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
498 words
pumpkin-headed
C2+
/ˈpʌmpkɪnˌhɛdɪd/
informal and insulting: stupid, foolish, or having a supposedly thick or empty head
proportionable
C2
/prəˈpɔːrʃənəbəl/
dated: proportional or appropriately related in size, amount, or degree
acidulous
C2+
/əˈsɪdjʊləs/
Slightly sour; subacid; sourish.
soi-disant
C2+
/ˌswɑːdiːˈzɒ̃/
self-styled or self-proclaimed, often with the implication that the claim is doubtful or pretentious
concernment
C2
/kənˈsɝnmənt/
a matter in which someone has an interest or involvement; a concern or affair, now archaic
searchingly
C2+
in a searching or probing manner
disgustful
C2
/dɪsˈɡʌstfəl/
causing strong disgust; disgusting or repellent
perquisite
C2
/ˈpɜɹkwəzɪt/
Any monetary or other incidental benefit beyond salary.
inerrancy
C2
/ɪˈnɛɹənsi/
(Christianity) exemption from error
phrasemonger
C2+
/ˈfreɪzˌmʌŋɡɚ/
a person who habitually uses showy, overelaborate, or empty phrases
appurtenant
C2
/əˈpɜːtɪnənt/
Of or pertaining to an appurtenance.
agean
C2
/əˈɡɛn/
dialectal pronunciation spelling of again
unfrequent
C2
/ʌnˈfriːkwənt/
rare or dated: not frequent, common, or often occurring
sequacious
C2+
/sɪˈkweɪʃəs/
Likely to follow or yield to physical pressure; easily shaped or molded.
habitude
C2
/ˈhæb.ɪ.tuːd/
formal or historical: a habitual disposition, customary mode of behaviour, or established way of acting
whencesoever
C2+
/ˌwɛnssoʊˈɛvɚ/
from whatever place or source; from wherever
airt
C2
/ɛrt/
in Scots and northern English, a direction, quarter, or point of the compass
hagiographic
C2
/ˈhæɡioʊˌɡɹæfɪk/
Uncritically reverent; adulating.
cramble
C2+
/ˈkɹæmbəl/
British dialect: to move unsteadily, stiffly, or with difficulty; to hobble
comportable
C2+
/kəmˈpɔrtəbəl/
Consistent; suitable.
scrouge
C2+
/skraʊdʒ/
chiefly dialectal: to crowd, press, or squeeze into a confined place
anent
C2+
/əˈnent/
concerning or with regard to; used chiefly in Scots and formal or archaic writing
unremitted
C2
/ˌʌnrɪˈmɪtɪd/
continued without pause, relaxation, or reduction; unceasing; literary
asseveration
C2
/əˌsɛvəˈreɪʃən/
a positive, emphatic, or solemn assertion
ruth
C2+
/ruθ/
compassion or pity for another's suffering (archaic)
bloke
C2+
/bloʊk/
(British informal) a man; a fellow
chap
C2+
/tʃæp/
(British informal) a man or boy; a fellow
despect
C2+
/dɪˈspɛkt/
contempt or disregard (archaic)
applesauce
C2+
/ˈæpəlsɔːs/
a purée of stewed apples; slang for nonsense
benj
C2+
/bɛndʒ/
dialectal name for henbane or, in slang, marijuana used as an intoxicant
bairn
C2+
/bɛrn/
a child (chiefly Scottish and northern English)
camelopard
C2+
/kəˈmɛləˌpɑrd/
an archaic name for the giraffe
rep
C2+
/rɛp/
an informal term for a representative, reputation, or a repetition
alco
C2+
/ˈælkoʊ/
(slang) an alcoholic or heavy drinker
argot
C2+
/ˈɑrɡoʊ/
the specialized slang or jargon of a particular group
battercake
C2+
/ˈbætɚˌkeɪk/
a thin cake fried from batter; a pancake (dialectal)
bint
C2+
/bɪnt/
a woman or girl (British slang, often derogatory)
bumbershoot
C2+
/ˈbʌmbɚˌʃut/
(US informal, dated) an umbrella
coistril
C2+
/ˈkɔɪstrəl/
a knave or base fellow; a groom or knight's attendant (archaic)
dick
C2+
/dɪk/
a detective (informal, dated slang)
morn
C2+
/mɔrn/
morning (chiefly poetic or archaic)
prof
C2+
/prɑf/
an informal term for a professor
adzooks
C2+
/ædˈzuks/
an archaic exclamation of surprise or annoyance
amanuensis
C2+
/əˌmænjuˈɛnsɪs/
a literary or artistic assistant who writes from dictation or copies manuscripts
beambird
C2+
/ˈbimˌbɝd/
a dialectal name for the spotted flycatcher
bim
C2+
/bɪm/
dialectal or slang term for a woman, often derogatory; a bimbo
bingle
C2+
/ˈbɪŋɡəl/
Australian slang for a minor crash or collision, especially of vehicles
blackcoat
C2+
/ˈblækkoʊt/
archaic term for a clergyman, from the black clerical garb
bub
C2+
/bʌb/
an informal, often condescending term of address for a man or boy
cheerio
C2+
/ˌtʃɪriˈoʊ/
a chiefly British expression used as a farewell
cig
C2+
/sɪɡ/
an informal shortening of cigarette
cuke
C2+
/kjuk/
an informal shortening of cucumber
dandiprat
C2+
/ˈdændɪˌpræt/
an archaic term for an insignificant fellow or urchin
defeature
C2+
/dɪˈfitʃər/
defeat or undoing; disfigurement (archaic)
dictum
C2+
/ˈdɪktəm/
a formal pronouncement or an authoritative saying
doddle
C2+
/ˈdɑdəl/
something accomplished very easily (British informal)
emmet
C2+
/ˈɛmət/
an ant (archaic or dialectal)
gal
C2+
/ɡæl/
informal term for a girl or woman
icebox
C2+
/ˈaɪsˌbɑks/
an insulated cabinet cooled by ice; an early or informal term for a refrigerator
loo
C2+
/lu/
(British informal) a toilet
mon
C2+
/mɑn/
a man or fellow, in dialectal or informal address
naw
C2+
/nɔ/
a casual or dialectal form of 'no'
necessitude
C2+
/nəˈsɛsəˌtud/
necessity or distress; a close bond of obligation (archaic)
negatron
C2+
/ˈnɛɡəˌtrɑn/
an electron, especially as opposed to a positron (dated)
nightie
C2+
/ˈnaɪti/
a woman's or child's nightgown (informal)
pismire
C2+
/ˈpɪsˌmaɪɚ/
an ant (archaic or dialectal)
pol
C2+
/pɑl/
a politician (informal)
specs
C2+
/spɛks/
informal term for spectacles or for technical specifications
tosh
C2+
/tɑʃ/
British informal term for nonsense or rubbish
trike
C2+
/traɪk/
an informal name for a tricycle
clangorous
C2
having a loud resonant metallic sound
cachinnate
C2+
/ˈkækɪneɪt/
To laugh loudly, immoderately, or too often.
peregrinate
C2+
/ˈpɛ.ɹɪ.ɡɹəˌneɪt/
travel around, through, or over, especially on foot
repertorial
C2+
Of or pertaining to a repertory.
nuther
C2+
/ˈnʌðɚ/
dialectal: either or neither, especially after a negative statement
cain't
C2
/keɪnt/
nonstandard, especially Southern US: cannot or can't
lawsy
C2+
/ˈlɔːzi/
dialectal or dated: an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, or emphasis
ther
C2+
/ðɛr/
eye dialect: there
lameter
C2+
/ˈleɪ.mɪ.tɚ/
a dated Scottish and dialectal term for a person who has difficulty walking; now potentially offensive
hoast
C2+
/hoʊst/
a cough, especially in Scots and northern British dialect
illsome
C2+
/ˈɪlsəm/
characterized by illness, harm, or evil; sickly, harmful, or baleful (rare)
strewment
C2+
/ˈstruːmənt/
archaic and literary: something strewn or intended for strewing, especially flowers scattered over a bier or grave as part of a funeral rite
scowderment
C2+
/ˈskaʊdɚmənt/
Northern English dialect: confusion, bustle, or turmoil, especially commotion while preparing for an event or carrying out household work
yabblins
C2+
/ˈjæblɪnz/
North Yorkshire dialect: possibly; perhaps
cowardy-cat
C2+
/ˈkaʊ.ɚ.diˌkæt/
informal, chiefly childish or dialectal: a timid or cowardly person, especially as a taunting form of address
young'un
C2+
/ˈjʌŋən/
a child or young person, in informal or regional speech
unconspicuous
C2+
/ˌʌn.kənˈspɪk.ju.əs/
not readily visible or noticeable; not attracting attention
io
C2+
/ˈaɪ.oʊ/
rare and archaic: an exclamation of joy, triumph, celebration, or ritual invocation
reindue
C2+
/ˌriːɪnˈduː/
rare or literary: to clothe or invest again; figuratively, to assume a form, character, or personality again
slumbrous
C2
/ˈslʌmbrəs/
drowsy, sleepy, or suggestive of sleep
untechnical
C2
/ˌʌnˈtɛknɪkəl/
not using specialist terminology or requiring technical knowledge
arrowy
C2
/ˈæroʊi/
shaped, straight, swift, or moving like an arrow; literary
overweigh
C2
/ˌoʊvərˈweɪ/
to exceed in weight, force, importance, or influence; to outweigh; archaic
perfectionate
C2
/pərˈfɛkʃəˌneɪt/
to make perfect, complete, or fully developed; archaic
unfashioned
C2
/ʌnˈfæʃənd/
not made, shaped, or fully formed; unformed or incomplete; literary
ungazed
C2
/ʌnˈɡeɪzd/
not looked at or regarded, usually followed by at or upon; literary