DAWN in Education Spelling Bee Wordlist

A
abbreviate
12 to 14
age group
abnegation

verb /´»bri˘vieIt/ noun /«QbnI»geISn/

to shorten a word by leaving out letters rejection of a belief
To master the art of shorthand, one needs to know Through the abnegation of his religion he may retain
how to abbreviate words. his position.

abdicate abnormal

verb /»QbdIkeIt/ adjective /Qb»nç˘ml/

to give up (the throne, a high office or position of different from what is usual or expected
responsibility) His abnormal behaviour alarmed everyone at the
The Queen was forced to abdicate the throne. party.

abdomen abnormality

noun /»Qbd´m´n/ noun /«Qbn碻mQl´ti/

the part of the body below the chest that contains the a feature or event which is not usual
stomach and bowels There was an abnormality in the test.
The woman fainted due to severe pain in her
abdomen. abolish

abduction verb /´»bÅlIS/

to put an end to something (a law, an old custom)
noun /Qb»d√kSn/ We need to abolish racism from our society.
kidnap
The abduction of the little boy came as a shock to his abolition
parents.
noun /«Qb´»lISn/
abeyance the ending of a system, law or custom
Australia will vote on the possible abolition of the
noun /´»beI´ns/ monarchy.
temporary disuse
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival. abortive

abhorrent adjective /´»bç˘rtIv/

unsuccessful
adjective /´b»hÅr´nt/ He made an abortive attempt to escape from prison.
disgusting or hateful
Spitting in public is an abhorrent practice. abrasion

ablaze noun /´»breIZn/

a damaged area of the skin where it has been rubbed
adjective /´»bleIz/ against something hard and rough
burning quickly and strongly He suffered a slight abrasion due to his fall.
Cars and buses were set ablaze during the riot.
abrasive
ablution
adjective /´»breIsIv/
noun /´»blu˘Sn/ something that is rough and can be used to clean a
a ceremonial washing or cleansing of the body as an surface or to make it smooth
act of religion I scrubbed the counter with an abrasive kitchen
He performed his ablution before entering the cleaner.
mosque.

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abreast absolve
12 to 14
age group A
adverb /´»brest/ verb /´b»zÅlv/
next to and facing the same way to release a person (from sin, guilt, a promise, duty)
A police car drew abreast of us and signalled us to I absolve you of all responsibility in the matter.
stop.
absorbent
abridged
adjective /´b»sç˘b´nt/
adjective /´»brIdZd/ able to soak up liquid easily
a shortened version of a book or play leaving out The absorbent tablecloth soaked up the spilt water on
some parts the table.
I am reading an abridged edition of Shakespeare’s
plays. absurd

abrupt adjective /´b»sŒ˘d/

not at all logical or sensible
adjective /´»br√pt/ The committee disagreed with his absurd idea.
sudden and unexpected
Work at the factory came to an abrupt stop due to the abundance
power failure.
noun /´»b√nd´ns/
abscess a very large quantity
The abundance of tourists in this region does
noun /»Qbses/ wonders for the local economy.
a swelling or infected area on the skin or in the body
full of a thick yellowish liquid academic
She developed an abscess on her arm following an
injury. adjective /«Qk´»demIk/
connected with education
abscond The academic year in my school is from September
to June.
verb /´b»skÅnd/
to depart secretly academician
The accountant planned to abscond with the money.
noun /Q«k´d´»mISn/
absenteeism a member of an academy; related to a field of
learning
noun /«Qbs´n»ti˘Iz´m/ The highly reputed academician put forward a new
frequent non-attendance from work or school theory which won him the Nobel Prize.
The principal will take strict action to deal with
absenteeism. accede

absolute verb /Qk»si˘d/

to agree to a proposal, demand or request
adjective /»Qbs´lu˘t/ The government decided not to accede to the
complete; total terrorists’ demands.
Napoleon gained absolute power when he became
the emperor. accelerando

adverb /´k«sel´»rQnd´U/
in music, gradually increasing in speed
He was asked to play the music accelerando.

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A
accelerate
12 to 14
age group
accord

verb /´k»sel´reIt/ noun /´»kç˘d/

to increase speed an agreement
Fertilisers accelerate the growth of plants. The two governments signed a peace accord last
year.
access
account
noun /»Qkses/
the way in to a place noun /´»kaUnt/
We don’t have access to the garden from our flat. a description of an event or something that has
happened
accessory He gave a detailed account of the theft to the police.
noun /´k»ses´ri/ acetone
a small article of dress
Her favourite accessory is her new leather belt noun /»QsIt´Un/
colourless liquid with a strong smell
accident Acetone is used to make paint thinner.
noun /»QksId´nt/ acknowledge
an unintentional event
She was killed in a car accident. verb /´k»nÅlIdZ/
accept that something exists or is true
acclaim She refuses to acknowledge the need for reform.
noun /´»kleIm/ acoustic
approval, applause
The actor of the film received great acclaim for his adjective /´»ku˘stIk/
extraordinary performance. of or relating to sound
As a birthday present, Ahmed wanted an acoustic
acclimatise guitar from his father.
verb /´»klaIm´taIz/ acquaint
to get used to a new place, situation or climate
It’s not easy to acclimatise to harsh weather verb /´»kweInt/
conditions. to make aware of or familiar with
Please acquaint me with the facts of the case.
accommodate
acquiesce
verb /´»kÅm´deIt/
to have or provide lodging verb /«Qkwi»es/
This hotel can accommodate 600 guests. to agree, accept, something without an argument
She refused to acquiesce in the reorganisation of the
accommodation committee.
noun /´«kÅm´»deISn/ acquire
a place to live, work or stay in
Hotel accommodation is included in the price of your verb /´»kwaI´[r]/
holiday. to get, gain or buy
I would like to acquire one hundred stock shares.

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acrimonious adolescence
12 to 14
age group A
adjective /«QkrI»m´Uni´s/ noun /«Qd´»lesns/
bitter the time in a person’s life when he or she develops
Their marriage came to an acrimonious end. from a child into an adult
Children start to think about their careers during their
acronym adolescence.
noun /»Qkr´nIm/ advection
a word formed from the first letters of the words that
make up the name of something noun /´d»vEkS´n/
AIDS is an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency transfer of heat, cold or humidity in the atmosphere
Syndrome. by the horizontal movement of an air mass
Today’s temperatures were higher due to the
acupuncture advection of warm air into the region.
noun /»Qkjup√NktS´[r]/ adversity
a Chinese method of treating pain and illness using
special thin needles noun /´d»vŒ˘s´ti/
He opted for acupuncture to treat his back pain. misfortune; difficulty
She showed tremendous courage when faced with
acute adversity.
adjective /´»kju˘t/ advocate
intense; severe
There is an acute shortage of water in desert areas. noun /»Qdv´k´t/
one who publicly supports or recommends a
adder particular cause or policy
He is a staunch advocate of free speech.
noun /»Qd´[r]/
a small poisonous snake aesthetic
The adder is a European snake.
adjective /i˘s»TetIk/
adequate concerned with beauty and art and the understanding
of beautiful things
adjective /»QdIkw´t/ Her aesthetic sense was displayed in her beautifully
sufficient decorated home.
The flood affected village was provided adequate
food supplies for one week. affable

adjutant adjective /»Qf´bl/

good-natured and friendly
noun /»QdZUt´nt/ Shan has an affable personality which makes him
a military officer who assists senior officers with easy to get along with.
administrative work
Ralph is an adjutant in the army. affiliation

administer noun /´«fIli»eISn/

a connection with an association or party
verb /´d»mInIst´[r]/ He was arrested due to his affiliation with the
organise; manage liberation movement.
It is important to administer a school properly.

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A
aggravate
12 to 14
age group
alliteration

verb /»Qgr´veIt/ noun /´«lIt´»reISn/

make worse the use of the same letter at the beginning of words
Pollution can aggravate asthma. that are close together
“Sing a song of sixpence” is an example of
agitate alliteration.
verb /»QdZIteIt/ allocate
to stir someone or something up
Low wages tend to agitate the workers. verb /»Ql´keIt/
assign
agony The university is planning to allocate more places for
overseas students this year.
noun /»Qg´ni/
extreme physical or mental pain alluvium
I have been in agony all week with this twisted ankle.
noun /´»lju˘vI´m/
alar a deposit of sand, mud, etc.,left by rivers or floods
Alluvium can contain valuable ores such as gold and
adjective /»eIl´/ platinum and a wide variety of gemstones.
pertaining to, resembling, or having wings
Da Vinci’s alar drawings are still being used as study altercation
models by art students.
noun /«ç˘lt´»keISn/
albinism a noisy disagreement
The police were notified of the altercation in the
noun /»albInIz´m/ parking lot.
congenital absence of normal pigmentation
Albinism is an inherited condition. altruism

alight noun /»QltruIz´m/

an unselfish concern for the needs and happiness of
verb /´»laIt/ others
to get down from a bus, train, car He is revered for his altruism and saintly deeds all
We had no choice but to alight at the terminal. around town.

allegation altruistic
noun /«Ql´»geISn/ adjective /»Qltru»IstIk/
a claim that someone has done something wrong or concerned for others; unselfishly generous
illegal Her altruistic nature was appreciated by everyone in
The allegation against him is potentially damaging. the family.

alligator ambidextrous
noun /»QlIgeIt´[r]/ adjective /«Qmbi»dekstr´s/
a large reptile of the crocodile family able to use both the left and the right hand equally
well
The tennis player’s ambidextrous skills proved to be
an advantage.

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ambience amphibious
12 to 14
age group A
noun /»Qmbi´ns/ adjective /Qm»fIbi´s/
atmosphere living in or suited for both land and water
The ambience of the hotel was friendly and The frog’s amphibious nature serves it well both in
welcoming. water and on land.

ambiguity amphipoda

noun /«QmbI»gju˘´ti/ proper noun /Qm»fI»p´Ud´/

uncertain or inexact meaning aquatic anthropods such as lobsters and crabs
There is ambiguity in the statement which nobody Most amphipoda are marine animals.
cares to clarify.
ample
ambiguous
adjective /»Qmpl/
adjective /Qm»bIgju´s/ enough or more than enough
having more than one meaning There was ample time to get to the airport.
His ambiguous statement left everyone thinking.
anaerobic
ambivalence
adjective /«anE˘»r´UbIk/
noun /Qm»bIv´l´ns/ pertaining to exercise that increases strength,
the state of having two opposing ideas or opinions promotes weight loss, but does not increase
Many people show ambivalence regarding the effect cardiovascular efficiency
of television on children. Anaerobic exercises include sprinting, throwing, and
weight-lifting.
amble
analogue
verb /»Qmbl/
to walk at a leisurely pace noun /»Qn´lÅg/
We would amble down to the beach every morning. a thing that is similar to another thing
Scientists have failed to find a living analogue for
ameliorate dinosaurs.
verb /´»mi˘lI´reIt/ analysis
to make something better
Steps have been taken to ameliorate the situation. noun /´»nQl´sIs/
careful examination of how something is structured
ammonia Your analysis of the situation is different from mine.
noun /´»m´Uni´/ anchor
a colourless strong-smelling chemical
Ammonia is often used in making cleaning noun /»QNk´[r]/
substances. a heavy metal object thrown from a boat or ship but
connected to it, which prevents it from moving
amphibian through the water
The anchor held the boat in place despite the stormy
noun /Qm»fIbi´n/ sea conditions.
an animal that can live both on land and in water
The turtle is an amphibian.

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A
anchovy
12 to 14
age group
anorexia

noun /»QntS´vi/ noun /«Qn´»reksi´/

a small fish with a strong salty flavour a prolonged eating disorder with a psychological
cause
ancient The patient received counselling as she was suffering
from anorexia.
adjective /»eInS´nt/
belonging to the very distant past anorthosite
He has collected many antiques belonging to ancient
Greece. noun /´»nç˘T´s√It/
a granular plutonic rock
androgynous Anorthosite makes up about 60% of Earth’s crust.
adjective /Qn»drÅdZ´n´s/ antagonism
having both male and female characteristics
Her androgynous appearance made her a lonely and noun /Qn»tQg´nIz´m/
misunderstood human being. hostility or opposition
There is growing antagonism towards certain policies
anecdote of the government.
noun /»QnIkd´Ut/ antecedent
short, interesting story
He amused us with an anecdote about his visit to noun /«QntI»si˘dnt/
Africa. an event or situation happening before another
An antecedent can shape the future of a nation.
animalcule
anthracite
noun /«anI»malkju˘l/
a minute or microscopic organism noun /»QnTr´saIt/
Amoeba is an example of an animalcule. a very hard type of coal that burns slowly without
producing a lot of smoke or flames
animosity Being in the business of producing steel, our
company deals with large quantities of anthracite.
noun /«QnI»mÅs´ti/
strong, active hatred anthropologist
There was obvious animosity between the two
political parties. noun /«QnTr´»pÅl´dZIst/
an expert in, or student of, the history and science of
annihilate mankind
Margaret Mead was the first anthropologist to
verb /´»naI´leIt/ observe varying gender roles in different societies.
to destroy or defeat completely
The army had enough weapons to annihilate the antonym
enemy.
noun /»Qnt´nIm/
anonymity a word opposite in meaning to another
‘Hot’ is the antonym of ‘cold’.
noun /´»nÅnImiti/
the state of remaining unknown apathy
Names of people in the book were changed to
noun /»Qp´Ti/
preserve anonymity.
lack of interest/enthusiasm about something
There is widespread apathy among the people about
the present government.

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aperiodic aquifer
12 to 14
age group A
adjective /«eIpI´rI»ÅdIk/ noun /»akwIf´/
not periodic, occuring irregularly an underground layer of loose rock, sand, or gravel
They were receiving aperiodic signals from the that holds water in its spaces
control tower. Aquifer may occur at various depths.

apocalypse arbitrate

noun /´»pÅk´lIps/ verb /»A˘bItreIt/

very serious damage and destruction to settle a dispute by acting as judge
A nuclear war has the potential to cause an Mr Smith was called to arbitrate between the
environmental apocalypse. management and the employees.

apparatus archipelago

noun /«Qp´»reIt´s/ noun /«A˘kI»pel´g´U/

the equipment needed for a particular purpose a group of many islands
The apparatus needed for his physics experiment all The Indonesian archipelago consists of hundreds of
came out of a nifty little box. islands.

apparition aristocracy

noun /«Qp´»rISn/ noun /«QrI»stÅkr´si/

a ghost or an image of a person who is dead the highest social class, consisting of people with
She saw an apparition of her deceased mother. hereditary titles
Many of the French aristocracy were killed during the
applause revolution.
noun /´»plç˘z/ arrogance
approval or enjoyment shown by a group of people by
clapping noun /»Qr´g´ns/
The audience broke into rapturous applause. pride; haughtiness
She was disliked by her friends because of her
approach arrogance.
verb /´»pr´UtS/ articulate
to come near to something in distance or time
When you approach the roundabout turn left. adjective /A˘»tIkjuleIt/
clearly expressed
appropriate Her articulate speech impressed the audience.
adjective /´»pr´Upri´t/ assessment
suitable or acceptable for the particular circumstances
The lawyer handled the case in an appropriate noun /´»sesm´nt/
manner. an opinion or judgement about something
What is your assessment of the situation?
aptitude
assuage
noun /»QptItju˘d/
natural or acquired ability, talent verb /´»sweIdZ/
Michelle shows great aptitude for music. to make an unpleasant feeling less severe
She managed to assuage the customer’s anger.

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A
asterisk
12 to 14
age group
avalanche

noun /»Qst´rIsk/ noun /»Qv´lA˘nS/

a star-shaped character or symbol used to call a mass of snow and ice falling rapidly down a
attention to something mountainside
I have placed an asterisk next to the tasks I want you The avalanche in the Alps took many lives.
to do first.
average
astrometry
adjective /»Qv´rIdZ/
noun /´»strÅmItri/ a standard or level regarded as usual or typical
the scientific measurement of the positions, motions His below average performance at the office denied
and magnitudes of stars him the bonus.
Astrometry is a branch of astronomy.
averse
astute
adjective /´»vŒ˘s/
adjective /´»stju˘t/ strongly opposed to something
shrewd; crafty He seems to be averse to any change.
An astute businessman knows how to manage his
finances. avocado

attribute noun /«Qv´»kA˘d´U/

a pear-shaped fruit with pale green flesh and a large
noun /´»trIbju˘t/ stone
a quality or feature Avocado is the main ingredient in guacamole.
Patience is a praiseworthy attribute.
axiom
audacious
noun /»Qksi´m/
adjective /碻deIS´s/ a rule or principle that most people believe to be true
willing to take bold risks A religious axiom is rarely questioned by believers.
The judge made an audacious statement in closing,
risking his entire judicial career.

audacity

noun /碻dQs´ti/
bold rudeness
He had the audacity to say that I was too fat.

audible

adjective /»ç˘d´bl/
loud enough to be heard
The teacher’s voice was barely audible without the
microphone.

auxiliary

adjective /ç˘g»zIli´ri /
providing additional help or support
We have installed an auxiliary generator in case of
power cuts.

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babbler bandage
12 to 14
age group B
noun /»bQbl´[r]/ noun /»bQndIdZ/
someone who talks quickly and unclearly piece of soft material that covers and protects an
He earned the reputation of a babbler due to his injured part of the body
constant chatter. After cleaning the wound, the doctor put a bandage
on my arm.
bagatelle
bankruptcy
noun /«bQg´»tel/
a game in which small balls are hit into numbered noun /»bQNkr√ptsi/
holes on a board inability to pay debts
She enjoyed playing bagatelle. The company declared its bankruptcy due to lack of
financial alternatives.
bait
barbaric
noun /beIt/
food put on a hook or in a trap to attract fish or other adjective /bA˘»bQrIk/
animals cruel and violent
Cheese makes good bait for catching mice. The barbaric act of killing female infants is still
prevalent in some parts of the world.
balance
barber
noun /»bQl´ns/
a state in which weight is equally distributed, ensuring noun /»bA˘b´[r]/
that a person or object does not wobble or fall over a hairdresser who cuts men’s hair
He lost his balance and ended up in the water. James asked the barber to give him a haircut.

balcony barium

noun /»bQlk´ni/ noun /»be´ri´m/

a platform built on an outside wall of an upstairs room a soft silvery metallic element
She had a lovely view of the sea from the balcony. Barium is used in making dyes and bleaches.

ballet barnacle

noun /»bQleI/ noun /bA˘n´kl/

a dramatic performance by dancers to music common sea creatures which encrust rocks and the
The ballet of Romeo and Juliet was performed piles of piers
beautifully. The barnacle clung to a rock.

balsam barometer

noun /»bç˘ls´m/ noun /b´»rAmIt´[r]/

any palm or tree from which an oil with a pleasant an instrument used to forecast the weather by
smell called balm is obtained measuring atmospheric pressure
The chemist used balsam to make the medicine. Noticing the change in the barometer reading, the
weatherman quickly updated his forecast.
banal
barrister
adjective /b´»nA˘l/
noun /»bQrIst´[r]/
not original or interesting
His banal remarks were inappropriate for the happy counsellor-at-law
occasion. The barrister gave an emotional closing statement for
his case.

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B
battery
12 to 14
age group
bemoan

noun /»bQtri/ verb /bI»m´Un/

a device containing one or more electrical cells, for to complain or express unhappiness about something
use as a source of power He has made it a habit to bemoan everything that
The battery in our camera ran out so we could not goes wrong in his life.
take any pictures during our holiday.
beneath
beast
preposition /bI»ni˘T/
noun /bi˘st/ under or below
an animal other than a human being that is wild and We found an old book buried beneath a pile of
has four legs leaves.
We were terrified when we saw the beast.
beneficial
bedouin
adjective /«benI»fISl/
proper noun /»beduIn/ advantageous
an Arab living as a nomad in the desert The beneficial agreement was acceptable to all
After travelling for days the Bedouin reached an companies.
oasis.
benefit
beetle
noun /»benIfIt/
noun /»bi˘tl/ an advantage
an insect which has a hard case on its back covering I’ve had the benefit of a good education.
its wings
benevolent
beggar
adjective /b´»nev´l´nt/
noun /»beg´[r]/ kind and helpful
a person who lives by asking other people for food or After the flood, concerned citizens made benevolent
money contributions for the relief effort.
A beggar came to my door asking for help.
benign
behaviour
adjective /bI»naIn/
noun /bI»heIvj´[r]/ pleasant in nature or influence, gentle, kind
the way in which someone or something acts He is well-liked because of his benign manner.
He must offer an apology for his inappropriate
behaviour. bereavement

belated noun /bI»ri˘vm´nt/

adjective /bI»leItId/
delayed, after the expected time
The government’s belated response to the proposal
made matters worse for the department.
death or departure of a loved one
The president offered his condolences to the families
facing bereavement after the bomb blast.
berserk

adjective /b´»zŒ˘k /
uncontrollably wild
He went berserk and attacked me.

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berth billionaire
12 to 14
age group B
noun /bŒ˘T/ noun /«bIlj´»ne´[r]/
a sleeping place in a train or ship a person owning money and property worth at least a
The berth in the train was quite uncomfortable. billion dollars or rupees
Roman Abramovich was a billionaire at the age of 32.
besiege
biopharming
verb /bI»si˘dZ/
surround so as to force to give up noun /»b√I´U»fA˘mIN/
The king ordered his troops to besiege the town. the application of genetic engineering on living
organisms to induce or increase production
besmirch Biopharming, which has has been around for a
number of years, continues to be a controversial
verb /bI»smŒ˘tS/ subject.
to soil, sully
The papers had deliberately set out to besmirch his biophysicist
reputation.
noun /«bAI´U»fIzIsIst/
betrayal a physicist who applies the methods of physics to
biology
noun /bI»treI´l/ The biophysicist went into great detail when
treacherous disloyalty explaining the process used in his experiment.
I saw her actions as a betrayal of my trust.
biopsy
biannual
noun /»baIÅpsi/
adjective /baI»Qnju´l/ examination of tissues or liquids from the living body
occurring twice a year to determine the existence or cause of a disease
The carnival is a biannual event in their school. The doctor would not be able to say anything till he
had the results of the biopsy.
bicephalous
biscuit
adjective /b√I»sef[´]l´s/
having two heads noun /»bIskIt/
The bicephalous eagle was displayed in the museum a small, flat, crisp cake
of Natural History. I had a biscuit with a glass of milk for breakfast.

biceps bizarre
noun /»baIseps/ adjective /bI»zA˘[r]/
the large muscle at the front of the arm above the highly unconventional or unusual
elbow She told us a bizarre story.
Ali has been working out to tone his biceps.
blandishment
bilingual
noun /»blQndISm´nt/
adjective /«baI»lINgw´l/ flattery intended to persuade
using two languages He used many a blandishment to try to persuade her
The bilingual movie attracted a large audience. to marry him.

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B
blasphemous
12 to 14
age group
boomerang

adjective /»blQsf´m´s/ noun /»bu˘m´rQN/

insulting or showing a lack of respect for God or a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as
religion to return to the thrower
Many Christians found the Da Vinci Code to have One is in danger of injuring oneself if a boomerang is
been a blasphemous piece of literature. not caught.

bleat bougainvillea

noun /bli˘t/ noun /«bu˘g´n»vIli´/

the sound made by sheep and goats a tropical climbing plant with brightly coloured
The lamb gave a faint bleat. modified leaves surrounding the flowers
She grew bougainvillea in her garden.
blithe
boundary
adjective /blaID/
casual; lacking concern noun /»baUndri/
He drove with a blithe disregard for traffic rules. the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of
something
blizzard The country’s boundary is denoted by a dark red line
on the map.
noun /»blIz´d/
a severe snowstorm with strong winds bountiful
Traffic slowed to a halt because of the blizzard.
adjective /»baUntIfl/
blockade given or giving freely; plentiful
The charity home receives a bountiful supply of
noun /blŻkeId/ goods from the government.
the action of surrounding or closing a place
The police set up a blockade on the highway. bouquet

blurt noun /bu»keI/

a bunch of flowers arranged in an attractive way
verb /blŒ˘t/ She was pleased to receive a bouquet of tulips on her
utter impulsively birthday.
Before Sandy could blurt out my secret, I quickly
changed the topic of the conversation. boutique

boa noun /bu˘»ti˘k/

a small shop/store that sells fashionable clothes
noun /»b´U´/ They bought the dress from the new boutique.
a large snake, found in America
bracelet
boar
noun /»breIsl´t/
noun /bç˘[r]/ jewellery worn around the wrist
a male pig She loves her new bracelet.
boisterous

adjective /»bçIst´r´s/
noisy, lively and high-spirited
The boisterous crowd made its way home after the
game.

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brachycardia bronchitis
12 to 14
age group B
noun /»braki»kA˘dI´/ noun /brÅN»kaItIs/
slowness of the heart rate an illness of the tubes leading to the lungs that
Bradycardia may cause cardiac arrest in some causes a very bad cough
patients. When diagnosed with bronchitis, Brett decided to quit
smoking.
brackish
browse
adjective /»brakIS/
(of water) having a somewhat salty, unpleasant taste verb /braUz/
Brackish water commonly occurs in lakes, lagoons, to examine books or other goods in a casual way
and marshes. Please feel free to browse through these books.

Braille brunette

proper noun /breIl/ noun /bru˘»net/

a written language for the blind using raised dots a person with dark (brown) hair
He is very good at reading Braille. Jane has dyed her hair red but she is actually a
brunette.
breakage
brusque
noun /»breIkIdZ/
the action of breaking something or the fact of being adjective /bru˘sk/
broken using very few words and sounding rude
She wrapped the crockery carefully to protect it The official spoke in a brusque tone.
against breakage.
Buddhism
breathe
proper noun /»bUdIz´m/
verb /bri˘D/ an Asian religion based on the teachings of Buddha
draw air into the lungs and send it out again Buddhism is the main religion in Thailand.
The air was so cold we could hardly breathe.
budgerigar
broadcast
noun /»b√dZ´rigA˘[r]/
noun /»brç˘dkA˘st/ Australian parakeet, usually light green with black
a programme sent out on television or radio markings
The five o’clock broadcast was interrupted by a power
failure at the radio station. budget

broccoli noun /»b√dZIt/

the amount of money available for a purpose
noun /»brÅk´li/ Rent for my flat takes up around sixty per cent of my
a vegetable with a thick green or purple flower head weekly budget.
She made a stew of broccoli and carrots.
buffalo
brochure
noun /»b√f´l´U/
noun /»br´uS´[r]/ a large shaggy-haired bison originally from the North
a pamphlet or booklet American plains
I decided to visit Singapore after going through the
travel brochure.

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buffet
12 to 14
age group
bursary

noun /»bUfeI/ noun /»bŒ˘s´ri /

a meal at which people serve themselves a scholarship
She attended a grand buffet at the king’s palace. Dan was awarded a bursary to study at university.

buffoonery butterfly

noun /b´»fu˘n´rI/ noun /»b√t´flaI/

acting like a clown or buffoon an insect with broad colourful wings
John was a well loved comedian, famous for his
buffoonery.

bullock

noun /»bUl´k/
a young bull, or any male of the ox kind

bumblebee

noun /»b√mblbi˘/
a large hairy bee that makes a buzzing noise when it
flies

bungee

noun /»b√ndZi/
a stretchy, elasticated rope
The bungee was securely tied to his feet before he
jumped off the bridge.

bunting

noun /»b√ntIN/
small flags hung up to decorate streets
The colourful bunting gave the city a festive look.

bureaucrat

noun /»bjU´r´krQt/
an official who works in a government department
Being a bureaucrat in the transport department, he
travelled extensively.

burial

noun /»beri´l/
the act of placing a dead body in the ground.
His family insisted on him being given a proper burial.

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cacophony calypso
12 to 14
age group C
noun /k´»kÅf´ni/ noun /k´»lIps´U/
a harsh mixture of sounds a Caribbean song or type of music about a subject of
The rock concert was no more than a mad current interest
cacophony. They danced to the calypso beat.

caffeine camembert

noun /»kQfi˘n/ noun /»kQm´mbe´[r]/

a substance in coffee, tea that causes a person to be a rich, soft cheese originally made near Camembert
more awake in Normandy, France
The caffeine in the coffee kept me awake all night. She will serve camembert with fruits.

cahoots camouflage

noun /k´»hu˘ts/ noun /»kQm´flA˘Z/

planning or doing something dishonest with a colour, pattern, shape used for concealment
somebody The soldiers used branches of trees as camouflage.
He should know better than to be in cahoots with
someone as shady as Tim. candidate

cajole noun /»kQndId´t/

a person who applies for a job or is nominated for
verb /k´»dZ´Ul/ election
to influence or persuade by flattering He is a candidate for a seat in the National Assembly.
I am not going to cajole you into accepting my views.
canine
calamity
adjective /»keInaIn/
noun /k´»lQm´ti/ relating to dogs
an event causing great and often sudden damage or Security officials at the airport depend on their canine
distress companions to sniff out anything suspicious.
The recent earthquake was the worst calamity in the
country’s history. cannelloni

calculus noun /«kQn´»l´Uni/

large tubes of pasta filled with meat or cheese
noun /»kQlkj´l´s/ Boil the cannelloni in salty water.
a type of mathematics that deals with variable
quantities cannon
A-level mathematics consists primarily of calculus.
noun /»kQn´n/
callous a large, heavy gun
The ship’s cannon was damaged in the storm.
adjective /»kQl´s/
not caring about other people’s feelings cantaloupe
He had a very callous attitude towards his younger
siblings. noun /»kQnt´lu˘p/
a kind of melon
A cantaloupe is low in calories and is a good source
of vitamin C.

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cantankerous
12 to 14
age group
cardamom

adjective /kQn»tQNk´r´s/ noun /»kA˘d´m´m/

always complaining the seeds of a plant, used as a spice
He does not have many friends because of his She used cardamom in the chicken curry.
cantankerous nature.
cardiac
capacious
adjective /»kA˘diQk/
adjective /k´»peIS´s/ relating to the heart
spacious; roomy He died suddenly following a cardiac arrest.
Her capacious handbag was stuffed with makeup.
caricature
capacitance
noun /»kQrIk´tSU´[r]/
noun /k´»pasIt´ns/ a comic representation of a person or thing which
the ability of a system to store an electrical charge exaggerates certain features
Capacitance is measured in a unit called farad. The politician was not pleased to see his caricature in
the newspaper.

cappuccino carriage

noun /«kQpu»tSi˘n´U/ noun /»kQrIdZ/

coffee made with milk that has been frothed up with a separate compartment in a train; a passenger
pressurised steam vehicle
They enjoyed a cappuccino after work. We decided to sit in the carriage with the least
number of passengers.
capsize
cartridge
verb /kQp»saIz/
to turn over in the water noun /»kA˘trIdZ/
A large wave caused my boat to capsize. a container holding film, ink or other items to be
inserted into a mechanism
capsule His cartridge ran out of ink halfway through the exam.
noun /»kQpsju˘l/ cascade
a small soluble container that encloses a dose of
medicine noun /kQ»skeId/
My daughter found it difficult to swallow the vitamin something that falls like a waterfall
capsule that I gave her. A cascade of blonde hair surrounded her radiant face.

carcass cashmere

noun /»kA˘k´s/ noun /»kQSmI´[r]/

the dead body of an animal a type of wool that is very fine and soft
Vultures fed on the carcass of the dead goat. The cardigan was very warm as it was made of
cashmere.
carcinogenic

adjective /«kA˘sIn´»dZenIk/
likely to cause cancer
The carbon monoxide percentage in the air is
reaching a carcinogenic level.

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casket cauliflower
12 to 14
age group C
noun /»kA˘skIt/ noun /»kÅliflaU´[r]/
a small ornamental box or chest for holding valuable a vegetable with green leaves around a large white
objects head of flowers
The casket recovered from the shipwreck contained Do you like to eat cauliflower?
valuable treasures.
casserole caution

noun /»kQs´r´Ul/ noun /»kç˘Sn/

a hot dish made with meat and/or vegetables attention to safety
She prepared a casserole for dinner. One must cross a busy road with caution.

castle cavalry

noun /»kA˘sl/ noun /»kQvlri/

a large building with high walls and towers soldiers who formerly fought on horseback, now in
The castle was protected by high walls and a large armoured vehicles
iron gate. The charge of the cavalry could not be halted by the
enemy.
casualty
caviar
noun /»kQZu´lti/
a person killed or injured in a war or accident noun /»kQviA˘[r]/
Innocent civilians are the biggest type of casualty in the eggs of a type of fish that are eaten as a very
modern wars. special kind of food
Caviar is considered to be a delicacy and is very
catastrophe expensive.
noun /k´»tQstr´fi/ cedar
a sudden event causing great suffering and
destruction noun /»si˘d´[r]/
The recent flood was a great catastrophe. a tall coniferous tree with hard, sweet-smelling wood
The yacht is built of cedar.
caterpillar
celandine
noun /»kQt´pIl´[r]/
a small hairy animal with a long body and several noun /»sel´ndaIn/
legs a yellow-flowered plant of the buttercup family
Celandine grows in rich damp soil.
cathode
cello
noun /»kQT´Ud/
a negative electrode in a battery noun /»tSel´U/
The negative terminal of a battery is known as the an instrument like a large violin, held upright on the
cathode. floor between the knees of the seated player
She has been playing the cello for many years.
Caucasian
Celtic
adjective /k碻keIzi´n/
white-skinned people of European origin noun /»keltIk/
Witnesses described the thief as a Caucasian male, belonging to a race of people originating in Western
with blue eyes and blonde hair. Europe
His red hair indicated that he was of Celtic origin.

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census
12 to 14
age group
certainty

noun /»sens´s/ noun /»sŒ˘tnti/

an official count of something especially a country’s the state of being sure
population I cannot say with any certainty what will happen
The last census was largely inaccurate. tomorrow.
centenary
chagrin
noun /sen»ti˘n´ri/
the hundredth anniversary noun /»SQgrIn/
Preparations for the centenary celebrations are in full a feeling of being disappointed or annoyed
swing. To her chagrin, she failed the test again.

centipede chameleon

noun /»sentIpi˘d/ noun /k´»mi˘li´n/

a small crawling creature with a long body and many a small lizard that can change colour according to its
legs surroundings

cephalopod chamois

noun /»sef´l´pÅd/ noun /»SQmwA˘/

marine mollusc with a well developed head and eyes an animal like a small deer, that lives in the
and sucker-bearing tentacles mountains of Europe and Asia

ceramic chandelier

adjective /s´»rQmIk / noun /«SQnd´»lI´[r]/

made of clay that is permanently hardened by heat a light fitting or candle holder with many branches
She designs, moulds and sells ceramic pots. The chandelier in their lounge is very beautiful.

cereal chaos

noun /»sI´ri´l/ noun /»keIÅs/

a kind of grain used for food state of complete confusion and lack of order
She was having a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Heavy snow has caused total chaos on the roads.

cerebellum chapel

noun /«ser´»bel´m/ noun /»tSQpl/

the part of the brain at the back of the head that
controls the movement of the muscles
The cerebellum is one of the main parts of the brain.
ceres
noun /»sI´ri˘z/
the closest dwarf planet to the sun
Ceres was the first object to be discovered in the
asteroid belt.
a small room or building used for Christian worship
She always went to the chapel on Sundays.
characteristically
adverb /«kQr´kt´»rIstIk´li/
typical of somebody’s character
Characteristically, she paid for everyone.

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charisma chic
12 to 14
age group C
noun /k´»rIzm´/ adverb /Si˘k/
the powerful personal quality to attract and impress elegant and fashionable
others She always manages to look extremely chic.
The president is an effective leader with tremendous
charisma. chieftain

charismatic noun /»tSi˘ft´n/

the leader of a people or clan
adjective /«kQrIz»mQtIk/ The chieftain was respected by the whole clan.
having charm
He is an immensely charismatic man and usually gets chisel
his way.
noun /»tSIzl/
chassis a hand tool with a long blade, used to cut or shape
wood, stone, or metal
noun /»SQsi/ The artisan used his chisel to chip away at the
the metal frame of a vehicle marble.
Even after the disastrous accident, the chassis of the
car was still intact. chivalry

chastise noun /»SIv´lri/

courteous and courageous behaviour shown by
verb /tSQ»staIz/ mediaeval knights
to criticise St George demonstrated great chivalry when he killed
She should not chastise her secretary in front of other the dragon and rescued the princess.
colleagues.
chlorine
chateau
noun /»klç˘ri˘n/
noun /»SQt´U/ a green gaseous chemical element
a castle or large country house in France Chlorine is added to swimming pools to keep the
The chateau we stayed at was next to a lake. water clean.

chauvinism choir

noun /»S´UvInIz´m/ noun /»kwaI´[r]/

too much support or enthusiasm for one’s own a group of people who sing together
gender, group, or kind The school choir has won a large number of awards
His male chauvinism made many people dislike him. in many contests.

chemotherapy cholera

noun /«ki˘m´U»Ter´pi/ noun /»kÅl´r´/

the treatment of an illness using chemical substances an infectious disease of the small intestine
Chemotherapy is used to treat cancer. There is very little incidence of cholera in the city.

cheque

noun /tSek/
a written order to a bank to pay money
“May I pay by cheque?” asked the customer.

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choreography
12 to 14
age group
chyme

noun /«kÅri»Ågr´fi/ noun /k√Im/

the art of designing and arranging the steps and
movements in dances
The choreography of the ballet was done by a famous
dancer.
chorus
noun /»kç˘r´s/
a part of a song which is repeated after every verse
Everyone joined in the chorus at the end of the song.
thick semifluid mass of partly digested food formed in
the stomach during digestion
The rhythmic muscular action of the stomach wall
moves the chyme into the first section of the small
intestine.
cicada
noun /sI»kA˘d´/
a stout-bodied insect with large membranous wings

chromium cinnamon

noun /»kr´Umi´m/ noun /»sIn´m´n/

a hard grey metal that shines brightly when polished a spice made from the bark of a tree
Coloured plastic bags contain harmful toxic metals I used a lot of cinnamon when I made that apple pie.
like chromium and copper .
circumstantial
chromosome
adjective /«sŒ˘k´m»stQnSl /
noun /»kr´Um´s´Um/ strongly suggesting but not proof
a part of a cell in living things that determines The circumstantial evidence made it difficult for the
character, gender, shape jury to come to a decision.
In human females, there is no Y chromosome.
cirrostratus
chronic
noun /«sIr´U»strA˘t´s/
adjective /»krÅnIk/ a type of cloud that forms a thin layer at a very high
lasting for a long time level
He developed chronic bronchitis because of heavy Temperatures at the cirrostratus level are fairly low.
smoking.
clairvoyant
chronicle
noun /kle´»vçI´nt/
noun /»krÅnIkl/ a person who is said to be able to predict future
a written record of historical events events
The Sports Almanac is a chronicle of sports history. The clairvoyant predicted that he would enjoy a long
and happy life
chrysalis
clarity
noun /»krIs´lIs/
the case around a caterpillar that is changing into a noun /»klQr´ti/
butterfly or moth clearness
The child saw a chrysalis on the branch of a tree. His speech had a strong element of clarity.

claustrophobia

noun /«klç˘str´»f´Ubi´/
fear of being in a small or enclosed space
People who have claustrophobia avoid using lifts.

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clientele collaborate
12 to 14
age group C
noun /«kli˘´n»tel/ verb /k´»lQb´reIt/
the customers of a business work together
The new restaurant attracted a young and trendy In my work I would like to collaborate with the famous
clientele. architect.

coagulant collateral

noun /k´U»Qgjul´nt/ adjective /k´»lQt´r´l/

a substance that causes a fluid to change to a solid connected but less important
or semi-solid state Even targeted bombings result in some form of
The doctors injected a coagulant to stop the bleeding. collateral damage.

cobra colliery

noun /»k´Ubr´/ noun /»kÅli´ri/

a poisonous snake that can expand the skin of its a coal mine
neck into a hood He has worked at the colliery almost all his life.
The cobra is found mostly in India.
colloquial
cockatoo
adjective /k´»l´Ukwi´l/
noun /«kÅk´»tu˘/ conversational but not in formal language
white or light-coloured crested parrot of the Australian Colloquial words should be avoided in formal speech
region and writing.
I saw a cockatoo in a pet shop.
cologne
cockerel
noun /k´»l´Un/
noun /»kÅk´r´l/ a type of light perfume or scented water
a young male chicken A man’s choice of cologne says a lot about him.

cockroach coloratura

noun /»kÅkr´UtS/ noun /«kÅl´r´»tU´r´/

a large dark brown insect usually found in dirty or complicated passages for a singer
damp places The opera singer was an expert in coloratura.

coerce comeuppance

verb /k´U»Œ˘s / noun /k√m»√p´ns/

to persuade using force or threats a punishment or fate that someone deserves
They tried to coerce him into robbing his friend. Ideally, every evil-doer ought to get his comeuppance.

coincidence commandant

noun /k´U»InsId´ns/ noun /»kÅm´ndQnt/

similar things happening at the same time by chance the officer in charge
The two sisters ended up wearing identical clothes at The commandant of our group is very strict and
the dinner entirely by coincidence. disciplined.

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commensurate
12 to 14
age group
concave

adjective /k´»menS´r´t/ adjective /kÅn»keIv/

equal in extent curved inwards
Salary will be commensurate with experience. Concave lenses are used to make spectacles.

commission concede

noun /k´»mISn/ verb /k´n»si˘d/

a body of people with authority to perform certain to admit
duties He was forced to concede that there might be
The commission published a report of their difficulties.
supervision of the election.
concentric
commodious
adjective /k´n»sentrIk/
adjective /k´»m´Udi´s/ having a common centre
roomy and comfortable Planets orbit the Sun in concentric circles.
She fell asleep in the commodious armchair.
conception
compartmentalise
noun /k´n»sepSn/
verb /«kÅmpA˘t»ment´laIz/ formation
divide into sections and categories The country has been confronted with problems since
Sometimes we are too ready to compartmentalise its conception.
people before we really get to know them.
concerto
complacent
noun /k´n»tSŒ˘t´u /
adjective /k´m»pleIsnt/ a musical composition for an orchestra and one or
self-satisfied more solo instruments
Shahid lost his job because of his complacent She gave a wonderful performance at the concerto
attitude. last night.

complement concierge

verb /»kÅmplIment / noun /»kÅnsie´Z/

to make something complete a resident caretaker of a block of flats or small hotel
The husband and wife complement each other. The concierge told the noisy tenants on the fifth floor
not to play loud music.
composure
conciliatory
noun /k´m»p´UZ´[r]/
mental calmness adjective /k´n»sIli´t´ri/
She showed great composure during the emergency. making calmer and less angry
The president’s speech was a conciliatory gesture
compulsion towards businessmen.
noun /k´m»p√lSn/ concurrence
obligation
There is no compulsion for you to attend the meeting. noun /k´n»k√r´ns/
agreement
The doctor must seek the concurrence of a relative
before proceeding with surgery.

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condemn constituency
12 to 14
age group C
verb /k´n»dem/ noun /k´n»stItju´nsi/
to express complete or strong disapproval of a district that elects its own representative to
something parliament
I condemn war in all its forms. He owns a house in his Oxford constituency.
consultancy
confetti
noun /k´n»s√lt´nsi/
noun /k´n»feti/ a business or agency offering expert or professional
small pieces of coloured paper traditionally thrown at advice in a field
weddings He opened a financial consultancy firm to advise
The bride and groom were showered with confetti as people on monetary issues.
they left the church.
contagious
conform
adjective /k´n»teIdZ´s/
verb /k´n»fç˘m/ transmissible by direct or indirect contact; infectious
to behave and think in the same way as others Chicken pox is a contagious illness.
His ideas do not conform with mine.
contaminate
conjure
verb /k´n»tQmIneIt/
verb /»k√ndZ´[r]/ pollute
to make things appear or disappear as if by magic The leak in the sewage system might contaminate the
He is known to conjure up the spirits of the dead. main water supply.

connoisseur contemplate

noun /»kÅn´»sŒ˘[r] / verb /»kÅnt´mpleIt/

a person who knows a lot about art, good food and to think about as possible
music The idea of war is too awful to contemplate.
He is a connoisseur of antiques.
continuum
consecrate
noun /k´n»tInju´m/
verb /»kÅnsIkreIt/ a continuous sequence in which the elements next to
to declare or set apart as sacred each other are very similar, but the last and the first
They organised a ceremony to consecrate the new are very different
mosque. It is impossible to say at what point along the
continuum a dialect becomes a separate language.
consequence
controversial
noun /»kÅnsIkw´ns/
a result adjective /«kÅntr´»vŒ˘Sl /
Twenty people lost their lives as a direct consequence causing or likely to cause public debate
of the earthquake. The European Union constitution is a very
consolidate controversial document, splitting opinion down the
middle.
verb /k´n»sÅlIdeIt/
to make firmer or stronger
The documents were signed to consolidate the
merger.

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convalesce
12 to 14
age group
cordial

verb /«kÅnv´»les/ adjective /»kç˘di´l/

to return to health and strength after illness; pleasant, friendly
recuperate He greeted me with a cordial handshake.
She went to the mountains to convalesce after
leaving the hospital. corduroy

convene noun /»kç˘d´rçI/

a thick cotton fabric with velvety ribs
verb /k´n»vi˘n/ She wanted to purchase a jacket of corduroy.
to come together formally
The committee will convene at nine thirty tomorrow cornea
morning.
noun /»kç˘ni´/
convenience the transparent layer forming the outer part of the eye
She had to wear a patch over her eye as she had
noun /k´n»vi˘ni´ns/ injured her cornea.
a useful device or situation
Supermarkets are a great convenience to most corpse
people.
noun /kç˘ps/
conversant a dead body
His corpse was taken to the city morgue.
adjective /k´n»vŒ˘snt /
familiar with correspondence
He was not conversant with the routines of his new
workplace. noun /«kÅr´»spÅnd´ns/
letters sent to or received from someone
conversationalist Their correspondence lasted over a decade.

noun /«kÅnv´»seIS´n´lIst/ corrode

a person who is good at or fond of engaging in
conversation verb /k´»r´Ud/
He is a terrific conversationalist and after-dinner to destroy something slowly especially by chemical
speaker. action
The bonnet of his car has started to corrode.
converse
cosmonaut
verb /k´n»vŒ˘s /
to talk with noun /»kÅzm´nç˘t/
The ability to converse easily with strangers comes a Russian astronaut
naturally to some people. Yuri Gagarin is the most famous cosmonaut.

copious councillor

adjective /»k´Upi´s/ noun /»kaUns´l´[r]/

abundant; plentiful a member of a council
He had a copious supply of tools at his workshop. The councillor was elected on the basis of his past
experience.

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couplet croissant
12 to 14
age group C
noun /»k√pl´t/ noun /»krwQsÅ))/
a pair of successive rhyming lines of verse a crescent-shaped flaky bread roll
The poet recited a couplet from his latest poem. She ate a croissant for breakfast.

courteous crucial

adjective /»kŒ˘ti´s / adjective /»kru˘Sl/

polite and considerate decisive, critical
I received a charmingly courteous reply to my She could not answer the crucial question correctly.
invitation.
crustacean
covert
noun /kr√»steISn/
adjective /»k√v´t/ any aquatic anthropoid usually with a segmented
secret, hidden body in a hard shell
He stole a covert glance at her across the table. Crabs, lobsters and shrimps are all examples of a
crustacean.
cranium
cubicle
noun /»kreIni´m/
the bone structure that forms the head and encloses noun /»kju˘bIkl/
the brain a small division of a larger room making a separate
The cranium is the hardest part of the body as it compartment
protects the brain. She studies in a cubicle at the school library.

credence cuckoo

noun /»kri˘dns/ noun /»kUku˘/

belief a bird with a call that sounds like its name
One should not give any credence to rumours.
cucumber
cricket
noun /»kju˘k√mb´[r]/
noun /»krIkIt/ a long, green fruit with watery flesh, eaten as a
an insect that makes a loud noise by rubbing its vegetable in salads
wings together The price of cucumber shot up after the floods.

crimson curator

adjective /»krImzn/ noun /kjU´»reIt´[r]/

a deep red colour an official in charge of a museum or art gallery
She was wearing a crimson dress. The new curator of the museum was asked to plan
interesting events.
crocodile
curious
noun /»krÅk´daIl/
a large aquatic reptile with a long tail and a big mouth adjective /»kjU´ri´s/
with sharp teeth eager to know or learn something
He is such a curious boy, always asking questions.

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C
cyclotron
12 to 14
age group

noun /»s√Ikl´trÅn/
a machine that, using electrical and magnetic fields,
makes atoms or electrons move more quickly.
The design of a cyclotron varies according to the
specifications of the purchaser.

cynical

adjective /»sInIkl/
doubtful or distrustful of human motives
The cynical old man had become bitter because of
what he had experienced during the war.

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dandruff deceased
12 to 14
age group D
noun /»dQndr√f/ noun /dI»si˘st/
small pieces of dead skin in the hair, that look like a person who has died
white flakes The body of the deceased was moved from the
He uses a special shampoo for his dandruff. hospital to his home.

debilitate deceit

verb /dI»bIlIteIt/ noun /dI»si˘t/

to weaken dishonest behaviour
His bout of malaria served to debilitate his already He was accused of lies and deceit.
questionable health.
decision
debris
noun /dI»sIZn/
noun /»debri˘/ a choice or judgement
scattered broken pieces of wood, metal, brick Her decision to resign from the job surprised us all.
Debris covered the farmland after the volcanic
eruption. decorum

debye noun /dI»kç˘r´m/

polite behaviour
noun /d´»b√I/ She showed remarkable decorum at the reception.
a unit used to express electric dipole moments of
molecules decrepit
The debye is still used in atomic physics and
chemistry. adjective /dI»krepIt/
worn out or ruined because of age or neglect
decade The government decided to demolish the decrepit
apartment complex.
noun /»dekeId/
a period of ten years deductible
The last decade saw many new developments in
science and technology. adjective /dI»d√kt´bl/
can be taken away from
decapitate The deductible amount from his income is quite
substantial.
verb /dI»kQpIteIt/
to behead defamatory
They are going to decapitate him as a punishment for
his crime. adjective /dI»fQm´tri/
attacking one’s reputation
decay His defamatory remarks about the company ruined its
reputation.
noun /dI»keI/
the process or result of being destroyed by natural defiance
causes or by not being cared for
The landlord had let the building fall into decay. noun /dI»faI´ns/
open disobedience
He has made it a habit to act in defiance of the law.

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D
defibrillator
12 to 14
age group
demagogue

noun /dI˘»fIbrIleIt´[r]/ noun /»dem´gÅg/

a piece of equipment used to control the movement a political leader who tries to win support by using
of the heart muscles arguments based on emotion rather than reason
The patient was put on the defibrillator to restore Hitler is considered to be a demagogue by many
normal rhythm to his heart. historians.

degenerative demeanour

adjective /dI»dZen´r´tIv/ noun /dI»mi˘n´[r]/

causing gradual deterioration behaviour; bearing
A degenerative disease like arthritis will eventually He maintained a professional demeanour during the
make the patient bedridden. interview.

deliberate demonic

verb /dI»lIb´reIt/ adjective /di»mÅnIk/

to think very carefully connected with evil
She took her time to deliberate over the menu before The priest said the magician was using demonic
placing an order. powers to perform certain acts.
delicacy
denizen
noun /»delIk´si/
a type of food considered to be special noun /»denIzn/
Caviar is considered to be a delicacy. inhabitant or occupant of a particular place
He is a denizen of one of the remote mountainous
delicatessen regions.
noun /«delIk´»tesn/ denounce
a shop that sells special, unusual foods
We go to the delicatessen everyday for their special verb /dI»naUns/
French cheese. to speak publicly strongly against, condemn
I was shocked to hear Jane denounce her sister as a
delirious liar.
adjective /dI»lIri´s/ denudation
in an excited state and not able to think or speak
clearly, usually because of fever noun /diInjU»deIS´n/
The delirious patient did not recognise his children. the removal or exposure of a covering or surface layer
The denudation of forests may result in mudslides in
delude the monsoon.
verb /dI»lu˘d/ depot
to deceive or mislead
It is not right to delude oneself with false hopes. noun /»dep´U/
a place where large amounts of food, goods or
delusion equipment are stored
Flour bags were being carried to the ration depot.
noun /dI»lu˘Zn/
a false impression or opinion
Her comments make it seem like she is living in a
world of delusion.

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dereliction detergent
12 to 14
age group D
noun /«der´»lIkSn/ noun /dI»tŒ˘dZ´nt /
abandonment a washing powder or liquid that removes dirt
The previous owners had rescued the building from This laundry detergent can remove grease stains
dereliction. from clothes.

deride detonation

verb /dI»raId/ noun /«det´»neISn/

to ridicule a loud explosion
I think he will deride our views on the irrigation The detonation of the bomb was heard all over the
system. city.

derogatory deuce

adjective /dI»rÅg´tri/ noun /dju˘s/

expressing a low opinion and lack of respect a playing card with the number two
He made derogatory statements about her behaviour. I played the deuce which helped me win the game of
cards.
desiccated
deuteron
adjective /»desIkeItId/
dried out noun /»dju˘t´rÅn/
Amna put desiccated coconut in the dessert. a positively charged particle consisting of a proton
despicable and a neutron
The deuteron is a stable particle.
adjective /dI»spIk´bl/
very unpleasant or evil diabetes
His despicable behaviour was not acceptable.
noun /«daI´»bi˘ti˘z/
despondency a disease of the pancreas in which sugars cannot be
properly absorbed
noun /dI»spÅnd´nsi/ My friend was diagnosed with diabetes.
loss of hope
He was unable to conceal his despondency from his diagonal
parents.
adjective /daI»Qg´nl/
dessert at an angle
The flag consists of red diagonal stripes.
noun /dI»zŒ˘t/
sweet food eaten usually at the end of a meal diarrhoea
She served delicious chocolate brownies with vanilla
ice-cream for dessert. noun /«daI´»rI´/
an illness in which waste matter is emptied from the
destitute bowels much more frequently than normal
She suffered from diarrhoea after eating the stale
adjective /»destItju˘t/ food.
without money, food and the other things necessary
for life dichotomy
The destitute family had to sleep on the footpath as
noun /daI»kÅt´mi/
they had no other place to go.
difference or opposition between two things
There is a dichotomy between the academic and the
industrial worlds.

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D
dictate
12 to 14
age group
discourteous

verb /dIk»teIt/ adjective /dIs»kŒ˘ti´s /

to say words for somebody else to write down rude and lacking consideration for others
He said he would dictate the whole letter to his His discourteous display of anger has seen him
secretary. struck off most party lists.

digest discrete

verb /daI»dZest/ adjective /dI»skri˘t/

to cause food to be changed in the stomach into a separate from other things of the same type
soluble form The organisms can be divided into discrete
Some foods digest more easily than others. categories.

digress disease

verb /daI»gres/ noun /dI»zi˘z/

to stray away an illness affecting humans, animals or plants
He was instructed not to digress from the main points Smoking is one of the major causes of heart disease.
in his presentation.

dilemma disembarkation

noun /dI»lem´/ noun /«dIs«embA˘»keISn/

a difficult choice between two alternatives leaving a ship, aircraft or train
She is in a dilemma about continuing with her job or The passengers awaited disembarkation at Crete.
looking for a new one.
disguise
dinosaur
verb /dIs»gaIz/
noun /»daIn´sç˘[r]/ to use an unusual appearance in order to hide the
any of the numerous extinct terrestrial reptiles of the identity of a person or a thing
Mesozoic era He grew a beard to disguise himself.

diphtheria disinclination

noun /dIf»TI´ri´/ noun /«dIs«InklI»neISn/

a serious infectious disease causing inflammation of lack of willingness or enthusiasm
the mucous membranes, especially in the throat Some people have a strong disinclination for work.
He cancelled his holiday because he was ill with
diphtheria. disinterested

disarray adjective /dIs»Intr´stId/

not influenced by personal concerns
noun /«dIs´»reI/ He was a disinterested judge in the dispute.
a state of disorder
The peace talks broke up in disarray. dismal

discerning adjective /»dIzm´l/

gloomy, depressing
adjective /dI»sŒ˘nIN / I do not feel like going out in this dismal weather.
able to perceive or distinguish well
His discerning mind is able to grasp all new concepts
in class.

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dispassionate docile
12 to 14
age group D
adjective /dIs»pQS´n´t/ adjective /»d´UsaIl/
not favouring a particular side, opinion quiet and easy to control
In a dispassionate analysis, he carefully examined the The trainer gave a docile horse to the new rider.
concerns of both parties.
dodo
disperse
noun /»d´Ud´U/
verb /dI»spŒ˘s / a large heavy bird that used to live on an island in the
to scatter Indian Ocean
The police was asked to disperse the crowd.
doldrums
dispirited
plural noun /»dÅldr´mz/
adjective /dI»spIrItId/ the state of being sad or depressed
discouraged He has been down in the doldrums ever since he
She refused to be dispirited by her prolonged illness. failed in his monthly exams.

disposable dollop

adjective /dI»sp´Uz´bl/ noun /»dÅl´p/

intended to be used once and then thrown away a lump of soft food often dropped from a spoon
The doctor put on disposable gloves before I added a dollop of whipped cream to the fruit trifle.
examining the patient.
dolphin
dissertation
noun /»dÅlfIn/
noun /«dIs´»teISn/ any of the various small toothed whales with a beak-
a long formal essay like snout
Her dissertation was on modern poetry.
domain
distil
noun /d´»meIn/
verb /dI»stIl/ an area of knowledge or activity
to purify a liquid by heating it so that it vaporises, The care of older people is being placed firmly within
then condensing the vapour and collecting the the domain of the family.
resulting liquid
It is essential to distil sea water before it is fit for domineering
consumption.
adjective /«dÅmI»nI´rIN/
diverge arrogant and overbearing
Nobody enjoys the company of a domineering
verb /daI»vŒ˘dZ / person.
to proceed in different directions
The parallel lines appear to diverge. dormitory

divination noun /»dç˘m´tri/

a bedroom for a number of people in an institution
noun /«dIvI»neISn/ The dormitory was large enough to sleep twenty
discovery of the unknown by supernatural means people.
The old man used divination to find the water source.

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D
dough
12 to 14
age group
drought

noun /d´U/ noun /draUt/

mixture of flour and water that is made into bread and a very long period of little or no rainfall
pastry The drought in Ethiopia has killed thousands of
We made biscuits from the dough. people.

doughnut drudgery

noun /»d´Un√t/ noun /»dr√dZ´ri/

a small fried cake or ring of sweetened dough hard, menial, or dull work
She bought a chocolate doughnut from the bakery. Working at the factory all day on the assembly line is
sheer drudgery.
dowry
dual
noun /»daUri/
money or property that, in some societies, a woman’s adjective /»dju˘´l/
family must pay to the man when getting married having two parts; double
She started collecting dowry for her daughter soon She has dual nationality.
after she was born. dubious

drainage adjective /»dju˘bi´s/

of questionable value or truth
noun /»dreInIdZ/ They have indulged in dubious business practices to
the process by which water or liquid waste is taken obtain their current position in the market.
out from an area
The drainage of the city was well planned. ductile

dramatic adjective /»d√ktaIl/

(of a metal) that can be made into a thin wire
adjective /dr´»mQtIk/ Ductile metal is used for making wires.
noticeable, sudden and often surprising
The budget had a dramatic effect on the real estate dungeon
prices.
noun /»d√ndZ´n/
dreadful a strong underground prison cell
He was kidnapped and kept prisoner in the dungeon
adjective /»dredfl/ of the old castle.
extremely bad or serious
They treat their staff in the most dreadful way. durable

drizzle adjective /»djU´r´bl/

likely to last for a long time
noun /»drIzl/ She bought some durable plastic bowls from the
light rain supermarket.
The drizzle slowly turned into a heavy downpour.
duress
dromedary
noun /djU»res/
noun /»drÅm´d´ri/ threats or force
a camel with only one hump He signed the statement under duress.

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dutiful
12 to 14
age group D
adjective /»dju˘tIfl/
showing submission to natural superiors
She is a dutiful daughter.

duvet

noun /»du˘v´I/
a large, thick quilt filled with feathers or other soft
material
The duvet kept me warm and cosy last night.

dynamo

noun /»d√In´m´U/
a generator, especially one for producing direct
current
He used a dynamo that ran on pedal power.

dyslexia

noun /dIs»leksi´/
a disorder of the brain that causes difficulty in reading
and spelling
She had difficulty taking exams as she suffered from
dyslexia.

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E
earnest
12 to 14
age group
egotism

adjective /»Œ˘nIst/ noun /»ig´tIz´m/

serious or determined thinking that you are better or more important than
I had an earnest conversation with him. anyone else
Society is slowly deteriorating because of excessive
easel egotism and pride.
noun /»i˘zl/ eiderdown
a wooden frame on legs used for holding an artist’s
work in progress noun /»aId´daUn/
His easel stands in the far corner of the studio. a quilt filled with feathers or some other soft material
I snuggled under the eiderdown to stay warm.
eclipse
elastic
noun /I»klIps/
a partial or total disappearance of the light of the Sun noun /I»lQstIk/
or the moon material with rubber, that can stretch and then return
A total solar eclipse is rarely sighted. to its original size
The skirt needs some new elastic at the waist.
eczema
electioneering
noun /»eksIm´/
a skin condition in which areas of skin become red, noun /I«lekS´»nI´rIN/
rough and sore the action of campaigning to be elected to a political
I have tried a lot to cure the eczema on my legs but position
nothing seems to work. The party has started its electioneering early this
term.
efface
elephant
verb /I»feIs/
to remove something noun /»elIf´nt/
He tried to efface the memory of the accident. a very big wild animal from Africa and Asia with a
long trunk
effervescent
elicit
adjective /«ef´»vesnt/
having or producing small bubbles of gas verb /i»lIsIt/
Cola is an effervescent drink. to draw out
The teacher was unable to elicit an answer from her
effluent student.
noun /»EflU´nt/ eligible
liquid waste or sewerage discharged into a river or
sea adjective /»elIdZ´bl/
Effluent from the river-side factories represents a fit or suitable to be chosen
considerable pollution risk. Adnan is considered to be the most eligible bachelor
in town.
egalitarian
eliminate
adjective /i«gQlI»te´ri´n/
believing that all people are equal and deserve equal verb /I»lImIneIt/
rights and opportunities completely remove or get rid of
Sweden is a good model of an egalitarian society. Let us all strive to eliminate poverty.

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elinvar emblazon
12 to 14
age group E
noun /»el´n«vÅr/ verb /Im»bleIzn/
a kind of steel known for its elasticity remaining to decorate something with a design, symbol or words
constant over a wide range of temperature The Principal wanted to emblazon the school logo on
The largest use of Elinvar is in the balance springs for the sports shields.
mechanical watches and chronometers.
embroidery
elliptical
noun /Im»brçId´ri/
adjective /I»lIptIkl/ the art of sewing decorative needlework patterns on
oval shaped fabric
The Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun. The intricate embroidery on his kurta won many
admirers.
eloquence
emerald
noun /»el´kw´ns/
fluent or persuasive writing or speaking noun /»em´r´ld/
She is famous for her eloquence. a bright green precious stone
This emerald was mined in Columbia.
elusive
emulate
adjective /i»lu˘sIv/
difficult to find, capture verb /»emjuleIt/
Wild rabbits are extremely elusive animals. to imitate; to try to equal or excel
She hopes to emulate her sister’s sporting
emancipate achievements.
verb /I»mQnsIpeIt/ encephalitis
to set free
The attempts to emancipate the slaves were not noun /en«sef´»laIt´s/
popular in Mississippi. an infection which causes the brain to become
swollen
embalm David is suffering from encephalitis.
verb /Im»bA˘m/ enclosure
to treat a dead body with special substances to
preserve it and prevent it from decay noun /In»kl´UZ´[r]/
In ancient Egypt, it was a common ritual to embalm a an area of land surrounded by a fence or wall
body before burying it. We got to sit in the best enclosure of the stadium
during the recent cricket match.
embellish
encumber
verb /Im»belIS/
to add details to something to make it more attractive verb /In»k√mb´[r]/
He planned to embellish the carved door of his house to hamper, burden
with brass door knobs. It is not a good idea to encumber yourself with heavy
luggage while travelling.
embezzlement
encumbrance
noun /Im»bezlm´nt/
the act of stealing money that you are responsible for noun /In»k√mbr´ns/
The bank employee was found guilty of a burden or impediment
embezzlement. His heavy luggage was an encumbrance.

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endangered
12 to 14
age group
enterprise

adjective /In»deIndZ´[r]d/ noun /»ent´praIz/

in danger of being destroyed a company or business
The giant panda is an endangered species. Jack set up a new enterprise after returning from
England.
endearment
enthusiasm
noun /In»dI´m´nt/
an act, word or expression of affection noun /In»Tju˘ziQz´m/
The word ‘darling’ is a term of endearment. great eagerness
The cricket team was welcomed with great
endeavour enthusiasm after their victory.
verb /In»dev´[r]/ entomology
try hard
Pakistan will endeavour to uphold the rights of noun /«ent´»mÅl´dZi/
women. the scientific study of insects
I found entomology the most difficult part of my
engrossed biology course.
verb /In»gr´Ust/ entrepreneur
extremely busy with and interested in something
She was engrossed in conversation. noun /«Åntr´pr´»nŒ˘[r]/
a businessman or woman
enhance She is a successful entrepreneur with a chain of
restaurants in the city.
verb /In»hA˘ns/
to intensify, heighten entrepreneurial
High quality fuel can enhance the performance of
your car. adjective /«Åntr´pr´»nŒ˘ri´l/
making money through business activity
enigma His entrepreneurial skills will help the company
greatly.
noun /I»nIgm´/
a puzzle or riddle envelope
The student’s exceptional skill in mathematics was an
enigma. noun /»env´l´Up/
a flat paper container for letters
enlighten She wrote the address in block letters on the
envelope.
verb /In»laItn/
to give somebody information so they understand envious
something better
I would like him to enlighten me on what really adjective /»envi´s/
happened that night. jealous
He could see the envious look in the other boy’s eyes.
enrage
envisage
verb /In»reIdZ/
to make somebody very angry verb /In»vIzIdZ/
It will enrage me if I spill grape juice on my white to imagine a future situation
pants. I don’t envisage myself working with him next year.

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epiglottis esplanade
12 to 14
age group E
noun /«epI»glÅtIs/ noun /«espl´»neId/
a thin piece of tissue behind the tongue that prevents a long, level area along which people may walk for
food or drink from entering the lungs pleasure
The epiglottis covers the windpipe while swallowing. The couple enjoy their walks along the esplanade.

epitaph essence

noun /»epItA˘f/ noun /»esns/

words written in memory of a person who has died the most important quality or feature of something
The epitaph on his gravestone did not do justice to Her paintings capture the essence of our country.
his life.
estuary
epitome
noun /»EstjU´ri/
noun /I»pIt´mi/ the wide part of a river where it flows into the sea
a perfect example of something An estuary contains both fresh and salt water.
Her clothes are the epitome of good taste.
eucalyptus
equilibrium
noun /«ju˘k´»lIpt´s/
noun /«i˘kwI»lIbri´m/ a tall straight tree with leaves that produce an oil with
a state of balance a strong smell
Any disturbance to the body’s equilibrium can He was sitting under the shadow of a tall eucalyptus,
produce stress. reading a book.

equipment euphemism

noun /I»kwIpm´nt/ noun /»ju˘f´mIz´m/

the items needed for a particular purpose a mild word or phrase that is used to refer to
They loaded the equipment into the back of the van. something unpleasant
“User fees” is a politician’s euphemism for taxes.
eradicate
euphoria
verb /I»rQdIkeIt/
root out; get rid of noun /ju˘»fç˘ri´/
The citizens of this town are determined to eradicate strong feeling of well-being
crime from their community. I was in a state of euphoria after my victory.

erroneous exacerbate

adjective /I»r´Uni´s/ verb /Ig»zQs´beIt/

incorrect make something worse
He was under the erroneous impression that the boss Your intrusion will only exacerbate the situation.
was very fond of him.
exceed
escalate
verb /Ik»si˘d/
verb /»esk´leIt/ to be greater than
to become greater, worse, or more serious He was instructed not to let his monthly expenditure
At times, minor disagreements between people can exceed a certain limit.
escalate into serious fights.

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excerpt
12 to 14
age group
extinguish

noun /»eksŒ˘pt / verb /Ik»stINgwIS/

a short piece of writing, music, film taken from a to make a fire stop burning or a light stop shining
longer whole The water was not enough to extinguish the fire.
The magazine will be carrying an excerpt from his
new book. extortionate

exchequer adjective /Ik»stç˘S´n´t/

grossly over-priced
noun /Iks»tSek´[r]/ They are offering loans at extortionate rates of
a royal or national treasury interest.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer takes the credit for
the strong economy. extradite

exemplify verb /»ekstr´daIt/

to officially send back somebody who has been
verb /Ig»zemplIfaI/ accused of a crime to the place where the crime was
to be a typical example committed
I would like my food to exemplify Italian cooking at its The British government attempted to extradite the
best. suspects from Belgium.

exhilarate extrapolate

verb /Ig»zIl´reIt/ verb /Ik»strQp´leIt/

cause to feel very happy to estimate something not known from data or
A bungee jump will exhilarate you more than a roller information available
coaster ride. I am trying to extrapolate some results from research
done in other countries.
existential
extravagant
adjective /«egzI»stenS´l/
connected with human existence adjective /Ik»strQv´g´nt/
The existential philosopher put forward a new theory, spending or using more than you can afford
which was widely criticised. She has very extravagant tastes.

expedient exuberant

adjective /Ik»spi˘di´nt/ adjective /Ig»zju˘b´r´nt/

advantageous but not always fair full of energy, excitement and happiness
The government has decided that a cut in interest She gave an exuberant performance at the piano
rates would be politically expedient. recital.

explicit

adjective /Ik»splIsIt/
clear and easy to understand
He gave me very explicit directions on how to get to
his place.

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fabricate fallacy
12 to 14
age group F
verb /»fQbrIkeIt/ noun /»fQl´si/
to make up something false a misleading argument
He likes to fabricate stories which have very little truth It is a fallacy to say that the camera never lies.
in them.
famine
facet
noun /»fQmIn/
noun /»fQsIt/ extreme scarcity of food
a particular part or aspect of something There is widespread poverty and famine in some
As they struggled to find a solution, they realised parts of Africa.
there was another facet to the problem.
fanaticism
facetious
noun /f´»nQtIsIz´m/
adjective /f´»si˘S´s/ extreme beliefs or behaviour
joking The management decided to take action against
She was angry with him for making a facetious fanaticism.
remark about her appearance.
fastidious
factotum
adjective /fQ»stIdi´s/
noun /fQk»t´Ut´m/ very accurate and detailed
an employee who does all kinds of work Everything was planned in fastidious detail.
He has been working as a factotum at this office for a
long time. fatigue

facula noun /f´»ti˘g/

extreme tiredness
noun /»fakjUl´/ He was suffering from both physical and mental
an irregular, unusually bright patch on the sun’s fatigue.
surface.
Facula causes an appearance of spots on the surface favourable
of the sun.
adjective /»feIv´r´bl/
falconry expressing approval
She made a favourable impression on his parents.
noun /»fç˘lk´nri/
the art or sport of keeping and breeding birds of prey febrifuge
and training them to hunt
The sheikh’s interest in falconry far exceeded his noun /»fEbrIfju˘dZ/
other hobbies. a medicine or remedy that is used to reduce fever
Febrifuge is similar to any drug used to reduce fever.
fallacious
feign
adjective /f´»leIS´s/
wrong, based on a false idea verb /feIn/
The fallacious arguments in his presentation were to pretend
pointed out by the teacher. She decided to feign illness so she could leave her
work place early.

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F
elicitous
12 to 14
age group
fictitious

adjective /f´»lIsIt´s/ adjective /fIk»tIS´s/

apt; suitably expressed; well chosen invented, not true
Being famous for his felicitous remarks, he was called The fictitious places in the novel really fascinated the
to serve as master-of-ceremonies at the banquet. readers.

fellowship field

noun /»fel´USIp/ noun /fi˘ld/

an organised group of people who share an interest, an area of land, usually surrounded by a hedge or
aim or belief fence, used for cattle or for growing crops
The church welcomed new members into its The girl’s pony was kept in the field outside the farm.
fellowship.
fierce
ferocious
adjective /fI´s/
adjective /f´»r´US´s/ violent, cruel, angry
savagely fierce, cruel, or violent He was badly injured after being attacked by a fierce
The ferocious lion rushed towards the antelope. dog.

fervour figurine

noun /»fŒ˘v´[r] / noun /»fIg´ri˘n/

passion, very strong feelings a small statue of a person or an animal used as a
His speech was marked with a strong patriotic decorative object
fervour. She presented me with a beautiful figurine from
China.
fetish
filigree
noun /»fetIS/
an object or principle irrationally revered noun /»fIlIgri˘/
Some women have a fetish about new clothes. delicate, lace-like metal work
She wore beautiful silver filigree earrings.
fibre

noun /»faIb´[r]/ fiscal

the part of food that helps in digestion and helps a adjective /»fIskl/
person keep healthy connected with government or public money specially
Beans and dried fruit are healthy foods as they are taxes
high in fibre. The government proposed new fiscal policies to
improve the country’s economy.
fibrinogen

noun /faI»brIn´dZ´n/ flair

a substance in the blood from which fibrin is noun /fle´[r]/
produced the natural ability to do something well
A test was performed to check the level of fibrinogen She has a flair for learning new languages.
in his blood.
flamboyant
fibrous
adjective /flQm»bçI´nt/
adjective /»faIbr´s/
ostentatious, showy
having to do with or made of threads She dresses in a very flamboyant style.
Muscles are made up of fibrous tissue.

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flea forbear
12 to 14
age group F
noun /fli/ verb /f碻be´[r]/
a very small jumping insect without wings, that feeds to refrain from
on the blood of humans and animals Although she was furious, she decided to forbear
from taking any impulsive action.
flounder
foreboding
verb /»flaUnd´[r]/
to move clumsily or with difficulty noun /f碻b´UdIN/
I am a very good swimmer and will not flounder in a feeling that something unpleasant is going to
deep water. happen
She had a sense of foreboding that the news would
fluctuation be bad.
noun /«fl√ktSu»eISn/ foreign
irregular variation
The constant fluctuation in voltage prevented the air adjective /»fÅr´n/
conditioner from cooling the room. in or from a country that is not your own
He learnt a foreign language within one year.
fluke
formidable
noun /flu˘k/
a lucky or unusual thing that happens by accident and adjective /»fç˘mId´bl/
not because of planning or skill difficult to deal with or overcome
They are determined to show that their last victory His recent victories in tennis have given him the
was no fluke. reputation of being a formidable opponent.

fluorescence fowl

noun /«fl碻resns/ noun /faUl/

light given out by a substance when it is exposed to a bird, especially one kept on a farm
radiation A chicken is a type of fowl.
Fluorescence has been used to study the structure
and conformations of DNA techniques. fragment
fluorescent
noun /»frQgm´nt/
adjective /«fl碻resnt/ a small part of something
producing or sending out a bright light I could only save a fragment of the document.
They painted the room bright fluorescent pink.
fraudulent
fluoride
adjective /»frç˘dj´l´nt/
noun /»flç˘raId/ dishonest
a chemical substance that protects teeth from decay He was put in prison for his fraudulent behaviour.
Fluoride is added to drinking water in some countries.
frequency
foible
noun /»fri˘kw´nsi/
noun /»fçIbl/ the number of any occurrence within a given time
a minor character flaw Natural disasters appear to happen with increasing
The strict boss would not tolerate any foible in his frequency.
subordinate.

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F
frigate
12 to 14
age group
funereal

noun /»frig´t/ adjective /fju»nI´ri´l/

a small fast ship gloomy, dismal
A frigate accompanied the battleship. There was a funereal atmosphere in their house for
days after their mother’s death.
frightful

adjective /»fraItfl/
causing fear, dreadful
The frightful expression on her face alarmed
everyone in the room.

frivolous

adjective /»frIv´l´s/
not serious or important
She spends too much money on frivolous things.

frolicking

noun /»frÅlIkIN/
playing in a lively way
Please stop this frolicking around and get on with
your work.

frugal

adjective /»fru˘gl/
careful, economical
They had a frugal meal at a small restaurant.

fulfilment

noun /fUl»fIlm´nt/
satisfaction
The members of the committee could look back on
their report with a feeling of fulfilment.

fumble

verb /»f√mbl/
to feel about or look for something uncertainly
She started to fumble around in her pockets for the
key.

fumigate

verb /»fju˘mIgeIt/
to disinfect with chemical vapour
He had to fumigate his cotton fields every year.

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gallivant garrulous
12 to 14
age group G
verb /»gQlIvQnt/ adjective /»gQr´l´s/
to go from place to place in excitement talking too much
At the weekend he likes to gallivant from one party to One should not trust a garrulous person with a
the next. secret.

galore gauche

adjective /g´»lç˘[r]/ adjective /g´US/

in large numbers or amounts socially shy and clumsy
They have flowers galore in their garden every spring. The gauche schoolgirl often landed in trouble by
saying the wrong things.
gander
gaunt
noun /»gQnd´[r]/
a male goose adjective /gç˘nt/
very thin because of hunger, illness
gangrene The gaunt faces of the starved children in Ethiopia
was a sorrowful sight.
noun /»gQNgri˘n/
the decay of a part of the body due to obstructed gazebo
circulation
He has developed frostbite in his foot and is taking noun /g´»zi˘b´u/
antibiotics to stop gangrene from setting in. a small building with open sides usually in a garden
offering a wide view of the surrounding area
gangrenous We sat in the gazebo admiring the beautiful view of
the garden.
adjective /»gQNgrIn´s/
decomposing (of bodily tissue) gazette
Patients with gangrenous limbs were treated at the
clinic. noun /g´»zet/
an official newspaper published by an organisation
ganymede She frequently wrote for the company’s gazette.
noun /»ganImi˘d/ gelatine
the largest moon of the planet Jupiter
Ganymede was originally sighted by Galileo and is noun /»dZel´tIn/
one of the largest satellites in the solar system. a clear, tasteless substance used in foods
The chef used gelatine in the cheesecake.
gargantuan
genesis
adjective /gA˘»gQntSu´n/
enormous noun /»dZen´sIs/
Big Lenny has always had a gargantuan appetite. the beginning or origin of something
He proposed a new theory about the genesis of
gargle civilization.
verb /»gA˘gl/ genius
to wash the throat with a liquid
He was asked to gargle with salt and hot water noun /»dZi˘ni´s/
everyday to cure his sore throat. unusual great intelligence, skill or artistic ability
Her idea was a stroke of genius.

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G
genome
12 to 14
age group
glacier

noun /»dZi˘n´Um/ noun /»glQsi´[r]/

the complete set of genes in a cell or living thing a large mass of ice that moves very slowly down a
The human genome is a very complex yet intricate valley
part of nature. A glacier is a slow-moving river of ice.

geodesic glimpse

adjective /«dZi˘´U»dEsIk/ noun /glImps/

denoting the shortest possible line between two a quick, incomplete view or look
points on a curved surface He caught a glimpse of the intruder’s face from the
Geodesic structures are especially good at spanning window.
large spaces
glitch
germanium
noun /glItS/
noun /dZŒ˘»meIni´m / a small problem or fault
a grey crystalline element with semiconducting The pilot blamed the delay on a technical glitch.
properties, resembling silicon
Garlic, along with several other minerals, contains glitterati
germanium.
plural noun /«glIt´»rA˘ti/
gesture fashionable people involved in show business or other
glamorous activity
noun /»dZestS´[r]/ The red carpet affair was littered with glitterati from
a movement of the hand, head or face to show feeling television to the big screen.
He made a rude gesture at the driver of the other car.
globular
geyser
adjective /»glÅbj´l´[r]/
noun /»gi˘z´[r]/ spherical or shaped like a globe
a hot spring in which water intermittently boils and On her birthday, her father gave her a lovely lamp
gushes out with a globular shade.
The local geyser attracts many tourists.
glorious
ghastly
adjective /»glç˘ri´s/
adjective /»gA˘stli/ splendid or magnificent
very frightening and unpleasant It was such a glorious day that we decided to go to
The news of the ghastly murder shocked everyone in the beach.
the small town.
glossary
giraffe
noun /»glÅs´ri/
noun /dZ´»rA˘f/ a list in a book with explanation of special words used
a large African animal with very long legs and neck in the text
I found the glossary at the end of the book very
glaciation useful.
noun /«gleIsi»eISn/
the movement of a mass of ice over an area of land
Global warming is having a harmful effect on
glaciation.

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gluon graduation
12 to 14
age group G
noun /»glu˘Ån/ noun /«grQdZu»eISn/
a subatomic particle of a class that is thought to bind successful completion of a university degree
quarks together She received many job offers even before her
The first direct experimental evidence of a gluon was graduation.
noted in 1979.
grandiose
glutinous
adjective /»grQndi´Us/
adjective /»glu˘t´n´s/ on an impressive scale
sticky I was greatly impressed by the grandiose architecture
She served an unappetising and glutinous dessert. of the mosque.

goitre granulated

noun /»gçIt´[r]/ adjective /«grQnjuleItId/

a swelling of the throat caused by a disease of the in the form of grains
thyroid gland Granulated salt is mixed with iodine to make it more
Goitre is more common in females than in males. healthy.

gondolier gratuitous

noun /«gÅnd´»lI´[r]/ adjective /gr´»tju˘It´s/

a Venetian boatman done without reason or purpose
The gondolier sang a ballad while he rowed. Films are full of gratuitous violence these days.

goose gratuity

noun /gu˘s/ noun /gr´»tju˘eti/

a big aquatic bird that has a long neck money that you give to somebody who has provided
a service for you
gorgonzola Waiters are usually paid a fifteen% gratuity in the
United States.
noun /«gç˘gen»z´Ul´/
a strong-flavoured Italian cheese with bluish-green grease
veins
He bought a packet of gorgonzola from the store. noun /gri˘s/
a thick substance containing oil
gorilla You will need liquid detergent to get the grease off the
plates.
noun /g´»ril´/
a very large powerful African ape Grecian
The mountain gorilla is close to extinction.
adjective /»gri˘Sn/
gradient from ancient Greece
Grecian architecture is renowned for its beauty and
noun /»greIdi´nt/ elegance.
the degree of a slope gregarious
The gradient of the hill was too steep to climb.
adjective /grI»ge´ri´s/
sociable or liking the company of others
The gregarious child amused everyone at the
birthday party.

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G
gristle
12 to 14
age group

noun /»grIsl/
tough, flexible tissue in vertebrates
The gristle in the meat really spoiled the dinner for
me.

guacamole

noun /«gwQk´»m´Uli/
a dish of mashed avocado
She made guacamole for the picnic.

gymnastics

noun /dZIm»nQstIks/
physical exercises using special equipment
Gymnastics is a sport that requires a lot of patience
and determination.

gynaecology

noun /«gAIn´»kÅl´dZi/
the scientific study and treatment of the diseases and
medical conditions of women
She is specialising in the field of gynaecology.

gypsum

noun /»dZIps´m/
a soft, white mineral like chalk
Pakistan has large deposits of high quality gypsum.

gyroscope

noun /»dZaIr´sk´Up/
a device used to provide stability or maintain a fixed
direction
The gyroscope malfunctioned and threw them off
course.

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habitual haphazard
12 to 14
age group H
adjective /h´»bItSu´l/ adjective /hQp»hQz´d/
regular, customary with no particular order or plan; not organised well
She is a habitual liar. The books had been piled on the shelf in a
haphazard fashion.
hackneyed
harangue
adjective /»hQknid/
unoriginal and dull noun /h´»rQN/
She often uses the most hackneyed phrase to make a long, forceful speech
her point. We had to listen to his political harangue for over an
hour.
haemophilia
harmonious
noun /«hi˘m´»fIli´/
a medical condition in which the blood fails to clot adjective /hA˘»m´Uni´s/
normally forming a pleasing combination
Patients suffering from haemophilia must be My wife and I have a harmonious relationship.
extremely wary of anything that could cause them
injury. harpoon

halitosis noun /hA˘»pu˘n/

a weapon like a spear on a rope, that is thrown or
noun /«hQlI»t´UsIs/ fired from a gun
a condition in which the breath smells unpleasant The hunters in Africa still use the harpoon as their
Halitosis can often be remedied by something as main weapon against wild animals.
simple as toothpaste.
hatchet
hallucination
noun /»hQtSIt/
noun /h´«lu˘sI»neISn/ a small axe
vision of something that is not present The angry man picked up a hatchet in a threatening
Some drugs can cause a hallucination. manner.

halogens haughtiness

noun /»hQl´dZ´ns/ noun /»hç˘tin´s/

any of a set of five chemical elements that react with pride; arrogance
hydrogen to form acids His haughtiness is disliked by all.
Halogens, in the form of gas, are used in lamps and
cookers. hazardous

hammock adjective /»hQz´d´s/

dangerous
noun /»hQm´k/ The hazardous chemical waste should not be
a hanging bed made of canvas or a network of ropes disposed of in the ocean.
Mark is always asleep in the hammock in his
backyard.

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H
hedge
12 to 14
age group
hereditary

noun /hedZ/ adjective /h´»redItri/

a row of bushes, shrubs or tall plants forming a passed on from parent to child
boundary for a garden, field Epilepsy is a hereditary illness.
The hedge around our garden needs trimming every
few weeks. heritage

hedgehog noun /»herItIdZ/

the history, traditions and qualities important to a
noun /»hedZhÅg/ society or country
a small brown animal covered with sharp spikes Europe is known for its rich cultural heritage.

hegemony heroin

noun /hI»dZem´ni/ noun /»her´UIn/

dominance of one group or state over another a strong addictive drug made from morphine
Western hegemony is growing in most parts of Asia. Customs officials arrested a man and recovered six
kilograms of heroin from him.
helmet
herringbone
noun /»helmIt/
a type of hard hat that you wear to protect your head noun /»herINb´Un/
He never rides a motorcycle without wearing a a pattern used in stitching consisting of V-shaped
helmet. lines that are parallel to each other
The napkin was embroidered in herringbone.
hemisphere
heterogeneous
noun /»hemIsfI´[r]/
one half of the Earth adjective /«het´r´»dZi˘ni´s/
Pakistan is located in the Northern hemisphere. formed of parts of different kinds
The population is a heterogeneous mixture of various
hepatitis races and ethnic groups.
noun /«hep´»taItIs/ hiccup
inflammation of the liver
She has been missing school because she is noun /»hIk√p/
suffering from hepatitis. a sharp, usually repeated sound like a cough when
the breath is briefly interrupted
herald She gave a loud hiccup in class.
verb /»her´ld/ hideous
to signal the approach of
These talks could herald a new era of peace. adjective /»hIdi´s/
frightful, very unpleasant
herbaceous The whole experience seemed like some hideous
nightmare.
adjective /hŒ˘»beIS´s/
relating to certain plants hierarchical
She wanted to put some herbaceous plants in the
adjective /«haI´»rA˘kIkl/
house.
related to a system of status or authority ranked one
above another
The new manager got rid of the company’s
complicated hierarchical structure.

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hierarchy hominidae
12 to 14
age group H
noun /»haI´rA˘ki/ noun /»hÅmInId/
organisation with grades or classes ranked one above modern man and his extinct predecessors
another Champanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans fall
She is quite high up in the management hierarchy. in the category of hominidae.

hieroglyphics homogeneous

noun /«haI´r´»glIfIks/ adjective /«hÅm´»dZi˘ni´s/

a system of writing using a picture to represent a formed of parts of the same kind
word or sound The town caters well for the similar needs of its
Some Egyptian hieroglyphics are beautiful works of homogeneous population.
art.
horde
hilarious
noun /hç˘d/
adjective /hI»le´ri´s/ a large group or crowd
extremely funny A horde of spectators rushed onto the football field.
The hilarious situation made everyone laugh.
horrendous
hindrance
adjective /hÅ»rend´s/
noun /»hIndr´ns/ extremely shocking and unpleasant
an obstruction or obstacle We saw a horrendous car accident on the motorway.
Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance to
traffic. horrible

hippopotamus adjective /»hÅr´bl/

very bad or unpleasant
noun /«hIp´»pÅt´m´s/ The horrible weather at the hill station spoiled their
a large African animal with a thick skin, found in vacation.
swampy areas, lakes and rivers
hostess
holocaust
noun /»h´Ust´s/
noun /»hÅl´kç˘st/ a woman who invites guests to a meal, and looks
a large scale destruction after them
We saw a documentary about the nuclear holocaust Mary was always the perfect hostess.
in Japan.
hullabaloo
homeostasis
noun /«h√l´b´»lu˘/
noun /«hÅmI´UsteIsIs/ a lot of loud noise, an uproar
the self regulating maintenance of the metabolic The protestors created a hullabaloo outside
process Parliament House.
Homeostatis is essential for survival.
humanitarian
homicide
noun /hju˘«mQnI»te´ri´n/
noun /»hÅmIsaId/ person concerned with human welfare
murder He is the consummate humanitarian and lives to
In the United Kingdom, the punishment for homicide serve people in need.
is life imprisonment.

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H
husbandry
12 to 14
age group
hypnosis

noun /»h√zb´ndri/ noun /hIp»n´UsIs/

farming an artificially produced state like deep sleep
He is engaged in animal husbandry. Many people use hypnosis to cure bad habits such as
smoking.
hybrid
hypnotic
noun /»haIbrId/
a plant or animal produced by combining two different adjective /hIp»nÅtIk/
species or varieties inducing a trance-like sleep
The scientist announced that the odd-looking plant His voice had an almost hypnotic effect on me.
was a hybrid.
hypocrisy
hydraulic
noun /hI»pÅkr´si/
adjective /haI»drç˘lIk/ false virtue or goodness
involving the movement of water or oil through pipes He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who
under pressure say one thing and do another.
The hydraulic pump stopped working due to low
voltage. hypocrite

hydrophone noun /»hIp´krIt/

one who pretends to be good and virtuous
noun /»h√Idr´f´Un/ She was a hypocrite who pretended to be very
a microphone that detects sound waves under water righteous and honest.
A hydrophone can detect submarines by the noise of
their engines. hypothesis

hyena noun /haI»pÅT´sIs/

a theory
noun /hAI»i˘n´/ The scientist wanted to perform a series of
a wild animal that looks like a wolf and makes experiments to test his hypothesis.
shrieking sounds
hypothetical
hygiene
adjective /«haIp´»TetIkl/
noun /»haIdZi˘n/ based on an imagined or possible situation rather
rules for the prevention of disease through than fact
cleanliness I wasn’t asking about anybody in particular; it was a
In the interests of hygiene, children must be made to hypothetical question.
wash their hands before eating.
hysterical
hymn
adjective /hI»sterIkl/
noun /hIm/ uncontrollably emotional
a religious song She broke into a hysterical giggle after listening to the
As soon as she started singing the hymn the entire joke.
hall fell silent.

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ideology imbue
12 to 14
age group I
noun /«aIdi»Ål´dZi/ verb /Im»bju˘/
a system of ideas and principles forming the basis of to fill somebody with strong feelings, opinions or
an economic or political theory values
The constitution of Pakistan is based on the ideology The leader gave an inspirational speech in an effort to
of Islam. imbue the workers with a new spirit.

idiosyncrasy imitation

noun /«Idi´»sINkr´si/ noun /«ImI»teISn/

a person’s particular way of behaving, thinking a copy
especially when it is unusual The thief stole an imitation of Van Gogh’s painting,
It is her idiosyncrasy to wear a raincoat on a hot day. thinking it was the original.

igneous immaculate

adjective /»Igni´s/ adjective /I»mQkj´l´t/

relating to rocks formed by action from volcanoes completely clean, without faults
Sarah carried out an in-depth research on igneous The car is in immaculate condition.
rock formation as part of her geology course.
immature
ignition
adjective /«Im´»tjU´[r]/
noun /Ig»nISn/ behaving in a way that is not sensible and is typical of
the electrical system of a vehicle that makes the fuel people who are much younger
begin to burn to start the engine The teenage girl’s immature behaviour was a cause
The car’s ignition needs to be repaired. of concern for her parents.

ignorant immense

adjective /»Ign´r´nt/ adjective /I»mens/

lacking knowledge or awareness huge
Her ignorant attitude irritated the class teacher. There is still an immense amount of work to be done.

illiterate immerse

adjective /I»lIt´r´t/ verb /I»mŒ˘s /

unable to read or write to put something in a liquid so that it is covered
A large number of the illiterate population was a I told him not to immerse his head in the cold water of
hindrance in the growth of the country. the swimming pool but he did not listen.

illustration immiscible

noun /«Il´»streISn/ adjective /I»mIs´bl/

drawing or picture cannot be mixed together
The illustration on the cover of the book was made by Oil and water are immiscible liquids.
a famous artist.
immutable
imbecile
adjective /I»mju˘t´bl/
noun /»Imb´si˘l/
unchangeable
a rude way to describe a person one believes to be Death is an immutable fact of life.
stupid
He behaved like an imbecile at the party last night.

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I
impairment
12 to 14
age group
imperious

noun /Im»pe´m´nt/ adjective /Im»pI´ri´s/

a physical or a mental weakness domineering
His physical impairment did not stop him from I cannot tolerate his imperious demands any more.
excelling in his work.
impermeable
impale
adjective /Im»pŒ˘mi´bl /
verb /Im»peIl/ not allowing fluid to pass through
to pierce with a sharp, pointed object Metal is an impermeable substance.
He picked up a skewer to impale the meat and
barbecue it. impetuous

impeach adjective /Im»petSu´s/

acting without thinking about the results
verb /Im»pi˘tS/ She made an impetuous decision which she regretted
to accuse an important public figure of a serious later.
crime
They wanted to impeach the president but were implacable
forced to abandon their plan.
adjective /Im»plQk´bl/
impeccable that cannot be appeased
He is Ted’s implacable enemy.
adjective /Im»pek´bl/
faultless or flawless implementation
His impeccable manners impressed his employer.
noun /«ImplImen»teISn/
impede carrying out of a plan
Very little has been achieved in the implementation of
verb /Im»pi˘d/ the peace agreement signed last year.
to obstruct or hinder
Failure to pass this exam will impede your academic importunate
progress.
adjective /Im»pç˘tS´n´t/
impediment persistent
I tried to get rid of the importunate beggar but he kept
noun /Im»pedIm´nt/ following me.
obstruction
Lack of funds is a serious impediment to scientific impostor
progress.
noun /Im»pÅst´[r]/
impenetrable one who pretends to be somebody else
The impostor made his way carefully to the bank vault
adjective /Im»penItr´bl/ dressed as a security guard.
that cannot be entered or passed through
The castle has strong, impenetrable walls. imprint

impenitent noun /Im»prInt/

a mark made by pressing or stamping something
adjective /Im»penIt´nt/ onto a surface
not sorry for having done wrong The blow made a sharp imprint on the skin.
The impenitent thief was not afraid of punishment.

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impromptu incapacitate
12 to 14
age group I
adjective /Im»prÅmptju˘/ verb /«Ink´»pQsIteIt/
unplanned or unrehearsed to disable or make a person unfit for work
He was asked to give an impromptu speech after The sickness was going to eventually incapacitate the
dinner. old man.

improvident incarcerate

adjective /Im»prÅvId´nt/ verb /In»kA˘s´reIt/

wasteful and not caring about future needs to imprison
I warned him to mend his improvident ways and to They decided to incarcerate him in the dungeon of
begin saving for his future. the old castle.

improvise incarnate

verb /»Impr´vaIz/ adjective /In»kA˘n´t/

to make or do something using whatever is available in human form
I will improvise a costume for myself out of an old The leader seemed the devil incarnate.
blue dress.
incinerate
impulse
verb /In»sIn´reIt/
noun /»Imp√ls/ to consume by fire
a sudden desire to do something without thinking The hospital must incinerate all waste on a daily
about the results basis.
She felt an irresistible impulse to buy the expensive
shoes. incipient

inadequate adjective /In»sIpi´nt/

at an early stage
adjective /In»QdIkw´t/ The ruler could see the signs of incipient unrest.
not enough or not good enough
The inadequate food supplies could not meet the incision
needs of the hungry refugees.
noun /In»sIZn/
inauspicious a sharp cut
The surgeon made an incision below the patient’s
adjective /«In碻spIS´s/ ribs.
not favourable or promising, unlucky
Riots in the country lead to an inauspicious beginning incite
of the new year.
verb /In»saIt/
inborn to encourage someone to do something violent,
illegal or unpleasant
adjective /«In»bç˘n/
His poetry has the potential to incite the public to
a quality that you are born with rebel.
He has an inborn talent for music.
incontrovertible
incandescent
adjective /«InkÅntr´»vŒ˘t´bl /
adjective /«InkQn»desnt/
something that is true and cannot be disputed
glowing as a result of being heated The lawyer was able to present incontrovertible
The incandescent lamps created a beautiful evidence in favour of his client.
ambience.

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incorporeal
12 to 14
age group
indulgent

adjective /«Ink碻pç˘ri´l/ adjective /In»d√ldZ´nt/

without a material body or form tending to allow somebody to have or do whatever
Ghosts are supposed to be incorporeal beings. they want; ready to overlook faults
Mariah is always getting her way with her indulgent
incorrigible parents.
adjective /In»kÅrIdZ´bl/ inevitable
incurably bad
Her husband is an incorrigible flirt. adjective /In»evIt´bl/
unavoidable
indebted It was an inevitable consequence of the decision.
adjective /In»detId/ inexorable
owing gratitude
I am deeply indebted to my family for all their help. adjective /In»eks´r´bl/
relentless
indecipherable The inexorable rise in crime is a result of the high
levels of unemployment.
adjective /«IndI»saIfr´bl/
not able to be read or understood infallible
There was an indecipherable message on the
notepad by the telephone. adjective /In»fQl´bl/
never making mistakes or being wrong
indiscriminate The professor always gave infallible advice to his
students.
adjective /«IndI»skrImIn´t/
making no distinction infectious
Terrorist gunmen engaged in indiscriminate firing last
night. adjective /In»fekS´s/
likely to spread
indisputable Influenza is a highly infectious disease.
adjective /«IndI»spju˘t´bl/ inference
unquestionable
The indisputable evidence made it easy for the jury to noun /»Inf´r´ns/
come to a unanimous decision. deduction
The clear inference from this data is that the universe
indissoluble is expanding.
adjective /«IndI»sÅlj´bl/ infiltrate
lasting
They were linked in an indissoluble bond of verb /»InfIltreIt/
friendship. to enter gradually and imperceptibly
Enemy spies are planning to infiltrate the army
inductive headquarters.
adjective /In»d√ktIv/ infinitesimal
using particular facts and examples to form general
rules and principles adjective /«InfInI»tesIml/
She used the results of her experiments as inductive extremely small
reasoning for her theory. The infinitesimal granules were barley visible to the
naked eye.

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inflammable injunction
12 to 14
age group I
adjective /In»flQm´bl/ noun /In»dZ√NkSn/
burning quickly and easily an official order from a court of law to do/not do
Parachutes are made of inflammable material. something
The court granted an injunction against the
inflammatory defendants.
adjective /In»flQm´tri/ innocuous
causing very strong feelings
The boss’s inflammatory remarks angered the adjective /I»nÅkju´s/
workers. not intending or causing any harm
It seemed to be a perfectly innocuous remark.
inflexible
inquire
adjective /In»fleks´bl/
rigid, unbending verb /»InkwaI´[r]/
Her inflexible attitude may be the reason why nobody to ask
likes her. The inspector started to inquire about the events of
the night in order to find the culprit.
infringe
insatiable
verb /In»frIndZ/
to violate adjective /In»seISebl/
One should not infringe upon the rights of other cannot be satisfied
people. There seems to be an insatiable demand for more
powerful computers.
infuriate
insidious
verb /In»fjU´rieIt/
to make someone extremely angry adjective /In»sIdi´s/
Their constant criticism will infuriate him. progressing secretly or subtly
The whole village suffers from the insidious effects of
ingredient a polluted water supply.
noun /In»gri˘di´nt/ inspire
one of the things from which something is made,
especially one of the foods that are used together to verb /In»spaI´[r]/
prepare a particular dish to give somebody the desire, confidence or
The pasta did not taste very good because she forgot enthusiasm to do something well
to add the key ingredient. The renowned actor visited schools in an effort to
inspire students to take up acting.
initial
integrity
adjective /I»nISl/
of or at the beginning noun /In»tegr´ti/
My initial reaction was to refuse the offer. the quality of being honest or moral
He is known to be a man of integrity.
injudicious
intercede
adjective /«IndZu»dIS´s/
showing poor judgement; unwise verb /«Int´»si˘d/
Spending all that money on something so useless to intervene on behalf of another
was an injudicious act. The argument got so heated that I had to intercede.

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intervene
12 to 14
age group
inviolable

verb /«Int´»vi˘n/ adjective /In»vaI´l´bl/

to interfere to be kept sacred
The government had to intervene to prevent fighting The area around the mosque was declared an
between the tribes. inviolable territory.

intimidation invulnerable

noun /In«tImI»deISn/ adjective /In»v√ln´r´bl/

threatening or frightening behaviour impossible to harm or damage
There was an inquiry into allegations of intimidation The invulnerable submarine survived the attacks from
during last week’s vote. the enemy.

intolerant iodine

adjective /In»tÅl´r´nt/ noun /»aI´di˘n/

not willing to accept ideas or behaviour different from a chemical substance used as an antiseptic
your own Iodine is used in making medicines.
Her intolerant attitude towards other people’s religious
beliefs will cause a lot of suffering. iridescent

intractable adjective /«IrI»desnt/

showing bright colours that seem to change when
adjective /In»trQkt´bl/ seen from different angles
very difficult to deal with The hummingbird had iridescent blue feathers.
The country is facing intractable economic problems.
irrelevant
intrinsic
adjective /I»rel´v´nt/
adjective /In»trInsIk/ not connected to a given situation
existing within, what is essential and natural She has a habit of making irrelevant comments.
These tasks were lengthy, repetitive and lacking any
intrinsic interest. irreverent

introspection adjective /I»rev´r´nt/

lacking respect for sacred things
noun /«Intr´»spekSn/ The comedy displayed the film-maker’s irreverent
examination of one’s own feelings and thoughts view.
He was lost in introspection.
irrevocable
intruder
adjective /I»rev´k´bl/
noun /In»tru˘d´[r]/ unalterable
a person who enters a place without permission The judge passed an irrevocable legal decision in her
Thankfully, the intruder did not steal anything. favour.

invincible itinerary

adjective /In»vIns´bl/ noun /aI»tIn´r´ri/

too strong to be overcome or defeated a planned route or journey
His invincible belief in his own ability made him Visits to four different countries are included in your
successful in life. itinerary.

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Jacuzzi jovial
12 to 14
age group J
proper noun /dZ´»ku˘zi/ adjective /»dZ´Uvi´l/
a large bath with jets of water to massage the body cheerful and friendly
A long soak in the Jacuzzi is the most relaxing way to He is a jovial and likeable person.
spend an hour.
jubilation
jaundice
noun /«dZu˘bI»leISn/
noun /»dZç˘ndIs/ great happiness because of a success
a medical condition in which one’s skin and the white His graduation gave his family reason for jubilation.
portion of the eyes becomes yellow
I have never had jaundice in my life. judgement

jealous noun /»dZ√dZm´nt/

ability to discern
adjective /»dZel´s/ Her poor judgement was reflected in all aspects of
envious her life.
The man was jealous of his brother’s success..
judicial
jeopardy
adjective /dZu»dISl/
noun /»dZep´di/ connected to a court of law, a judge or legal
danger judgement
He put his life in jeopardy by trying to attack the thief. The judicial system in our country needs massive
improvement.
jettison
judicious
verb /»dZetIsn/
to throw something out of a moving aircraft or ship to adjective /dZu»dIS´s/
make it lighter wise, showing or having good sense
The cabin crew decided to jettison extra luggage from She made a judicious decision which proved very
the aircraft for fear of losing altitude. beneficial to her.

jingle juggle

noun /»dZINgl/ verb /»dZ√gl/

a metallic ringing sound like small bells to do tricks or perform with balls, plates thrown into
The jingle of the wind chimes was very soothing. the air
The clown seemed to be able to juggle almost
jocund anything.
adjective /»dZÅk´nd/ jugular
cheerful and light-hearted
He always has a jocund remark up his sleeve. adjective /»dZ√gj´l´[r]/
of the neck or throat
journalism The jugular vein carries blood from the head to the
heart.
noun /»dZŒ˘n´lIz´m /
the work of writing for, editing or publishing
newspapers, magazines
She hopes to have a career in journalism.

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juncture
12 to 14
age group

noun /»dZ√NktS´[r]/
a particular point or stage in an activity or series of
events
Mary should think carefully before proceeding at this
critical juncture.

jurisprudence

noun /«dZU´rIs»pru˘dns/
the science and philosophy of law
He was a student of jurisprudence rather than a
practitioner of law.

justifiable

adjective /»dZ√stIfaI´bl/
able to be shown to be right or reasonable
It was a justifiable act to hit out in self defence.

juvenile

adjective /»dZu˘v´naIl/
of or suitable for young people
The juvenile court has been extremely successful in
decreasing the number of young offenders.

juxtapose

verb /«dZ√kst´»p´Uz/
to place side by side
I am planning to juxtapose the photographs with the
poems in my book.

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kaleidoscope kiosk
12 to 14
age group K
noun /k´»laId´sk´Up/ noun /»ki˘Åsk/
a tube that you look through to see brightly coloured a small open fronted hut or stall where newspapers,
patterns which change as you turn the end of the sweets are sold
tube An old widow runs the kiosk in the nearby village.
Children found the ever-changing patterns in the
kaleidoscope fascinating. kleptomania

kamikaze noun /«klept´»meIni´/

recurring urge to steal
adjective /«kQmI»kA˘zi/ Winona Ryder’s kleptomania became headline news.
a Japanese word used to describe the way soldiers
attack the enemy knowing that they too will be killed knead
World War II saw a large number of kamikaze attacks.
verb /ni˘d/
kangaroo to press and squeeze a mixture of flour and water to
make a firm paste
noun /«kQNg´»ru˘/ She would always knead the bread dough early in the
an Australian animal that moves by jumping on its morning.
hind legs and carries its young in a pocket of skin on
its belly kneel

kidnap verb /ni˘l/

to be or get yourself in a position on your knees
verb /»kIdnQp/ He was asked to kneel in front of the king in order to
to take somebody away by force and keep them as a beg for forgiveness.
prisoner
They decided to kidnap the child from his school. knowledgeable

kindergarten adjective /»nÅlIdZ´bl/

well informed
noun /»kInd´gA˘tn/ Her father is a very knowledgeable person and is
a school for very young children capable of winning any quiz contest.
It is essential for young children to attend
kindergarten. kookaburra

kinetic noun /kUk´b√r´/

an Australian bird with a strange laughing cry
adjective /kI»netIk/
to do with or produced by movement krill
The car gained kinetic energy as it accelerated.
noun /krIl/
kingfisher a very small shellfish that lives in the Antarctic and is
eaten by whales
noun /»kINfIS´[r]/
a small brightly coloured bird with a long beak, that
catches fish

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labyrinth
12 to 14
age group
lament

noun /»lQb´rInT/ verb /l´»ment/

a maze; a series of intricate passageways and blind to feel or express great sadness or regret about
alleys something
She had to find her way out of a labyrinth to win the It is natural to lament the loss of a loved one.
grand prize.
languid
laceration
adjective /»lQNgwId/
noun /«lQs´»reISn/ slow, lacking energy
tear or deep cut She waved them away with a languid movement of
Falling off the bike resulted in a deep laceration on her arm.
his knee.
languor
lackadaisical
noun /»lQNg´[r]/
adjective /«lQk´»deIzIkl/ laziness, inertia
lacking enthusiasm and thoroughness In the heat of the day an atmosphere of langour hung
Her lackadaisical attitude towards work will get her in over the city streets.
trouble.
lapse
lacklustre
noun /lQps/
adjective /»lQkl√st´[r]/ a slight mistake, especially one caused by inattention
dull or carelessness
His lacklustre performance received hardly any His temporary lapse in concentration meant that he
applause. could not follow the rest of the lecture.

ladder laryngitis

noun /»lQd´[r]/ noun /«lQrIn»dZaItIs/

two lengths of wood or metal joined together by steps a mild inflammation of the throat that makes it difficult
and used for climbing up or down the side of a wall or to speak
building. She could not participate in the debating contest
The gardener used a ladder to climb up to the roof. because she had laryngitis.

laggard lateral

noun /»lQg´d/ adjective /»lQt´r´l/

a slow and lazy person or organisation from the side
Tim is such a laggard that everyone in the village The plant takes up water through its lateral roots.
calls him Lazy Tim.
lattice
lahar
noun /»lQtIs/
noun /»lA˘hA/ a structure of strips of wood or metal that cross or
a landslide of wet volcanic debris on the side of a interlace with diamond-shaped spaces between them.
volcano The rose was trained to climb up the lattice.
A lahar can bulldoze through virtually any structure in
its path.

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laudable ledger
12 to 14
age group L
adjective /»lç˘d´bl/ noun /»ledZ´[r]/
deserving praise or admiration a book or collection of financial accounts
Her laudable work on the charity project earned her a The accountant regularly updated the ledger with new
lot of respect. information.

laugh leech

verb /lA˘f/ noun /li˘tS/

to make the sounds that show one finds something a blood-sucking worm that lives in water
funny
The comedy was so funny that even the grumpy old legerdemain
man had to laugh.
noun /»ledZ´d´meIn/
laundry skilful movements of the hands that other people
cannot see
noun /»lç˘ndri/ The magician demonstrated his renowned
clothes or sheets that need washing, are being legerdemain by making a bag of coins disappear into
washed, or have just been washed thin air.
She has to do at least two loads of laundry today.
legible
lavatory
adjective /»ledZ´bl/
noun /»lQv´tri/ readable
a toilet She was very weak and could barely write the letter
He asked for directions to the lavatory. in a legible handwriting.

lavish legislature

adjective /»lQvIS/ noun /»ledZIsleItS´[r]/

large in amount, and usually costing a lot of money the law-making body of a state
It was very difficult for her to give up her lavish The public is calling out for a democratically elected
lifestyle when her family was going through financial legislature.
difficulties.
leisure
league
noun /»leZ´[r]/
noun /li˘g/ free time for relaxation or enjoyment
a group of people or nations who agree to work The long weekend gave us ample time for leisure.
together for a common purpose
The superheroes decided to form a league in order to lenient
fight against injustice around the globe.
adjective /»li˘ni´nt/
lease not as strict as expected
The lenient attitude of the teacher caused indiscipline
noun /li˘s/ in class.
a legal agreement that allows you to use a room,
building or land for a fixed period of time, usually in leopard
return for rent
The lease on the apartment was for six months. noun /»lep´d/
a large lion-like spotted wild animal, also called a
panther

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L
lepton
12 to 14
age group
lineaments

noun /»lEptÅn/ noun /»lIni´m´nts/

group of fundamental particles with half integral spin distinctive features
which does not have any internal structure The creature’s lineaments suggested that it might be
The first charged lepton, the electron, was theorized a relative of the common toad.
in the mid-19th century by several scientists.
linguistic
lethargic
adjective /lIN»gwIstIk/
adjective /l´»TA˘dZIk/ pertaining to language
lacking energy or enthusiasm Linguistic skills are valuable in the pursuit of almost
Her lethargic behaviour was caused by the hot any career.
weather.
liquidate
leukaemia
verb /»lIkwIdeIt/
noun /lu˘»ki˘mi´/ to sell everything one owns in order to pay off debts
serious disease in which too many white blood cells He had to liquidate the business in order to pay off
are produced, causing weakness and sometimes his loans.
death
She was diagnosed with leukaemia and had to liquorice
undergo treatment.
noun /»lIk´rIS/
liaise a black substance with a strong flavour a gummy or
rubbery used in medicines and sweets
verb /li»eIz/ Liquorice was one of the most widely known
to work closely and exchange information with medicines in ancient history.
He had to liaise directly with the police while writing
the report. litigious

libation adjective /lI»tIdZ´s/

having a tendency to go to the law to settle disputes
noun /laI»beISn/ He was a litigious person and was frequently in court.
an act of pouring a liquid as a sacrifice (usually to a
god) llama
Hindus perform libation during worship.
noun /»lA˘m´/
lieutenant animal with a fleecy wool related to the camel family,
found in South America
noun /lef»ten´nt/
an officer of middle rank in the army, navy or air force loam
The lieutenant led the platoon on the battlefield.
noun /l´Um/
limpet soil composed of a mixture of sand, clay, silt, and
organic matter
noun /»lImpIt/ Loam is considered as a good qualilty soil ideal for
a small shellfish that attaches itself firmly to rocks gardening and agricultural purposes.

locust

noun /»l´Uk´st/
a kind of grasshopper that travels in large swarms
and eats all the plants in the area

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longevity luscious
12 to 14
age group L
noun /lÅn»dZev´ti/ adjective /»l√S´s/
a long duration of individual life having a rich, sweet taste
That family is known for its longevity, with at least The luscious chocolate cake made her mouth water.
three members living well into their nineties.
lustre
longitudinal
noun /»l√st´[r]/
adjective /«lÅNgI»tju˘dInl/ a soft glow or shine
extending lengthwise The polish gave the car a new lustre.
The surveyor measured the longitudinal distance
between the two points. luxurious

loquacious adjective /l√g»ZU´ri´s/

very comfortable, elegant, and expensive
adjective /l´»kweIS´s/ I stayed at a luxurious hotel when I went to Spain.
talkative
I got tired of listening to the tales of the loquacious
old man.

lozenge

noun /»lÅzIndZ/
small, sweet tablet
She had a lozenge to ease her sore throat.

lucrative

adjective /»lu˘kr´tIv/
making a large profit
He has a lucrative business, allowing him to
accommodate his expensive hobbies.

ludicrous

adjective /»lu˘dIkr´s/
ridiculous and unreasonable
The ludicrous plan was rejected by the board
members.

luggage

noun /»l√gIdZ/
bags, suitcases that contain your clothes and things
when you are travelling
You are only allowed one piece of hand luggage on
the plane.
luminous

adjective /»lu˘mIn´s/
shining in the dark
The luminous stars on her ceiling looked soothing at
night.

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macadamia
12 to 14
age group
magnificent

noun /«mQk´»deImi´/ adjective /mQg»nIfIsnt/

the edible nut of an Australian tree splendid and impressive
She roasted the macadamia and seasoned it with salt The Taj Mahal is a magnificent building.
before serving it.
magniloquent
macaroni
adjective /mQg»nIl´kwent/
noun /«mQk´»r´Uni/ boastful; lofty in style
pasta in the shape of hollow tubes In their articles on the trial, the reporters ridiculed the
She wanted to have macaroni for lunch. magniloquent speech of the defence attorney.

machiavellian maisonette

adjective /«mQki´»veli´n/ noun /«meIz´»net/

using crafty means to achieve what you want a flat with rooms on two floors within a building
The people were tired of the government’s My father just bought a maisonette where he spends
Machiavellian tactics. most of his time.

machismo malapropism

noun /m´»tSIzm´U/ noun /»mQl´prÅpIz´m/

strong or aggressive male pride the usually unintentional and humorous misuse or
Steve McQueen was famous for his machismo. distortion of a word or phrase
This line will be rather difficult to translate because it
macrofossil contains a malapropism.
noun /»makr´U»fÅs´l/ malarkey
a fossil large enough to be examined without a
microscope noun /m´»lA˘ki/
Leaf, cone, and stem debris are examples of a plant’s nonsense
macrofossil. I have no time for his malarkey.

maelstrom malevolent

noun /»meIlstrÅm/ adjective /m´»lev´l´nt/

a situation of confusion or upheaval wishing evil on others
We were all caught up in the maelstrom following the That club did not allow people with malevolent
boss’s sudden resignation. attitudes to become members.

maggot malice

noun /»mQg´t/ noun /»mQlIs/

the larva of the housefly and blowfly found commonly a desire to do harm
in decaying organic matter That man is so full of malice that nobody wants to be
around him.
magnanimous
malicious
adjective /mQg»nQnIm´s/
adjective /m´»lIS´s/
noble and generous
The king’s magnanimous nature has ensured that he having or showing hatred and a desire to harm
is beloved of his subjects. somebody
Malicious gossip ruined her chances of being elected
as the class rep.

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malign manipulate
12 to 14
age group M
verb /m´»laIn/ verb /m´»nIpjuleIt/
to speak ill of to control or use in a skilful way
The press is doing its best to malign his character. He claims to be able to manipulate people to do what
he wants.
malleable
mannequin
adjective /»mQli´bl/
able to be hammered or pressed into shape without noun /»mQnIkIn/
breaking or cracking a model of a human body, used for displaying clothes
Plasticine’s malleable quality makes it a child’s in shops
favourite plaything. The dress looked beautiful on the mannequin, but not
as good when she tried it on.
malodorous
manoeuvrable
adjective /«mQl»´Ud´r´s/
having an unpleasant smell adjective /m´»nu˘v´r´bl/
The malodorous heap was a nuisance for the able to be moved or steered easily
restaurant. I have to drive a highly manoeuvrable vehicle for my
new delivery job.
mammal
manoeuvre
noun /»mQml/
a vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young noun /m´»nu˘v´[r]/
Many people think of the whale as a fish and do not a movement performed with care and skill
realise that it is actually a mammal. She had to manoeuvre the car into the garage.

mammoth marauding

adjective /»mQm´T/ adjective /m´»rç˘dIN/

extremely large plundering
To try to memorise every word in this vocabulary list The marauding invaders were seen prowling in the
would be a mammoth task. dark looking for anything they could steal.

mandatory marionette

adjective /»mQnd´t´ri/ noun /«mQri´»net/

required by law a puppet worked by strings
The offence carries a mandatory life sentence. The marionette was 2 feet tall and was awe inspiring
in its movement.
mandrel
marmalade
noun /»mandr´l/
a shaft that supports or holds any object to be rotated noun /»mA˘m´leId/
Exhaust pipes in automobiles are frequently bent, a preserve or jam made from oranges
using a mandrel, during manufacture. Dad loves marmalade with his morning toast.

manifest marrow

adjective /»mQnIfest/ noun /»mQr´U/

easy to see or understand; clear a large vegetable with green skin that is white inside
The key economic indicators reveal the manifest She will serve marrow with rice for dinner.
misery of the people in the country.

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marsh
12 to 14
age group
mastodon

noun /mA˘S/ noun /»mast´dÅn/

an area of low land that is always soft and wet extinct elephant-like mammal
He looked as if he had fallen face-forward into a deep
muddy marsh. maternal

marsupial adjective /m´»tŒ˘nl /

concerned with being a mother
noun /mA˘»su˘pi´l/ She didn’t have any maternal aunts.
any mammal that carries its young in a pocket of skin
or pouch matrimony
The marsupial is found only in Australia.
noun /»mQtrIm´ni/
martyr marriage
They were joined in matrimony by a priest.
noun /»mA˘t´[r]/
a person who is killed because of his political or matrix
religious beliefs
A martyr is given a very high position in Islam. noun /»meItrIks/
a situation or surrounding substance within which
marzipan something else originates, develops, or is contained
Freedom of expression is the matrix for almost every
noun /»mA˘zIpQn/ other kind of freedom.
a sweet paste of ground almonds, sugar and egg
whites maul
The cake was iced with marzipan.
verb /mç˘l/
mascot to handle roughly
The savage dog doesn’t miss any opportunity to grab
noun /»mQsk´t/ and maul the neighbour’s cat.
a person, animal or thing that is thought to bring good
luck mauve
The poodle was the soccer team’s mascot.
noun /m´Uv/
masculinity pale purple
She painted the walls of her room in mauve.
noun /«mQskju»lIn´ti/
manly maxim
People are impressed by Sylvester Stallone’s
masculinity. noun /»mQksIm/
a phrase that expresses a commonly held belief
masquerade “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”, was our
new CEO’s maxim.
noun /«mQsk´»reId/
a false show; pretence mayhem
Her cheerful appearance is just a masquerade to
conceal her sorrow. noun /»meIhem/
uncontrolled and violent situation
masseuse There was absolute mayhem when the police sprayed
the protesters with tear gas.
noun /mQ»sŒ˘zs /
a woman whose job is to massage people
The masseuse did an excellent job on the athlete
after her track event was over.

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meagre melanism
12 to 14
age group M
adjective /»mi˘g´[r]/ noun /»mel´«niz´m/
barely enough excessive amounts of black or dark pigment in the
He has somehow managed to bring up two children skin, hair and eyes
on his meagre salary. Melanism is often the result of genetic mutation.

meagreness mellifluous

noun /»mi˘g´[r]n´s/ adjective /me»lIflu´s/

small in quantity pleasingly smooth and musical to hear
The meagreness of their offering was lamentable. She had a very mellifluous speaking voice.

measles memorabilia

noun /»mi˘zlz/ plural noun /«mem´r´»bIli´/

an infectious disease that causes fever and small red objects kept or collected because of their
spots on the skin associations with memorable events
Our child was forced to take a month off from school Memorabilia from the 1966 World Cup are still lapped
because he had measles. up by nostalgic Englishmen everywhere.

measurement mercantile

noun /»meZ´m´nt/ adjective /»mŒ˘k´ntaIl /

the action of measuring relating to trade or commerce
Accurate measurement is very important in science. As industry in Pakistan grows, mercantile law
becomes a popular career option.
meddlesome
merciful
adjective /»medls´m/
interfering adjective /»mŒ˘sIfl/
Her meddlesome behaviour has caused enough ready to forgive people and show them kindness
trouble already. We must ask for forgiveness from the merciful Allah
Almighty.
mediocre
meringue
adjective /«mi˘di»´Uk´[r]/
ordinary; of only average standard noun /m´»rQN/
We were disappointed because he gave a rather a sweet white mixture made from beaten egg whites
mediocre performance this time. and sugar baked until crisp
She enjoyed the meringue in the lemon cake.
Mediterranean
mermaid
adjective /«medIt´»reIni´n/
the name of a large sea between southern Europe noun /»mŒ˘meId /
and northern Africa a mythical woman who has the tail of a fish instead of
They spent their holiday in a Mediterranean resort. legs, and who lives in the sea
The little girl wished she was a mermaid so that she
melange could swim to the bottom of the ocean.
noun /meI»lA˘nZ/
a mixture
There was a melange of different cultures at the
international cultural festival.

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M
mesquite
12 to 14
age group
milieu

noun /me»ski˘t/ noun /mi˘»ljŒ˘/

a North American tree, often used for making a person’s social environment
charcoal for grilling food Moving to the city offered him a completely different
In India, plantation of mesquite has been stopped. urban milieu.

messiah millennium

noun /m´»saI´/ noun /mI»leni´m/

a liberator or saviour of oppressed people a period of 1000 years
He is seen by many as a political messiah. I wish I could travel forward in time and visit the next
millennium.
metabolism
mimicry
noun /m´»tQb´lIz´m/
a chemical process in living things that changes food noun /»mImIkri/
into energy the action or skill of being able to copy the voice,
An athlete has a faster metabolism than an ordinary actions, movements of others
person. He has a real talent for mimicry.

metaphorically mince

adverb /«met´»fÅrIkli/ verb /mIns/

not literally to cut or grind into very small pieces
I hope you are speaking metaphorically. We had to mince the meat in order to prepare patties.

meteorology minuscule

noun /«mi˘ti´»rÅl´dZi/ adjective /»mIn´skju˘l/

the study of conditions in the atmosphere, and for extremely small
weather forecasting The minuscule ant was carrying a piece of food five
She spent three years at university studying times its own weight.
meteorology.
minute
meticulous
adjective /maI»nju˘t/
adjective /m´»tIkj´l´s/ extremely small
very careful about minute detail Minute objects have to be studied under the
Their room had been prepared with meticulous care. microscope.

microfiche miraculous

noun /»maIkr´Ufi˘S/ adjective /mI»rQkj´l´s/

a piece of film with written information on it in print of supernaturally surprising and welcome
very small size She’s made a miraculous recovery.
He used a special machine to read the small print of
the microfiche. mischievous

migraine adjective /»mIstSIv´s/

enjoying playing tricks and annoying people
noun /»mi˘greIn/
Ali was a mischievous little child who enjoyed making
a very severe type of headache that often makes a other children cry.
person feel sick and have difficulty seeing
My father gets a migraine whenever he is depressed.

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moccasin multiplicity
12 to 14
age group M
noun /»mÅk´sIn/ noun /«m√ltI»plIs´ti/
a type of shoe made of soft leather a great number or variety
A moccasin is a type of shoe originally worn by native He was overwhelmed by the multiplicity of things he
Americans. had to do before setting out on his adventure.

monologue munificent

noun /»mÅn´lÅg/ adjective /mju˘»nIfIsnt/

a long speech spoken by one actor very generous
The monologue in Hamlet is very famous. The munificent gift was presented to the bride by her
uncle.
monstrous
mussel
adjective /»mÅnstr´s/
very large or ugly or frightening noun /»m√sl/
The children were frightened to see monstrous a small shellfish that can be eaten
creatures appearing on the cinema screen.
mutation
mortgage
noun /mju˘»teISn/
noun /»mç˘gIdZ/ a change in the form or structure
the amount of money lent to a person for buying a The process of mutation is necessary in order for
house, which has to be paid back over a particular species to evolve.
number of years
One job alone was not enough for him to be able to mutinous
pay his mortgage every month.
adjective /»mju˘t´n´s/
mosquito refusing to obey the orders of someone in authority
The captain had to use force to silence his mutinous
noun /m´»ski˘t´U/ crew.
a small flying insect that bites people or animals to
drink their blood myopic

moth adjective /maI»´Upik/

short-sighted
noun /mÅT/ The myopic view of the businessman hampered the
an insect with a stout body and large wings that growth of his business.
usually flies at night
myriad
mozzarella
noun /»mIri´d/
noun /«mÅts´»rel´/
a very large number
a firm white Italian cheese made from buffalo’s or The sky looks beautiful on clear nights as it is filled
cow’s milk with a myriad of stars.
She sprinkled a handful of mozzarella on the pizza
before baking it. mysterious

multifarious adjective /mI»stI´ri´s/

difficult to understand or explain
adjective /«m√ltI»fe´ri´s/
His mysterious behaviour made his wife anxious.
having great variety
We have to accommodate the multifarious needs of
all the citizens.

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N
nascent
12 to 14
age group
negate

adjective /»nQsnt/ verb /nI»geIt/

just coming into existence and beginning to develop to stop something from having any effect
Financial help was provided to support the country’s A sudden surge of adrenaline can negate the effects
nascent industries. of fatigue.

nausea negligence

noun /»nç˘zi´/ noun /»neglIdZ´ns/

a feeling of sickness or disgust the failure to give enough care or attention to
The graphic account of his accident induced a feeling something or someone
of nausea in me. This accident was a result of negligence on the
driver’s part.
nauseous
neighbourhood
adjective /»nç˘zi´s/
offensive to taste or smell noun /»neIb´hUd/
The nauseous smell in the bus made her sick. the surrounding area
This is a quiet and safe neighbourhood.
nautical
neologism
adjective /»nç˘tIkl/
connected with ships, sailors or sailing noun /ni»Ål´dZIz´m/
We had to travel 300 nautical miles to get to our a new word or expression
destination. This new technology will necessitate the coining of
another neologism.
nautilus
neoplasia
noun /»nç˘tIl´s/
ocean animal living in a beautiful spiral shell noun /«ni˘´U»pleIzI´/
the process of abnormal and uncontrolled growth of
nebulous cells
Neoplasia results in both cancerous and
adjective /»nebj´l´s/ noncancerous cells.
vague; hazy; cloudy
The moon was surrounded by a nebulous glow. neritic

nectarine adjective /nI»rItIk/

relating to the belt or region of shallow water
noun /»nekt´ri˘n/ adjoining the seacoast
a variety of the peach Free-floating creatures like the small fish and shrimp,
The nectarine is best eaten when it is slightly soft. live in the neritic zone.

nefarious neural
adjective /nI»fe´ri´s/ adjective /»njU´r´l/
evil; flagrantly wicked pertaining to the nerves or nervous system
The convicted murderer had committed several She is lucky that her accident didn’t result in neural
nefarious acts. damage.

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neutral nostalgically
12 to 14
age group N
adjective /»njU˘tr´l/ adverb /nÅ»stQldZIkli/
not supporting either side in a war or quarrel with sentimental yearning for the past
Switzerland remained a neutral country during both She looked back nostalgically to her childhood.
world wars.
notation
nimble
noun /n´U»teISn/
adjective /»nImbl/ a system of symbols used to represent information
able to move quickly and easily My brother is not very proficient in musical notation.
You need nimble fingers for that job.
notorious
nocturnal
adjective /n´U»tç˘ri´s/
adjective /nÅk»tŒ˘nl / well-known for being bad
happening during the night The principal expelled the notorious boy from the
Mr. Jones was concerned about nocturnal raids by school.
foxes on his chicken coops.
nougat
noisome
noun /»nu˘gA˘/
adjective /»nçIs´m/ a hard sweet or candy containing nuts
extremely unpleasant or offensive I had nougat containing pistachios and almonds.
The noisome smells emanating from the oil refinery
bothered everyone living in the area. nourish

nomogram verb /»n√rIS/

to keep alive and well by means of food
noun /»nÅm´gram/ The mother bird brings dead mice to her nest to
a chart or diagram representing numercial nourish her offspring.
relationships
A nomogram is used to facilitate calculations. novelty

nondescript noun /»nÅvlti/

the quality of being new, different or interesting
adjective /»nÅndIskrIpt/ The novelty of her new job soon wore off.
lacking special or interesting features
We ate at a nondescript cafe in some small town. novice

northerner noun /»nÅvIs/

noun /»nç˘D´n´[r]/
a person who comes from or lives in the northern part
of a country
Being a northerner, he has had the opportunity to see
many magnificent mountain ranges.
a person who is new and has little experience in a
certain job or situation
He is just a novice and should therefore not be
expected to deal with the situation himself.
nowcast

nostalgia noun /»nou«kast/

a short-term weather forecast, usually for the next few
noun /nÅ»stQldZ´/
hours
a feeling of sadness mixed with pleasure and The nowcast for Islamabad is predicting rain.
affection when thinking of happy times in the past
I often find middle-aged couples wallowing in
nostalgia.

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N
noxious
12 to 14
age group

adjective /»nÅkS´s/
harmful, offensive, poisonous
Due to the noxious gases produced in our laboratory,
we have to wear face masks.

numeral

noun /»nju˘m´r´l/
a sign or symbol that represents a number
The numeral seven occurs frequently in mythology.

nutraceutical

noun /«nju˘tr´»su˘tIk´l/
A food or dietary supplement that is believed to
provide health benefits
Many botanical and herbal extracts have been
marketed by the nutraceutical industry.

nutrient

noun /»nju˘tri´nt/
a substance that is needed to keep a living thing alive
and to help it to grow
Calcium is an essential nutrient for the growth and
maintenance of strong bones.

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oasis obliterate
12 to 14
age group O
noun /´U»eIsIs/ verb /´»blIt´reIt/
a place in the desert where there is water and where destroy completely so that all signs of something are
plants grow removed
The weary traveller was relieved when he stumbled We did not expect the tidal wave to obliterate the
across an oasis. entire village.

obdurate oblivion

adjective /»Åbdj´r´t/ noun /´»blIvi´n/

stubborn the state of having been forgotten
He is the most obdurate person I have ever met. His work faded into oblivion after his death.

obedient oblivious

adjective /´»bi˘di´nt/ adjective /´»blIvi´s/

doing what one is told to do not aware of what is happening around one
The obedient child was appreciated by his teachers. They sang and danced the night away oblivious to the
approaching thunderstorm.
obese
obscene
adjective /´U»bi˘s/
very fat, in a way that is not healthy adjective /´b»si˘n/
Our obese friend needs to cut down on his food indecent in a very offensive way
intake. One should not use obscene language.

obituary obscurantism

noun /´»bItSu´ri/ noun /«Åbskju»rQntIz´m/

an article about a person’s life and achievements that deliberately concealing
is printed in a newspaper soon after his/her death His obscurantism has led to the misinterpretation of
I felt really sad after reading my uncle’s obituary in important information.
the paper.
obscure
objurgation
adjective /´b»skjU´[r]/
noun /»ÅbdZU´rgeitSn/ not well known, not easily seen or understood
severe rebuke; scolding ‘Titus Andronicus’ is one of Shakespeare’s most
Objurgation and the threat of punishment did not obscure plays.
deter the young hoodlums from harassing people.
obsequious
oblique
adjective /´b»si˘kwi´s/
adjective /´»bli˘k/ obedient or respectful to an excessive degree
indirect The waiter greeted us with an obsequious smile.
Her oblique references to literature make it very
difficult for her students to understand her. observatory

noun /´b»zŒ˘v´tri /
a building designed for systematic astronomical
studies
The telescope is kept in the observatory.

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O
obsolescence
12 to 14
age group
octagon

noun /«Åbs´»lesns/ noun /»Åkt´g´n/

falling into disuse a flat shape with eight sides and angles
Atari video games have achieved obsolescence due He had a lot of trouble calculating the area of an
to the advent of virtual reality games. octagon in his maths test.

obsolete octopus

adjective /»Åbs´li˘t/ noun /»Åkt´p´s/

no longer practised, used or accepted a sea creature living at the bottom of the sea and
The obsolete system of printing was discarded to having eight long tentacles and a soft oval body
adopt the latest technology.
oddity
obstacle
noun /»Åd´ti/
noun /»Åbst´kl/ a person or thing that is strange or unusual
a situation or event that makes it difficult for you to I was puzzled by the oddity of her remark.
achieve something
Lack of qualification can be a major obstacle in odious
finding a job.
adjective /»´Udi´s/
obstinate hateful; extremely unpleasant
His odious behaviour changed her feelings toward
adjective /»ÅbstIn´t/ him.
stubborn
The obstinate stain on the tablecloth was impossible odyssey
to remove.
noun /»Åd´si/
obstruction long, eventful journey
The refugee’s odyssey from Cambodia to the USA
noun /´b»str√kSn/ was a terrifying experience for him.
an obstacle or blockage
The train had to stop because there was an offend
obstruction on the track.
verb /´»fend/
occupation to hurt someone’s feelings
We did not want to offend her by asking her to leave.
noun /«Åkju»peISn/
a job or a profession ohm
His occupation as a professor earned him a lot of
respect. noun /´Um/
a unit for measuring electrical resistance
oceanic One ohm is equal to one volt per ampere.

adjective /«´USi»QnIk/ oleaginous

connected with the sea
Oceanic winds blow over the land resulting in a low adjective /«´uli»QdZIn´s/
range of temperature. oily or greasy
Germany exports oleaginous fruits to Pakistan.

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oligarchy opprobrious
12 to 14
age group O
noun /»ÅlIgA˘ki/ adjective /´»pr´Ubri´s/
a small group of people having control of a state critical, scornful
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an example of an I am tired of your opprobrious remarks and will
oligarchy. suspend you.

ominous optimum

adjective /»ÅmIn´s/ adjective /»ÅptIm´m/

suggesting that something bad is going to happen most favourable
There were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead. There is an optimum temperature for each enzyme
reaction.
omnivorous
optometrist
adjective /Åm»nIv´r´s/
eating both plant and animal food noun /Åp»tÅm´trIst/
Omnivorous humans eat both meat and vegetables. one whose job is to examine eyes and fit glasses to
remedy visual defects
onomatopoeia Her vision is becoming blurry, so she is making an
appointment with her optometrist.
noun /«Ån´«mQt´»pi˘´/
use of words that sound similar to the noises they opulent
describe
‘Splash’, ‘wow’, and ‘gush’ are all examples of adjective /»Åpj´l´nt/
onomatopoeia luxurious
The palace was embellished with opulent furnishings.
opalescent
oratory
adjective /«´Up´»lesnt/
iridescent; changing colour noun /»År´tri/
The ancient mariner was always fascinated by the powerful and effective public speaking
opalescent ocean. The crowd was entranced by her oratory.

opaque orchestra

adjective /´U»peIk/ noun /»ç˘kIstr´/

not able to be seen through a large group of musicians who play different musical
Opaque pencil cases were not allowed during the instruments together, led by a conductor
examination. The Philharmonic Orchestra is performing tonight.

opera orchestral

noun /»Åpr´/ adjective /碻kestr´l/

a dramatic work in which all or most of the words are pertaining to a large group of musicians trained to
sung to music play together
We went to see an opera by Verdi. His orchestral work is a lot better than his solo
recordings.
oppressive
ordeal
adjective /´»presIv/
noun /碻di˘l/
cruel or unfair
The citizens protested against the general’s a difficult or unpleasant experience
oppressive regime. They were spared the ordeal of having to talk about
their torture.

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O
organelle
12 to 14
age group
oscilloscope

noun /«ç˘g´»nEl/ noun /´»sIl´sk´Up/

a specialized part within a cell having some specific a piece of equipment that shows changes in electrical
function current as waves in a line, on a screen
A large organelle is easily visible with a light Electronic engineers use the oscilloscope to study
microscope. wave patterns.

oriental ostentatious

adjective /«ç˘ri»entl/ adjective /«Åsten»teIS´s/

connected with the eastern part of the world, expensive or noticeable in a way intended to impress
especially China and Japan people
She was always interested in learning different The bride’s mother was dressed in a very
oriental languages. ostentatious style.

originate ostracise

verb /´»rIdZIneIt/ verb /»Åstr´saIz/

to happen or appear for the first time to isolate socially
My immediate family members originate from a small Upset by his behaviour, they decided to ostracise him
town in Africa. until he apologised.

orphanage outrageous

noun /»ç˘f´nIdZ/ adjective /aUt»reIdZ´s/

a home which cares for children whose parents are very shocking and unacceptable
dead They spent an outrageous amount of money on the
The little boy was brought to the orphanage after his mansion.
parents died.
overwrought
orthodox
adjective /«´Uv´»rç˘t/
adjective /»ç˘T´dÅks/ over excited or agitated
generally accepted or approved of The overwrought children were unable to sleep.
She always sticks to her orthodox beliefs.
oxygenate
orthologs
verb /»ÅksIdZ´neIt/
noun /»ç˘T´UlÅgz/ to supply with oxygen
genes found in two or more species that can be Deforestation is a cause for concern, given that trees
traced to a common ancestor significantly oxygenate the environment.
The beta globin chain genes in humans and
chimpanzees are examples of orthologs. oyster

oscillate noun /»çIst´[r]/

shellfish that can be eaten and sometimes produces
verb /ȁsIleIt/ precious pearls
to move to and fro between two points
He was so bored that he began watching the
pendulum of the clock oscillate back and forth for
entertainment.

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pacifism palette
12 to 14
age group P
noun /»pQsIfIz´m/ noun /»pQl´t/
the belief that war and violence are always wrong the range of colours used by an artist
Pacifism is normally considered a good attitude but The artist took his easel and palette to the beach and
people have to defend their nation and rights. started painting a sea-scape.

pacify palpable

verb /»pQsIfaI/ adjective /»pQlp´bl/

to make someone who is angry or upset become that can be felt or touched
quiet or calm After the examination, she heaved a palpable sense
The mother tried to pacify her baby by giving her a of relief.
doll but she just would not stop crying.
palpitate
paddock
verb /»pQlpIteIt/
noun /»pQd´k/ to beat rapidly and/or irregularly
a small field where horses are kept His heart began to palpitate when he spotted a
Most homes in northern Pakistan have a paddock. shadowy figure standing in the alley.

pageant pamphlet

noun /»pQdZ´nt/ noun /»pQmfl´t/

a public entertainment in which people dress in a very thin book with a paper cover containing
historical costumes and give performances from information about a particular subject
scenes in history A pamphlet outlining his vision has recently been
Each year they have a pageant that portrays the published.
American Revolution.
panache
pageantry
noun /p´»nQS/
noun /»pQdZ´ntri/ impressive confidence or stylishly attractive manner
elaborate display or ceremony He wore his designer clothes with great panache.
The march-past was one full of pomp and pageantry.
pancreas
painstaking
noun /»pQNkri´s/
adjective /»peInzteIkIN/ an organ near the stomach that produces insulin and
needing a lot of care, effort and attention to detail a liquid to help digest food
Painting miniatures is painstaking work requiring The doctor’s report said that there was a problem with
considerable care. his pancreas.

palate panda

noun /»pQl´t/ noun /»pQnd´/

the top part of the inside of the mouth a large herbivorous bear-like black and white animal
The doctor prescribed several medicines for the that lives in the bamboo forests of China
infection on his palate.
panorama

noun /«pQn´»rA˘m´/
a view of a wide area of land
Tourists never forget the first impact of the panorama
of the Grand Canyon.

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P
pantomime
12 to 14
age group
parapet

noun /»pQnt´maIm/ noun /»pQr´pIt/

theatrical entertainment involving music, jokes, and a low protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge
slapstick comedy or balcony
Television and other forms of entertainment are The tourists had their photos taken standing on the
undermining the tradition of pantomime in Britain. parapet of the bridge.

paparazzo paraphernalia

noun /«pQp´»rQts´U/ noun /«pQr´f´»neIli´/

a freelance photographer who pursues celebrities to miscellaneous equipment
take photographs of them We shall require a kettle and all the other
The paparazzo hid in the bushes to get better shots paraphernalia to make and serve tea.
of the sunbathing actor.
paraphrase
parachute
verb /»pQr´freIz/
noun /»pQr´Su˘t/ to express what somebody has said or written using
a cloth canopy which allows a person or heavy object different words
attached to it to descend slowly when dropped from a He tried to paraphrase the question before he
high position answered it.
Aeroplanes dropped supplies by parachute.
paraplegia
paradigm
noun /«pQr´»pli˘dZI´/
noun /»pQr´daIm/ paralysis of the legs and lower body
a typical example or pattern of something Paraplegia restricts him to a wheelchair.
The computer is a popular paradigm for how the brain
works. parasite

parallelogram noun /»pQr´saIt/

noun /«pQr´»lel´grQm/
flat shape with four straight sides, the opposite sides
being parallel and equal to each other
It is hard to draw an accurate parallelogram by hand.
plant or animal that lives in or on another plant or
animal and gets its food from it
The mosquito is a blood sucking parasite.
parentage

paranoia noun /»pe´r´ntIdZ/

the identity and origins of one’s father and mother
noun /«pQr´»nçI´/ He is of mixed parentage.
chronic form of mental illness marked by delusions of
grandeur or persecution parliamentarian
The psychiatrists diagnosed him with paranoia when
he claimed that everyone hated him. noun /«pA˘l´m´n»te´ri´n/
a member of parliament
paranoid He is a veteran parliamentarian whose views enjoy
wide spread respect.
adjective /»pQr´nçId/
wrongly believing that other people are trying to harm parmesan
you
He has paranoid delusions that his neighbour is going noun /»pA˘mIzQn/
to kill him. a hard, dry Italian cheese used chiefly in grated form
She used grated parmesan to make the sauce.

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parsimonious patriarch
12 to 14
age group P
adjective /«pA˘sI»m´Uni´s / noun /»peItriA˘k/
extremely unwilling to spend money; the male head of a family or community
His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy On his father’s death he became the patriarch of his
any luxuries. family

partial patriarchal

adjective /»pA˘Sl/ adjective /«peItri»A˘kl/

not complete or whole ruled or controlled by men
He only offered a partial solution to the problem. In the past decade, changes in our patriarchal society
have resulted from greater awareness of gender
particular equality.
adjective /p´»tIkj´l´[r]/ paunch
referring to one individual person, thing, or type of
thing and not to others noun /pç˘ntS/
The court did not agree with any particular opinion. a stomach that is large and sticks out
His paunch was quite obvious, even in loose clothes.
parvenu
pauper
noun /»pA˘v´nju˘/
a person from a humble background who has recently noun /»pç˘p´[r]/
become wealthy or famous a very poor person
She rejected Mark saying that he was a parvenu with Being a pauper, he seldom gets to eat a hearty meal.
no social graces.
pavilion
pastoral
noun /p´»vIli´n/
adjective /»pA˘st´r´l/ a temporary building used at public events and
expressive of the life of country people especially in exhibitions
an idealised and conventionalised manner The workers put up a pavilion for the wedding party.
When I am in the city I long for the quiet pastoral
lifestyle. pawnbroker

patera noun /»pç˘nbr´Uk´[r]/

a person who lends money in exchange for articles
noun /»pat´r´/ left with him
a saucer like vessel of erathenware or metal When he had used up all his income he was forced to
The patera was used by the Greeks and Romans take his wife’s wedding ring to a pawnbroker.
during their libations and sacrificies.
peacock
paternalism
noun /»pi˘kÅk/
noun /p´»tŒ˘n´lIz´m / a male bird with long brightly coloured feathers that it
father-like behaviour can spread out like a tail
The company president’s paternalism made some of
his employees happy and some of them angry. pear

noun /pe´[r]/
a yellowish-green or brownish-green edible fruit,
narrow at the stalk and wider towards the tip
She was eating a freshly peeled pear.

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pebble
12 to 14
age group
pendulous

noun /»pebl/ adjective /»pendj´l´s/

a smooth round stone that is found in or near water hanging down loosely and swinging freely
She bent down to shake a pebble out of her shoe. Pendulous branches of fruit look beautiful in the
summer sun.
peculiar
pendulum
adjective /pI»kju˘li´[r]/
unusual or strange noun /»pendj´l´m/
His peculiar manner needs to be monitored closely as a body suspended from a fixed point so as to swing
he may be a danger to his colleagues. freely to and fro, and commonly used to regulate
movements
peculiarity He was almost hypnotised by the back-and-forth
motion of the pendulum.
noun /pI«kju˘li»Qr´ti/
an unusual or distinctive feature or habit penguin
A sharp ringing in the ears is a peculiarity of the
disease. noun /»peNgwIn/
an Antarctic sea bird that cannot fly but uses its wings
pedantic as flippers for swimming

adjective /pI»dQntIk/ penicillin

obsessed by book learning and theory
His pedantic nature makes him incapable of thinking noun /«penI»sIlIn/
out of the box. an antibiotic
The discovery of penicillin was hailed as one of the
pedestrian greatest medical breakthroughs in the 19th century.
noun /p´»destri´n/ peninsula
one who journeys on foot
A pedestrian was injured when the car skidded. noun /p´»nInsj´l´/
a piece of land almost surrounded by water but joined
peerless to a larger piece of land
The Arabian peninsula has become a hub of trade
adjective /»pI´l´s/ and commerce in the past five years.
better than all others; unrivalled
The audience gave the singer a standing ovation for pension
his peerless performance.
noun /»penSn/
pellucid a regular payment made by the state or a company to
retired people and to some widows and disabled
adjective /p´»lu˘sId/ people
transparent; extremely clear His pension is not even enough to cover the cost of
They drank the pure and pellucid water from the his utility bills.
spring.
penultimate
penance
adjective /pen»√ltIm´t/
noun /»pen´ns/ last but one; second last
an act performed to show regret at having done They scored a boundary off the penultimate delivery.
wrong
I must perform some penance for treating my mother
so cruelly.

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peon perilous
12 to 14
age group P
noun /»pi˘´n/ adjective /»per´l´s/
an unskilled worker full of danger or risk
The peon at our office is very organised and efficient. Travelling to Hunza by road is a perilous journey.

peppercorn peripheral

noun /»pep´kç˘n/ adjective /p´»rIf´r´l/

a dried berry from a tropical plant, that is crushed to marginal
make pepper Matters of peripheral concern never bothered her.
She used grated peppercorn to season the soup.
perjury
perceive
noun /»pŒ˘dZ´ri/
verb /p´»si˘v/ the offence of deliberately telling a lie in court when
to notice or become aware of something under oath
She could perceive that something was wrong. He is expected to be charged with perjury.

percussion permeate

noun /p´»k√Sn/ verb /»pŒ˘mieIt/

a group of musical instruments that are played by to spread to every part of an object or a place
striking them with the hand or a stick If you do not open the window the smell of cooking
The track features Joey Langton on percussion. will permeate the entire house.

peregrination permissible

noun /«per´grI»neISn/ adjective /p´»mIs´bl/

a journey, especially a long slow one allowable
His peregrination across South America brought him The tube-well water contained permissible levels of
into contact with a number of different cultures. nitrates.

peremptory perpetual

adjective /p´»rempt´ri/ adjective /p´»petSu´l/

insisting on immediate attention or obedience continuing for ever
She dreaded his peremptory orders. They have a perpetual fear of losing their jobs.

perfunctory perplex

adjective /p´»f√Nkt´ri/ verb /p´»pleks/

done as a duty or habit, without real interest, attention to bewilder or puzzle
or feeling His strange behaviour could perplex anyone.
He was greeted at the door by a perfunctory hello
from his mother. perplexity

periapsis noun /p´»pleks´ti/

puzzlement
noun /«pErI»apsIs/ Her perplexity on hearing the news was obvious.
the point at which an orbiting object is closest to the
body it is orbiting
An object is at its greatest velocity at the periapsis.

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persona
12 to 14
age group
perversion

noun /p´»s´Un´/ noun /p´»vŒ˘Sn /

the aspect of a person’s character that is presented to changing something that is good or right into
others something that is bad or wrong
One should never be misled by a politician’s public We must prevent this perversion of the law.
persona.
pesticide
perspicacity
noun /»pestIsaId/
noun /«pŒ˘spI»kQs´ti/ a chemical used for killing pests, especially insects
quality of being astute Too much pesticide can be harmful for the crops.
He was respected for his perspicacity and wisdom.
pestilence
perspicuity
noun /»pestIl´ns/
noun /p´»spikuiti/ a deadly epidemic disease
clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity Many died during the outbreak of pestilence.
His speech was praised for its perspicuity.
petrify
persuasion
verb /»petrIfaI/
noun /p´»sweIZn/ to paralyse with fear
the action of causing someone to believe something If you want to petrify him, just tell him there is a
through reasoning or argument spider in the room.
I doubt my attempts at persuasion would work on
him. petulant

pertinacious adjective /»petjul´nt/

childishly sulky or bad-tempered
adjective /«pŒ˘tI»neIS´s / He behaved like a petulant child and refused to
determined cooperate.
He is bound to succeed because of his pertinacious
nature. pharisaical

pervade adjective /farI»seIIkl/

marked by hypocritical self-righteousness
verb /p´»veId/ Our society is plagued with hypocritical insincerity
spread through or be noticeable in every part of and pharisaical pride.
something
A mood of fear was seen to pervade the camp pharmaceutical
following the blast.
adjective /«fA˘m´»su˘tIkl/
pervasive relating to medicinal drugs
Pharmaceutical companies should reduce the cost of
adjective /p´»veIsIv/ drugs in poorer countries.
existing in all parts of a place or thing
She could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odour pharmacist
of mothballs even after washing them.
noun /»fA˘m´sIst/
one who prepares and sells medicines
We had to wait for the pharmacist to find the
prescribed medicine.

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phenomenal photomontage
12 to 14
age group P
adjective /f´»nÅmInl/ noun /«f´Ut´UmÅn»tA˘Z/
outstanding a picture consisting of photographs placed together or
Her phenomenal performance received rave reviews. overlapping
She did her own photomontage to join the photos in a
phenomenon panoramic folder.
noun /f´»nÅmIn´n/ physics
a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one
that is not fully understood noun /»fIzIks/
The total eclipse of the sun is a rare phenomenon. a science that deals with matter and energy and their
interactions
philosophy His PhD. Thesis in physics will be published soon.
noun /f´»lÅs´fi/ physiognomy
the study of the nature and meaning of the universe
and of human life noun /«fIzi»Ågn´mi/
He is a professor of philosophy at King Edward’s the shape and features of a person’s face
College. He was proud of his ability to analyse a person’s
character by studying their physiognomy.
phlegm
physiological
noun /flem/
thick mucus which forms in the nose and throat, adjective /«fIzi´»lÅdZIkl/
especially when one has a cold pertaining to the science of the normal functions of
He was advised to take steam inhalations to cure his living organisms
phlegm. To understand this disease fully, we must examine not
only its physiological aspects but also its emotional
phlegmatic effects.
adjective /fleg»mQtIk/ physique
not easily made angry or upset
The cadets had phlegmatic temperaments. noun /fI»zi˘k/
the size and shape of a person’s body
Phobos He has the physique of a rugby player.
noun /»f´UbÅs/ phytosanitary
inner and larger of the two satellites of Mars
Phobos was discovered by Hall in 1877. adjective /«f√IT´U»sanIt´ri/
relating to the health of plants, with respect to import
phoenix and export
The plant nursery was to abide by phytosanitary
noun /»fi˘nIks/ regulations.
a mythical bird that lives for several hundred years
before burning itself and then rising again from its piccolo
own ashes
noun /»pIk´l´U/
a small flute
He is learning how to play the piccolo.

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P
pierce
12 to 14
age group
piste

verb /pI´s/ noun /pi˘st/

to make a small hole in something with a sharp object a track of firm snow prepared for skiing
I think this needle is so sharp that it could pierce She skilfully skied down the piste.
anything.
pitiful
piety
adjective /»pItIfl/
noun /»paI´ti/ deserving or arousing pity
religious devotion The beggar on the street was a pitiful sight.
The priest was renowned for his piety.
pivotal
pillage
adjective /»pIv´tl/
noun /»pIlIdZ/ crucial
robbing or stealing with violence especially in a war Saeed Anwar played a pivotal role in the team’s
The soldiers returned from the war with stories of victory.
murder and pillage.
placebo
pious
noun /pl´»si˘b´U/
adjective /»paI´s/ a dummy medicine prescribed for the mental benefit
having or showing deep respect for God and religion of the patient or as a control in an experiment
The old woman is known for her pious acts. The doctor prescribed a placebo to the patient.

pipsqueak plagiarise

noun /»pIpskwi˘k/ verb /»pleIdZ´raIz/

an unimportant person take the work of someone else and pretend it is
The pipsqueak always receives rough treatment in one’s own
films. The student was warned by the teacher not to
plagiarise.
piquancy
plagiarism
noun /»pi˘k´nsi/
strong or spicy taste noun /»pleIdZ´rIz´m/
I liked the soup because of its slight piquancy. copying or stealing another person’s ideas, words or
work and pretending they are your own
piranha The designer was accused of plagiarism because his
creations displayed a suspicious resemblance to
noun /pI»rA˘n´/ those of his rival.
fresh water fish with very sharp teeth that attack and
eat living animals plague

pirouette noun /pleIg/

a dangerous illness that spreads very quickly
noun /«pIru»et/ A lot of children died during the outbreak of plague in
spinning on one foot the city.
The ballerina’s pirouette was flawless in form.

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plaintiff plebiscite
12 to 14
age group P
noun /»pleIntIf/ noun /»plebIsIt/
a person who makes a formal complaint against direct vote by all electors of a state on an important
somebody in court issue
The plaintiff demanded compensation for the damage The plebiscite has not yet been held.
to his house.
plectrum
plankton
noun /»plektr´m/
noun /»plQNkt´n/ thin flat piece of plastic, metal used to pluck the
tiny organisms living in the sea or fresh water strings of a guitar
He dropped his plectrum but continued using only his
plasticine fingers.
noun /»plQst´si˘n/ pliable
a soft modelling material
Plasticine was my favourite plaything as a child. adjective /»plaI´bl/
easy to bend
plateau Plasticine is a very pliable material.
noun /»plQt´U/ plough
an area of flat land that is higher than the land around
it verb /plaU/
The Baluchistan Plateau is the most sparsely to dig and turn over a field or area of land
populated region in Pakistan. It took them a week to plough the large field.

platinum plume

noun /»plQtIn´m/ noun /plu˘m/

a silver grey precious metal that is often used for a long, soft feather or set of feathers
making expensive jewellery She wore a black hat with a red plume.
She ordered a bracelet of platinum and silver.
plunge
platypus
verb /pl√ndZ/
noun /»plQtIp´s/ to move or jump suddenly forwards and downwards
an amphibious egg-laying Australian mammal with a She was about to plunge into the swimming pool
duck-like bill and webbed feet when her mother called her.

plea pneumonia

noun /pli˘/ noun /nju˘»m´Uni´/

a request made in an urgent and emotional way a serious illness affecting one or both lungs that
Her plea fell on deaf ears. makes breathing difficult
The doctor revealed that the cause of his death was
pleasantries pneumonia.
noun /»plezntriz/ podium
unimportant remarks made as part of a polite
noun /»p´Udi´m/
conversation
After exchanging pleasantries, they got down to a small platform that a person stands on when giving
serious discussion. a speech or conducting an orchestra
His legs started shaking in nervous excitement as he
made his way to the podium.

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P
poignant
12 to 14
age group
posse

adjective /»pçInj´nt/ noun /»pÅsi/

painfully sharp a group of people summoned by a sheriff to enforce
She was so lost in poignant memories that her grief the law or help him catch a criminal
showed on her face. The posse tracked the missing man after a long
search.
polyglot
posthumous
adjective /»pÅliglÅt/
containing or using several languages adjective /»pÅstjUm´s/
Switzerland is a polyglot nation. occurring after a person has died
A posthumous collection of her work has just been
polystyrene published.
noun /«pÅli»staIri˘n/ posture
a synthetic resin which is a polymer of styrene
She bought some cups made of polystyrene. noun /»pÅstS´[r]/
the position in which you hold your body when
ponderous standing or sitting
Her graceful posture is the result of years of ballet
adjective /»pÅnd´r´s/ training.
serious and dull
His ponderous nature has ensured that he is never potassium
the life of the party.
noun /p´»tQsi´m/
pontiff a soft silver-white metal that exists mainly in
compounds which is used in industry and farming
noun /»pÅntIf/ A small amount of potassium is essential to our diet.
chief priest; the Pope
The new pontiff has a challenging task ahead of him. pout

porcupine verb /paUt/

to push one’s lip forward to show you are annoyed
noun /»pç˘kjupaIn/ The man began to pout his lips in anger.
an animal covered with long thin sharp needles
prawn
porpoise
noun /prç˘n/
noun /»pç˘p´s/ a small edible shrimp-like shellfish
a sea animal or dolphin having a blunt snout and
many teeth precarious

porridge adjective /prI»ke´ri´s/

not secure
noun /»pÅrIdZ/ The precarious path down to the beach worsened
a type of soft thick white food made by boiling oats in after rain.
milk or water
He often has porridge for breakfast. precedence

noun /»presId´ns/
priority in time or importance
His desire for power took precedence over everything
else.

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preciosity prehensile
12 to 14
age group P
noun /«preSi»ÅsIti/ adjective /prI»hensaIl/
extreme meticulousness or over refinement adapted for seizing or grasping by wrapping around
His greatest flaw as a writer is his tendency toward Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also
preciosity. their prehensile tails when climbing trees.

precious prejudice

adjective /»preS´s/ noun /»predZudIs/

having great value an unreasonable dislike of or preference for a person,
The crown was set with precious jewels. group, custom
He was a tireless opponent of racial prejudice.
precise
preliminary
adjective /prI»saIs/
exact and accurate adjective /prI»lImIn´ri/
He gave a precise answer to my question. happening before a more important action or event
He is going to announce the preliminary results.
precision
premier
noun /prI»sIZn/
extreme accuracy adjective /»premi´[r]/
Neurosurgery requires a great deal of precision. most important, famous or successful
He is one of France’s premier chefs.
precocious
premonition
adjective /prI»k´US´s/
prematurely developed noun /«pri˘m´»nISn/
Little Timothy displayed a precocious talent for most a forewarning
sports from an early age. The lawyer had a premonition that the judge would
dismiss the case.
predatory
preponderance
adjective /»pred´tri/
living by killing and eating other animals noun /prI»pÅnd´r´ns/
The hawk is a predatory bird. a superiority in number, weight, power, importance, or
strength
predecessor The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of
government forces by engaging in guerrilla tactics.
noun /»pri˘dIses´[r]/
a person who did a job before somebody else prerequisite
The new director reversed many of the policies of his
predecessor. noun /«pri˘»rekw´zIt/
something required as a previous condition
predictable A bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for this position.
adjective /prI»dIkt´bl/ prescient
behaving as expected
The disease follows a highly predictable pattern. adjective /»presi´nt/
having foreknowledge or foresight
The seer chronicled his prescient visions regularly.

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preternatural
12 to 14
age group
prodigious

adjective /«pri˘t´»nQtSr´l/ adjective /pr´»dIdZ´s/

inexplicable by natural laws impressively large
He has a preternatural gift for knowing what others Laser discs can store prodigious amounts of
are thinking. information.

prior prognathous

adjective /»praI´[r]/ adjective /prÅgn´T´s/

happening or existing before something else or before having the jaws projecting beyond the upper part of
a particular time the face
The information must not be disclosed without prior His prognathous jaw made him seem more
written consent. determined to succeed than he actually was.

priority prognosis

noun /praI»År´ti/ noun /prÅg»n´UsIs /

being put first a prediction of the likely development of a disease or
Priority was given to David as he was a senior citizen. illness
If the doctor’s prognosis is correct, the patient will be
privilege in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.
noun /»prIv´lIdZ/ prognosticate
a special right or advantage given to a particular
person or group verb /prÅg«nÅstI»keIt/
Education should be a universal right and not a to predict
privilege. I prognosticate disaster unless we change our
wasteful ways.
probabilistic
prohibit
adjective /«prÅb´bI»lIstIk/
based on probability verb /pr´»hIbIt/
The probabilistic risk involved in the experiment was to forbid
minimal. The university has decided to prohibit smoking on
campus.
probes
proliferation
noun /pr´Ubz/
unmanned spacecrafts that are sent to collect data noun /pr´«lIf´»reISn/
from space sudden increase
Some of the probes launched by NASA are not Smoking triggers off cell proliferation.
meant to return to Earth.
promontory
procure
noun /»prÅm´ntri/
verb /pr´»kjU´[r]/ a long narrow area of high land that goes out into the
to obtain something, especially with difficulty sea
She managed to procure a ticket for the concert. We crowded onto the promontory in order to catch a
glimpse of the battle ship.

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prompt protestant
12 to 14
age group P
adjective /prÅmpt/ noun /»prÅtIst´nt/
without delay a member of a part of the Western Christian Church
We need a prompt reply to our question. that separated from the Roman Catholic Church
The majority of the population of this town is
promulgate Protestant.
verb /»prÅmlgeIt/ protist
to proclaim
We should promulgate these objectives within the noun /»pr´UtIst/
organisation. a large grouping that comprises mostly single celled
organisms with animal and plant characteristics
prophecy A protist can live in almost any environment that
contains water, such as a fungus.
noun /»prÅf´si/
a statement about what is going to happen in the protocol
future
The prophecy has yet to come true. noun /»pr´Ut´kÅl/
the accepted code of formal behaviour used at official
propinquity meetings or between governments
The senior official was given a high level of protocol.
noun /pr´»pINkw´ti/
nearness provision
His office’s propinquity to his home means that he
can walk to work. noun /pr´»vIZn/
supply
prosaic The government is responsible for the provision of
health care to its citizens.
adjective /pr´»zeIIk/
ordinary and showing no imagination prowess
He has a prosaic writing style.
noun /»praU´s/
prosperous great skill
We admire her prowess in athletics.
adjective /»prÅsp´r´s/
rich and successful prudent
We want Pakistan to be amongst the prosperous
countries of the world. adjective /»pru˘dnt/
sensible and careful in making judgements and
protein decisions
The prudent businessman consulted his associates
noun /»pr´Uti˘n/ before going ahead with the plan.
a natural substance found in foods like meat and
eggs, and an essential part of the human and animal pseudonym
diet
As I am a vegetarian, I eat lots of lentils to ensure I noun /»su˘d´nIm/
am getting enough protein. a false name, especially one used by an author
Most writers write under a pseudonym to protect their
real identities.

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P
psychedelic
12 to 14
age group
pyjamas

adjective /«saIk´»delIk/ plural noun /p´»dZA˘m´z/

having intensely vivid colours a suit of long trousers and jacket worn for sleeping in
His psychedelic clothes attracted a lot of attention. My blue pyjamas are the most comfortable clothes I
own.
psychic
python
adjective /»saIkIk/
connected with strange powers of the mind not noun /»paIT´n/
explainable by natural laws a large snake that kills its prey by coiling round and
He claimed he could use his psychic powers to crushing it
communicate with spirits.

psychology

noun /saI»kÅl´dZi/
the scientific study of the mind and how it influences
behaviour
Discoveries in child psychology have influenced the
way we bring up our children.

puerile

adjective /»pjU´raIl/
childishly silly
Puerile behaviour only makes one look idiotic.

pugnacious

adjective /p√g»neIS´s/
eager or quick to argue or fight
He remained friendless due to his pugnacious nature.

pursuit

noun /p´»sju˘t/
following with the intent to capture
She travelled the world in pursuit of her dreams.

pustule

noun /»p√stju˘l/
small blister or pimple on the skin containing pus
She refused to go to the party because she had a
pustule on her face.

putrescent

adjective /pju˘tres´nt/
rotting
It was a path lined with putrescent carcasses.

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qualia quay
12 to 14
age group Q
noun /»kweIlia/ noun /ki˘/
a quality considered as an independent entity a platform in a harbour where boats load and unload
The pain of a headache, the aroma of certain food, A crowd was waiting on the quay, eager to see the
and the sight of snow are examples of qualia. latest shipment of goods.

qualm queasy

noun /kwA˘m/ adjective /»kwi˘zi/

a feeling of doubt or worry about whether what you feeling sick; wanting to vomit
are doing is right Travelling by boat gave me a queasy feeling.
He had been working very hard so he had no qualm
about taking a day off. querulous

quantity adjective /»kwer´l´s/

habitually complaining
noun /»kwÅnt´ti/ My grandmother has become rather querulous since
an amount or a number of something her illness.
She asked her to add a small quantity of salt to the
soup. query

quark noun /»kwI´ri/

a question, especially one asking for information
noun /kwA˘k/ I have a query regarding the seating arrangements.
a soft creamy acid-cured cheese of central Europe
made from whole milk quest
Quark usually has much lower fat content than cream
cheese. noun /kwest/
a long search
quarrelsome His quest for knowledge has been the driving force of
his life.
adjective /»kwÅr´ls´m/
argumentative questionnaire
Her quarrelsome nature has made her many
enemies. noun /«kwestS´»ne´[r]/
a set of questions produced for a survey
quarterly The questionnaire wasn’t too long so she answered it
during her break.
adjective /»kwç˘t´li/
occurring or made four times a year queue
He could not attend the quarterly meeting of the
board. noun /kju˘/
a line of people, cars waiting for something
quasar We were asked to stand in an orderly queue to buy
tickets.
noun /»kweIzA˘/
blue celestial object having the appearance of a star quibble
when viewed through a telescope
A quasar is believed to be the most distant and most verb /»kwIbl/
luminous object in the universe. to argue about a small matter
I was told not to quibble over who got the last slice of
pizza.

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quiche
12 to 14
age group
quotient

noun /ki˘S/ noun /kw´USnt/

an open pie filled with a mixture of eggs and milk with the number resulting from the division of one number
meat, vegetables, cheese by another
Her mother made a spinach quiche for dinner. The quotient is too high given the value of the
denominator.
quiescent

adjective /kwi»esnt/
inactive; inert
The quiescent sea shone dark in the moonlight.

quill

noun /kwIl/
the hollow stem of a feather
Pens made from quills were used during the middle
ages.

quintessence

noun /kwIn»tesns/
the perfect or most typical example
It was the quintessence of an English manor house.

quisling

noun /»kwIzlIN/
a person who helps an enemy that has taken control
of his or her country
The quisling leaked all the state secrets.

quiver

verb /»kwIv´[r]/
to shake slightly
An attack of nerves caused her hands to quiver.

quixotic

adjective /kwIk»sÅtIk/
enthusiastic but usually not practical
Her quixotic nature made her an unsuitable head of
state.

quote

verb /kw´Ut/
to repeat the exact words that another person has
said or written
He is planning to quote the president at the end of his
speech.

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racism rapacious
12 to 14
age group R
noun /»reIsIz´m/ adjective /r´»peIS´s/
the unfair treatment of people who belong to another grasping; predatory
race He is an unpopular member of the business
Everyone appreciated the director for making a film community because of his rapacious approach.
which condemned racism.
rapport
raconteur
noun /rQ»pç˘[r]/
noun /«rQkÅn»tŒ˘[r] / a relation marked by harmony, conformity, or affinity
a person who tells stories in an interesting way The rapport between them was obvious to all who
He is very popular at dinner parties because he is met them.
such a skilled raconteur.
ration
radiate
noun /»rQSn/
verb /reIdieIt/ a fixed amount of food, fuel
to send out light, heat or other energy in rays The soldiers collected their daily ration from the
An electric light bulb will radiate both light and heat. mess.

radium rational

noun /rerdi´m/ adjective /rQSn´l/

a white, radioactive metal used in the treatment of based on reason rather than emotion
diseases like cancer The culprit was not able to give a rational reason for
Radium was discovered by Mary Curie. committing the crime.

raisin rattlesnake

noun /»reIzn/ noun /»rQtlsneIk/

a dried grape a poisonous American snake that makes a rattling
He choked on the pip of the raisin. noise by moving the end of its tail

rancour raucous

noun /»rQNk´[r]/ adjective /»rç˘k´s/

bitter feelings sounding rough and loud
She accepted the decision without rancour, even We could hear the sound of raucous laughter coming
though it was unfair. from across the street.

ransom ravenous

noun /»rQns´m/ adjective /»rQv´n´s/

the money demanded by kidnappers to free someone very hungry
they are keeping prisoner Piranhas are ferocious hunters with a ravenous
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $500,000 for appetite for animal flesh.
the boy’s release.
realm

noun /relm/
a field of activity, interest or knowledge
He seemed to drift into a realm of fantasy towards the
end of his speech.

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reasonable
12 to 14
age group
reckon

adjective /»ri˘zn´bl/ verb /»rek´n/

practical and sensible; fair to calculate
We finally reached a reasonable solution. They reckon it should take five hours to get to their
destination.
rebuff
recluse
noun /rI»b√f/
an abrupt or unkind refusal noun /rI»klu˘s/
Her offer of help was met with a sharp rebuff. a person who lives alone and avoids other people
After his daughter’s death he began to lead the life of
rebuke a recluse.
verb /rI»bju˘k/ reconciliation
to speak severely to a person for doing something
wrong noun /«rek´nsIli»eISn/
You should rebuke him for sleeping when he should the end of a disagreement and the return to friendly
be working. relations
Their change of policy brought about a reconciliation
recalcitrant with Britain.
adjective /rI»kQlsItr´nt/ reconvene
unwilling to cooperate; disobedient
A recalcitrant child usually grows up to be a fiercely verb /«ri˘k´n»vi˘n/
independent individual. meet again
The meeting was to reconvene after lunch.
receipt
recruit
noun /rI»si˘t/
a piece of paper showing that goods or services have noun /rI»krU˘t/
been paid for a person who has just joined the military or another
Make sure you get a receipt for your expenses. organisation
The sergeant ordered the recruit to follow all rules
receive strictly.
verb /rI»si˘v/ rectify
to take or accept something sent or given to you
It is always really exciting to receive a gift from verb /»rektIfaI/
someone. to put right something that is wrong
If he promises to rectify his mistakes, she might
reciprocal consider forgiving him.
adjective /rI»sIpr´kl/ redolent
in return; mutual
The two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement. adjective /»red´l´nt/
strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something
recital The flag was redolent of the regiment’s history.
noun /rI»saItl/ redundancy
a concert given by an individual musician or dancer
noun /rI»d√nd´nsi/
Her piano recital was so successful that she received
a standing ovation. dismissal from employment because no work is
available
Many factory workers are facing redundancy.

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referee reimburse
12 to 14
age group R
noun /«ref´»ri˘/ verb /«rI˘Im»bŒ˘s /
a person who controls matches and judges games to pay back money
The referee blew the final whistle, bringing the match He was told that the firm would reimburse his travel
to an end. expenses.

referendum reindeer

noun /«ref´»rend´m/ noun /»reIndI´[r]/

a vote by all voters on an important issue a kind of deer with large antlers that lives in the Arctic
He became the president after a nation-wide regions
referendum. Eskimos hunt and kill reindeer for its meat and skin.

regalia reinforce

noun /rI»geIli´/ verb /«ri˘In»fç˘s/

the distinctive clothing and objects of an order, rank, to make something stronger
or office, worn at formal occasions Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes.
They unveiled a portrait of the queen in her full
coronation regalia. reiterate

regime verb /ri»It´reIt/

to say again
noun /reI»Zi˘m/ Let me reiterate that we are fully committed to this
a method or system of government policy.
When a Frenchman mentions the old regime, he
refers to the monarchy before the revolution. relic

regolith noun /»relIk/

an object, tradition that has survived from a previous
noun /»rEg´lIT/ era
layer of loose rock resting on bedrock, constituting the This building is the last remaining relic of the town’s
surface of most land cotton industry.
Regolith is another name for mantle rock.
remission
rehearsal
noun /rI»mISn/
noun /rI»hŒ˘sl/ lessening of force, effect or degree
a practice in preparation for a public performance Her illness went into remission following treatment
The rehearsal went so well that we were given the with the latest wonder drug.
next three days off.
remorse
reign
noun /rI»mç˘s/
noun /reIn/ deep regret
the period during which a king or queen rules I felt guilty and full of remorse for the way I treated
Queen Victoria’s reign was very long. her.

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remunerative
12 to 14
age group
reprimand

adjective /rI»mju˘n´r´tIv/ verb /»reprImA˘nd /

paying a lot of money to tell someone officially that you do not approve of
She is lucky to have a remunerative job which is also them or their actions
spiritually satisfying. Every time Ali made a mistake in class, he was afraid
that Mrs Hassan would reprimand him.
renegade
reprisal
noun /»renIgeId/
an individual who rejects lawful or conventional noun /rI»praIzl/
behaviour an act of revenge
In his youth he was a bit of a renegade, and was They did not want to give any evidence for fear of a
frequently in trouble with the police. reprisal.

renovate reptile

verb /»ren´veIt/ noun /»reptaIl/

to restore to good condition any animal that has cold blood and skin covered in
We had to spend a lot of money to renovate our scales, that lays eggs, and has very short legs or no
house. legs at all
A lizard is a reptile.
renunciation
repugnance
noun /rI«n√nsi»eISn/
giving up of something noun /rI»p√gn´ns/
The King’s renunciation of the throne sent a feeling of strong disgust or dislike
shockwaves through the entire country The sight of his severed finger filled her with
repugnance.
repartee
requiem
noun /«repA˘»ti˘/
quick, witty comments or replies noun /»rekwi´m/
The compere is known for his repartee and quick wit. a solemn chant or dirge for the repose of the dead
The requiem for the late Pope was televised live in
repatriate almost every country.
verb /«ri˘»pQtrieIt/ researcher
to return to native country
We will try to repatriate the refugees now that a noun /re»sŒ˘tS´[r]/
peace settlement has been reached. a person who makes careful study of a subject in
order to discover new information about it
repetition The researcher had to go all the way to Brazil to get a
sample of the rare plant.
noun /«rep´»tISn/
doing or saying the same thing more than once resolution
There is a lot of repetition of the same phrase in this
essay. noun /«rez´»lu˘Sn/
formal statement of an opinion agreed on by a
replica committee, especially by means of a vote
noun /»replIk´/ The Pakistan resolution was passed in 1940.
an exact copy of something
We are going to hang a replica of the Declaration of
Independence in our classroom.

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resonance reverberate
12 to 14
age group R
noun /»rez´n´ns/ verb /rI»vŒ˘b´reIt /
echo, sympathetic vibration (of a sound) to be repeated several times as it is
The resonance of the sound of church bells in the reflected off different surfaces
Alpine Valley added to the magic of the moment. The entire valley will soon reverberate with the sound
of church bells.
responsiveness
revere
noun /rI»spÅnsIvn´s/
quick and positive reaction verb /rI»vI´[r]/
They showed a lack of responsiveness to client to feel great respect or admiration for
needs. The students revere their teacher.

restitution reverie

noun /«restI»tju˘Sn/ noun /»rev´ri/

restoration to the rightful owner; compensation a daydream
The man had to make a restitution of $1,000 for the She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened.
damage that he did.
revulsion
restraint
noun /rI»v√lSn/
noun /rI»streInt/ a strong feeling of disgust or horror
calm and controlled behaviour We can only react to such ghastly acts with revulsion.
His ability to show restraint in the face of insults was
admirable. rhinoceros

resumption noun /raI»nÅs´r´s/

a large animal with a thick skin with one or two horns
noun /rI»z√mpSn/ on its nose
beginning again There is a reserve for rhinoceros in India.
The resumption of building work will start early next
week. rhythm

reticence noun /»rID´m/

a regular pattern of beats, sounds or movements
noun /»retIsns/ Although we dislike the lyrics, we loved the rhythm of
reserve in speech his music.
Sadaf did not mind his reticence; in fact she liked it.
rickety
retort
adjective /»rIk´ti/
noun /rI»tç˘t/ not strong or well made; likely to break
a quick, angry or humorous reply The hermit lived in a rickety shack that looked like it
I had to bite my tongue to refrain from making a would fall over in a strong wind.
sharp retort.
ricochet
retribution
verb /»rIk´SeI/
noun /«retrI»bju˘Sn/ rebound off a surface
vengeance It’s funny how bullets never seem to hit or ricochet in
He feared divine retribution for his sins. action films.

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righteous
12 to 14
age group
rouse

adjective /»raItS´s/ verb /raUz/

morally right and good to wake someone up, especially when they are
Righteous deeds will get you to heaven. sleeping deeply
If you want to rouse her, you’ll have to rap hard on
rigorous her bedroom door.
adjective /»rIg´r´s/ rowdy
strictly applied
They had to go through a rigorous search at the adjective /»raUdi/
airport. noisy and likely to cause trouble
The children need to be controlled as their rowdy
riparian behaviour will not be tolerated.
adjective /r√I»pE˘rI´n/ rubicund
related to or situated on the banks of a river
All the riparian states must sign an agreement. adjective /»ru˘bIk´nd/
having a reddish complexion
rivulet He has a cheerful rubicund face.
noun /»rIvj´l´t/ rudimentary
a very small stream
The rivulet joins the river at this point. adjective /«rU˘dI»mentri/
basic
rodent His dancing was limited to a few rudimentary steps.
noun /»r´udnt/ ruffle
a type of small animal, such as rat, rabbit or squirrel
with sharp teeth verb /»r√fl/
The beaver is also a kind of rodent. to make something untidy or no longer smooth
I watched the breeze ruffle the previously smooth
rooster surface of the lake.
noun /»rU˘st´[r]/ rumbustious
an adult male chicken
adjective /r√m»b√stS´s/
roseate high-spirited or difficult to control
He has three energetic, rumbustious little boys.
adjective /»r´Uzi´t/
rose-coloured or pink ruminant
The window’s roseate tint made everything inside
look pink. noun /»ru˘mIn´nt/
any animal, such as a cow or sheep, that regurgitates
rostrum food from its stomach and chews it again
A ruminant has a stomach consisting of four
noun /»rÅstr´m/ compartments.
a platform for public speaking
I stood on the rostrum to deliver the speech.

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sacrilege sanatorium
12 to 14
age group S
noun /»sQkr´lIdZ/ noun /«sQn´»tç˘ri´m/
disrespectful treatment of something sacred or highly a residential clinic
valued She contracted tuberculosis and, as a consequence,
Recent reports of the sacrilege of the holy book has had to be sent to a sanatorium.
caused outrage.
sanctuary
sacrilegious
noun /»sQNktSu´ri/
adjective /»sQkr´»lIdZ´s/ safety and protection
disrespectful of a sacred place, person, or thing The government offered sanctuary to 4,000 refugees.
Leading clerics condemned the book as a
sacrilegious attack on their faith. sanguine

sacrosanct adjective /»sQNgwIn/

hopeful and confident
adjective /»sQkr´UsQNkt/ He has chosen to take a sanguine view of the current
considered too important to change or question situation.
I’ll work till late in the evening, but cannot sacrifice my
sacrosanct weekends. sapient

salamander adjective /»seIpi´nt/

having great knowledge or intelligence
noun /»sQl´mQnd´[r]/ My father believes himself to be a sapient man.
a small thin lizard with four legs and a long tail, of the
type that lives both on land and water sapphire

salesmanship noun /»sQfaI´[r]/

a clear, bright blue precious stone
noun /»seIlzm´nSIp/ He gave her a ring of sapphire for her birthday.
skill of persuading people to buy things
The salesperson displayed fantastic salesmanship by sarcophagus
setting a company record for selling the most goods.
noun /sar»kÅf´g´s/
salient a stone coffin
The display of the sarcophagus in the art museum
adjective /»seIli´nt/ was visited by many people.
most important or most noticeable
One of the salient features of the landscape is the sardonic
escarpment valley.
adjective /sA˘»dÅnIk/
salmon mocking
His sardonic smile was contrary to his words.
noun /»sQm´n/
a large edible fish with pink flesh sarong

salubrious noun /s´»rÅN/

a long strip of cotton or silk material tied round the
adjective /s´»lu˘bri´s/ middle of the body like a skirt
good for one’s health She bought a Malaysian silk sarong from Kuala
We naturally opted to live in the more salubrious part Lumpur.
of town.

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satchel
12 to 14
age group
scabrous

noun /»sQtS´l/ noun /»skQbr´s/

a leather school bag that can be hung over the rough and covered with scabs
shoulder or back His skin was scabrous following years of neglect.
He slung his satchel over his shoulder and made his
way to school. scaffolding

satiate noun /»skQf´ldIN/

a temporary structure made of wooden planks and
verb /»seISieIt/ metal poles, used while constructing, repairing, or
to satisfy cleaning a building
It is impossible to satiate the fat man’s appetite. The scaffolding was dismantled because it had been
unsteady.
satisfying
scalpel
adjective /»sQtIsfaIIN/
fulfilling; leaving nothing to be desired noun /»skQlp´l/
The trip to the hills was a very satisfying experience. a knife with a small sharp blade, used by a surgeon
The nurse handed the surgeon a scalpel as he began
saucer to operate on the patient.
noun /»sç˘s´[r]/ scandalous
a small curved dish on which a tea-cup stands
The metal saucer has turned red due to rust. adjective /»skQnd´l´s/
shocking and unacceptable
sausage His opponents are spreading scandalous stories
about the presidential candidate.
noun /»sÅsIdZ/
a short tube of raw minced meat in a skin, that is scaremonger
grilled or fried before eating
He had a sausage with a roll for lunch. noun /»ske´r«m√Ng´[r] /
a person who spreads stories deliberately to make
saviour people frightened or nervous
He dismissed the expert on global warming as
noun /»seIvj´[r]/ nothing but a scaremonger.
a rescuer
The new manager has been hailed as the saviour of scatterbrain
the previously unpopular club.
noun /»skQt´breIn/
savoury one who cannot think in an organised way
The student was such a scatterbrain that he often
adjective /»seIv´ri/ forgot his homework and was hardly ever on time.
tasting salty not sweet
He bought delicious savoury snacks for the tea party. scavenger

scabbard noun /»skQvIndZ´[r]/

one who searches among what is unwanted by others
noun /»skQb´d/ The bold raccoon became a scavenger when night
the cover for a sword or a similar bladed weapon fell.
The drill master told his student to wipe the blood
from his sword before slipping it back into the
scabbard.

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scenario scramble
12 to 14
age group S
noun /s´»nÅ˘ri´U/ verb /»skrQmbl/
a description of how things might happen in the future to move quickly, especially with difficulty, using your
The worst-case scenario will be if I have to get a job hands to help you
as a waitress. On seeing the two vicious dogs, the robber tried to
scramble over the barbed wire fence.
sceptic
scrape
noun /»skeptIk/
one who doubts the truth of a fact or theory verb /skreIp/
One of the reasons I am such a sceptic is because I to remove something from a surface by moving a
have been lied to so often. sharp edge across it firmly
I will be able to scrape the mud off my shoes with a
schizophrenia knife.
noun /«skIts´»fri˘ni´/ scribble
a long-term mental disorder whose symptoms include
inappropriate actions and feelings and withdrawal verb /»skrIbl/
from reality into fantasy to write something quickly and carelessly, especially
The patient was diagnosed with schizophrenia. because you do not have enough time
He had to scribble madly in order to take down his
scholastic professor’s lecture.
adjective /sk´»lQstIk/ scrimmage
pertaining to education or schools
His scholastic achievements exceed his noun /»skrImIdZ/
extracurricular activities. a confused struggle or fight
In the scrimmage that ensued, I lost my shoe while
scintilla he lost a tooth and his wallet.
noun /sIn»tIl´/ scriptural
a tiny trace or amount
There is not a scintilla of doubt that he is guilty. adjective /»skrIptS´r´l/
pertaining to, contained in, or warranted by the holy
scintillate books of a particular religion
He has deep knowledge of the scriptural writings of
verb /»sIntIleIt/ mediaeval times.
give off flashes of light; sparkle
The substance began to scintillate when we exposed scroll
it to the sun.
noun /skr´Ul/
scoff a long roll of paper for writing on
This scroll was excavated, along with numerous other
verb /skÅf/ artefacts, from the tomb of the young Pharaoh.
to speak in a scornful way
I saw him scoff at their immature behaviour. scruple

scorpion noun /»skru˘pl/

a feeling that prevents you from doing something that
noun /»skç˘pi´n/ may be morally wrong
a small creature, with a poisonous sting She is totally without scruple when it comes to moral
values.

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scrutineer
12 to 14
age group
septuagenarian

noun /«skru˘t´»nI´[r]/ noun /«septSU´dZ´»ne´ri´n/

a person who ensures that an election is organised a person who is between 70 and 79 years old
correctly There was not a single septuagenarian in the
The scrutineer from European Union monitored the audience.
proceedings of the Afghan elections.
serenity
scrutinise
noun /s´»ren´ti/
verb /»skru˘t´naIz/ calmness and placidity
to examine closely and carefully The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a
I need to scrutinise each and every detail of the tremendous explosion.
magazine before sending it off for publication.
serpent
scuttle
noun /»sŒ˘p´nt /
verb /»sk√tl/ a snake
to run quickly with short steps or with the body close
to the ground severity
The spider tried to scuttle off when I attempted to
squash it. noun /sI»ver´ti/
harshness
secede I don’t think you will be able to bear the severity of the
weather there.
verb /sI»si˘d/
to withdraw formally from a federation of states or a shibboleth
political or religious organisation
Chechnya is trying hard to secede from the Russian noun /»SIb´leT/
federation. an old idea or phrase that is no longer accepted by
many people as important to modern life
secular This notion of the old man’s is just a shibboleth.

adjective /»sekj´l´[r]/ shimmer

not religious or spiritual
Ours is not a secular society. verb /»SIm´[r]/
to shine with a soft light that seems to move slightly
seiche Her black hair seems to shimmer like water in the
moonlight.
noun /seIS/
a temporary disturbance or oscillation in the water of shingle
a sea, lake or bay
A sieche is caused by seismic or unusual noun /»SINgl/
atmospheric activity. a mass of small smooth stones lying on a beach
He saw tiny turtles on the shingle.
senescence
shrimp
noun /sI»nesns/
the effects of being old noun /SrImp/
He did not show any signs of senescence until he a small sea creature with a shell and many legs
was well past seventy.

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shroud soliloquy
12 to 14
age group S
noun /SraUd/ noun /s´»lIl´kwi/
a thing that surrounds or hides something a dramatic monologue intended to give the illusion of
We were engulfed in a shroud of smoke from the unspoken reflections
campfire. She quoted Hamlet’s famous soliloquy in the
examination paper.
silhouette
solitary
noun /«sIlu»et/
the dark shape and outline of someone or something adjective /»sÅl´tri/
seen against a lighter background without other people
The dress is fitted to give you a flattering silhouette. The Americans kept the prisoners of war in solitary
confinement.
silt
sonar
noun /sIlt/
earthy matter, fine sand etc carried by moving or noun /»s´UnA˘/
running water and deposited as a sediment an equipment or a system for finding objects
Silt is sometimes known as “rock flour” or “stone underwater using sound waves
dust”. Submarines also use sonar to detect other ships.

simplistic sonorous

adjective /sIm»plIstIk/ adjective /»sÅn´r´s/

over-simplified sounding deep and full
His simplistic approach towards things has The vocalist of the new rock band has a sonorous
complicated his life. voice.

simultaneous sophistication

adjective /«sIml»teIni´s/ noun /s´«fIstI»keISn/

occurring at the same time worldly knowledge about fashion, culture and social
There were several simultaneous shots fired. etiquette
Her sophistication probably stems from the many
siren years she spent travelling around Europe and South
America.
noun /»saIr´n/
a device which makes a long loud noise as a warning southerner
The police cars had flashing lights and a siren.
noun /»s√D´n´[r]/
sojourn a person who comes from or lives in the southern
part of a country
noun /»sÅdZ´n/ Mahmud is a southerner since he was born in
a temporary stay Karachi.
Their sojourn at the hill resort was very relaxing.
souvenir
solace
noun /«su˘v´»nI´[r]/
noun /»sÅl´s/ something bought or kept as a reminder of a time or
emotional comfort place
I hope you find solace in the thought that all of us On her last day in the Maldives, she bought a
share your loss. souvenir to remind herself of the wonderful time she
had.

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spaghetti
12 to 14
age group
spouting

plural noun /sp´»geti/ verb /spaUtIN/

pasta in long strands emitting or discharging forcibly
She makes delicious spaghetti. The volcano was spouting ash and lava.

speciation squid

noun /«spi˘SI»eIS´n/ noun /skwId/

the formation of new and distinct species during the a sea animal with ten tentacles
course of evolution
Genetic drift may be the minor or major contributor to squirrel
speciation.
noun /»skwIr´l/
spectrograph a small red or grey animal with a thick tail that lives in
trees and eats nuts
noun /»spEktr´UgrA˘f/
an instrument that separates an incoming wave into a stagnate
frequency spectrum
The plant pigment phytochrome was discovered using verb /stQg»neIt/
a spectrograph. to stop developing, or making progress
If you don’t want your novel to stagnate, you need to
speculative seriously consider modifying the plot.

adjective /»spekj´l´tIv/ stallion

based on theory or guesswork rather than knowledge
He cast a speculative look at Kate when she refused noun /»stQli´n/
to tell him why she was upset. a male horse

spider stanchion

noun /»spaId´[r]/ noun /»stQntS´n/

a small silk-spinning insect with eight legs an upright bar, post, or frame forming a support or
barrier
spinach The ball hit the stanchion behind the goal.

noun /»spInItS/ starfish

a vegetable with large dark-green leaves that are
cooked or eaten in salads noun /»stA˘fIS/
They had spinach for dinner. a sea animal shaped like a star

spontaneity steak

noun /«spÅnt´»neI´ti/ noun /steIk/

lack of forethought or planning a thick slice of any piece of meat
What I like best about his parties is their spontaneity. I would like a beef steak with mushroom sauce.

spouse stipulate

noun /spaUs/ verb /»stIpjUleIt/

a husband or wife to say exactly and officially what must be done
I am really nervous about introducing my future The law is supposed to stipulate how often schools
spouse to my parents. have to be inspected.

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stochastic subsequent
12 to 14
age group S
adjective /st´»kastIk/ adjective /»s√bsIkw´nt/
relating to skilful conjecturing following
The result of a stochastic process in statistics can In subsequent lessons, we shall try solving more
only be verified once the figures have been difficult problems.
computed.
subsidiary
stoical
adjective /s´b»sIdi´ri/
adjective /st´UIkl/ connected but less important
enduring pain and hardship without showing one’s This information may be used as subsidiary evidence
feelings or complaining but it is not sufficient by itself to prove your argument.
The doctor was amazed at his stoical acceptance of
death. substantiate

strategy verb /s´b»stQnSieIt/

to prove that something is true
noun /»strQt´dZi/ I intend to substantiate my statement by producing
a plan witnesses.
The company must devise a new strategy to beat the
competition. subterranean

stubborn adjective /«s√bt´»reIni´n/

below ground
adjective /»st√b´n/ The “Karez” is a subterranean canal.
unreasonably obstinate
She has inherited her mother’s stubborn streak. subtle

suave adjective /»s√tl/

so slight or delicate as to be difficult to perceive or
adjective /swA˘v/ describe
confident, smooth and elegant She took her husband’s subtle remarks about her
His suave manner impressed everyone at the party. untidy appearance very seriously.

sublime succinct

adjective /s´»blaIm/ adjective /s´k»sINkt/

of extremely high quality and causing great expressed briefly
admiration The audience appreciated his succinct speech.
The sublime performance of the musician left the
audience spellbound. succumb

subliminal verb /s´»k√m/

to give way to
adjective /«s√b»lImInl/ I always succumb to the temptation of eating
outside conscious awareness chocolate when I go to the sweet shop.
Many people believe that television adverts contain
subliminal messages which induce you to buy their suffice
products.
verb /s´»faIs/
to be enough
One coat of paint should suffice.

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S
supercilious
12 to 14
age group
swathe

adjective /«su˘p´»sIli´s/ verb /sweID/

contemptuous to wrap or bind up
I resent your supercilious and arrogant attitude. We should swathe his leg in bandages to prevent his
wound from becoming infected.
surfeit
swivel
noun /»sŒ˘fIt /
an excessive amount verb /»swIvl/
He suffered from indigestion after eating a surfeit of to turn around a fixed central point
lasagne. She had to swivel the chair in order to see what I
was doing.
surreptitious
symmetry
adjective /«s√r´p»tISes/
secret noun /»sIm´tri/
The news of their surreptitious meeting gradually the arrangement of parts in such a way that balance
leaked out. is obtained
The addition of the second tower will give this edifice
surveyor the symmetry which it currently lacks.
noun /s´»veI´[r]/ synonym
one who examines and records the details of an area
of land noun /»sIn´nIm/
He works as a surveyor in the public works a word that has the same or nearly the same
department. meaning as another word
I am having trouble coming up with a synonym for
susceptibility ‘shaky’.
noun /s´«sept´»bIl´ti/ syntax
ability to be influenced
His old age has increased his susceptibility to noun /»sIntQks/
infection. the grammatical rules for forming sentences
It took her years to become comfortable with the
suspicious syntax of the English language.
adjective /s´»spIS´s/ syringe
feeling that something is wrong without having any
proof noun /sI»rIndZ/
He has his father’s suspicious nature. a plastic or glass tube with a long, hollow needle that
is used to take out blood or inject medicine into a
sustain person’s body
The little girl started crying the minute she saw a
verb /s´»steIn/ syringe in the nurse’s hand.
to support
No one is sure whether Mars contains the right
conditions to sustain life.

svelte

adjective /svelt/
slender and attractive
Her svelte figure was enhanced by the black dress.

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tablecloth taut
12 to 14
age group T
noun /»teIblklÅT/ adjective /tç˘t/
a cloth spread over the top of a table tightly stretched
This beautifully embroidered tablecloth was The taut violin strings cut her finger.
purchased in Hong Kong.
tavern
tabulate
noun /»tQv´n/
verb /»tQbjuleIt/ a pub or an inn
to arrange facts or figures in columns or lists Their car broke down at the highway and they had to
DAWN put together a team of experts to tabulate the stay the night at the old tavern.
words for the Spelling Bee.
taxon
taciturn
noun /»taksÅn/
adjective /»tQsItŒ˘n/ a category in the classification of living organisms
not talkative A particular taxon comprises of organisms that have
He is a taciturn man who does not make friends certain genetic characteristics in common.
easily.
technicality
talisman
noun /«teknI»kQl´ti/
noun /»tQlIzm´n/ a small detail in a law or set of rules
an object thought to have magic powers and to bring Although his client was guilty, the lawyer managed to
good luck get him off on a technicality.
Joe believed that the pendant he found in Vietnam
had served as a talisman. technophile

tandem noun /»tekn´UfaIl/

a person who is enthusiastic about new technology
noun /»tQnd´m/ My son is a true technophile and has to buy every
a bicycle for two riders, one behind the other new gadget as soon as possible.
The child was so fascinated by bicycles that he built a
tandem. tedious

tangerine adjective /»ti˘di´s/

long and boring
noun /«tQndZ´»ri˘n/ I was given the tedious job of stamping a thousand
a type of small, sweet orange papers.
She put a tangerine in the fruit salad.
tedium
tantamount
noun /»ti˘di´m/
adjective /»tQnt´maUnt/ boredom
having the same equivalent effect She longed for something to relieve the tedium of
Ignoring their pathetic condition and not lifting a finger everyday life.
to help them is tantamount to murder.
telekinesis
taskmaster noun /«telIkI»ni˘sIs/
noun /»tA˘skmA˘st´[r]/ the ability to move objects without touching them,
a person who sets work for others to do using mental powers
Their teacher was a severe taskmaster. The girl used telekinesis to lift a pencil lying on a
nearby table.

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T
teleprompter
12 to 14
age group
theatre

noun /»teliprÅmpt´[r]/ noun /»TI´t´[r]/

a device which displays words as they are to be a building or an outdoor area where plays are
spoken performed
When the teleprompter malfunctioned, the A new theatre has been built in London modelled on
newscaster was at a complete loss for words. Shakespeare’s Globe.

tenacious theological

adjective /t´»neIS´s/ adjective /«Ti˘´»lÅdZIkl/

persistent; not letting go relating to the study of religion
The woman kept such a tenacious grip on her Theological debates should be encouraged in order
handbag that the thief was not able to snatch it. to acquaint people with a wide range of beliefs.

tenant therapeutic

noun /»ten´nt/ adjective /«Ter´»pju˘tIk/

a person who pays rent for the use of a room, helpful in treating an illness
building, land to the person who owns it The doctors cannot deny the therapeutic properties of
My tenant is beginning to irritate me as he never pays herbs.
his rent on time.
thermoelectric
tendentious
adjective /«T´˘m´UI»lektrIk/
adjective /ten»denS´s/ denoting electricity produced by heat
having an underlying purpose The thermoelectric method is a more environmentally
The periodical’s readership dropped due to its friendly way to generate power.
tendentious editorials.
thoroughbred
tendril
adjective /»T√r´bred/
noun /»tendr´l/ an animal of pure breed
a thin curling stem that grows from a climbing plant My daughter owns a thoroughbred horse.
Each branch of the ivy was attached to the wall by a
tendril. thoroughfare

termite noun /»T√r´fe´[r]/

a public street or road used by traffic
noun /»tŒ˘maIt/ Her house is noisy because she lives close to a busy
ant-like insect that feeds on wood thoroughfare.

terrific threadbare

adjective /t´»rIfIk/ adjective /»Tredbe´[r]/

excellent; wonderful well-worn and therefore thin
The officer was commended on the terrific job he had His threadbare coat does little to keep the cold out.
done for the company.
threaten
tetanus
verb /»Tretn/
noun /»tet´n´s/ to say that you will cause trouble to somebody if you
a disease spread by bacteria causing the muscles to do not get what you want
stiffen and go into spasms He has the power to threaten his employees with
She was injected against tetanus. dismissal if they don’t work hard enough.

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thrombosis topography
12 to 14
age group T
noun /TrÅm»b´UsIs/ noun /t´»pÅgr´fi/
a serious medical condition caused by a blood clot the physical features of an area of land
forming in a blood vessel Before the generals gave the order to attack, they
The patient’s heart attack occured due to a coronary ordered a complete study of the topography of the
thrombosis. region.

thunder torment

noun /»T√nd´[=r]/ verb /»tç˘ment/

the loud noise in the sky that you hear after a flash of to tease excessively
lightening, during a storm He likes to torment his sister as she is too young to
The thunder scared me so much that I hid under the stand up for herself.
bed.
torrential
tick
adjective /t´»renSl/
noun /tIk/ pouring heavily
large mite that feeds on the blood of warm-blooded Nobody expected such a torrential downpour last
animals night.

timorous tortilla

adjective /»trm´r´s/ noun /t碻ti˘´/

nervous and easily frightened (in Mexican cooking) a thin, flat maize pancake
A squirrel is a timorous animal. She served delicious tortilla with minced beef, beans
and cheese for lunch.
tirade
tortoise
noun /taI»reId/
a long speech of angry criticism noun /»tç˘t´s/
She launched into a tirade of abuse against a slow-moving animal with a shell over its body
politicians.
torture
toad
verb /»tç˘tS´[r]/
noun /t´Ud/ to use mental or physical pain as a means of
a frog-like animal that lives mainly on land but also in persuasion
water He plans to torture the prisoner until he confesses to
the murder.
tolerant
tousle
adjective /»tÅl´r´nt/
accepting of other people’s ideas or actions even verb /»taUzl/
when not agreeing with them to handle roughly and make untidy
He has a very tolerant attitude towards other If you tousle my hair one more time I will tickle you.
religions.
tranquil

adjective /»trQNkwIl/
calm and peaceful
She led a tranquil life in the countryside with her pet
animals.

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T
transcend
12 to 14
age group
tremulous

verb /trQn»send/ adjective /»tremj´l´s/

to be or go beyond the usual limits shaking or quivering slightly
Judging by the positive responses, this novel will His tremulous voice told me that he was nervous.
transcend the success of all his previous works.
tribulation
transcribe
noun /«trIbju»leISn/
verb /trQn»skraIb/ great trouble or suffering
to record in written form The war was a time of tribulation for all of us.
When you transcribe your notes, please send me a
copy for my own records. tribunal

transgenic noun /traI»bju˘nl/

a type of court with the authority to deal with a
adjective /tranz»dZEnIk/ particular problem or disagreement
(of a plant or animal) having genetic material The tribunal found the defendant guilty of war crimes
introduced from another type of plant or animal and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Transgenic fruits never taste the same as the original.
trigonometry
transgress
noun /«trIg´»nÅm´tri/
verb /trQnz»gres/ a branch of mathematics
to go beyond set bounds She took trigonometry as an O level subject.
If you continue to transgress the limits of civil
behaviour, no one will want to have anything to do trinket
with you.
noun /»trINkIt/
transparent an ornament or piece of jewellery that is not worth
much money
adjective /trQns»pQr´nt/ This may be just a trinket, but it is of great
allowing you to see through sentimental value to me.
The transparent wings of the insect looked beautiful.
trivial
transporter
adjective /»trIvi´l/
noun /trQn»spç˘t´[r]/ of little importance
a large vehicle, used for carrying heavy objects, e.g. My friend treated my accident as a trivial matter,
other vehicles which really upset me.
Due to a mechanical fault, the new cars fell off the
transporter. truant

tremble noun /»tru˘´nt/

a pupil who stays away from school without
verb /»trembl/ permission or explanation
to shake involuntarily, especially because you are Mrs. Smith was told that her son had been a truant
nervous, frightened or excited from school for a whole week.
If you begin to tremble, try to calm yourself by taking
deep breaths.

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tuberculosis tyranny
12 to 14
age group T
noun /tju˘«bŒ˘kju»l´UsIs/ noun /»tIr´ni/
an infectious disease transmitted by bacteria unfair or cruel use of power or authority
He is really weak because he had tuberculosis when Frederick Douglas fought against the tyranny of
he was young. slavery throughout his life.

tularemia

noun /«tju˘l´»ri˘mI´/
a severe infectious bacterial disease
Tularemia affects wild animals but can be transmitted
to humans through the bite of various insects or
contact with infected animals.

tumour

noun /»tju˘m´[r]/
a mass of cells growing in or on a part of the body
where they should not
He was completely shattered when the doctor told
him he had a brain tumour.

tumultuous

adjective /tju˘»m√ltSU´s/
disorderly, agitated
The presidential candidate received a tumultuous
welcome from the crowd.

tundra

noun /»t√ndr´/
the vast treeless plains of the arctic regions
The soil below the surface of tundra is always frozen.

turbulence

noun /»tŒ˘bj´l´ns/
disturbance, irregular variation

Warned of approaching turbulence in the atmosphere,

the pilot asked the passengers to fasten their seat
belts.

tycoon

noun /taI»ku˘n/
a rich and influential business person
He was such a successful business tycoon that he
made his first million by the age of twenty.

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U
ubiquitous
12 to 14
age group
uniformity

adjective /ju˘»bIkwIt´s/ noun /«ju˘nI»fç˘m´ti/

seeming to be everywhere lack of variation
She is one of the most ubiquitous media personalities They tried to ensure uniformity across the different
around. departments.

ultimate unimpeachable

adjective /»√ltIm´t/ adjective /«√nIm»pi˘tS´bl/

final beyond reproach
His ultimate academic goal was to graduate from The lawyer obtained evidence in favour of his client
college. from an unimpeachable source.

unbiased unobtrusive

adjective /√n»baI´st/ adjective /«√n´b»tru˘sIv/

fair and not influenced by your own or somebody not obvious or easily noticeable
else’s opinions, desires The unobtrusive behaviour of the bodyguard attracted
Her unbiased nature made her a perfect choice for no attention
the judicial appointment.
unprecedented
unconscionable
adjective /√n»presIdentId/
adjective /√n»kÅnS´n´bl/ never having happened before
causing shame The scheme has been hailed as an unprecedented
His unconscionable actions caused great distress to success.
his family.
uranium
uncouth
noun /jU»reIni´m/
adjective /√n»ku˘T/ a heavy, silver-white, radioactive metal
rude or socially unacceptable Uranium is a metal which is used to produce nuclear
He was not offered the job because of his uncouth energy.
behaviour.

unearthly

adjective /√n»Œ˘Tli /
strange, mysterious and not natural
Every night we could hear unearthly screams coming
from the old mansion.

unicorn

noun /»ju˘nIkç˘n/
an imaginary animal that is like a white horse with
one long straight horn growing from its forehead
Unicorn blood mythically gives eternal life.

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vaccinate vascular
12 to 14
age group V
verb /»vQksIneIt/ adjective /»vQskj´l´[r]/
to inject a person or animal to protect them against a made up of or containing vessels or ducts through
disease which blood flows
It is essential to vaccinate infants against infectious The doctor diagnosed her with vascular dementia.
diseases such as measles and hepatitis.
vegetarian
vacuole
adjective /«vedZ´»te´ri´n/
noun /»vakjU´Ul/ eating no meat
a membrane-bound cavity within a cell, often She followed a strict vegetarian diet
containing a watery liquid or secretion
The function and importance of a vacuole varies vehement
greatly according to the type of cell in which it is
present. adjective /»vi˘´m´nt/
showing strong feelings for something
vacuum The vehement protest was a result of the
misappropriation of funds in the department.
noun /»vQkju´m/
a space completely empty of substance or gas vehemently
Light can travel through vacuum but sound cannot.
adverb /»vi˘´m´ntli/
vagabond with strong feeling
The charge was vehemently denied.
noun /»vQg´bÅnd/
one who has no home or job and travels from place velocity
to place
He roamed around the streets like a carefree noun /v´»lÅs´ti/
vagabond after quitting college. speed
Jaguars can move with an astonishing velocity.
valet
venturesome
noun /»vQleI/
manservant who looks after his master’s clothes, adjective /»ventS´s´m/
serves his meals or an employee in a hotel with bold, daring, willing to take risks
similar duties A group of venturesome women decided to scale
The valet at the hotel was very good at his work. Mount Everest.

valve verbose

noun /vQlv/ adjective /vŒ˘»b´Us /

a device in a pipe or tube which controls the flow of using too many words
air, liquid or gas Her verbose style of writing is disliked by many
The valve in the tap is faulty as it’s always blocked. people.

varnish vertebrate

verb /»vA˘nIS/ noun /»vŒ˘tIbr´t /

to put a clear liquid onto hard surfaces that gives it a any animal having a backbone
shiny, transparent surface Any animal that has a spine or a backbone is a
I always like to varnish my furniture because it gives it vertebrate.
a very nice shine.

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V
veterinarian
12 to 14
age group
vindictive

noun /«vet´rI»ne´ri´n/ adjective /vIn»dIktIv/

person caring for the health of animals tending to seek revenge
She is studying to be a veterinarian. He is known to have a vindictive nature which is why I
always try to avoid him.
veterinary
virtuosity
adjective /»vetr´n´ri/
connected with the medical treatment of sick or noun /«vŒ˘tSu»Ås´ti /
injured animals a special artistic or musical skill
The cat had to be rushed to a veterinary hospital Nikki gave a performance of breathtaking virtuosity at
when it swallowed a coin. the concert.

viable visibility

adjective /»vaI´bl/ noun /«vIz´»bIl´ti/

capable of succeeding range of vision
It is not a viable option for him to leave the country. The plane could not take off because of poor visibility.

vicious vitreous

adjective /»vIS´s/ adjective /»vItri´s/

violent and cruel hard, shiny and transparent like glass
The vicious dog bit my leg. The scientist became famous by discovering a
vitreous substitute for glass.
vicissitude
vivacious
noun /vI»sIsItju˘d/
change of fortune adjective /vI»veIS´s/
He considered injuring his leg a vicissitude from lively and high-spirited
which he would soon recover. She is a vivacious young girl.

victorious viviparous

adjective /vIk»tç˘rI´s/ adjective /vI»vIp´r´s/

successful in a competitive situation (of animals) producing live babies from its body rather
The victorious team was greeted by a large crowd of than eggs
supporters when they reached their home country. Viviparous offspring require an external food supply
once they are born.
vigilance
vixen
noun /»vIdZIl´ns/
watchfulness noun /»vIksn/
She stressed the need for constant vigilance. a female fox

vigorous vogue

adjective /»vIg´r´s/ noun /v´Ug/

strong and active the current fashion or trend
The government launched a vigorous campaign Pointed shoes have gone out of vogue.
against tax fraud.

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voltmeter
12 to 14
age group V
noun /»v´Ultmi˘t´[r]/
an instrument for measuring voltage
The electrician used a voltmeter to check the flow of
electricity.

voluminous

adjective /v´»lu˘mIn´s/
very bulky and large
She had trouble walking because of her voluminous
skirt.

vortex

noun /»vç˘teks/
a mass of air, water that spins round and round and
pulls things into its centre
Sucked into the vortex, Dorothy and Toto were carried
from Kansas to Oz.

vouch

verb /vaUtS/
to express confidence in and accept responsibility for
a person’s behaviour
I am ready to vouch for his character.

vulture

noun /»v√ltS´[r]/
a large bird with no feathers on its head or neck that
eats dead animals

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W
waffle
12 to 14
age group
weigh

noun /»wÅfl/ verb /weI/

a small cake made of batter and eaten hot to measure how heavy something is
She had a waffle with maple syrup for breakfast. I asked him to weigh his baggage before going to the
airport.
waive
weighbridge
verb /weIv/
to choose to forgo something to which one has a right noun /»weIbrIdZ/
He requested the principal of the school to waive his a machine that measures the mass of a vehicle
fee as he could not afford it. The truck passed over the weighbridge before
proceeding.
waltz
wellington
noun /wç˘ls/
a slow-moving dance performed with a partner noun /»weliNt´n/
The waltz is one of the most elegant dances. a waterproof boot usually reaching the knee
He lost a wellington in the deep puddle.
wanderlust
whale
noun /»wÅnd´l√st/
a strong desire to travel noun /weIl/
His wanderlust was only curtailed by a shrinking bank a large mammal that lives in the sea and looks like a
balance. fish

wangle whaler

verb /»wQNgl/ noun /»weIl´/

to get something by scheming a person who hunts whales
She managed to wangle an invitation to the reception. The whaler was hired to track down the killer whale.

wasp wheelwright

noun /wÅsp/ noun /»wi˘lraIt/

a yellow and black insect that flies and can sting one who makes or repairs wheels
people John took his donkey cart to the wheelwright to have
the spokes of the wheel repaired.
wattage
whimsical
noun /»wÅtIdZ/
an amount of electrical power adjective /»wImzIkl/
I need a bulb with a higher wattage for my bedside unusual in a way that can be either amusing or
lamp. annoying
He has a whimsical sense of humour.
wearisome
whisker
adjective /»wI´ris´m/
tiring noun /»wIsk´[r]/
No one was interested in listening to her wearisome the long, stiff hair growing near the mouth of a cat, rat
chatter. After the fight, not a single whisker was left on the
face of the cat.

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whorl
12 to 14
age group W
noun /wç˘l/
a ring of leaves, flowers,etc. around the stem of a
plant
The new plant in the garden grew a whorl of lilac
flowers.

widespread

adjective /»waIdspred/
existing or happening over a large area or among
many people
The plan received widespread support all over the
country.

wilful

adjective /»wIlfl/
deliberately bad or harmful
They caused wilful damage to her shop while she
was away.

wince

verb /wIns/
to suddenly make an expression with your face that
shows pain, distress or embarrassment
The sudden pain in her leg made her wince.

wreath

noun /ri˘T/
a woven circle of flowers or leaves
She placed a beautiful wreath of flowers on her
grandfather’s grave.

wrestle

verb /»resl/
to fight somebody by holding them and trying force
them to the ground
I watched in fear as he tried to wrestle with the
intruder.

wrinkle

noun /»rINkl/
small fold or line on the surface of something
Even at the age of fifty, she hardly has a wrinkle on
her face.

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X
xenophobia
12 to 14
age group

noun /«zen´»f´Ubi´/
a strong feeling of dislike or fear of people from other
countries
The government has decided to start a campaign
against racism and xenophobia.

xylophone

noun /»zaIl´f´Un/
a musical instrument made of two rows of wooden
bars of different lengths that you hit with two small
sticks
The musician played the xylophone really well.

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yak
12 to 14
age group Y
noun /jQk/
an animal of the cow family, with long horns and long
hair that lives in Central Asia

yeast

noun /ji˘st/
a natural substance that is used to make bread rise
She uses yeast for baking pizzas.

yield

verb /ji˘ld/
to produce as a result
The apple trees in our orchard no longer yield fruit.

yoghurt

noun /»jÅg´t/
a slightly sour, thick liquid food made from milk
I love to eat yoghurt with fruit and a little sugar.

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Z
zany
12 to 14
age group

adjective /»zeIni/
strange or unusual in an amusing way
I can watch the twin brothers’ zany antics for hours.

zealous

adjective /»zel´s/
showing great energy and enthusiasm for something
The leader has earned the reputation of a zealous
reformer.

zenith

noun /»zenIT/
the point when something is strongest and most
successful
He has reached the zenith of his career and he is
only thirty years old.

zest

noun /zest/
extreme interest and enthusiasm
He had a great zest for life.

zodiac

noun /»z´UdiQk/
a circular picture divided into 12 equal periods with
names and signs related to the placement of stars
and planets
According to the zodiac, a person born between
November 22 and December 21 is called a
Sagittarius.

zoology

noun /z´U»Ål´dZi/
the scientific study of animals
Zoology was her favourite subject as she loved
animals.

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