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vocabulary

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate US //voʊˈkæbjəˌɫɛɹi// UK //vəʊkˈæbjʊləɹi// vo·cab·u·lary

n. all the words that a person knows or uses in a specific language. It can also mean the set of words used in a particular subject, like science or music.

n. the body of words used in a particular language or known to an individual speaker. Often used to describe the lexical range of a specific field or academic discipline.


SIMPLE

Reading books is a great way to improve your vocabulary.

CONTEXTUAL

The teacher noticed that the student's writing improved significantly after they started learning more academic vocabulary.

COMPLEX

While the basic vocabulary of a language allows for daily survival, mastering its technical nuances is essential for participating in professional or academic discourse at a high level.

Synonyms
Origin

Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin vocābulārium. Doublet of vocabularium.

Usage

Usually uncountable when referring to the general concept of word knowledge; countable when referring to a specific list or the set of words in a particular book.

Pitfall

I learned many new vocabularies todayI learned a lot of new vocabulary todayWhen referring to the words you know in one language, the noun is uncountable. Use 'new words' or 'vocabulary' instead of the plural form.

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