Explore clear definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, and example sentences. Your complete resource for mastering the English language.
Master the tricky pairs that trip up even native speakers.
Click to read the full explanation and see examples of how to use them correctly.
Click to read the full explanation and see examples of how to use them correctly.
Click to read the full explanation and see examples of how to use them correctly.
Click to read the full explanation and see examples of how to use them correctly.
Click to read the full explanation and see examples of how to use them correctly.
Click to read the full explanation and see examples of how to use them correctly.
The fascinating history behind the words we use every day.
From Italian disastro, meaning "ill-starred." It combines the prefix "dis-" (bad) and "astro" (star). In ancient times, bad events were blamed on unfavorable planet alignments.
From Latin salarium, meaning "salt money." Roman soldiers were given an allowance to buy salt, a vital preservative in the ancient world.
Originally spelled "clew," meaning a ball of thread. In Greek mythology, Theseus used a "clew" to find his way out of the Minotaur's labyrinth.
From Latin musculus, meaning "little mouse." Ancient Romans thought the movement of a muscle under the skin looked like a mouse running.
Filter words by their exact length, perfect for crosswords and Wordle.
Search through our complete database of published English words.
Take this 50-question quiz to test your vocabulary knowledge.
1. What does 'earlet' mean?
2. Where does the primary stress fall in the pronunciation of 'iatric'?
3. Which modern spelling has replaced xanthiuria on charts?
4. Which of the following is a grammatically correct gerund use of 'aahing'?
5. Why should you not use 'Zaberma' to describe modern Nigerian soldiers?
6. What part of speech is the word 'aardvarks'?
7. In colonial documents, spellings of the name were...
8. Which sentence uses 'kabaragoya' correctly?
9. How many syllables does 'labelers' have?
10. What is the plural of gachupin in Spanish?
11. Which part of speech is 'qadi' in English?
12. Which devotional phrase is traditional?
13. Where would you most likely encounter the word macauco today?
14. From which Latin root does the word 'abasement' originate?
15. Where does the primary stress fall?
16. What is the most common current phrase using the root verb 'gabble'?
17. How many syllables does 'dabitis' have?
18. What does the archaic word 'eadios' mean?
19. Which word is the closest formal equivalent to the slang word 'eagers'?
20. Which word is a true rhyme for 'gable'?
21. Which word is the closest mathematical synonym for 'nablas'?
22. Where does the primary stress fall in 'habitude'?
23. Which sentence shows correct subject-verb agreement?
24. What does the word 'Paccanarist' mean?
25. Which stress pattern is correct: yah-goo-ROON-dee?
26. How many syllables does the word 'joy' have?
27. Why should you avoid using 'sab' in a formal legal document?
28. Who is the Kabaka?
29. What is the Labiatae?
30. What part of speech is 'earcap'?
31. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
32. Which word does NOT rhyme with 'earmark'?
33. You are chopping the vegetable for soup. Which sounds most natural?
34. Macchinetta is built from macchina plus the suffix -etta. What does that combination mean?
35. What does 'rabbeting' mean?
36. Can 'Kabardian' be used as an adjective?
37. How many syllables does 'inspire' have, and which is stressed?
38. Which body parts are central to labialismus?
39. How is 'cabbed' pronounced?
40. Which verb correctly completes: 'The ubiquitousness of the brand ___ the strategy'?
41. How many syllables does the word have?
42. How is the word 'abbess' correctly pronounced?
43. What happened to the golden ipê trees in modern botany?
44. On which syllable is the primary stress placed when pronouncing 'unique'?
45. Which part of speech is qiyas?
46. What part of speech is 'gabion'?
47. Why does the family name contain 'xantho-'?
48. What is a counting abacus used for?
49. Which word pair does 'zeniths and nadirs' most resemble in meaning?
50. What is the noun form of 'pabular'?
Lexicographers (dictionary writers) track word usage across books, newspapers, and the internet. When a new word is used consistently by a large number of people over a sustained period of time, it is officially added to the dictionary.
The symbols in slashes (like /ɪˈfɛm(ə)rəl/) represent the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It's a standardized system used to show exactly how a word sounds, regardless of spelling, so you can pronounce it correctly even if you've only ever read it.
The main differences are spelling (color vs colour), pronunciation guides (using different IPA variants), and vocabulary (elevator vs lift). American dictionaries prioritize US usage, while British dictionaries prioritize UK usage, though both recognize global English.
Read widely across different genres, use flashcards for new words, practice using them in sentences, and engage in conversations. Consistency is key to retaining new vocabulary.
The longest word found in a major English dictionary is 'Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis', which has 45 letters. It refers to a lung disease caused by inhaling fine silica dust.
