Summary of Advanced English Vocabulary Glossary
Advanced English Vocabulary Glossary: Master Essential Terms
Introduction
This study guide collects useful English vocabulary items from a mixed-level word list and organizes them for efficient learning. It focuses on meaning, pronunciation, grammar, collocations, example sentences, and word families. The material is broken into short sections with practical examples and comparison tables to make review easier for learners who are not attending formal classes.
How to use this guide
- Read each entry to learn the core meaning and pronunciation.
- Practice collocations and example sentences aloud.
- Use the tables to compare related words and spot differences in grammar and usage.
- Review the key points at the end and quiz yourself.
Word entries (grouped by type)
Nouns and related forms
Paraphernalia (n.) — A large collection of miscellaneous articles, equipment, or personal belongings used for a specific activity.
- Pronunciation: /pəˌræfəˈneɪliə/
- Grammar: Uncountable or plural collective noun; usually takes a singular verb.
- Collocations: medical paraphernalia, photography paraphernalia, drug paraphernalia, kitchen paraphernalia.
- Example: The garage was completely cluttered with old camping gear and fishing paraphernalia.
- Word family: No common direct derivations.
Stalemate (n.) — A situation where no progress is possible; in chess, no legal moves for the player to move.
- Pronunciation: /ˈsteɪlmeɪt/
- Grammar: Countable noun; can function as a transitive verb (to stalemate).
- Collocations: reach a stalemate, break the stalemate, political stalemate.
- Example: Budget negotiations have reached an absolute stalemate.
- Word family: Stalemate (v.).
Prestige (n.) — Widespread respect and admiration due to high status or success.
- Pronunciation: /preˈstiːʒ/
- Grammar: Uncountable noun.
- Collocations: high prestige, prestige language, gain prestige.
- Example: Attending an Ivy League university carries immense social prestige.
- Word family: Prestigious (adj.).
Identity (n.) — The characteristics, beliefs, and qualities that distinguish a person or group.
- Pronunciation: /aɪˈdɛntəti/
- Grammar: Countable or uncountable noun.
- Collocations: cultural identity, sense of identity, establish identity.
- Example: Preserving native language helps maintain a strong sense of cultural identity.
- Word family: Identify (v.), identification (n.).
Sustenance (n.) — Food or nourishment that sustains life or strength.
- Pronunciation: /ˈsʌstənəns/
- Grammar: Uncountable noun.
- Collocations: basic sustenance, source of sustenance, spiritual sustenance.
- Example: The hikers survived a week on wild berries for basic sustenance.
- Word family: Sustain (v.), sustainable (adj.).
Doom (n.) — Death, destruction, or unavoidable ruin.
- Pronunciation: /duːm/
- Grammar: Uncountable noun.
- Collocations: spell doom for, meet one's doom, doom and gloom.
- Example: The tariffs spelled financial doom for small import businesses.
- Word family: Doom (v.), doomed (adj.).
Adjectives and adjective-derived forms
Obsolete (adj.) — No longer in use; out of date.
- Pronunciation: /ˌɒbsəˈliːt/
- Grammar: Adjective.
- Collocations: virtually obsolete, obsolete technology, obsolete laws.
- Example: Smartphones rendered standalone GPS devices virtually obsolete.
- Word family: Obsolescence (n.), obsolescent (adj.).
Innate (adj.) — Inborn or natural; present from birth.
- Pronunciation: /ɪˈneɪt/
- Grammar: Adjective.
- Collocations: innate ability, innate talent, innate capacity for language.
- Example: Chomsky argues humans possess an innate capacity for grammar.
- Word family: Innately (adv.).
Boisterous (adj.) — Noisy, energetic, and rowdy.
- Pronunciation: /ˈbɔɪstərəs/
- Grammar: Adjective.
- Collocations: boisterous crowd, boisterous children, boisterous classroom.
- Example: The boister
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Word List Essentials
Klíčová slova: English vocabulary — Advanced, English vocabulary — Registers & Legal, English vocabulary — Word Lists, English vocabulary — Emotions & Psychology, English vocabulary — Verbs, English vocabulary — Usage & Examples, English vocabulary — Usage & Definitions, English vocabulary — Verbs & Adjectival Phrases, English vocabulary — Idioms & Adjectives, English vocabulary — Instruction & Teaching, English vocabulary — Verbs & Nouns, English vocabulary — Academic & Lexical Items
Klíčové pojmy: Paraphernalia is an uncountable collective noun often treated as singular., Stalemate is countable and can be used as a verb to describe deadlock., Prestige is uncountable and relates to social status or reputation., Quell is a transitive verb meaning to suppress or calm disturbances., Subsides is intransitive and means to become less intense or recede., Perfunctory describes actions done with minimal effort or care., Interminably means in a tediously endless way and is an adverb of manner., Use blame + object + for + -ing and accuse + object + of + -ing for the two verb patterns., On the needle is an idiomatic phrase meaning addicted to injected drugs or heavily dependent., Sustenance refers to food or nourishment and is an uncountable noun., Use collocations (e.g., 'innate ability', 'boisterous crowd') to sound natural., Compare countability and transitivity to choose correct grammatical patterns.