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
454 words
poke
C2+
/poʊk/
to jab or prod with a finger or pointed object
rector
C2+
/ˈrɛktɚ/
a clergyman in charge of a parish or head of an institution
slough
C2+
/slaʊ/
a swamp or muddy hollow, or to shed dead skin or outer layer
smack
C2+
/smæk/
to strike sharply with the open hand, or a sharp slapping blow
soma
C2+
/ˈsoʊmə/
the body of an organism as distinct from its germ cells or psyche
wriggle
C2+
/ˈrɪɡəl/
to twist and turn the body with quick writhing movements
anchorhold
C2+
/ˈæŋkɚˌhoʊld/
the cell or dwelling of a religious recluse, or anchorite
angelfish
C2+
/ˈeɪndʒəlˌfɪʃ/
a brightly colored tropical fish with a flattened, disk-shaped body
arrowhead
C2+
/ˈæroʊˌhɛd/
the pointed striking head of an arrow, or a marsh plant with arrow-shaped leaves
belch
C2+
/bɛltʃ/
to emit wind noisily from the stomach; to expel forcefully
bladebone
C2+
/ˈbleɪdboʊn/
the shoulder blade or scapula, especially of an animal
caries
C2+
/ˈkɛriz/
decay and crumbling of a tooth or bone
claw
C2+
/klɔ/
a sharp curved nail on an animal's foot; to scratch or grasp with it
collum
C2+
/ˈkɑləm/
a neck or neck-like part of a structure in anatomy
countersink
C2+
/ˈkaʊntɚˌsɪŋk/
to bevel a hole so a screw head sits flush with the surface
cremation
C2+
/krɪˈmeɪʃən/
the disposal of a dead body by burning it to ashes
defecate
C2+
/ˈdɛfɪˌkeɪt/
to discharge feces from the body; or to purify of dregs
directorate
C2+
/dɪˈrɛktərɪt/
a board of directors or a section of an organization they head
dislocate
C2+
/ˈdɪsloʊkeɪt/
to displace a bone from its joint; to disrupt or disturb
dunch
C2+
/dʌnʧ/
to nudge or push, especially with the elbow (dialectal)
encephalon
C2+
/ɛnˈsɛfəˌlɑn/
the brain, considered as the contents of the cranium
fission
C2+
/ˈfɪʃən/
the splitting of an atomic nucleus or a cell into parts
flatus
C2+
/ˈfleɪtəs/
gas generated in the stomach or intestines
gag
C2+
/ɡæɡ/
a joke; a cloth to silence the mouth; to retch or silence
gait
C2+
/ɡeɪt/
a manner of walking or moving on foot
gammon
C2+
/ˈɡæmən/
cured ham from a pig's hind leg; nonsense or humbug
gore
C2+
/ˈɡɔr/
blood from a wound, or to pierce with a horn or tusk
graze
C2+
/ˈɡreɪz/
to feed on growing grass, or to scrape the skin lightly
hamshackle
C2+
/ˈhæmˌʃækəl/
to fasten an animal's head to a foreleg to restrain it from straying
handgrip
C2+
/ˈhændˌɡrɪp/
a part designed to be held; the act or manner of gripping with the hand
headstone
C2+
/ˈhɛdˌstoʊn/
a stone marker set at the head of a grave
heartbeat
C2+
/ˈhɑːrtˌbiːt/
a single pulsation of the heart; a moment or animating force
ideologically
C2+
/ˌaɪdiəˈlɑdʒɪkli/
with respect to ideology or a body of doctrines
impropriate
C2+
/ɪmˈproʊprieɪt/
to transfer church property or revenues to a layman or secular body
incorpse
C2+
/ɪnˈkɔrps/
to merge into one body; to incorporate (archaic)
infantry
C2+
/ˈɪnfəntri/
soldiers who fight on foot
judicature
C2+
/ˈdʒudɪkəˌtʃʊr/
the administration of justice or the body of judges collectively
labium
C2+
/ˈleɪbiəm/
a lip or liplike structure in anatomy or botany
manus
C2+
/ˈmeɪnəs/
the hand or its anatomical equivalent in vertebrates
neb
C2+
/nɛb/
a bird's beak, or the nose or mouth (dialectal)
percussion
C2+
/pərˈkʌʃən/
the striking of one body against another; instruments played by striking
pertinence
C2+
/ˈpɜrtɪnəns/
relevance to the matter at hand
receptor
C2+
/rɪˈsɛptɚ/
a cell or molecule that detects a stimulus and responds to it
reincarnate
C2+
/ˌriɪnˈkɑrneɪt/
to cause to be reborn in another body; to embody anew
spank
C2+
/spæŋk/
to slap on the buttocks with the open hand as punishment
squid
C2+
/skwɪd/
a marine cephalopod with ten arms and an elongated body
stupe
C2+
/stup/
a hot, medicated cloth applied to the body as a poultice
sweating
C2+
/ˈswɛtɪŋ/
the exuding of perspiration through the skin
thew
C2+
/θju/
muscular strength or sinew, especially of the body
toad
C2+
/toʊd/
a tailless amphibian with dry warty skin, similar to a frog
topical
C2+
/ˈtɑpɪkəl/
relating to current affairs; applied to a particular body part
prod
B2
/prɑːd/
to poke someone with a finger, foot, or pointed object
stirrup
B2
/ˈstɪɹəp/
a metal loop attached to a saddle for a rider's foot
gland
B2
/ɡlænd/
an organ or group of cells that produces and releases a substance such as a hormone, enzyme, or sweat
vertebra
C1
/ˈvɜrtəbrə/
one of the bones that make up the spine
chaft
C2+
/tʃaft/
the jaw, especially in Scots and northern English dialect and often used in the plural
solar plexus
C2
/ˌsoʊ.lɚ ˈplek.səs/
the celiac plexus: a network of autonomic nerves in the upper abdomen, behind the stomach, that distributes nerve fibers to abdominal organs
weasand
C2+
/ˈwiːzənd/
archaic: the throat or gullet, especially the esophagus
steatopygous
C2+
/ˌstiːəˈtɑːpɪɡəs/
having steatopygia, a marked accumulation of adipose tissue around the buttocks and upper thighs; chiefly a historical anthropological term
ischiopubic
C2
/ˌɪski.oʊˈpjuːbɪk/
relating to both the ischium and the pubis, especially the region or ramus where these pelvic bones meet
temporooccipital
C2+
/ˌtɛmpəroʊɑkˈsɪpɪtəl/
relating to both the temporal and occipital regions, bones, or lobes of the skull and brain
occipitoparietal
C2
/ɑkˌsɪpɪtoʊpəˈraɪətəl/
relating to both the occipital and parietal bones or regions of the skull and brain
apophysis
C2
/əˈpɑfɪsɪs/
anatomy and zoology: a natural projection, process, or outgrowth from a bone or other body structure
incisure
C2
/ɪnˈsɪʒɚ/
anatomy: a notch or indentation in a bone, organ, or other bodily structure
parietooccipital
C2+
/pəˌraɪətoʊɑkˈsɪpɪtəl/
anatomy: relating to both the parietal and occipital bones, lobes, or regions of the skull or brain
steatopygia
C2
/ˌstiː.ə.toʊˈpɪdʒ.i.ə/
an unusually pronounced accumulation of fat on the buttocks
calcar
C2
/ˈkælkɑr/
anatomy and zoology: a spur-shaped projection or process
arrector
C2
/əˈrɛktər/
an erector muscle; especially one of the tiny arrector pili muscles that raise a hair
occipitofrontalis
C2+
/ɑkˌsɪp.ət.oʊ.fɹʌnˈteɪ.lɪs/
A large flat muscle on each side of the vertex of the skull, consisting of an occipital portion (arising from the occipital and temporal bones) and a frontal portion that are separated by the epicranial aponeurosis, and serving to draw the scalp backwards, raising the eyebrows and wrinkling the forehead.
neive
C2+
/niːv/
Scots and Northern English: a clenched hand; a fist