Exam English
Vocabulary for IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, and other English proficiency exams. High-frequency test words with definitions and examples.
a person who travels and works in space.
nouna book of maps showing different places in the world.
nouna large wild cat from Africa that can run very fast.
nouna piece of information that helps you find the answer to a problem or mystery.
nouna set of rules or symbols used to send information or to write computer programs.
nouna place where a judge decides if someone did something wrong; also a place to play tennis or basketball.
nouna plant that is grown on a farm for food or other uses.
nouna round, often gold object that a king or queen wears on their head.
nounto separate something into two or more parts or groups.
nounstories that are made up and not based on real events or people
nouna large amount of water that covers land that is usually dry
nouna musical instrument that you play by blowing into it
nounthe ability to hear sounds with your ears.
verba person who is very brave or does something very good to help others
nouna person who decides who is right or wrong in a court, or someone who decides the winner in a competition.
nouna small stick that makes fire when you rub it against a rough surface, or a game between two people or teams.
nouna small, flat piece of metal given as a prize for winning a competition or for doing something brave.
nounused to show that you take away a number or amount, or to mean 'without' or 'less than zero'.
nounsomething that is not known or understood, or a story about a crime or strange event.
nouna large, far-away planet in our solar system that looks blue.
nouna substance in food like meat, eggs, and beans that helps your body grow and stay strong
nouna place where something happens, or a part of a movie or play.
nounthe number of points someone gets in a game or test.
nounthe long line of bones in the middle of your back that helps you stand straight
nouna raised area in a theater where actors or musicians perform.
nounthe number 1,000; ten groups of one hundred.
numeralused to say how many times something happens or to multiply numbers.
nouna shape with three straight sides and three corners
nouna musical instrument made of metal that you blow into and has three buttons to change the sound.
nouna person who writes books, articles, or stories as a job or hobby.
nounmetal or strong clothing worn to protect the body in battle
nounthe smallest part of a substance that still has the properties of that substance.
nouna bright blue color, like the sky on a clear sunny day
nounthe last name of a famous German composer who wrote classical music
nouna small wild animal with black and white stripes on its face that lives in holes in the ground
nouna high-ranking Christian priest who leads a group of churches, or a piece in the game of chess.
nounto bend your head or body forward to show respect, or a weapon used to shoot arrows.
nouna brownish metal made by mixing copper and tin, often used for statues.
nouna large, heavy gun that shoots metal balls, used in wars long ago.
nouna deep, narrow valley with steep sides, often made by a river.
nouna natural element found in all living things, coal, and diamonds.
nounA bright object in the sky made of ice and dust that travels around the sun.
nouna small, high place on a ship where a person watches for land or danger.
nouna small, sharp knife used as a weapon in the past.
nounthe material in living things that carries information about how they grow and look.
nouna long time with no rain, so the ground becomes very dry.
nouna basic part of something, like a simple substance that cannot be broken down.
nouna short piece of writing about one subject, often for school or a test.
nouna story or idea that is not real, often about magic or imaginary worlds
nounthe hot, bright part of a fire that you can see.
nounto make someone do something they do not want to do
nouna very large group of stars and planets in space.
nouna small part inside your body that carries information about things like your eye color or height from your parents.
nouna fancy cup with a stem and base, often made of glass or metal.
nouna style of building, art, or writing from the Middle Ages that is dark and dramatic.
adjectivethe force that pulls things down toward the Earth.
nounthe time when farmers pick and collect ripe crops from the fields.
nouna very strong feeling of fear or shock.
nouna problem or difficulty you must get past to reach a goal.
nouna race where runners jump over frames; also, problems you must overcome.
nouna very light gas that has no color or smell and is one of the elements that makes water.
nounexactly the same in every way, with no differences.
nouna group of people in a court who listen to the facts and decide if someone is guilty or not.
nouna soldier from the past who rode a horse and wore armor.
nouna big tooth at the back of the mouth used for chewing food.
nouna famous French painter who made pictures of gardens and water lilies.
nouna collection of old stories from a culture that explain the world, gods, and heroes.
nouna gas with no color or smell that makes up most of the air we breathe.
nounthe smallest and least powerful piece in the game of chess.
nouna small, raised area where someone stands to speak or receive a prize.
nouna door or entrance, especially a large or important one, or a website that is a starting point.
nouna race where each person runs part of the way and then passes something to the next person.
nouna regular, repeating pattern of sounds or movements, like in music or dancing.
nouna blue, valuable stone used in jewelry.
nouna machine in space that sends information to Earth or helps with communication.
nounthe planet with large rings around it, sixth from the sun.
nouna famous writer from England who wrote many plays and poems a long time ago.
nounan elected officer in a local area who makes sure people follow the law.
nouna flat object held in front of you to protect yourself from danger.
nouna long stick with a sharp point at one end, used as a weapon or for fishing
nounto run as fast as you can for a short distance
nounto bend your knees and lower your body close to the ground while keeping your feet flat
verba sudden rush of many animals or people running in the same direction.
nouna set of five lines used to write music.
nouna long, sharp weapon that you hold in your hand and use to cut or fight.
nouna small glass tube used in science experiments.
nouna special chair where a king or queen sits during important events.
nouna very strong wind that spins quickly and can cause a lot of damage.
nouna very sad event that causes great suffering or loss.
nounthe highest sound or voice in music, often sung by children or women
nouna large musical instrument made of metal that you play by blowing into it and moving a long slide.
nouna very large musical instrument made of metal that makes a low, deep sound when you blow into it.
nouneverything that exists, including all stars, planets, and space.
proper nounthe seventh planet from the sun, a large blue-green planet in our solar system.
nounto disappear suddenly and completely, so you cannot see it anymore.
nouna thin piece of cloth that women sometimes wear over their face or head.
nouna special picture of the inside of your body, used by doctors to see bones or problems.
nounwhen words in a sentence start with the same sound or letter, like 'Peter picked a peck of pickled peppers'
nounthe last name of a famous English writer who wrote books about love and society in the 1800s
nouna man's singing voice that is lower than a tenor but higher than a bass.
nouna large musical instrument made of wood that you blow into, which makes a low sound.
nouna wall at the top of a castle with open spaces for shooting arrows.
nouna famous Polish composer and piano player who lived in the 1800s
nouna secret way of writing, using special letters or numbers to hide the meaning.
nounA piece of music written for one main instrument and an orchestra.
nouna style of art where things are shown as shapes like squares and circles instead of looking real.
nouna very small part of an atom that has a negative charge of electricity.
nouna sudden bright light or fire, or to suddenly become bigger or more angry.
nouna hard, gray stone that makes sparks when you hit it against metal.
nounto make or create something, often with difficulty or hard work.
nounthe force that slows down or stops things when they rub against each other.
nouna stone figure of a strange or ugly creature, often on old buildings to carry away rainwater.
nounthe main character in a famous book called 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
nouna person or thing that brings news or shows that something important is coming
nouna character from an old Greek story who flew too close to the sun and fell.
proper nouna style of painting from the 1800s that shows how light and color look at a quick moment.
nounthe feeling of not wanting to move or change, or the physical idea that a moving thing keeps moving.
nounto bring water to land or crops through pipes or channels.
verba short, funny poem with five lines and a special rhythm.
nouna sudden forward movement, like when you try to grab or hit something.
nouna famous play by William Shakespeare about a man who becomes king by killing people.
nouna creature from old Greek stories with snakes for hair, who could turn people to stone if they looked at her.
nouna way of describing something by saying it is something else, to make a comparison.
nounwhen one company or person controls all or most of a business or service.
nouna big cloud of gas and dust in space, where stars are sometimes born.
nouna doctor who helps people with problems in their brain and nerves.
nouna story that is shorter than a novel but longer than a short story.
nounthe central part of a cell or an atom, or the most important part of something
nouna poem that praises or expresses strong feelings about a person or thing
nouna word that sounds like the noise it describes, like 'buzz' or 'pop'.
nouna famous play by Shakespeare about a man who becomes jealous and hurts his wife.
nouna name from an old Greek story about a woman who opened a box and let problems into the world.
nouna tiny part of an atom that has a positive electrical charge
nouna large flying reptile that lived a very long time ago, like a dinosaur with wings
nouna time in history when art, science, and learning became very important again, especially in Europe.
nouna very sharp, small knife used by doctors during surgery.
nouna special stick that a king or queen holds during ceremonies.
nouna way of describing something by comparing it to something else, using 'like' or 'as'.
nounan ancient stone statue with a lion's body and a human head
nouna style of art and writing that shows strange, dream-like images and ideas.
nounhaving weather that is not too hot and not too cold; mild.
verbthe highest adult male singing voice, or the general meaning of something.
nounthe main part of the human body, not including the head, arms, or legs.
nounthe name of a ship from an old Greek story
nouna style of art, music, or buildings from the 1600s and 1700s that is very decorated and detailed.
adjectivein old stories, the person who takes dead people across a river to the land of the dead.
nounAn old book made of pages that are connected together, like a modern book.
nouna small crown or a piece of jewelry worn on the head by a king or queen.
nounused in phrases like 'what the dickens' to show surprise or anger; also the last name of a famous writer.
nouna tool like small scissors used by doctors to hold or pull things
nouna long glove that protects the hand and arm, often worn by soldiers in the past.
nouna small container for ink, used long ago with a pen that you dip in it.
nounto run or move with long, easy steps.
nounan old musical instrument with strings, like a guitar, played with the fingers.
nounan old musical instrument with strings, shaped like a U, used in ancient times.
nouna very small part of an atom that has no electric charge.
nouna piece of music that is calm and inspired by the night.
nouna heavy iron gate that slides up and down to close the entrance of a castle.
nouna thin, sharp sword used for fighting or in sports like fencing.
nouna stone box used in ancient times to hold a dead body.
nouna type of beetle, or a small stone model of it, from ancient Egypt.
nouna curved sword that was used in the past, especially in the Middle East.
nouna piece of music for one or two instruments, usually with three or four parts
nouna poem with 14 lines that often talks about love or strong feelings
nounthe highest point or best moment of something.
noun