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Wordabulary

Word library

8,130 words, searchable by word, definition, part of speech, and CEFR level.

mercantile Adjective B1

Relating to trade or commerce.

mercantilism Noun B2

An economic theory, common in early modern Europe, that a nation's wealth depends on maximizing exports and accumulating gold and silver.

mercenary Noun B1

A soldier who fights for pay rather than out of loyalty to a country or cause.

merchant Noun A2

A person who buys and sells goods, especially in large quantities.

mercurial Adjective C1

Changing mood or behavior quickly and unpredictably.

mercy Noun B1

Kindness shown toward someone who could rightfully be punished or treated harshly.

meretricious Adjective C2

Appearing attractive or valuable on the surface but actually having little real worth.

meridian Noun B2

An imaginary line running from the North Pole to the South Pole, used to measure longitude.

merit Noun A2

The quality of deserving praise, reward, or attention, based on ability or worth rather than other factors.

merry-go-round Noun A1

A round platform with model horses or seats that turns while people ride on it, usually found at fairs.

mesa Noun B1

An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top, larger than a butte.

mesosphere Noun B1

The layer of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere, where most meteors burn up.

mess Noun B1

A dirty or untidy state, or a confused or difficult situation.

message Noun A1

A short piece of information sent from one person to another.

messy Adjective A1

Untidy, with things left in disorder.

mestizo Noun B1

A person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry, especially in Latin America.

metabolism Noun B2

The chemical processes in the body that convert food into energy and maintain life.

metal Noun A1

A hard, shiny material, such as iron or gold, that usually conducts heat and electricity.

metallic bonding Noun B2

The attraction between positively charged metal ions and a surrounding sea of shared, freely moving electrons.

metamorphic Adjective B1

Describes rock that has been transformed by intense heat and pressure deep inside the earth.

metamorphism Noun B2

The process by which rock changes into a different type of rock through intense heat, pressure, or chemical activity, without fully melting.

metamorphosis Noun B2

A complete change in form or nature, especially the biological process by which an animal such as a caterpillar becomes a very different adult.

metaphor Noun B2

A way of describing something by calling it another thing entirely, to suggest they share a quality.

metaphorical Adjective B1

Based on or using a metaphor, meaning something is understood symbolically rather than literally.

metaphysics Noun C1

The branch of philosophy that examines the fundamental nature of reality, including existence, time, and causation.

meteor Noun A1

A piece of rock or dust from space that burns up as it enters Earth's atmosphere, seen as a streak of light.

meteorite Noun A2

A piece of rock or metal from space that has landed on the surface of a planet, especially Earth.

meteorology Noun B1

The scientific study of weather and the atmosphere.

meter Noun B2

The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.

method Noun B1

A particular way of doing something, often following a set of clear steps.

meticulous Adjective B1

Extremely careful and precise about every small detail.

metonymy Noun B2

A figure of speech in which something is referred to by the name of something closely associated with it.

metre Noun A1

A metric unit of length equal to one hundred centimetres.

metric system Noun B1

A system of measurement based on units of ten, including the metre, litre and gram.

microbe Noun B1

A living thing so small it can only be seen with a microscope, such as a bacterium or virus.

microbial Adjective B1

Relating to microbes, the tiny organisms such as bacteria that can only be seen through a microscope.

microbiology Noun B2

The scientific study of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

microbiome Noun B1

The community of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that live in a particular environment, especially inside the human body.

microclimate Noun B2

The climate of a small, specific area that differs from the climate around it.

microeconomics Noun B2

The branch of economics that studies the decisions of individual people, households, and businesses, rather than the economy as a whole.

microorganism Noun B1

A living thing so small it can only be seen with a microscope, such as bacteria.

microphone Noun A1

A device that picks up sound and turns it into an electrical signal, often used for recording or amplifying a voice.

microscope Noun A2

An instrument used to make very small objects look larger so they can be studied.

microvilli Noun B2

Tiny finger-like projections on the surface of some cells that increase the surface area available for absorption.

microwave Noun A1

A kitchen appliance that heats or cooks food quickly using electromagnetic waves.

middle Noun A1

The point or part of something that is at an equal distance from its edges or ends.

midnight Noun A1

Twelve o'clock at night, the middle point between one day and the next.

midpoint Noun A2

The point exactly halfway between two other points.