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
526 words
pseudopod
C2
/ˈsuː.dəˌpɑd/
a temporary projection of a cell's cytoplasm used for movement, feeding, or engulfing material
heterozygous
C2
/ˌhet̬.ə.roʊˈzaɪ.ɡəs/
having two different alleles at a particular gene locus
atomistic
C2
/ˌætəˈmɪstɪk/
Of or pertaining to atoms or to atomism.
mutational
C2
/mjuːˈteɪʃənəl/
relating to, caused by, or resulting from genetic mutation
unisexual
C2
/ˌjuːnɪˈsɛkʃuəl/
having the reproductive characteristics or organs of only one sex rather than both
heterozygote
C2
/ˌhet̬.ə.roʊˈzaɪ.ɡoʊt/
an organism or cell having two different alleles at a particular gene locus
isotropy
C2
/aɪˈsɑtɹəpi/
the property of a system or medium whose relevant physical or statistical properties are the same in every direction; invariance under rotation at a given point
slaty
C2
/ˈsleɪti/
of the color of slate or granite
centromere
C2
/ˈsɛntɹəˌmɪɹ/
the constricted region of a chromosome where the kinetochore forms and sister chromatids remain joined during cell division
parthenogenetic
C2
/ˌpɑːrθənoʊdʒəˈnɛtɪk/
produced by or relating to reproduction in which an organism develops from an unfertilized egg
germplasm
C2+
/ˈdʒɝːmˌplæzəm/
the hereditary material of a species or breeding line, especially as transmitted through reproductive cells
mineralize
C2
/ˈmɪnɝəˌlaɪz/
to convert a substance into mineral or inorganic form, as in fossilization, bone formation, or carbon storage
conchologist
C2
/kɑŋˈkɑlədʒɪst/
a person who studies or collects mollusc shells, especially for scientific classification
triturate
C2
/ˈtrɪtʃəˌreɪt/
to crush, rub, or grind a substance thoroughly into fine particles or powder
pellicle
C2
/ˈpɛlɪkəl/
a very thin skin, membrane, or film covering a surface
mu-meson
C2+
/ˈmjuː ˌmez.ɑːn/
dated, the former name for the muon, used when that particle was mistakenly classified as a meson rather than a lepton
pi-meson
C2+
/ˈpaɪ ˌmez.ɑːn/
a pion, any of three unstable spin-zero mesons with positive, negative, or zero charge, formed from combinations of up and down quarks and antiquarks
homozygote
C2
/ˌhoʊmoʊˈzaɪɡoʊt/
an organism or cell with two identical alleles at a specified genetic locus
pangenesis
C2
/ˌpænˈdʒɛnəsɪs/
Darwin's disproved hypothesis that every part of an organism releases hereditary particles which collect in reproductive cells and can be passed to offspring
electrolyze
C2
/ɪˈlɛktrəlaɪz/
to decompose by means of, or as a result of electrolysis.
gemmule
C2
/ˈdʒemˌjuːl/
a small asexual reproductive bud or resistant cluster of cells, especially one produced by a sponge or another simple organism
cilium
C2
/ˈsɪliəm/
a microscopic hairlike projection from a eukaryotic cell, used for movement, moving fluid, or sensing the environment
diffract
C2
/dɪˈfrækt/
of a wave or particle beam, to spread or change direction through interference after meeting an edge, aperture, or periodic structure
congelation
C2
/ˌkɑːndʒəˈleɪʃən/
the process or result of congealing, especially changing from a liquid to a solid by cooling
trituration
C2
/ˌtrɪtʃəˈreɪʃən/
the act or process of crushing, rubbing, or grinding a substance into fine particles
rarefy
C2
/ˈɹɛəɹəˌfaɪ/
to make a gas thinner or less dense
conchological
C2
/ˌkɑŋkəˈlɑdʒɪkəl/
relating to conchology, the scientific study and classification of mollusc shells
fossiliferous
C2
/ˌfɑːsəˈlɪfɝəs/
bearing or containing fossils
lethargically
C1
In a slow, tired way, without energy.
verifiability
C2
/ˌvɛrəfaɪəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being capable of being checked or confirmed by evidence, observation, or a specified procedure
antineutron
C2
/ˌæn.tiˈnuː.trɑːn/
the antiparticle of the neutron, with the same mass and no net electric charge but opposite baryon number
consilience
C2
/kənˈsɪ.li.əns/
agreement between conclusions reached independently from different kinds of evidence
volatilize
C2
/ˈvɑːlətəˌlaɪz/
to cause a substance to become vapor, or to pass off as vapor
mongrelize
C2
/ˈmʌŋɡrəˌlaɪz/
to crossbreed plants or animals so that their offspring have mixed ancestry
deliquesce
C2
/ˌdɛlɪˈkwɛs/
to absorb moisture from the air until dissolved in the resulting liquid
agglutinate
C2
/əˈɡluːtəˌneɪt/
to cause particles, cells, or other separate things to stick together in a clump or mass, or to undergo such clumping
precessional
C2
/priˈsɛʃənəl/
relating to precession, the slow change in the orientation of a rotating body's axis or orbit
interplanetarian
C2+
/ˌɪntərˌplænəˈtɛriən/
relating to travel, communication, or events between planets; interplanetary
science fiction
B1
ebullient
C2+
/ɪˈbʊljənt/
cheerful and full of energy; exuberant
languid
C2+
/ˈlæŋɡwɪd/
displaying a pleasant lack of energy or a relaxed slowness
notional
C2+
/ˈnoʊʃənəl/
existing only in theory or as a supposition; hypothetical
obligate
C2+
/ˈɑbləɡeɪt/
to bind legally or morally; in biology, restricted to one mode of life
sluggish
C2+
/ˈslʌɡɪʃ/
slow-moving, inactive, or lacking energy
enervate
C2+
/ˈɛnɚveɪt/
to weaken or drain of energy, strength, or vitality
lackadaisical
C2+
/ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/
lacking enthusiasm, energy, or determination
torpid
C2+
/ˈtɔrpɪd/
sluggish, inactive, or mentally dull; lacking energy
analytic
C2+
/ˌænəˈlɪtɪk/
relating to or proceeding by analysis; logically rigorous
doctrinaire
C2+
/ˌdɑktrəˈnɛr/
rigidly adhering to a theory or doctrine regardless of practicality
empiric
C2+
/ɪmˈpɪrɪk/
one who relies on observation or experiment; an unqualified practitioner
invigorate
C2+
/ɪnˈvɪɡəˌreɪt/
to give strength, energy, or fresh vitality to
mutation
C2+
/mjuˈteɪʃən/
a change in form or structure, especially a heritable change in genetic material
rudiment
C2+
/ˈrudəmənt/
a basic principle or element, or an undeveloped beginning of something
zeal
C2+
/ziːl/
great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective
alchemy
C2+
/ˈælkəmi/
the medieval forerunner of chemistry seeking to transmute metals into gold
axiomatization
C2+
/ˌæksiəmətəˈzeɪʃən/
the formulation of a theory as a set of axioms from which theorems derive
behaviorism
C2+
/bɪˈheɪvjəˌrɪzəm/
the psychological theory that behavior can be explained by conditioning
counterpoint
C2+
/ˈkaʊntɚˌpɔɪnt/
a contrasting element set against another; combined melodic lines
evolutional
C2+
/ˌɛvəˈluʃənəl/
of or relating to evolution or gradual development
feeler
C2+
/ˈfilɚ/
an antenna or tentacle, or a tentative proposal to test reaction
formulaic
C2+
/ˌfɔrmjəˈleɪɪk/
following a set formula; predictable and unoriginal
frisky
C2+
/ˈfrɪski/
lively, playful, and full of energy
inhibitor
C2+
/ɪnˈhɪbɪtɚ/
a substance or agent that slows or prevents a reaction or process
invigoration
C2+
/ɪnˌvɪɡəˈreɪʃən/
the act of giving strength, energy, or fresh vitality
kilocalorie
C2+
/ˈkɪloʊˌkæləri/
a unit of energy equal to one thousand calories
kiteflying
C2+
/ˈkaɪtˌflaɪɪŋ/
the flying of kites; also the floating of a rumor to test reaction
nonempirical
C2+
/ˌnɑnɛmˈpɪrɪkəl/
not based on observation or experiment
nonexciting
C2+
/ˌnɑnɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/
not exciting; dull or, in physics, not causing excitation
radiative
C2+
/ˈreɪdiˌeɪtɪv/
relating to or transferring energy by radiation
revisionist
C2+
/rɪˈvɪʒənɪst/
one who advocates revising an accepted theory, doctrine, or history
sluggishness
C2+
/ˈslʌɡɪʃnəs/
the state of being slow, dull, or lacking energy
smeddum
C2+
/ˈsmɛdəm/
spirited energy, mettle, or resourcefulness (Scots dialect)
strenuous
C2+
/ˈstrɛnjuəs/
requiring or using great effort or energy
theorize
C2+
/ˈθiəˌraɪz/
to form a theory or speculate about something
virile
C2+
/ˈvɪrəl/
having strength, energy, or qualities regarded as masculine
counterfactual
C2
/ˌkaʊntərˈfæktʃuəl/
relating to or expressing what has not happened but could happen under different conditions
intercrossing
C2
The interbreeding of two strains that have a common ancestry
inosculation
C2+
/ɪˌnɒskjʊˈleɪʃən/
a natural or surgical joining of parts or branches of tubular structures so as to make or become continuous
classificatory
C2
relating to or involving classification:'classificatory criteria'
aestivation
C2
/ˌiːstɪˈveɪʃən/
(botany) the arrangement of sepals and petals in a flower bud before it opens
experimentise
C2+
To experiment.
light-wave
C2
/ˈlaɪtˌweɪv/
a wave of electromagnetic radiation considered as light
light-ray
C2
/ˈlaɪtˌreɪ/
a line or narrow beam representing the path along which light travels
light-quantum
C2
/ˈlaɪtˌkwɑntəm/
a quantum of light; a photon
timelike
C2
/ˈtaɪmˌlaɪk/
relating to a spacetime interval that can connect events by a signal slower than light
spacelike
C2
/ˈspeɪsˌlaɪk/
relating to a spacetime interval whose endpoints cannot be connected by a light-speed or slower signal
spatiotemporal
C2
/ˌspeɪʃioʊˈtɛmpərəl/
relating to both space and time
reversibility
C2
/rɪˌvɜrsəˈbɪləti/
the quality of being able to be reversed
world-line
C2
/ˈwɜrldˌlaɪn/
the path of an object through spacetime
undulatory
C2
/ˈʌndʒələˌtɔri/
moving in waves or relating to wave motion
stratify
C2
/ˈstrætəfaɪ/
to form, arrange, or deposit something in distinct layers
intercross
C2
/ˌɪntɚˈkrɔs/
biology and genetics: to breed individuals from two strains or populations
infusorium
C2+
/ˌɪnfjʊˈzɔɹiəm/
a microscopic aquatic organism, especially a protozoan or unicellular alga, formerly grouped with organisms found in infusions; historical biology
systematist
C2
/ˈsɪstəmətɪst/
a biologist who studies systematics and classifies organisms by their relationships
congener
C2
/ˈkɒnd͡ʒɪnə/
a person or thing of the same kind or class as another
vivisector
C2
/ˈvɪvəˌsɛktər/
a person who performs vivisection or experiments involving operations on living animals