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
476 words
immaterial
C2+
/ˌɪməˈtɪriəl/
unimportant or irrelevant; also, having no physical substance
runny
C2+
/ˈrʌni/
more liquid than is usual or expected; tending to flow
textile
C2+
/ˈtɛkstaɪl/
a type of cloth or woven fabric
adhesive
C2+
/ədˈhiːsɪv/
a substance used to stick objects together; sticky
admix
C2+
/ədˈmɪks/
to mingle or blend one substance with another
beefy
C2+
/ˈbifi/
muscular, brawny, or substantially solid
dilute
C2+
/daɪˈlut/
to make a liquid thinner or weaker by adding water or another substance
gilded
C2+
/ˈɡɪldɪd/
covered with a thin layer of gold; superficially attractive
inane
C2+
/ɪˈneɪn/
silly, empty, and lacking sense or substance
pornographic
C2+
/ˌpɔrnəˈɡræfɪk/
relating to explicit sexual material intended to arouse
precipitant
C2+
/prɪˈsɪpɪtənt/
a substance causing a precipitate; acting with sudden haste
secrete
C2+
/sɪˈkrit/
to produce and discharge a substance; also, to hide away
transmutation
C2+
/ˌtrænzmjuˈteɪʃən/
the act of changing one substance or form into another
adulterant
C2+
/əˈdʌltərənt/
a substance added to dilute or debase something, especially a foodstuff
argent
C2+
/ˈɑrdʒənt/
silver; the heraldic tincture silver or white
assay
C2+
/æˈseɪ/
a test of the quality or composition of a substance, especially an ore or metal
coating
C2+
/ˈkoʊtɪŋ/
a thin layer of substance spread over a surface
contaminant
C2+
/kənˈtæmənənt/
a substance that pollutes or makes something impure
dyestuff
C2+
/ˈdaɪˌstʌf/
a material yielding a dye, especially a synthetic coloring agent
extrusion
C2+
/ɪkˈstruʒən/
the act of forcing or thrusting out, as shaping material through a die
glue
C2+
/ɡlu/
an adhesive substance for joining things; to stick fast
insubstantial
C2+
/ˌɪnsəbˈstænʃəl/
lacking substance, strength, or reality; flimsy
insulate
C2+
/ˈɪnsəˌleɪt/
to protect by surrounding with a non-conducting material or barrier
panning
C2+
/ˈpænɪŋ/
the act of washing sediment to separate gold, or of harshly criticizing
shard
C2+
/ʃɑrd/
a sharp fragment of broken pottery, glass, or other brittle material
spout
C2+
/spaʊt/
a tube or lip for pouring liquid; to eject liquid forcibly
torrent
C2+
/ˈtɔrənt/
a strong, fast-moving stream of water or other liquid
amalgam
C2+
/əˈmælɡəm/
a blend or mixture, especially an alloy of mercury with another metal
anneal
C2+
/əˈnil/
to heat metal or glass and cool it slowly to toughen and reduce brittleness
blacksmith
C2+
/ˈblæksmɪθ/
a metalworker who forges and shapes iron with a hammer and anvil
carburize
C2+
/ˈkɑrbjəˌraɪz/
to harden the surface of iron or steel by adding carbon
chunky
C2+
/ˈtʃʌŋki/
thick and solid, or containing thick lumps
counterpoison
C2+
/ˈkaʊntɚˌpɔɪzən/
a substance that neutralizes a poison; an antidote
desalt
C2+
/diˈsɔlt/
to remove salt from, especially from seawater
excitant
C2+
/ɪkˈsaɪtənt/
a substance or agent that stimulates a bodily function
firmament
C2+
/ˈfɜrməmənt/
the vault of the sky regarded as a solid expanse; the heavens
frit
C2+
/frɪt/
calcined materials fused to make glass or glaze
glassy
C2+
/ˈɡlæsi/
smooth and shiny like glass; lacking expression
herbicide
C2+
/ˈhɜːrbəˌsaɪd/
a chemical substance used to destroy unwanted plants
immersion
C2+
/ɪˈmɜrʒən/
the act of plunging into a liquid or being deeply involved in something
impregnant
C2+
/ɪmˈprɛɡnənt/
a substance used to impregnate or saturate something
impregnate
C2+
/ɪmˈprɛɡneɪt/
to saturate or imbue with a substance, or to make pregnant
insecticide
C2+
/ɪnˈsɛktəˌsaɪd/
a substance used to kill insects
leakage
C2+
/ˈlikɪdʒ/
the gradual escape of a fluid, gas, or information through a flaw or opening
lox
C2+
/lɑks/
brine-cured salmon; also liquid oxygen
ovoid
C2+
/ˈoʊvɔɪd/
egg-shaped; a solid or surface shaped like an egg
radiumize
C2+
/ˈreɪdiəˌmaɪz/
to treat or impregnate with radium or radioactive material
rancid
C2+
/ˈrænsɪd/
smelling or tasting unpleasantly stale, as of spoiled fat or oil
ruffle
C2+
/ˈrʌfəl/
to disturb the smoothness of; to annoy; a gathered frill of fabric
sandpaper
C2+
/ˈsændˌpeɪpɚ/
paper coated with abrasive grit, used to smooth surfaces
smear
C2+
/smɪr/
to spread a substance messily; to slander someone
soakage
C2+
/ˈsoʊkɪdʒ/
the act of soaking or the liquid absorbed by soaking
spike
C2+
/spaɪk/
a thin pointed piece of metal, or a sharp sudden increase
swarf
C2+
/swɔrf/
the fine chips or filings produced by machining or grinding metal
toxicant
C2+
/ˈtɑksɪkənt/
a poisonous substance, especially a man-made one
turbine
C2+
/ˈtɜːrbaɪn/
a rotary engine driven by a flow of water, steam, gas, or air
woody
C2+
/ˈwʊd.i/
consisting of or resembling wood, or covered with trees
soot
B2
/sʊt/
a black powdery or flaky substance produced by incomplete combustion of coal, wood, oil, etc.
stewed
A1
/stuːd/
cooked slowly in liquid
lacquerware
C1
/ˈlækərˌwɛr/
decorative objects coated with lacquer for a glossy finish
manacle
C1
/ˈmænəkəl/
a metal band, chain, or shackle for fastening someone's hands or ankles
velveteen
C1
/ˈvɛlvətin/
a cotton fabric with a short, dense pile, resembling velvet
wale
C1
/weɪl/
a ridge on a textured surface, such as fabric or skin, often raised or swollen
benzoline
C2
/ˈben.zə.liːn/
a historical name for a volatile petroleum or coal-tar solvent, used especially for cleaning and removing grease
parmacety
C2+
/ˌpɑːr.məˈsiː.ti/
obsolete: spermaceti, the white waxy substance obtained from the head of a sperm whale
hahnium
C2+
/ˈhɑː.ni.əm/
obsolete, a proposed name used during disputes over the naming of heavy synthetic elements, especially dubnium and hassium
nitrous oxide
C1
/ˌnaɪ.trəs ˈɑːk.saɪd/
a colorless, mildly sweet-smelling gas, N2O, used as an anesthetic and propellant and also emitted as a powerful greenhouse gas
dissoluble
C2
/dɪˈsɑljəbəl/
capable of being dissolved or broken down into constituent parts
gold latten
C2+
/ˈɡoʊld ˌlæt.ən/
historical: gold formed into thin plates or sheets
cinnamon stone
C2
/ˈsɪn.ə.mən ˌstoʊn/
an orange to reddish-brown gemstone variety of grossular garnet, also called hessonite
senega
C2
/ˈsɛnɪɡə/
historical: gum arabic obtained in or exported from the Senegal region, used especially in dyeing and manufacturing
masting timber
C2+
/ˈmæstɪŋ ˌtɪmbɚ/
timber of the size and quality required for making ships' masts, yards, or similar spars
gum Senegal
C2+
/ˌɡʌm ˌsɛn.ɪˈɡɔːl/
a variety of gum arabic historically exported from Senegal and obtained from acacia trees
copperas
C2
/ˈkɑːpərəs/
historical chemistry: iron(II) sulfate, a green crystalline compound used in dyes, inks, tanning, and other processes
mundic
C2+
/ˈmʌndɪk/
Cornish and mining usage: pyrite or arsenopyrite, especially when occurring as a sulfurous mineral in an ore
shruff
C2
/ʃrʌf/
historical metalworking: old or broken brass or copper, filings, dross, and similar metal refuse kept for remelting
fustic
C2
/ˈfʌstɪk/
the yellow dyewood or dye obtained from the tropical American tree Maclura tinctoria, also called old fustic or dyer's mulberry
greensand
C2
/ˈɡriːnˌsænd/
greenish sand or sandstone containing the mineral glauconite
iron mould
C2
/ˈaɪərn ˌmoʊld/
a yellow, brown, or reddish stain on cloth, paper, or a similar material caused by rusty iron or an iron-based ink
muriate
C2
/ˈmjʊriət/
an obsolete chemical name for a chloride, a salt regarded as derived from muriatic acid
whinstone
C2
/ˈwɪnˌstoʊn/
chiefly British: hard, dark basaltic rock or traprock, often quarried for road stone
brickdust
C2+
/ˈbrɪkˌdʌst/
fine powder produced from crushed, cut, or weathered brick
chrysoberyl
C2
/ˈkɹɪs.əˌbɛɹ.əl/
a very hard beryllium aluminium oxide mineral, commonly yellow to green and used as a gemstone
cymophane
C2+
/ˈsaɪ.məˌfeɪn/
a translucent yellowish or greenish variety of chrysoberyl displaying chatoyancy, commonly called cat's-eye
micaceous
C2
/maɪˈkeɪʃəs/
containing or consisting partly of mica
phonolite
C2
/ˈfoʊnəˌlaɪt/
a fine-grained volcanic rock composed chiefly of alkali feldspar and nepheline, some varieties of which ring when struck
mica-slate
C2+
/ˈmaɪkəˌsleɪt/
historical geology: a foliated metamorphic rock composed chiefly of mica and quartz, now usually called mica schist
shagreen
C2
/ʃʌˈɡriːn/
a tough leather with a granular surface, historically made from horsehide and now commonly from shark or ray skin
cinderous
C2+
/ˈsɪndərəs/
consisting of, resembling, or covered with cinders
bistered
C2+
/ˈbɪs.tɚd/
colored with or as if with bister
arsenicate
C2+
/ɑːrˈsɛn.ɪ.keɪt/
to treat, impregnate, or contaminate with arsenic or an arsenic compound
dissolubility
C2+
/dɪˌsɑljəˈbɪləti/
the capacity of a substance or structure to be dissolved or disintegrated