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100 OF THE HARDEST

ENGLISH WORDS TO
PRONOUNCE
VOCABULARY LESSON
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In this lesson, you will learn 100 of the most difficult to

pronounce English words. Not only will you learn how to
pronounce these words, but you will also get their
definitions. At the end of this lesson, you will be able to
understand and pronounce 100 advanced vocabulary words.

No. Word Pronunciation Meaning

1 albeit /ˌɔːlˈbiːɪt/ although

the flat pale sweet nut of the

2 almond /ˈɑːmənd/ almond tree used in cooking
and to make almond oil

a small plant with white, red,

blue or purple flowers that are
3 anemone /əˈneməni/
shaped like cups and have
dark centres

connected with the regions of

4 antarctic /ænˈtɑːktɪk/ the world around the South
Pole

a group of islands and the sea

5 archipelago /ˌɑːkɪˈpeləɡəʊ/
surrounding them

related to or happening in the

6 arctic /ˈɑːktɪk/
regions around the North Pole

to mark something with the

7 asterisk /ˈæstərɪsk/
symbol (*)

a person who competes in

8 athlete /ˈæθliːt/
sports

a bunch of flowers arranged

in an attractive way so that it
9 bouquet /buˈkeɪ/
can be carried in a ceremony
or presented as a gift

a factory where beer is made;

10 brewery /ˈbruːəri/
a company that makes beer

an object which floats on the

sea or a river to mark the
11 buoy /bɔɪ/ places where it is dangerous
and where it is safe for boats
to go

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to hide something in the

12 bury /ˈberi/
ground

a part of a computer’s
memory that stores copies
of data that is often
13 cache /kæʃ/
needed while a program is
running. This data can be
accessed very quickly.

a person who is trying to

14 candidate /ˈkændɪdət/ be elected or is applying
for a job

burnt sugar used for

15 caramel /ˈkærəmel/ adding colour and flavour
to food

a state of complete
16 chaos /ˈkeɪɒs/
confusion and lack of order

an aggressive and
unreasonable belief that
17 chauvanism /ˈʃəʊvɪnɪzəm/
your own country is better
than all others

the things that you wear,

18 clothes /kləʊðz/ such as trousers, dresses
and jackets

dark brown powder made

from the crushed seeds
19 cocoa /ˈkəʊkəʊ/
(called cocoa beans) of a
tropical tree

feeling physically relaxed

20 comfortable /ˈkʌmftəbl/
in a pleasant way

a sudden change of
21 coup /kuː/ government that is illegal
and often violent

pieces of material that are

22 debris /ˈdebriː/ left somewhere and are
not wanted

the first public appearance

23 debut /ˈdeɪbjuː/ of a performer or sports
player

very old and not in good

24 decrepit /dɪˈkrepɪt/
condition or health

a piece of equipment used

to control the movements
25 defibrillator /diːˈfɪbrɪleɪtə(r)/ of the heart muscles by
giving the heart a
controlled electric shock

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a disease caused by a virus

carried by mosquitoes,
26 dengue /ˈdeŋɡi/ that is found in tropical
areas and causes fever and
severe pain in the joints
27 deteriorate /dɪˈtɪəriəreɪt/ to become worse

to become or to make
/dʌɪˈleɪt/
28 dilate something larger, wider or
/dɪˈleɪt/
more open

(of a group of people in a

society) small in number
but powerful and with a
29 elite /eɪˈliːt/
lot of influence, because
they are rich, intelligent,
etc

a perfect example of
30 epitome /ɪˈpɪtəmi/
something

strong black coffee made

by forcing steam or boiling
31 espresso /eˈspresəʊ/
water through ground
coffee

used after a list to show

that there are other things
32 et cetera /ˌet ˈsetərə/
that you could have
mentioned

an action or a remark that

causes embarrassment
33 faux pas /ˌfəʊ ˈpɑː/
because it is not socially
correct

the 2nd month of the year,

34 February /ˈfebruəri/ between January and
March

a series of moving pictures

recorded with sound that
35 film /fɪlm/ tells a story, shown on
television or at the
cinema/movie theater

connected with
36 fiscal /ˈfɪskl/ government or public
money, especially taxes

the leaves of a tree or

37 foliage /ˈfəʊliɪdʒ/ plant; leaves and branches
together

a large open space inside

the entrance of a theatre
38 foyer /ˈfɔɪeɪ/
or hotel where people can
meet or wait

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a particular type or style of

literature, art, film or music that
39 genre /ˈʒɒ̃rə/
you can recognize because of its
special features

the abbreviation for ‘Graphic

Interchange Format’(a type of
40 gif /ɡɪf/ computer file that contains
images and is used especially to
make them appear to move)

an instrument for measuring

41 gauge /ɡeɪdʒ/ the amount or level of
something
42 heinous /ˈheɪnəs/ morally very bad

a person who has the legal right

to receive somebody’s property,
43 heir /eə(r)/
money or title when that person
dies

a plant whose leaves, flowers or

seeds are used to flavour food,
44 herb /hɜːb/
in medicines or for their
pleasant smell.

a system, especially in a society

or an organization, in which
45 hierarchy /ˈhaɪərɑːki/ people are organized into
different levels of importance
from highest to lowest

a way of speaking or writing

that makes something sound
46 hyperbole /haɪˈpɜːbəli/
better, more exciting, more
dangerous, etc. than it really is

47 infamous /ˈɪnfəməs/ well known for being bad or evil

the ability to invent things or

48 ingenuity /ˌɪndʒəˈnjuːəti/ solve problems in clever new
ways

to explain the meaning of

49 interpret /ɪnˈtɜːprɪt/
something

a plan of a journey, including

50 itinerary /aɪˈtɪnərəri/ the route and the places that
you visit

objects such as rings and

51 jewellery /ˈdʒuːəlri/ necklaces that people wear as
decoration

liable (for something) legally

52 liable /ˈlaɪəbl/ responsible for paying the cost
of something

a building in which collections

of books, CDs, newspapers, etc.
53 library /ˈlaɪbrəri/
are kept for people to read,
study or borrow

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54 lingerie /ˈlænʒəri/ women’s underwear

55 mauve /məʊv/ a pale purple colour

connected with the Middle

56 medieval /ˌmediˈiːvl/
Ages

an image, a video, a piece

of text, etc. that is passed
very quickly from one
57 meme /miːm/
Internet user to another,
often with slight changes
that make it humorous

very small; much smaller

58 miniature /ˈmɪnətʃə(r)/
than usual

enjoying playing tricks and

59 mischievous /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/
annoying people

a member of a religious
group of men who often
live apart from other
60 monk /mʌŋk/
people in a monastery and
who do not marry or have
personal possessions

unlikely to happen and

61 moot /muːt/ therefore not worth
considering

a comfortable or suitable
62 niche /niːʃ/
role, job, way of life, etc.

using, producing or
63 nuclear /ˈnjuːkliə(r)/ resulting from nuclear
energy

the fact of words

64 onomatopoeia /ˌɒnəˌmætəˈpiːə/ containing sounds similar
to the noises they describe

an order or a rule made by

a government or
65 ordinance /ˈɔːdɪnəns/
somebody in a position of
authority

a typical example or
66 paradigm ˈpærədaɪm/
pattern of something

a fact or an event in nature

67 phenomenon /fəˈnɒmɪnən/ or society, especially one
that is not fully understood

a painting or drawing, etc.

68 picture /ˈpɪktʃə(r)/ that shows a scene, a
person or thing

an Italian dish consisting of

a flat round bread base
69 pizza /ˈpiːtsə/ with cheese, tomatoes,
vegetables, meat, etc. on
top

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a person whose job is to fit

70 plumber /ˈplʌmə(r)/ and repair things such as
water pipes, toilets, etc.

a short piece of music,

71 prelude /ˈpreljuːd/ especially an introduction to
a longer piece

a right or advantage
belonging to a particular
72 prerogative prɪˈrɒɡətɪv/ person or group because of
their importance or social
position

an official piece of paper on

which a doctor writes which
type of medicine you should
73 prescription /prɪˈskrɪpʃn/
have, and which enables you
to get it from a
chemist/drugstore

used to say that something

74 probably /ˈprɒbəbli/ is likely to happen or to be
true

the way in which a language

75 pronunciation /prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃn/ or a particular word or sound
is pronounced

lying on the ground and

76 prostrate /ˈprɒstreɪt/
facing downwards

a name used by somebody,

77 psuedonym /ˈsuːdənɪm/ especially a writer, instead of
their real name

a platform in a harbour
78 quay /kiː/ where boats come in to load,
etc.

a line of people, cars, etc.

79 queue /kjuː/ waiting for something or to
do something

a South American plant,

grown for its seeds, used as
80 quinoa /ˈkiːnwɑː/ food and to make alcoholic
drinks; the seeds of the
quinoa plant

a small dark red soft fruit

81 raspberry /ˈrɑːzbəri/
that grows on bushes

a method or system of
82 regime /reɪˈʒiːm/ organizing or managing
something

an arrangement to meet
83 rendezvous /ˈrɒndeɪvuː/ somebody at a particular
time and place

connected with or like the

84 rural /ˈrʊərəl/
countryside

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a large fish with silver skin

and pink flesh that is used
85 salmon /ˈsæmən/ for food. Salmon live in the
sea but swim up rivers to
lay their eggs.

a plan that lists all the

work that you have to do
86 schedule /ˈʃedjuːl/
and when you must do
each thing

a chemical element which

exists as brown powder or
87 silicon /ˈsɪlɪkən/
a grey solid that is found
in rocks and sand.

88 sixth /sɪksθ/ ordinal number

89 specific /spəˈsɪfɪk/ detailed and exact

that can be stated,

especially by giving an
90 specifiable /ˈspesɪfaɪəbl/
exact measurement, time,
exact instructions, etc.

the situation at a
91 status /ˈsteɪtəs/ particular time during a
process

not very noticeable or

92 subtle /ˈsʌtl/
obvious

a set of rooms, especially

93 suite /swiːt/
in a hotel

the measurement in
94 temperature /ˈtemprətʃə(r)/ degrees of how cold or hot
a place or thing is
95 ticklish /ˈtɪklɪʃ/ sensitive to being tickled

a sporting event in which

people compete in three
96 triathlon /traɪˈæθlən/ different sports, usually
swimming, cycling and
running

a man who is employed

for cleaning, pressing,
97 valet /ˈvælɪt/
laundering, etc for patrons
of a hotel

a thing that is used for

transporting people or
98 vehicle /ˈviːəkl/ goods from one place to
another, such as a car or
lorry/truck
99 wintry /ˈwɪntri/ typical of winter; cold

10 the round yellow part in

yolk /jəʊk/
0 the middle of an egg

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Activity
Choose the correct word from the box to replace the pronunciation
transcription in each sentence. Each word will be used once.

debris heinous meme pseudonym

chaos ingenuity infamous ordinance

The Lucy Chronicle

14 Feb. 2022

Scandal at School
Greenwich, England - Students School officials due not express the
were surprised to find their school same sentiment as Jack. Authorities
closed yesterday as it was the first have gathered some clues as to how
day of the new semester. The (1) / the act was carried out. (5) /ˈdebriː/
ˈkeɪɒs/ began at around 7:00 this on the ground was found at the
morning. School officials arrived at entrance of the school grounds that
the school and noticed a large mural matches rubbish found near the site
painted on the side of the school. of the mural. The perpetrator(s) used
The mural depicted a popular some (6) /ˌɪndʒəˈnjuːəti/ to carry out
Internet (2) /miːm/ of a cat with a this crime. The school board plans to
grumpy face. The text of the mural implement a new (7) /ˈɔːdɪnəns/ that
read, "School is for losers." will require 24-hour surveillance of
the school grounds. It is unclear if
This (3) /ˈheɪnəs/ crime is being this new mandate will be effective.
treated as a felony and is still However, we know that the first day
currently under investigation. One of the spring semester will surely be
student who chose to go by the (4) / an (8) /ˈɪnfəməs/ day for years to
ˈsuːdənɪm/, Jack, had this to say, "I come.
think the mural is great. It depicts
how we all feel."

1) chaos 2) meme 3) heinous 4) pseudonym 5) debris 6) ingenuity 7) ordinance 8) infamous

The End
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