accession
All a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
All CEFR A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Content locale
EN English BN Bengali HI Hindi ES Spanish FR French DE German RU Russian ZH Chinese JA Japanese
All Vocabulary Cards All Vocabularies
C2 noun /əkˈsɛʃən/

accession

Meaning
the attainment of a position of rank or power, especially a monarch or president; the formal acceptance of an agreement or treaty
Example
The king's accession to the throne was celebrated with great ceremony.
C2 noun/verb /ˈrɛkəmˌpɛns/

recompense

Meaning
to compensate someone for loss or harm suffered; compensation given for damage or injury
Example
The company offered financial recompense to the injured worker.
C2 noun /ˈsækrɪsti/

sacristy

Meaning
a room in a church where sacred vessels and vestments are kept
Example
The priest entered the sacristy before the mass began.
C2 adjective /ˈtriːkli/

treacly

Meaning
Excessively sweet or sentimental, like treacle.
Example
The movie was too treacly for my taste.
C2 noun /ˈkæθoʊd/

cathode

Meaning
The negative electrode in a device such as a battery or tube, where electrons enter.
Example
The cathode emits electrons in the tube.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒndaɪn/

condign

Meaning
deserved, appropriate, and fitting (especially punishment)
Example
The criminal received condign punishment for his crimes.
C2 adjective /ˈhɔːri/

hoary

Meaning
gray or white with age; very old and respected
Example
The hoary oak tree stood as a witness to centuries of history.
C2 noun /leɪð/

lathe

Meaning
A machine for shaping wood, metal, or other material by rotating it against a cutting tool.
Example
The carpenter used a lathe to shape the wooden bowl.
C2 noun /mɪlk raɪs/

Milk rice

Meaning
A sweet dessert made from rice cooked with milk and sugar
Example
My grandmother makes delicious milk rice for special occasions.
C2 verb /ɪnˈɡrɑːft/

ingraft

Meaning
To implant or fix deeply, often used in the sense of grafting an idea or quality.
Example
The teacher tried to ingraft good manners in the students.
C2 noun /ˈfræŋkɪnsɛns/

frankincense

Meaning
An aromatic gum resin used in incense and perfumes, often in religious ceremonies.
Example
The temple was filled with the sweet smell of burning frankincense.
C2 phrase ˌdʒʊə.rɪs.pruːˈden.ʃəl ˈbentʃ.mɑːk

jurisprudential benchmark

Meaning
A legal standard or precedent that serves as a reference point for future legal decisions.
Example
The decision set a jurisprudential benchmark.
C2 noun /rɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/

recidivist

Meaning
A person who repeatedly commits crimes, especially after having been punished.
Example
The police identified him as a recidivist who had been arrested several times before.
C2 noun /nɪb/

nib

Meaning
the pointed end of a pen used for writing or drawing
Example
He dipped the nib into the ink before writing.
C2 noun /ˈdɛθsˌhɛd/

deaths-head

Meaning
A representation of a human skull, often used as a symbol of death.
Example
The pirate flag was marked with a grim deaths-head.
C2 adjective /ˈhɛtərəˌdɒks/

heterodox

Meaning
not conforming with accepted or orthodox standards or beliefs
Example
The professor was known for his heterodox views on religion.
C2 noun /pæˈstiːʃ/

pastiche

Meaning
a work of art, literature, or music that imitates the style of another artist, period, or genre
Example
The film was a clever pastiche of 1950s detective movies.
C2 verb /ˈstɪp.əl/

stipple

Meaning
to cover a surface with numerous small dots or specks, often in drawing or painting
Example
The artist stippled the canvas to create a textured effect.
C2 adjective /ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃəs/

expeditious

Meaning
Done with speed and efficiency.
Example
The expeditious delivery of the package was appreciated.
C2 noun /mɪˈsænθrəpi/

misanthropy

Meaning
a general dislike, distrust, or hatred of humankind
Example
His misanthropy was evident in the way he avoided people.
C2 adjective /ˈpjuːɪsənt/

puissant

Meaning
having great power or influence; mighty
Example
The king was a puissant ruler whose word was law.
C2 adjective /ˈnjuː.mər.ə.bəl/

Numerable

Meaning
capable of being counted; countable
Example
The stars in the sky are not numerable.
C2 verb /ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡ/

pettifog

Meaning
to argue or quibble over trivial matters; to engage in petty, dishonest practices
Example
The lawyer was accused of trying to pettifog instead of addressing the real issue.
C2 noun /ɪkˈsɔːr.ə/

Ixora

Meaning
a tropical flowering shrub with clusters of small bright red, orange, or yellow flowers
Example
The bright red ixora bushes lined the pathway to the tropical garden.
C2 adjective /səˈprɛsəbl̩/

suppressible

Meaning
capable of being restrained, controlled, or prevented
Example
The symptoms of the disease are suppressible with medication.
C2 adjective /ɪnˈvʌlnərəbl/

invulnerable

Meaning
Impossible to harm, damage, or defeat.
Example
The fortress was thought to be invulnerable to attack.
C2 noun /ˈbrɪk ə ˌbræk/

bric-a-brac

Meaning
Small decorative objects or ornaments, often of little value.
Example
The shelves were filled with old bric-a-brac from her travels.
C2 noun /ˈtɛsteɪtər/

testator

Meaning
a person who has made a will
Example
The lawyer read the will of the deceased testator.
C2 noun /θroʊz/

throes

Meaning
intense or violent pain and struggle, often at the beginning or end of something
Example
The country was in the throes of a political crisis.
C2 verb /bɪˈleɪbə/

belabour

Meaning
to explain something repeatedly or with excessive detail; to criticize or attack verbally at length
Example
The teacher did not belabour the point once the students understood it.
C2 adjective /vɛˈstɪdʒiəl/

vestigial

Meaning
Relating to a small, undeveloped remnant of something that was once much larger or more functional.
Example
Humans have a vestigial tailbone that no longer serves its original purpose.
C2 noun /ˌmjuːtəˈbɪləti/

mutablility

Meaning
A misspelled form of 'mutability', meaning the quality of being changeable.
Example
The document contained the misspelled word 'mutablility' instead of 'mutability'.
C2 adjective /ˈfraʊzi/

frowsy

Meaning
Scruffy and neglected in appearance; musty or stale in smell.
Example
He wore a frowsy old jacket that smelled of damp.
C2 adjective, noun /pləˈbiːən/

plebeian

Meaning
common, ordinary, or belonging to the lower social classes
Example
The festival was enjoyed by both plebeian and noble citizens.
C2 noun /ˈlɪɡ.ə.tʃər/

ligature

Meaning
A thing used for tying or binding tightly; in music/printing, two or more notes or letters joined together.
Example
The doctor used a ligature to stop the bleeding.
C2 noun /ˈbriːzˌweɪ/

breezeway

Meaning
A roofed outdoor passage, often connecting two buildings.
Example
The breezeway connected the house to the garage.
C2 adjective /ˈɛksplɪkəbəl/

explicable

Meaning
able to be explained or understood
Example
His sudden anger was explicable given the stressful situation.
C2 noun /ˌkɒl.əˈneɪd/

colonnade

Meaning
A row of evenly spaced columns supporting a roof, often in classical architecture.
Example
The visitors admired the grand colonnade at the entrance of the temple.
C2 adjective /ˈkɒs.ɪ.tɪd/

cosseted

Meaning
pampered, treated with excessive care and attention
Example
The cosseted child always got what he wanted.
C2 noun /friːz/

frieze

Meaning
a decorative horizontal band, often sculpted or painted, usually on a wall near the ceiling
Example
The frieze above the entrance depicts scenes from ancient mythology.
C2 noun /haɪˈdrɒl.ɪ.sɪs/

hydrolysis

Meaning
A chemical process that breaks down compounds by adding water, splitting complex molecules into simpler forms.
Example
Hydrolysis breaks down complex molecules into simpler forms.
C2 verb /ˈproʊtjuːbəreɪt/

protuberate

Meaning
To swell out or bulge.
Example
The roots began to protuberate from the ground.
C2 adjective /ˈpɛnɪtrəbl/

penetrable

Meaning
Capable of being passed through or entered.
Example
The thin wall was easily penetrable.
C2 noun /ˈfriːˌθɪŋkər/

freethinker

Meaning
A person who forms opinions based on reason and independent thought rather than tradition or authority.
Example
Voltaire was considered a great freethinker of his time.
C2 noun /ˈdʒʌɡləri/

jugglery

Meaning
The performance of tricks and illusions, especially by sleight of hand.
Example
The magician's jugglery amazed the audience.
C2 noun /ˈdaɪɡræf/

digraph

Meaning
A pair of letters representing a single sound, such as 'sh' in 'ship'.
Example
In the word 'phone', the letters 'ph' form a digraph.
C2 noun /ˌfɪziˈɑːɡrəfi/

physiography

Meaning
the study of the physical features of the earth's surface
Example
He specialized in physiography to understand the landscape of the region.
C2 noun ˈfaɪ.təʊˌnjuː.tri.ənts

phytonutrients

Meaning
Bioactive compounds found in plants that have health benefits beyond basic nutrition.
Example
Green tea contains powerful phytonutrients.
C2 verb /əˈpraɪz/

apprise

Meaning
to inform or notify someone
Example
The manager will apprise the staff of the new policies.
C2 noun /wɜːrl/

whorl

Meaning
A pattern of spirals or concentric circles, often found in fingerprints, shells, or flowers.
Example
The fingerprint displayed a clear whorl pattern.
C2 adverb /ˈbruːskli/ or /ˈbrʌskli/

brusquely

Meaning
in a blunt, abrupt, or rude manner
Example
She brusquely dismissed the suggestion.
C2 noun /kəˈpærɪsən/

caparison

Meaning
an ornamental covering for a horse; rich and elaborate clothing or decoration
Example
The king’s horse was adorned with a golden caparison.
C2 noun /ˈmɪlk pɒt/

Milk-pot

Meaning
a container specifically used for storing or serving milk
Example
She poured fresh milk from the milk-pot into her glass.
C2 noun /ˈaʊtˌrɪɡər/

outrigger

Meaning
a projecting structure on a boat, used for stability, or a boat fitted with such support
Example
The fisherman paddled his outrigger canoe across the lagoon.
C2 noun /ˈduːti/

Dhuti

Meaning
a traditional Indian garment for men consisting of a piece of unstitched cloth worn around the waist and legs
Example
The elderly man wore a white dhuti during the religious ceremony.
C2 verb /ˈɡlaʊ.ər/

glower

Meaning
To look at someone with an angry or sullen expression.
Example
He glowered at his rival across the room.
C2 noun (plural) /maɪˈnjuːʃiiː/

minutiae

Meaning
the small, precise, or trivial details of something
Example
The lawyer focused on the minutiae of the contract.
C2 noun /ˈmælɪt fɪʃ/

Mallet fish

Meaning
A marine fish with a hard shell-like covering, found in coastal waters
Example
The mallet fish is known for its unique protective shell covering.
C2 verb /ˈlɔɪtər/

loiter

Meaning
To stand or wait around idly without apparent purpose.
Example
The teenagers were told not to loiter outside the shop.
C2 noun /ˈvaɪsrɔɪ/

viceroy

Meaning
a ruler exercising authority on behalf of a sovereign in a colony or province
Example
The viceroy governed the colony in the king's name.
C2 verb /ɪmˈbruː/

imbrue

Meaning
To stain, especially with blood.
Example
His hands were imbrued with blood after the battle.
C2 noun /ˈmʌrɪn/

murrain

Meaning
An infectious disease that affects cattle and other animals, often fatal.
Example
The farmer lost many cows during the outbreak of murrain.
C2 noun /proʊˈsiː.ni.əm/

proscenium

Meaning
the part of a theater stage in front of the curtain; the arch framing the stage
Example
The actors bowed at the proscenium before leaving the stage.
C2 noun /ˈdʒʊntə/

junta

Meaning
A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force.
Example
The junta seized power after the coup.
C2 verb /ˈwɛltər/

welter

Meaning
to roll or toss about in a confused or disorderly way; to be in turmoil
Example
The city weltered in chaos after the sudden blackout.
C2 adjective /ˌkloʊs ˈhɔːld/

close-hauled

Meaning
of a sailing ship, sailing as nearly as possible towards the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Example
The yacht was close-hauled as it cut through the waves.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌmp.tʃuˌɛr.i/

sumptuary

Meaning
Relating to laws or regulations intended to limit personal spending on luxury goods.
Example
In medieval Europe, sumptuary laws restricted the wearing of expensive fabrics to the nobility.
C2 noun /ɪˈnænɪti/

inanity

Meaning
a nonsensical remark or action; silliness; emptiness
Example
The speech was full of inanities that bored the audience.
C2 noun /kəˈliːdʒən/

collegian

Meaning
a student of a college
Example
The collegians were preparing for the cultural festival.
C2 noun ˌɒbfəsˈkeɪʃən

obfuscation

Meaning
The action of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.
Example
The obfuscation of the data made it difficult to interpret.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈkɜrsɪv/

discursive

Meaning
Tending to digress or move from topic to topic; lengthy and rambling.
Example
His discursive style made the lecture hard to follow.
C2 verb /fleɪl/

flail

Meaning
to wave or swing something about wildly; to thrash about
Example
He flailed his arms to keep afloat in the water.
C2 noun /skriːd/

screed

Meaning
a long, tedious piece of writing or speech; also a layer of material like cement spread on a surface
Example
He delivered a long screed against corruption.
C2 adjective /ˈsɑːdn/

sodden

Meaning
thoroughly soaked or saturated with liquid
Example
His clothes were sodden after the heavy rain.
C2 verb /rɛst/

wrest

Meaning
to forcibly pull something from a person's grasp; to seize with effort or struggle
Example
The police had to wrest the weapon from the suspect's hand.
C2 noun /trʌs/

truss

Meaning
a framework, typically consisting of rafters, posts, and struts, supporting a roof, bridge, or other structure
Example
The engineer designed a strong truss for the new bridge.
C2 noun /ˈiːsθiːt/ or /ˈɛsθiːt/

aesthete

Meaning
A person who has a special appreciation of art and beauty.
Example
The aesthete admired the subtle details of the painting.
C2 verb /ɪˈfeɪsɪŋ/

effacing

Meaning
erasing or making oneself inconspicuous; to remove or diminish in significance
Example
She kept effacing herself during the meeting so that others could shine.
C2 verb /ˈmɪlɪˌteɪt/

militate

Meaning
to have a strong effect against something; to work as a powerful factor in preventing or influencing an outcome
Example
His lack of experience will militate against his promotion.
C2 noun /flɔːˈrɛsəns/

florescence

Meaning
The process, state, or period of flowering.
Example
The garden reached its peak florescence in spring.
C2 noun /juːˌtrɑː.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

eutrophication

Meaning
Excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.
Example
Excess fertilizers lead to eutrophication in lakes.
C2 adverb /ˈprɒksɪmətli/

proximately

Meaning
In a near or close manner; nearly.
Example
The village lies proximately to the river.
C2 noun/adjective /ˈtraɪkʌlər/

tricolor

Meaning
A flag with three colors; consisting of three colors.
Example
The French tricolor is one of the most famous national flags in the world.
C2 verb /ˈɪntərˌdɪkt/

interdict

Meaning
to prohibit or forbid something by authoritative order, often by law or decree
Example
The court moved to interdict the sale of the illegal goods.
C2 noun /ˈseɪ.ɡoʊ/

Sago

Meaning
starchy foodstuff obtained from the pith of various tropical palm stems
Example
She prepared sago pudding for dessert.
C2 verb /məˈkadəˌmaɪz/

macadamize

Meaning
to construct or cover a road with broken stone
Example
The government decided to macadamize the old rural roads.
C2 adjective /ˌæntɪˈmʌndeɪn/

antemundane

Meaning
Existing or occurring before the creation of the world.
Example
Some myths speak of an antemundane chaos before order was established.
C2 noun /ˈrɛd.ə.ləns/

redolence

Meaning
a pleasant smell or the quality of suggesting something strongly
Example
The redolence of jasmine filled the evening air.
C2 noun /ˈɔːrɪndʒfɪn ˈleɪbiːoʊ/

Orangefin labeo

Meaning
a freshwater fish species native to South Asian rivers, commonly found in Bangladesh and India
Example
The orangefin labeo is an important food fish in Bangladesh.
C2 noun /fɪˈlændərər/

philanderer

Meaning
a man who habitually engages in casual romantic or sexual affairs
Example
The politician was exposed as a notorious philanderer.
C2 verb /ˈæbrəɡeɪt/

abrogate

Meaning
To formally repeal, cancel, or abolish a law, agreement, or custom.
Example
The government decided to abrogate the outdated treaty.
C2 noun /rɪˈpʌɡ.nəns/

repugnance

Meaning
intense disgust or strong aversion towards something
Example
She felt deep repugnance at the cruelty of the act.
C2 adjective /ˈɡɔːki/

gawky

Meaning
Awkward and clumsy in appearance or behavior.
Example
The teenager felt gawky in his oversized suit.
C2 verb /ˈstræɡəl/

straggle

Meaning
To move or spread in an irregular, scattered, or untidy way.
Example
The children began to straggle behind on the long hike.
C2 noun /sɒmˈnæmbjʊlɪst/

somnambulist

Meaning
A person who sleepwalks.
Example
The somnambulist wandered out of the house at night.
C2 adjective /kəˈkɒfənəs/

cacophonous

Meaning
Producing a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.
Example
The cacophonous sounds of the city kept her awake all night.
C2 adjective /ˈəʊ.dər.əs/

Odorous

Meaning
having a strong smell; fragrant; aromatic
Example
The garden was filled with odorous flowers.
C2 verb /rɪˈpaɪn/

repine

Meaning
To feel or express discontent or to long for something.
Example
She did not repine at her misfortune but worked harder to improve her life.
C2 adjective /ˌækrəˈmætɪk/

achromatic

Meaning
without color; free from color
Example
The designer chose an achromatic palette of black, white, and gray.
C2 verb /priːˈfɪɡjər/

prefigure

Meaning
to represent, show, or foreshadow something in advance
Example
The economic reforms prefigure major social changes.
C2 adjective /ˈwiːk niːd/

weak-kneed

Meaning
Lacking determination or courage; easily frightened or yielding.
Example
The leader was criticized for being weak-kneed in the face of opposition.
C2 adjective /ˈmiː.di.əl/

medial

Meaning
Situated in or pertaining to the middle; located toward the midline of the body or structure.
Example
The medial side of the knee is more prone to injury.
C2 adjective /hɪk/

Hick

Meaning
unsophisticated person from a rural area; country bumpkin
Example
He had a hick accent from growing up in a small town.
C2 noun /ˌʃæŋɡriˈlɑː/

shangri-la

Meaning
a remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life is perfect and peaceful
Example
They described the island as a modern-day Shangri-La.
C2 noun /əˈklɪvɪti/

acclivity

Meaning
An upward slope or incline on the ground.
Example
The hikers struggled as they climbed the steep acclivity.
C2 noun /ˈdrʌmɪt/

Drumet

Meaning
a small drum used in military or marching bands
Example
The drummer played a steady beat on the drumet during the parade.
C2 noun /ˈɡræn.juːl/

granule

Meaning
A small compact particle of a substance.
Example
Each granule of salt sparkled under the sunlight.
C2 noun /roʊˈtʌn.də/

rotunda

Meaning
a large circular building or hall, often with a dome
Example
Tourists gathered inside the grand rotunda of the capitol.
C2 adjective /dʒɪˈdʒuːn/

jejune

Meaning
Naive, simplistic, and superficial; also dull or uninteresting.
Example
The professor dismissed the essay as jejune and lacking depth.
C2 adjective /ˈsʌpliənt/

suppliant

Meaning
Humbly or earnestly asking for something, especially from a person in authority.
Example
The suppliant man begged for mercy at the king's feet.
C2 noun /ˈsteɪsɪs/ or /ˈstæsɪs/

stasis

Meaning
A state of inactivity or equilibrium; a situation where nothing changes.
Example
The negotiations reached a state of stasis with no progress made.
C2 verb /bɪˈliːɡər/

beleaguer

Meaning
to cause difficulties, troubles, or harassment; to surround with military forces
Example
The company was beleaguered by constant complaints from its customers.
C2 noun /drɒs/

dross

Meaning
worthless or unwanted material; rubbish or impurities
Example
Most of his early writings were considered dross.
C2 adjective /ˌænθrəpəˈmɔːrfəs/

anthropomorphous

Meaning
having the form or attributes of a human
Example
The statue had an anthropomorphous shape resembling a human.
C2 adjective /prɪˈsɛnʃənt/

presentient

Meaning
Having a feeling or sense of something about to happen; predictive.
Example
She was presentient of the coming disaster.
C2 adjective /ˈfæləbl/

fallible

Meaning
capable of making mistakes or being wrong
Example
Even experts are fallible and can make errors.
C2 verb /prəˈpaʊnd/

propound

Meaning
To put forward an idea, theory, or point for consideration.
Example
The professor propounded a new theory on climate change.
C2 noun /ˈklɔɪstər/

cloister

Meaning
a covered walk in a convent, monastery, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other.
Example
The monks walked silently through the cloister.
C2 noun /ˈoʊdiəm/

odium

Meaning
general or widespread hatred or disgust directed toward someone as a result of their actions
Example
The scandal brought public odium on the corrupt minister.
C2 noun /ˈɛpɪˌsaɪkl/

epicycle

Meaning
a small circle whose center moves around the circumference of a larger one, used in ancient astronomy
Example
The concept of the epicycle was used to explain planetary motion.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt/

disinherit

Meaning
to deprive someone, especially a child, of inheritance or right to property
Example
The father threatened to disinherit his son for his reckless actions.