Your vocabulary is the total number of words you know in a particular language.
His speech is immature, his vocabulary limited.
We read to improve our vocabularies.
Synonyms: language, words, lexicon, word stock More Synonyms of vocabulary
2. singular noun
The vocabulary of a language is all the words in it.
...a new word in the German vocabulary.
3. variable noun
The vocabulary of a subject is the group of words that are typically used when discussing it.
...the vocabulary of natural science. [+ of]
More Synonyms of vocabulary
vocabulary in British English
(vəˈkæbjʊlərɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-laries
1.
a listing, either selective or exhaustive, containing the words and phrases of a language, with meanings or translations into another language; glossary
2.
the aggregate of words in the use or comprehension of a specified person, class, profession, etc
3.
all the words contained in a language
4.
a range or system of symbols, qualities, or techniques constituting a means of communication or expression, as any of the arts or crafts
a wide vocabulary of textures and colours
Word origin
C16: from Medieval Latin vocābulārium, from vocābulārius concerning words, from Latin vocābulumvocable
vocabulary in American English
(voʊˈkæbjəˌlɛri)
nounWord forms: pluralvoˈcabuˌlaries
1.
a list of words and, often, phrases, abbreviations, inflectional forms, etc., usually arranged in alphabetical order and defined or otherwise identified, as in a dictionary or glossary
2.
all the words of a language
3.
a.
all the words used by a particular person, socioeconomic group, profession, etc.
: in full active vocabulary
b.
all the words recognized and understood, although not necessarily used, by a particular person
: in full passive vocabulary
4.
an interrelated group of nonverbal symbols, signs, gestures, etc. used for communication or expression in a particular art, skill, etc.
Word origin
ML vocabularium < L vocabulum, a word: see vocable
Examples of 'vocabulary' in a sentence
vocabulary
New vocabulary entering the language can shed intriguing light on how our world is changing.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The 7,000 or so natural languages spoken in the world today differ radically in vocabulary and grammar.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This was the vocabulary that we used.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You have to learn the vocabulary during the course of the test.
Evans, Peter & Deehan, Geoff The Descent of Mind - the how and why of intelligence (1990)
You can see our departure from the past in the new vocabulary of the age.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
What is the best way to learn foreign vocabulary?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We might need a new vocabulary of religious decline.
Christianity Today (2000)
Unless of course you are in a specialist field and the training consists of learning specialist vocabulary.
O'Connor, Joseph & Seymour, John Training with N.L.P. (1994)
Together we dived into a whole new vocabulary.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They also use simpler sentence structure, a more limited vocabulary and lots of repetition.
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
When you learn a foreign language, it makes no sense to study vocabulary without grammar.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There is inevitably less appreciation of English vocabulary and grammar.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They speak in five accents and use different vocabulary, according to geography.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
That it's showing off to use a wide vocabulary.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I look for vocabulary rather than grammar.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
She had a limited vocabulary.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A new country needed a new army, and the reborn language needed a vocabulary for that army.
Charles Glass The Tribes Triumphant (2006)
Again, this isn't through lack of imagination or limited vocabulary.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His next chapter was not, as he suggested, on vocabulary and grammar.
Lesley Adkins EMPIRES OF THE PLAIN: Henry Rawlinson and the Lost Languages of Babylon (2003)
In other languages
vocabulary
British English: vocabulary /vəˈkæbjʊlərɪ/ NOUN
Your vocabulary is the total number of words you know in a particular language.
...people with a limited vocabulary.
American English: vocabulary
Arabic: مُفْرَدات
Brazilian Portuguese: vocabulário
Chinese: 词汇
Croatian: rječnik
Czech: slovní zásoba
Danish: ordforråd
Dutch: vocabulaire
European Spanish: vocabulario
Finnish: sanavarasto
French: vocabulaire
German: Vokabular
Greek: λεξιλόγιο
Italian: vocabolario
Japanese: 語彙
Korean: 어휘
Norwegian: ordforråd
Polish: słownictwo
European Portuguese: vocabulário
Romanian: vocabular
Russian: словарь
Latin American Spanish: vocabulario
Swedish: ordförråd
Thai: คำศัพท์
Turkish: sözcük dağarcığı
Ukrainian: словниковий запас
Vietnamese: từ vựng
Chinese translation of 'vocabulary'
vocabulary
(vəuˈkæbjulərɪ)
n
(c/u)[of person]词(詞)汇(匯)量 (cíhuìliàng)
(c)[of language]词(詞)汇(匯) (cíhuì) (个(個), gè)
1 (noun)
Definition
all the words contained in a language
Children need to read to improve their vocabularies.
Synonyms
language
a booklet summarising it in plain language
words
lexicon
word stock
word hoard
2 (noun)
Definition
a list of words in another language with their translations
I could not find this word in my small Italian-English vocabulary.
Synonyms
wordbook
dictionary
If you don't know what it means, look it up in the dictionary.
glossary
lexicon
a lexicon of slang
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dictionary
Definition
a reference book listing terms and giving information about a particular subject
If you don't know what it means, look it up in the dictionary.