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
153 words
city
A1
/ˈsɪti/
A large town where many people live and work.
town
A1
/ˈtæʊ̯n/
A place where people live and work, larger than a village but smaller than a city.
country
A2
/ˈkɐntɹi/
A nation with its own land and government.
king
A2
/ˈkiŋ/
A man who rules a country, usually because of his royal family; a male monarch.
American
A1
/əˈmerɪkən/
relating to the United States, its people, or its culture
village
A2
/ʋɪleːdʒ/
A small group of houses and buildings in the countryside, smaller than a town.
arms
B2
/ɑɹmz/
Weapons, especially guns, considered as a group.
local
A2
/ˈloʊ.kl̩/
Belonging to or found in the area where you live.
British
A2
/ˈbrɪt.ɪʃ/
of or relating to Great Britain or the United Kingdom, or to its people or culture
mayor
B1
/ˈmeɪ.əɹ/
The elected leader of the government of a city or town.
neighborhood
B1
/ˈneɪbɚˌhʊd/
A particular area of a town or city, and the people who live there.
county
B1
/ˈkuːntɪ/
A region within a country or state, used for local government.
kingdom
A2
/ˈkɪŋdəm/
A country ruled by a king or queen.
border
B1
/ˈbɔə.də/
The line that separates two countries or regions.
federal
B2
/ˈfɛdəɹəl/
Relating to the central national government, as opposed to state or local government.
district
B1
/ˈdɪstɹɪkt/
An area of a town, city, or country, often one with its own character or purpose.
capital
A2
/[ˈkʰæp.ɪ.ɾɫ̩]/
The most important city of a country or region, usually where the government is.
territory
B2
/ˈtɛɹɪˌtɔɹi/
An area of land controlled by a country or government.
downtown
A2
/ˈdæʊ̯nˌtæʊ̯n/
The central or main business part of a city or town.
circus
B1
/ˈsɝkəs/
A traveling show with acrobats, clowns, and trained animals, usually held in a large tent.
southern
B1
/ˈsʌðɚn/
Located in or facing the south.
alley
B2
/ˈæli/
a narrow road or passage, especially between or behind buildings
possession
B1
/pəˈzɛʃn̩/
Something that you own.
region
B1
/ˈɹiːd͡ʒn̩/
A large area of land, often with its own features or character.
avenue
B1
/ˈæv.əˌn(j)u/
A wide street in a town or city, often lined with trees.
republic
B1
/ɹɪˈpʌb.lɪk/
A country governed by elected representatives and a president rather than a king or queen.
African
A2
/ˈæfrɪkən/
relating to Africa or its countries, peoples, cultures, or natural features
folk
B1
/foʊk/
People in general; ordinary people.
sector
B2
/ˈsɛk.təɹ/
a part of a country's economy or business activity
customs
B1
/ˈkʌs.təmz/
The government office at a border or airport that checks goods coming into a country.
colony
B2
/ˈkɔl.ə.ni/
A country or area controlled by another, more powerful country.
backyard
B2
/ˈbæˌkjɑːrd/
The area of ground at the back of a house.
Swedish
C1
/ˈswiː.dɪʃ/
relating to Sweden, its people, culture, or language
realm
C1
/rɛːm/
An area of activity, knowledge, or interest.
continent
A2
/ˈkɑntɪnənt/
One of the large landmasses of the earth, such as Africa or Asia.
urban
B2
/ˈɜɹbən/
Relating to or located in a city or town.
hometown
A1
/ˈhoʊmˌtaʊn/
The town or city where you grew up or where you live.
parish
C1
/ˈpæɹɪʃ/
A local church district with its own church and priest.
immigration
B1
/ˌɪmɪˈɡɹeɪʃən/
The act of coming to live permanently in a foreign country.
province
B2
/ˈpɹɑv.ɪns/
A large area that a country is divided into for government, like a state.
Australian
A2
/ɑːˈstreɪl.jən/
of, from, or relating to Australia, its people, languages, or culture
playground
A2
/ˈpleɪˌgraʊnd/
An outdoor area where children can play, often with swings and slides.
mainland
C1
/ˈmeɪnlənd/
The main area of land of a country or continent, as opposed to its islands.
regional
B1
/ˈɹiːd͡ʒənəl/
Relating to or limited to a particular area or part of a country.
evacuation
B2
/ɪˌvækjuˈeɪʃən/
The act of moving people away from a dangerous place to safety.
venue
B2
/ˈvɛnjuː/
The place where an event such as a concert, meeting, or game is held.
rural
B2
/ˈɹʊɹ.əl/
Relating to the countryside rather than the city.
geography
B1
/d͡ʒiˈɑɡɹəfi/
The study of the earth's surface, its physical features, and the people who live on it.
isle
B1
/ˈaɪl/
An island, especially a small one (often used in poetry or place names)
metropolitan
B2
/ˌmet.rəˈpɑː.lə.tən/
relating to a large city or to the densely populated area surrounding it
treachery
C2
/ˈtɹɛt͡ʃəɹi/
The act of betraying someone who trusts you.
civic
C1
/ˈsɪvɪk/
Relating to a city or town and its public life.
inland
C2
/ˈɪnlənd/
towards or into the interior of a region
provincial
C2
/prəˈvɪnʃəl/
Narrow-minded or unsophisticated, in the way of someone from a small town far from the city.
checkpoint
B2
/ˈt͡ʃɛkˌpɔɪnt/
A place, often on a road or border, where people are stopped and checked.
municipal
C1
/mjuˈnɪsɪpəl/
Relating to the government of a town or city.
outskirts
B2
/ˈaʊtskɝts/
The outer parts of a city or town, away from the centre.
hemisphere
B2
/ˈhɛmɪsfɪɹ/
half of the terrestrial globe
indigenous
C1
/ɪnˈdɪd͡ʒənəs/
Belonging to a place from the earliest times, especially before colonizers arrived.
terra
C2
/ˈtɛˌrɑː/
earth, land, or solid ground, especially in the Latin expression terra firma
marketplace
C1
/ˈmɑːrkətˌpleɪs/
The world of business, where goods and services are bought and sold.
councillor
C1
A member of a local council, especially one elected to a city or town authority.
migration
B2
/maɪˈgreɪʃən/
The movement of people from one country or area to another to live.
nationwide
B2
/ˌneɪ.ʃənˈwaɪd/
Existing or happening throughout an entire country.
latitude
C1
/ˈlætɪtud/
the angular distance between an imaginary line around a heavenly body parallel to its equator and the equator itself
locally
A2
/ˈləʊkəli/
by a particular locality
Sicilian
C2
/sɪˈsɪliən/
relating to Sicily, its people, culture, or language
antarctic
C2
/ænˈtɑɹktɪk/
relating to Antarctica or the region around the South Pole
geographic
B2
/d͡ʒiəˈɡɹæfɪk/
Relating to geography or the physical features of an area.
annex
C2
/əˈnɛks/
An extra building or section added to a larger one
Olympia
B2
/əˈlɪmpi.ə/
An ancient site in Greece where the original Olympic Games were held.
piazza
B2
/piˈɑːtsə/
a public square, especially an open pedestrian square in an Italian town or city
suburb
B2
/ˈsʌbɝb/
A mostly residential area on the edge of a city or large town.
longitude
C2
/ˈlɒnd͡ʒɪtʃuːd/
the angular distance between a point on any meridian and the prime meridian at Greenwich
autonomy
C1
/ɔˈtɑ.nə.mi/
The freedom to make your own decisions and act independently.
seaboard
C1
/ˈsiːˌbɔɹd/
a region of land bordering the sea; a coastline considered as a broad geographic area
geographical
B1
/d͡ʒiəˈɡɹæfɪkl̩/
Relating to geography or the physical features of an area.
diffuse
C2
/dɪˈfjuz/
To spread something out over a wide area, or to spread out in this way.
hacienda
C2
/ˌhɑːsiˈendə/
a large estate, plantation, or ranch in a Spanish-speaking country, especially in the Americas
steppe
B2
/stɛp/
a vast, largely treeless grassland, especially the dry temperate plains of southeastern Europe and central Asia
mews
C2
/mjuːz/
chiefly British, a short street or courtyard lined with buildings that were originally stables and are now often homes
shire
C2
/ʃaɪ(ə)ɹ/
a county or traditional administrative district, especially in Britain
backwoods
C2
/ˈbækˌwʊdz/
a remote, sparsely settled, and often wooded region, especially in North America
archipelago
C2
/ˌɑɹkəˈpɛləˌɡoʊ/
a group or chain of islands
governance
C1
/ˈɡʌvəɹnəns/
The way in which an organization or country is managed and controlled.
devastate
B1
/ˈdev.ə.stæɪt/
To destroy a place or area very badly.
alameda
C2
/ˌæləˈmeɪdə/
a public promenade or broad avenue bordered with trees, especially in Spain or Spanish-speaking America
topography
C2
/təˈpɑɡɹəfi/
The shape and physical features of an area of land, such as hills and valleys.
sprawl
C1
/spɹɔl/
To sit or lie with your arms and legs spread out in a relaxed or careless way.
subcontinent
B2
/səbˈkɑːntɪnənt/
A large area of land that is part of a continent but treated as separate, especially southern Asia.
populous
C1
/ˈpɑpjələs/
densely populated
landlocked
B2
/ˈlændlɑːkt/
surrounded by land or cut off from the open sea
riverfront
C2
/ˈrɪvərˌfrʌnt/
land, buildings, or a district directly beside a river
pampa
C2
/ˈpæmpə/
an extensive, usually grass-covered plain of temperate South America east of the Andes
burgh
C2
/ˈbʌɹoʊ/
a borough in Scotland
isthmus
C2
/ˈɪsməs/
a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas and bordered by water on both sides