vocabulary

/voʊˈkæbjəˌlɛri/
nounIntermediate
general

the body of words used in a language

The novel showcases a rich vocabulary.

The book uses many sophisticated and varied words.

💡

Refers to the total set of words known or used by a person or group.

technical

the words used in a particular field or subject

The legal vocabulary includes many Latin terms.

Law uses specialized words, often from Latin.

💡

Field-specific terms are often technical or jargon.

Collocations

expand one's vocabularyto learn more wordsactive vocabularywords a person uses frequentlypassive vocabularywords a person recognizes but doesn't use

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

word bankphrase
a collection of words for reference
word listphrase
a list of words, often for study

💡Pro Tip

Building Vocabulary

Read widely and use new words in context to improve your vocabulary.

Gold Rule

Active vs. Passive Vocabulary

Focus on expanding your active vocabulary to improve communication skills.

📖Word Origin

From Middle French 'vocabulaire', from Latin 'vocabulum' (noun), from 'vocare' (to call).

📝Usage Notes

In language learning, 'active vocabulary' refers to words a person uses, while 'passive vocabulary' refers to words they recognize but don't actively use.

Word Breakdown

vocab
from Latin 'vocabulum' (noun)
root
+
-ary
relating to
suffix
English Dictionary