Xah Lee, 1995, ..., 2011-01
This project contains a list over five thousand English words with usage examples, loosely grouped into several classes in over 100 files.
For a intro on why i compiled this list, see: English Vocabulary, Introduction.
Subscribe at wordy-english.blogspot.com or by email.
When using this site, you should have a digital dictionary at hand. I usually do not include definitions in my word list. Looking it up actually makes you remember. I highly recommend American Heritage dictionary amazon , and i advice NOT to buy the very popular Merriem-Webster collegiate. (See: Review: American Heritage Dictionary vs Merriam Webster Collegiate.)
When i cannot find a categorical basket to put the word in, i dump it here. Writers are the ones to blame for this utter quandary.
Writer's Words pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
More writer's words from past A-Word-A-Day: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
Similar in nature to the SAT group but more difficult. You may find them in GREs (Graduate Record Exams). SAT and GRE words are basically words found in journalism. (as opposed to novels or other literatures.)
GRE Words pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Words commonly found in magazines or newspapers. A great source for SAT preparation. High school students starts here.
160 words. Available in download only.
What a strung-out tongue-in-cheek booby-trap!
60 words. Available in download only.
I daresay the forthcoming outlook of a headstrong crackpot is oftentimes a polymath not unlike the foresight of yours truly.
Compound word or portmanteau words. For many of these words, the hyphen eventually dis-appears. For example, email started as e-mail for electronic-mail. (As email becomes infused into household usage, there is a gradual tendency to drop the e in email.)
80 words. Available in download only.
Familiar words with unfamiliar meanings or likely to be misunderstood. For example, a seedy hotel; It's not cricket to cheat at cards; marshal all the relevant facts for the presentation.
80 words. Available in download only.
Words that looks glaringly foreign. Exempli gratia: de facto, bona fide, ad hoc, voilà, et cetera. From a etymology point of view, most words are foreign anyway.
50 words. Available in download only.
Iike, more bang for the buck.
100 words. Available in download only.
Yup! So what's the diff between slang and informal? Often, slang begin as slang, and when they become pop, pundits upgrade them to informal status. Sometimes, dictionaries will disagree on a word status being slang, informal, or standard.
60 words. Available in download only.
Nouns are the least interesting class, period.
170 words. Available in download only.
Difficult, obscure, or specialized jargon, but not archaic. Often interesting ones that tickles mentality. Psy. lingoes like Oedipus complex or phallic worship; med. jargons like alexia or neurasthenic; litterateur archaisms like misology and misogyny, what-not esoterica like clepsydra/sextant; sexual technicalities like coitus interruptus or mastectomy; philosophical, philological, or cunnilingual gibberish from dualism to tribadism, from idealism to Dadaism, to theism/atheism/agnosticism, of solipsism to deconstructionism and gaga.
150 words. Available in download only.
Synonym, paronym, homonym, homophone, homograph, and other kind of nameless nymphs of my fancy.
200 words. Available in download only.
Want all 5 thousands words? Use paypal button below. In the comment field, put “words”. I'll email it to you for $10. Make sure your email address is included and correct.
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