
cool or chill in or as if in a refrigerator
unanswerable
C2+
/ˌəˈnænsɝəbəl/
impossible to answer
hominy
C2
/ˈhɑːməni/
maize kernels treated with an alkali to remove the hulls, eaten whole or dried and ground into grits
infinitive
B1
/ɪnˈfɪnɪtɪv/
The basic form of a verb, usually used with "to", as in "to run" or "to eat".
eatable
B2
/ˈiːtəbəl/
fit or suitable to be eaten, though not necessarily pleasant
decant
C1
/dəˈkænt/
to pour a liquid from one container into another
wineglass
B2
/ˈwaɪnˌɡlæs/
a drinking glass, typically with a bowl, stem, and foot, designed for serving wine
pottle
C2
/ˈpɑtəl/
a small pot or food container, especially one used for fruit; chiefly British and Commonwealth English
vol-au-vent
C2+
/ˌvɔː.loʊˈvɑ̃ː/
a light, hollow puff-pastry case filled with a savory mixture such as meat, fish, mushrooms, or vegetables in sauce
capsicum
C2
/ˈkæpsɪkəm/
a plant of the genus Capsicum, which includes sweet peppers and chili peppers
peaty
C2
/ˈpiːtiː/
Of whisky, having a complex smoky flavour imparted by compounds released by peat fires used to dry the malted barley.
negus
C2
/ˈniːɡəs/
a hot drink of wine, usually port, mixed with water, sugar, citrus, and spices
unappetizing
C2
/ʌnˈæpəˌtaɪzɪŋ/
not appealing to the appetite because of an unpleasant appearance, smell, or taste
mangosteen
C2
/ˈmæŋ.ɡoʊ.stin/
a round tropical fruit with a thick purple rind and sweet, juicy white segments
serviette
B2
/ˌsɝː.viˈet/
a square of cloth or paper used at a meal to protect clothing and wipe the mouth or fingers; a napkin
wheaten
C2
/ˈwiːtən/
made from, containing, or relating to wheat
insuperable
C2
/ɪnˈsup(ə)ɹəb(ə)l/
incapable of being surmounted or excelled
epicure
C2
/ˈɛpɪkjʊr/
a person with refined and discriminating tastes, especially in food and wine
masticate
C1
/ˈmæs.tə.keɪt/
to chew food by crushing and grinding it with the teeth
cocotte
C2
/kɔˈkɔt/
a small covered casserole or Dutch oven, especially one used to cook and serve an individual portion
polymorphic
C2
/ˌpɑliˈmɔɹfɪk/
having or occurring in several distinct forms
cruet
C2
/ˈkɹu.ɪt/
a small bottle or container for oil, vinegar, or another condiment at a dining table
firkin
C2
/ˈfɝkɪn/
a small wooden cask used especially for butter, ale, or other provisions
cornpone
C2+
/ˈkɔrnˌpoʊn/
chiefly Southern US: a simple cornbread, traditionally made without milk or eggs and baked or fried
overfeed
B2
/ˌoʊvɚˈfiːd/
to give a person or animal more food than is healthy or necessary
yeasty
C2
/ˈjiːsti/
containing yeast or having the smell or taste of yeast
pottage
C2
/ˈpɑtɪdʒ/
a thick soup or stew made by slowly boiling vegetables, grains, and sometimes meat
floury
C2+
/ˈflaʊəri/
high in starch and tending to become dry, soft, and crumbly when cooked
gastronomical
C2
/ˌɡæstrəˈnɑːmɪkəl/
relating to gastronomy, especially the preparation, appreciation, or culture of good food
sparerib
B2
/ˌspɛɚˈɹɪb/
A cut of pork ribs with most of the meat trimmed away.
voracity
C2
/vəˈɹæ.sə.ti/
Extreme eagerness to eat; greedy hunger.
airily
C2
/ˈeɹ.ə.li/
lightly
forcemeat
C2
/ˈfɔɹsmiːt/
a finely ground and seasoned mixture of meat or fish used as a stuffing
malmsey
C2
/ˈmɑ(l)mzi/
a rich sweet fortified wine, especially a Madeira made from the Malvasia grape
salver
C2
/ˈsæl.vɚ/
a flat tray, often made of silver or another metal, used for formally serving or presenting things
caffeinate
C2
/ˈkæfɪˌneɪt/
To drink coffee or other caffeinated drinks to feel more awake and alert.
haricot
C2
/ˈhærɪkoʊ/
a common bean, especially a small dried white bean used in cooking
oniony
C2+
/ˈʌnjəni/
Resembling an onion or onions, especially in terms of smell.
toper
C2
/ˈtoʊ.pɚ/
dated: a person who drinks alcohol heavily or habitually
porringer
C2
/ˈpɔrɪndʒər/
a shallow metal bowl (usually with a handle)
asafoetida
C2
/ˌæsəˈfɛtɪdə/
the brownish gum resin of various plants
mamaliga
C2
/məməˈliɡə/
a Romanian maize porridge, similar to polenta
parboil
C1
/ˈpɑrˌbɔɪl/
to boil food briefly or until it is only partly cooked, usually before cooking it by another method
viand
C2
/ˈvaɪ.ənd/
an item or dish of food, especially a choice dish; now chiefly literary and often plural
taproom
C2
/ˈtæpˌruːm/
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served from taps or over a counter
oatcake
C2
/ˈoʊtˌkeɪk/
Any of many flat biscuits, or cakes, made from oatmeal.
comfit
C2
/ˈkʌm.fɪt/
a confection consisting of a nut, seed, spice, or piece of fruit coated with sugar
foodless
C2
/ˈfuːdləs/
having or receiving no food
frijol
C2
/friːˈhoʊl/
a bean, especially a common bean of a kind widely eaten in Mexico and the southwestern United States
muscovado
C2
/ˌmʌskəˈvɑːdoʊ/
a dark, moist, minimally refined cane sugar that retains much of its natural molasses
succulently
C1
In a way that is full of juice and pleasant to eat.
jorum
C2
/ˈd͡ʒoʊɹəm/
a large drinking bowl or vessel, together with the drink it holds
charqui
C2
/ˈtʃɑːrki/
meat, especially beef, preserved by cutting it into strips and drying it
muskmelon
C2
/ˈmʌskˌmɛlən/
a sweet, aromatic melon of the species Cucumis melo, including cantaloupes and related varieties
vinous
C2
/ˈvaɪnəs/
Pertaining to or having the characteristics of wine.
victualler
C2
/ˈvɪt.lɚ/
a person who supplies food and provisions to an army, navy, ship, or other organized body
victual
C2
/ˈvɪtəl/
food or provisions, especially supplies kept for a journey, military force, or household
gallinaceous
C2
/ɡælɪˈneɪʃəs/
of or relating to or resembling a gallinacean