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
187 words
history
A1
/ˈhəs.tə.ɹi/
The study of past events, especially in human affairs.
ancient
A2
/ˈeɪn.ʃənt/
Belonging to a time very long ago in history.
modern
A2
/ˈmɑdɚn/
Relating to the present time or recent times; not old.
emperor
B1
/ˈemp(ə)ɹə/
The ruler of an empire
empire
B1
/ˈɛmˌpaɪ̯ɹ/
A large group of countries or territories ruled by one government or person
culture
A1
/ˈkʌlt͡ʃɚ/
The customs, beliefs, art, and way of life of a particular group or society.
Roman
B1
/ˈɹəʊmən/
relating to Rome, especially ancient Rome, its empire, people, or culture
museum
A2
/mjuˈziəm/
A building where important objects of art, history, or science are kept and shown to the public.
donna
C2
/ˈdɑː.nə/
an Italian title meaning lady, especially one applied to a woman of rank
ceremony
B1
/ˈsɛɹ.əˌmoʊ.ni/
A formal event held to mark an important occasion.
tradition
A2
/tɹəˈdɪʃ.ən/
A custom or belief passed down from one generation to the next.
earl
B2
/ɝːl/
a British or Irish nobleman ranking below a marquess and above a viscount, equivalent in rank to a count
thanksgiving
B2
/ˌθæŋksˈɡɪvɪŋ/
the expression of gratitude, especially in a prayer or religious observance
khan
B2
/kɑːn/
a title borne by rulers or high-ranking leaders among Turkic, Mongol, and other Central Asian peoples
civilization
B1
/ˌsɪv.ə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
A society that has reached an advanced stage of culture, organization, and development.
cultural
B1
/ˈkʌlt͡ʃ(ə)ɹəl/
Relating to the customs, beliefs, and way of life of a particular group or society.
classical
B1
/ˈklɛs.ɪ.kəl/
Relating to traditional, serious music written by composers such as Mozart and Beethoven.
griffin
C1
/ˈɡrɪf.ɪn/
a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle
custom
A2
/ˈkʌstəm/
A traditional way of behaving or doing something that is common to a group or society.
historical
B1
/hɪˈstɔɹɪkəl/
Connected with the past or with the study of history.
dexter
C2
/ˈdɛks.tɚ/
heraldry: on or toward the bearer's right side of a shield, which appears on the viewer's left
medieval
B2
/mɪdˈi.vəl/
Relating to the Middle Ages, roughly from 500 to 1500 AD.
heritage
B2
/ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.tɪd͡ʒ/
The traditions, values, and culture that a country or family has had for many years and passes on to younger generations.
squire
C1
/ˈskwaɪɚ/
historically, a young nobleman who attended a knight before becoming a knight himself
chamberlain
C1
/ˈtʃeɪm.bɚ.lɪn/
an officer who manages the household of a monarch or noble, often with important ceremonial or administrative duties
signora
C2
/siːnˈjɔːrə/
an Italian title of respect or form of address for a woman, equivalent to Mrs. or madam
archive
C1
/ˈɑɹkaɪv/
A collection of historical documents or records, or the place where they are kept.
rite
B2
/ˈraɪt/
A formal ceremony, especially a religious one, done in a set way.
ethnic
B2
/ˈɛθ.nɪk/
Relating to a group of people who share the same race, culture, language, or national background.
ogre
B2
/ˈoʊɡɚ/
in folklore, a large and frightening humanoid monster that eats human beings, especially children
Hun
C2
/hʌn/
a member of a nomadic confederation that entered Europe in late antiquity and reached its greatest power under Attila in the fifth century
eunuch
C2
/ˈjuː.nək/
a man who has been castrated
gladiator
C1
/ˈɡlæd.i.eɪ.t̬ɚ/
in ancient Rome, a trained fighter who took part in public arena combats against other people or animals
taboo
B2
/təˈbuː/
a social or cultural prohibition against discussing, using, or doing something
leprechaun
C2
/ˈlɛprəˌkɔn/
a small solitary supernatural being in Irish folklore, traditionally portrayed as a shoemaker who guards hidden treasure
tribune
C2
/ˈtrɪbjuːn/
in ancient Rome, an elected official charged with protecting the interests and rights of the plebeians
Celtic
C2
/ˈkɛltɪk/
of or relating to the Celts or their cultures and traditions
gothic
C1
/ˈɡɑθɪk/
of a European architectural style marked by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and high, elaborate structures
totem
C2
/ˈtoʊtəm/
a natural being or object that serves as the emblem of a kinship group and may have a special spiritual relationship with it
courtesan
C2
/ˈkɔɹtəzæn/
historical: a woman who had wealthy or powerful lovers or clients, often in exchange for financial support and with access to elite society
sarcophagus
C2
/sɑːrˈkɑːfəɡəs/
a stone coffin, often carved or decorated and displayed above ground
crematorium
C2
/ˌkriː.məˈtɔːr.i.əm/
a building or facility where dead bodies are cremated
chevalier
C2
/ˌʃevəˈlɪr/
a knight or chivalrous, courtly gentleman, especially in a historical or literary context
Anglo-Saxon
C2+
/ˌæŋ.ɡloʊˈsæk.sən/
a member of the Germanic-speaking peoples who settled in England from the fifth century and whose kingdoms preceded Norman rule
cremate
C1
/ˈkriː.meɪt/
to burn a dead body to ashes, usually as a funeral practice
archduke
C2
/ˈɑːrtʃˌduːk/
a prince of the former ruling house of Austria, especially a son or male-line grandson of an emperor
creole
C2
/ˈkriː.oʊl/
a natural language that developed in a contact community from elements of two or more languages and became a community's first language
vassal
C2
/ˈvæsəl/
a person holding a fief
chevron
C2
/ˈʃɛvrən/
a V-shaped or inverted-V-shaped mark, pattern, or structure
obelisk
C2
/ˈɑbəlɪsk/
a tall, four-sided stone pillar that tapers to a pyramidal point, often erected as a monument
knighthood
B2
/ˈnaɪthʊd/
the rank, title, or dignity of a knight, especially an honor conferred by a British monarch
epitaph
C2
/ˈɛpɪˌtæf/
an inscription on a grave or monument commemorating the person buried there
centaur
C1
/ˈsen.tɔːr/
in Greek mythology, a creature with a horse's body and a human head, arms, and torso
boer
C2
/bɔːr/
historical: a Dutch-speaking settler or farmer in southern Africa, especially an ancestor of the Afrikaner population
tomahawk
C2
/ˈtɑːməˌhɔːk/
a light axe or hatchet associated historically with Indigenous peoples of North America and later made in many specialized forms
regalia
C1
/rɪˈɡeɪ.li.ə/
ceremonial emblems, ornaments, or objects that indicate royalty, office, or membership
curtsy
C2
/ˈkɝtsi/
a formal gesture of greeting or respect made by bending the knees and lowering the body
Neolithic
C2
/ˌniːoʊˈlɪθɪk/
the final major phase of the Stone Age, associated in many regions with farming, permanent settlements, and polished stone tools
fief
C2
/fiːf/
historical: land, revenue, or another right held from a feudal superior in return for allegiance and service
commemoration
C1
/kəˌmɛməˈreɪʃən/
the act of formally remembering and honoring a person or event, often through a ceremony
satyr
C2
/ˈseɪ.tɚ/
a male woodland spirit in ancient Greek mythology, associated with Dionysus and represented with both human and animal features
fairyland
C2
/ˈfɛriˌlænd/
the imaginary or legendary realm inhabited by fairies
courtier
C2
/ˈkɔːr.ti.ɚ/
a person who attends or serves a monarch at a royal court
triumphal
C1
/traɪˈʌm.fəl/
relating to, commemorating, or performed in celebration of a victory
hookah
C1
/ˈhuːkə/
a pipe in which smoke is drawn through water and then inhaled through a long flexible tube
agora
C2
/ˈæɡərə/
the central public meeting place and marketplace of an ancient Greek city
boyar
C2
/boʊˈjɑr/
a member of the high hereditary aristocracy of medieval and early modern Russia or another Eastern European state
marchese
C2
/mɑːrˈkeɪ.zeɪ/
an Italian nobleman of the rank equivalent to a marquis or marquess
castellan
C2
/ˈkæstələn/
the governor, keeper, or resident commander of a castle or fortified place
pageantry
C2
/ˈpædʒ.ən.tri/
elaborate, colorful ceremony and display, especially on a public or royal occasion
tepee
C1
/ˈtiː.piː/
a portable conical dwelling traditionally made from poles and animal hides or canvas by Indigenous peoples of the North American Plains
prehistory
C2
/ˌpriːˈhɪstəri/
the period before written records exist for a society or region
flapper
C2
/ˈflæpɚ/
a fashionable young woman of the 1920s who rejected older social conventions in her dress and behavior
basilisk
C2
/ˈbæz.ə.lɪsk/
a mythical serpent or dragon said to kill by its breath or gaze
spittoon
C2
/spɪˈtuːn/
A receptacle for spit (saliva); especially, one used by people using chewing tobacco or snuff.
megalithic
C2
/ˌmɛɡəˈlɪθɪk/
relating to megaliths, the prehistoric people who erected them, or the period in which such large-stone monuments were built
bushman
C2
/ˈbʊʃmən/
dated, often capitalized: a member of one of the San peoples of southern Africa; San or a specific community name is generally preferred
patrician
B2
/pəˈtrɪʃ.ən/
a member of the hereditary upper class in ancient Rome
modernism
C2
/ˈmɑːdɝˌnɪzəm/
A movement in art, architecture, and literature in the early 20th century that broke deliberately with older styles.
lich
C2
/lɪtʃ/
archaic: a corpse or dead body, surviving especially in compounds such as lich-gate or lych-gate
hobgoblin
C1
/ˈhɑːbˌɡɑːblɪn/
a small, grotesque supernatural creature in folklore, often mischievous or frightening
proconsul
C2
/proʊˈkɑːnsəl/
in ancient Rome, a former consul or other magistrate given consular authority to govern a province or command an army
marchesa
C2
/mɑːrˈkeɪ.zə/
an Italian marchioness; a woman who holds or is married to the holder of the rank of marquis
praetor
C2
/ˈpriːtər/
an annually elected magistrate of the Roman Republic, especially one responsible for administering justice
flambeau
C2
/ˈflambəʊ/
A burning torch, especially one carried in procession.
knightly
C1
/ˈnaɪtli/
relating to knights, knighthood, or medieval chivalry
praetorian
C2
/priˈtɔriən/
of or relating to the Praetorian Guard, the imperial bodyguard of ancient Rome
waddy
C2
/ˈwɒdi/
an Australian Aboriginal hardwood club used traditionally for hunting or fighting
serfdom
C2
/ˈsɝfdəm/
the condition of being a serf, bound to work on a lord's land and subject to the lord's authority
paleolithic
C2
/ˌpeɪ.li.oʊˈlɪθ.ɪk/
relating to the Old Stone Age, the earliest and longest period of human prehistory
embalm
C1
/ɪmˈbɑːm/
to preserve a dead body by treating it with chemicals, oils, or spices
seigneur
C2
/seɪnˈjɝː/
historical: a feudal lord or nobleman in France or another French-speaking territory
catacomb
C2
/ˈkætəkoʊm/
an underground network of passages and chambers with recesses for burying the dead
anachronism
C2
/əˈnækrəˌnɪzəm/
a person, object, or detail placed in the wrong historical period
cortege
C2
/ˈkɔːr.teʒ/
a formal or ceremonial procession, especially at a funeral, wedding, or royal occasion
feudalism
C1
/ˈfjuː.dəl.ɪ.zəm/
the set of medieval social and political arrangements based on landholding and reciprocal obligations between lords and vassals