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
841 words
yeomanry
C2
/ˈjoʊmənɹi/
a British volunteer cavalry force organized in 1761 for home defense later incorporated into the Territorial Army
throstle
C2
/ˈθɹɒsəl/
Northern English: a song thrush
capybara
C2
/ˌkæpiˈbɛɹə/
pig-sized tailless South American amphibious rodent with partly webbed feet
drongo
C2
/ˈdrɑːŋɡoʊ/
an insect-eating Old World passerine bird of the family Dicruridae, typically glossy black with a forked or ornamented tail
cassowary
C2
/ˈkæs.ə.wer.i/
a large, powerful flightless bird of the genus Casuarius, native chiefly to New Guinea and northern Australia, with a horny casque on its head
albacore
C2
/ˈæl.bə.kɔːr/
a large long-finned tuna (Thunnus alalunga) of warm and temperate oceans, valued as food for its pale flesh
horsefly
C2
/ˈhɔːrsflaɪ/
a large, fast-flying fly of the family Tabanidae whose females bite mammals and feed on blood
fantail
C2
/ˈfænˌteɪl/
Any of several birds, of the genus Rhipidura, from Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
pronghorn
C2
/ˈprɔːŋˌhɔːrn/
a swift ruminant of western North America, Antilocapra americana, whose males have horns with a forward-pointing prong
bustard
C2
/ˈbʌs.tɚd/
a large, mainly ground-dwelling bird of open country in the Old World, with long legs and powerful flight
kudu
C2
/ˈkuːduː/
either of two large African antelopes whose males bear long spiral horns, the greater kudu and the lesser kudu
eland
C2
/ˈiːlənd/
either of two very large African antelopes of the genus Taurotragus, with spirally twisted horns in both sexes
goby
C2
/ˈɡoʊbi/
any of numerous generally small, bottom-dwelling fishes, especially members of the family Gobiidae, many of which have pelvic fins joined into a suckerlike disc
invertebrate
C1
/ɪnˈvɝː.tə.brət/
an animal without a backbone, such as an insect, mollusk, or worm
mollusc
C2
/ˈmɑləsk/
invertebrate having a soft unsegmented body usually enclosed in a shell
falconry
C2
/ˈfɑːlkənri/
the practice or sport of training falcons and other birds of prey to hunt wild quarry
waterfowl
C2
/ˈwɔtɝˌfaʊl/
a duck, goose, swan, or other bird that lives or feeds chiefly on or near water; such birds collectively
turbit
C2
/ˈtɝbɪt/
a breed of fancy domestic pigeon with a short beak, a peaked or shell-shaped crest, and a frill of feathers on the breast
iguanodon
C2
/ɪˈɡwɑːnəˌdɑːn/
a large herbivorous ornithopod dinosaur of the Early Cretaceous genus Iguanodon, known for its thumb spikes
vicuna
C2
/vaɪˈkjuːnə/
a small wild South American camelid of the high Andes, related to the llama and valued for its exceptionally fine fleece
quadruped
C2
/ˈkwɑdɹəˌpɛd/
having four feet
bullfinch
C2
/ˈbʊlˌfɪnt͡ʃ/
A large, thick quickset hedge.
blue jay
C2
/ˈbluːˌdʒeɪ/
a crested North American jay with bright blue, white, and black plumage
carapace
C2
/ˈkærəˌpeɪs/
a hard protective shell covering all or part of the back of an animal such as a turtle, crab, or barnacle
bittern
C2
/ˈbɪtɚn/
a secretive, brown-streaked marsh bird of the heron family, noted for the male's deep booming call
petrel
C2
/ˈpɛt.ɹəl/
a long-winged oceanic seabird of the order Procellariiformes, often seen skimming close to the waves
calve
C2
/kæv/
of a cow or certain other large mammals: to give birth to a calf
horsewoman
C2
/ˈhɔːrsˌwʊm.ən/
a woman who rides horses, especially one skilled in riding or managing them
faintness
C2
/ˈfeɪntnəs/
the trait of lacking boldness and courage
flycatcher
C2
/ˈflaɪˌkætʃɚ/
any of various small birds that characteristically catch flying insects, especially members of the Old World family Muscicapidae or the New World family Tyrannidae
grebe
C2
/ɡriːb/
a freshwater diving bird with lobed toes, a pointed bill, and legs set far back on the body
bowerbird
C2
/ˈbaʊərˌbɝːd/
an Australasian bird of the family Ptilonorhynchidae, whose males in many species build and decorate display structures to court females
hoopoe
C2
/ˈhuːˌpuː/
a crested Old World bird of the genus Upupa, with a long downcurved bill and boldly barred black-and-white wings and tail
apelike
C2
/ˈeɪˌplaɪk/
Similar to an ape in appearance or behaviour.
auk
C2
/ɔk/
any of a family of compact black-and-white northern seabirds adapted for swimming and diving, including puffins, guillemots, and murres
springbok
C2
/ˈsprɪŋbɑːk/
a swift southern African antelope, Antidorcas marsupialis, known for making high stiff-legged leaps
peahen
C1
/ˈpiːˌhɛn/
an adult female peafowl
omnivorous
C2
/ɑːmˈnɪvərəs/
feeding on both plant and animal matter
petulance
C2
/ˈpɛtjʊləns/
Rudeness, insolence.
pullet
C2
/ˈpʊlɪt/
a young female chicken, especially one less than a year old or not yet laying eggs
eyrie
C2
/ˈɪri/
the nest of an eagle or other bird of prey, usually built in a high place
orang
C2
/ɔˈræŋ/
dated: a shortened form of orangutan, the large arboreal ape native to Borneo and Sumatra
devilfish
C2+
/ˈdɛvəlˌfɪʃ/
any of several large or striking marine animals, especially an octopus or manta ray
lapwing
C2
/ˈlæpwɪŋ/
Any of several medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae, within family Charadriidae.
woodlouse
C2
/ˈwʊdlaʊs/
a small terrestrial isopod crustacean with a rigid segmented body, usually found in damp, dark places
chanticleer
C2
/ˌtʃæntɪˈklɪr/
literary: a rooster, especially one personified in a fable or story
capelin
C2
/ˈkæpəlɪn/
a small silvery smelt, Mallotus villosus, of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans that gathers in large schools to spawn near shore
agouti
C2
/əˈɡuːti/
agile long-legged rabbit-sized rodent of Central America and South America and the West Indies
fetlock
C2
/ˈfetlɑːk/
the joint of a horse's leg between the cannon bone and the pastern, above the hoof
wagtail
C2
/ˈwæɡˌteɪl/
a slender Old World songbird of the genus Motacilla, named for its habit of repeatedly bobbing its long tail
hornbill
C2
/ˈhɔːrnˌbɪl/
a tropical African or Asian bird with a very large curved bill, often topped by a hollow casque
nuthatch
C2
/ˈnʌthætʃ/
a small, strong-footed songbird that climbs tree trunks, often head downward, and feeds on nuts and insects
budgerigar
C1
/ˈbʌdʒəriˌɡɑr/
a small Australian parakeet, Melopsittacus undulatus, commonly kept as a cage bird and bred in many colors
brach
C2
/ˈbrætʃ/
Originally, a synonym of scent hound (“a hunting dog that tracks prey using its sense of smell rather than by its vision”); later, any female hound; a bitch hound.
herbivorous
B2
/hɝˈbɪvərəs/
feeding chiefly or entirely on plants
glowworm
C2
/ˈɡloʊwɝːm/
the luminous larva or wingless adult female of certain beetles, especially members of the family Lampyridae
capercaillie
C2
/ˌkæpɚˈkeɪli/
a very large Eurasian woodland grouse, the male of which has dark plumage and a fan-shaped tail
carthorse
C2
/ˈkɑrtˌhɔrs/
a large, strong horse used for pulling carts or other heavy loads
gamecock
C2
/ˈɡeɪmˌkɑk/
a rooster bred and trained for cockfighting
hackle
C2
/ˈhækəl/
a long, narrow feather from a bird's neck or back, especially one used in an artificial fishing fly
ortolan
C2
/ˈɔːrtələn/
a small migratory Eurasian bunting, Emberiza hortulana, historically fattened and eaten as a delicacy
guillemot
C2
/ˈɡɪləmɑːt/
a northern seabird of the auk family, especially one of the genera Uria or Cepphus, with dark upperparts and strong underwater swimming ability
dogmatism
C2
/ˈdɔɡ.məˌtɪz.əm/
the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot
zebu
C2
/ˈzi.b(j)u/
a domesticated humped form of cattle, Bos taurus indicus, adapted to hot climates and widely kept in South Asia, Africa, and elsewhere
featherless
C2
/ˈfɛð.ɚ.ləs/
having no feathers or having lost the usual covering of feathers
poundage
C2
/ˈpaʊndɪdʒ/
Weight, especially body weight.
kinkajou
C2
/ˈkɪŋkədʒuː/
a nocturnal tree-dwelling mammal of tropical Central and South America, with golden-brown fur and a long prehensile tail
piscine
C2
/ˈpaɪsiːn/
of, relating to, or characteristic of fish
hidebound
C2
/ˈhaɪdˌbaʊnd/
Bound with the hide of an animal.
katydid
C2
/ˈkeɪtiˌdɪd/
a long-horned, usually green insect of the family Tettigoniidae, the males of many species producing loud calls by rubbing their wings
stickleback
C2
/ˈstɪkəlˌbæk/
a small freshwater or coastal fish of the family Gasterosteidae, distinguished by separate sharp spines along its back
corncrake
C2
/ˈkɔːrnkreɪk/
a secretive migratory rail that breeds in European and western Asian meadows and has a rasping repeated call
imago
C2
/ɪˈmeɪɡoʊ/
the final, sexually mature stage of an insect after metamorphosis
megatherium
C2
/ˌmɛɡəˈθɪriəm/
an extinct giant ground sloth of the genus Megatherium, native to South America during the Pliocene and Pleistocene
cayuse
C2
/kaɪˈjuːs/
Western US, historical: a small, hardy range horse or pony
tomtit
C2
/ˈtɑmˌtɪt/
chiefly British: a small tit, especially the blue tit
axolotl
C1
/ˈæk.səˌlɑː.təl/
a critically endangered Mexican salamander, Ambystoma mexicanum, that normally remains aquatic and retains larval features such as external gills as an adult
whicker
C2
/ˈ(h)wɪk.ɚ/
a soft, breathy neigh or whinny made by a horse
wader
C2
/ˈweɪ.dɚ/
a long-legged bird that searches for food in shallow water or wet ground
tanager
C2
/ˈtænədʒɚ/
any of numerous, often brightly colored songbirds native to the Americas
sumpter
C2
/ˈsʌmptə/
historical: a horse, mule, or other pack animal used to carry loads
nightjar
C2
/ˈnaɪtˌdʒɑːr/
a crepuscular or nocturnal insect-eating bird with cryptic mottled plumage, large eyes, and a broad mouth
siskin
C2
/ˈsɪskɪn/
a small greenish-yellow Eurasian finch, Spinus spinus, related to the goldfinch
fledge
C2
/flɛdʒ/
of a young bird, to develop the feathers needed for flight or become able to fly
leveret
C2
/ˈlev.ər.ɪt/
a young hare, especially one less than a year old
peewit
C2
/ˈpiːwɪt/
a northern lapwing, a crested wading bird of open fields and wetlands
forefoot
C2
/ˈfɔːrˌfʊt/
either of the front feet of a four-legged animal
ichneumon
C2
/ɪkˈnjuːmən/
an ichneumon wasp, a usually slender parasitoid wasp whose larvae develop in or on other arthropods
burrower
C2
/ˈbɝː.oʊ.ɚ/
an animal that digs a hole or tunnel, especially one that lives in the shelter it makes
nosebag
C2
/ˈnoʊzˌbæɡ/
a bag containing feed that is fastened over a horse's or similar working animal's muzzle
vulpine
C2
/ˈvʌlpaɪn/
of, relating to, or resembling a fox
caddis
C2
/ˈkædɪs/
a caddisfly or its aquatic larva, which often builds a portable case from sand, twigs, or other debris
foxhound
C2
/ˈfɑksˌhaʊnd/
a medium-sized scent hound of the English or American breed developed for pursuing foxes and noted for its stamina
fennec
C2
/ˈfɛnɪk/
A small fox of the species Vulpes zerda, found in the Sahara (excluding the coast) and having distinctive oversized ears.
gastropod
C2
/ˈɡæstrəˌpɑːd/
a mollusk of the class Gastropoda, including snails, slugs, limpets, and related animals, typically moving on a broad muscular foot
gloomily
C2
/ˈɡluːmɪli/
with gloom