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
dog
A1
/dɔɡ/
A common four-legged animal often kept as a pet or for work.
horse
A1
/hɔːs/
A large four-legged animal that people ride and use for pulling loads.
fish
A1
/ˈfɪ̝ʃ/
An animal that lives in water and breathes through gills, usually with scales and fins.
cat
A1
/kæt/
A small furry animal with whiskers and a tail, often kept as a pet.
bear
A2
/bɜː(ɹ)/
A large, heavy wild animal with thick fur and strong claws.
sergeant
B2
/ˈsɑɹ.d͡ʒənt/
The highest rank of noncommissioned officer in some non-naval military forces and police.
animal
A1
/ˈæn.ᵻ.məl/
A living creature that can move and feel, such as a dog, bird, or fish, but not a plant.
bird
A1
/ˈbɜːd/
An animal with feathers and wings that lays eggs and can usually fly.
martin
B2
/ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/
a swallow-like bird with long pointed wings that catches insects while flying
bite
A2
/baɪt/
To cut into or grip something with your teeth.
pig
A1
/pɪɡ/
A farm animal with a fat body, short legs, and a flat nose, kept for its meat.
egg
A1
/ˈ(j)ɛɡ/
A rounded object laid by a bird, especially a hen, used as food.
wolf
B2
/wʊlf/
A large wild animal of the dog family that hunts in groups.
beast
B1
/ˈbiːst/
An animal, especially a large or dangerous wild one.
creature
A2
/ˈkɹi.tʃɚ/
A living thing, especially an animal.
snake
A1
/ˈsneɪk/
A long, legless reptile with a thin body and a forked tongue.
pen
A1
/pɛn/
A thin instrument that holds ink and is used for writing or drawing.
stock
B2
/stɑk/
The supply of goods that a shop or business has available to sell.
tiger
A1
/ˈtaɪɡɚ/
A large, powerful wild cat with orange fur and black stripes, native to Asia.
species
B2
/ˈspiːʃiːz/
A group of living things that are similar and can breed with one another.
lion
A1
/ˈlaɪən/
A large wild cat with a tan coat, the males having a shaggy mane, native to Africa and India.
jay
B2
/ˈd͡ʒeɪ/
a noisy, often brightly colored bird of the crow family, typically with a crest
wing
B1
/ˈwɪŋɡ/
One of the two body parts a bird, bat, or insect uses to fly.
sheep
A1
/ʃiːp/
A farm animal with a thick woolly coat, kept for its wool and meat.
rabbit
A1
/ˈɹæbət/
A small furry animal with long ears and a short tail that lives in burrows.
buck
C1
/ˈbʊk/
To resist or oppose something, especially a trend or rule.
spit
C2+
/ˈspɪt/
expel saliva, phlegm, or sputum from the mouth
pet
A2
/pɛt/
An animal that you keep at home for company and pleasure.
cock
C2
/kɑk/
to tilt or slant to one side
pope
B1
/poʊp/
An honorary title of the Roman Catholic bishop of Rome as father and head of his church, a sovereign of the Vatican city state.
shark
B1
/ʃɑːrk/
a mostly marine fish with a cartilaginous skeleton, rough skin, and several rows of teeth
alpha
C2
/ˈælfə/
early testing stage of a software or hardware product
elephant
A2
/ˈɛl.ə.fənt/
A very large grey animal with a long trunk and big ears, found in Africa and Asia.
bee
B1
/ˈbiː/
A flying insect that collects pollen from flowers and, in some species, makes honey.
warren
B2
/ˈwɔːr.ən/
a connected system of burrows in which rabbits live, or the rabbits occupying it
spider
B1
/ˈspaɪ̯dɚ/
A small eight-legged creature that spins webs to catch insects.
cattle
B1
/ˈkætəl/
Cows and bulls kept on a farm for their milk or meat.
fist
C1
/fɪst/
the signature style of a Morse code operator
pierce
C2+
/pɪɹs/
make a hole into
constable
C1
/ˈkɑnstəbəl/
One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealth police forces. (See also chief constable.)
drake
C1
/dɹeɪk/
an adult male duck
phoebe
C2
/ˈfiːbi/
any of several small North American flycatchers of the genus Sayornis, especially the eastern phoebe
butler
B2
/ˈbʌt.lɚ/
The chief male servant of a household who has charge of other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services.
pony
C2
/ˈpoʊni/
A small serving of an alcoholic beverage, especially beer.
buffalo
C2+
/ˈbʌf.ə.loʊ/
any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo
swamp
C2
/ˈswɑmp/
a situation fraught with difficulties and imponderables
stunt
C2
/stʌnt/
a difficult, unusual, or dangerous feat
hawk
C1
/ˈhɔk/
a bird of prey with keen eyesight, broad wings, and a hooked bill
rogue
C2
/ˈɹoʊ̯ɡ/
A scoundrel, rascal or unprincipled, deceitful, and unreliable person.
lobster
B2
/ˈlɑbstər/
a large marine crustacean with a hard shell, long antennae, and, in many species, large claws
breed
B1
/briːd/
A particular type of a domestic animal within a species.
finch
B2
/fɪntʃ/
a small songbird, typically with a short conical bill adapted for eating seeds
raven
C2
/ˈɹeɪvən/
feed greedily
mule
B1
/mjʉl/
An animal that is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.
cavalry
B2
/ˈkæ.vəl.ɹi/
The military arm of service that fights while riding horses.
steed
C2
/stiːd/
A stallion, especially one used for riding.
lizard
C2
/ˈlɪz.ɚd/
Any reptile of the order Squamata that is not a snake or part of Mosasauria — typically characterised by a rounded torso, a short neck with an elevated head, four limbs and a long tail, although some species are legless.
womb
C2
/wuːm/
In female mammals, the organ in which the young are conceived and grow until birth; the uterus.
drone
C2
/dɹoʊn/
A male ant, bee, or wasp, which does not work but can fertilize the queen.
spear
C2+
/spɪɹ/
pierce with a spear
hart
B2
/hɑɹt/
an adult male deer, especially a red deer more than five years old
dwarf
B2
/dwɔɹf/
To be so much bigger than something else that it makes it look small.
ungrateful
C2
/ʌnˈɡɹeɪtfəl/
not feeling or showing gratitude
moose
C2
/muːs/
large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male
ox
B2
/ˈɑks/
An adult male of the cattle family, often used to pull heavy loads.
insect
A2
/ˈɪn.sɛkt/
A small animal with six legs and a hard outer shell, and usually one or two pairs of wings, such as an ant, fly, or beetle.
predator
C1
/ˈpɹɛd.ə.tɚ/
An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.
unarmed
B2
/ˌʌnˈɑɹmd/
(used of persons or the military) not having or using arms
falcon
B2
/ˈfælkən/
a fast-flying bird of prey of the genus Falco, with long pointed wings and a hooked beak
meow
A2
/miˈaʊ/
the characteristic crying sound made by a cat
crust
C2
/kɹʌst/
to form a crust or form into a crust
velvet
C2
/ˈvɛlvɪt/
A closely woven fabric (originally of silk, now also of cotton or man-made fibres) with a thick short pile on one side.
leash
B2
/ˈliːʃ/
A strap, cord, or rope used to hold and control an animal, especially a dog.
wretch
C2
/ɹɛt͡ʃ/
An unhappy, unfortunate, or miserable person.
weasel
C2
/ˈwizəl/
a small slender carnivorous mammal of the genus Mustela or a related genus
lantern
C2+
/ˈlæ̝ntɚn/
An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
wildlife
B1
/ˈwaɪldlaɪf/
Wild animals and plants living in their natural surroundings.
cobra
C2
/ˈkoʊbrə/
any of several venomous Asian or African elapid snakes that can spread the ribs of the neck to form a hood, especially a snake of the genus Naja
octopus
B2
/ˈɑktəpʊs/
a soft-bodied sea animal with eight sucker-bearing arms
scorpion
C2
/ˈskɔːrpiən/
an arachnid with grasping pincers and a segmented tail ending in a venomous sting
peck
C2
/pɛk/
To strike or pierce with the beak or bill (of a bird).
puss
C1
/pʊs/
an informal or affectionate term for a cat
shaggy
C2
/ˈʃæɡi/
Having long, thick, and uncombed hair, fur or wool.
panther
C2
/ˈpænθɚ/
a black-coated leopard, or less often a black-coated jaguar
repent
C1
/ɹɪˈpɛnt/
To feel pain, sorrow, or regret for what one has done or omitted to do; the cause for repenting may be indicated with "of".
madly
A2
/ˈmædli/
used as an intensive, extremely
trance
C2
/tɹæns/
A state of awareness, concentration, or focus that filters experience and information (for example, a state of meditation or possession by some being).
lair
C2
/lɜː(ɹ)/
a place where a wild animal lives or hides
paw
B2
/pɔ/
The foot of an animal such as a dog, cat, or bear, that has claws.
hybrid
B2
/ˈhaɪ.bɹɪd/
Something made by combining two different things.
hare
C2
/hɛɚ/
swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs
tit
C2
/tɪt/
a small, active songbird that often feeds on insects and seeds
teal
C2
/tiːl/
any of several small, short-necked dabbling ducks, especially species traditionally placed in the genus Anas
goldfish
B1
/ˈɡoʊldfɪʃ/
a small domesticated freshwater fish, usually orange or golden, commonly kept in ponds or aquariums
boar
C2
/boɹ/
A wild boar (Sus scrofa), the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig.
nightingale
B2
/ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/
A Eurasian and African songbird, Luscinia megarhynchos, family Muscicapidae, famed for its beautiful singing at night; a common nightingale.