The 2,000-word list for Age 22
A reference for young adults exploring words independently or with support. The 2,000 entries are choices for reading and conversation, not a requirement for Age 22. Advanced entries are optional specialist extensions. Age guidance.
Beginner 1–150 · Intermediate 151–800 · Advanced 801–2000 · How to use the bank
Words run alphabetically within each band. Use the letter links or your browser’s Find in Page to locate a word. Every entry is visible below. On smaller screens, swipe a table sideways if needed.
Move through this 24-age collection: All 2,000-word lists by age (1–24) · Previous: Age 21 · Next: Age 23 · How to use this bank. These are reference choices, not age-based word quotas.
Beginner: words 1–150
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · Y · Z
| Sequence and initial | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0001–0002 · A | applewood, arugula |
| 0003–0009 · B | beechwood, bloodworm, bluegill, bottom-dweller, bottom-feeder, brinjal, broodmare |
| 0010–0022 · C | carrion, carthorse, catnip, cattail, cedarwood, chokecherry, citrus, cloudberry, conker, corncrake, cottonseed, cottonwood, cowbird |
| 0023–0027 · D | daylily, deadwood, dragonet, drayhorse, duckweed |
| 0028–0029 · E | eelgrass, elmwood |
| 0030–0037 · F | fieldfare, forefoot, foreleg, forelimb, forepaw, forewing, forget-me-not, fruitwood |
| 0038–0038 · G | grouseberry |
| 0039–0047 · H | hagfish, hawkmoth, hazelwood, heifer, hickory, hindfoot, hindlimb, horsebean, houseplant |
| 0048–0048 · I | ironwood |
| 0049–0051 · K | killifish, kingbird, kinglet |
| 0052–0059 · L | lamprey, leatherback, lemongrass, lemonwood, lilyturf, linden, lioness, loofah |
| 0060–0066 · M | milkweed, mockingbird, moneywort, mongrel, moonflower, mouthbreeder, mouthpart |
| 0067–0069 · N | nightcrawler, nighthawk, nightshade |
| 0070–0071 · O | oilfish, orangewood |
| 0072–0077 · P | packhorse, packrat, peachwood, pinecone, pond-skater, purebred |
| 0078–0078 · Q | quadruped |
| 0079–0091 · R | racehorse, racerunner, ratter, rattler, redbreast, roadkill, roadrunner, rodent, roebuck, rosebud, rosebush, rosehip, rosewood |
| 0092–0111 · S | sandalwood, sandfish, sapsucker, seabird, seafowl, seasnail, sesame, sheepdog, shorebird, shorthorn, silverback, sire, skipjack, snakefly, snowberry, snowbird, soapberry, spawner, spearmint, spiderwort |
| 0112–0121 · S | stablemate, stag, starflower, stonecrop, sturgeon, suckling, sugarcane, sunfish, superbug, sweetpea |
| 0122–0133 · T | tarweed, teakwood, teasel, thistledown, tigress, tomcat, triceratops, tumbleweed, turtledove, turtlehead, tusker, tyrannosaur |
| 0134–0136 · U | underfur, underpart, underwing |
| 0137–0138 · V | velociraptor, vermin |
| 0139–0148 · W | walkingstick, waterdog, waterweed, waxwing, wheatgrass, whelp, woodbine, woodfern, woodruff, wormwood |
| 0149–0149 · Y | yellowwood |
| 0150–0150 · Z | zebrawood |
Intermediate: words 151–800
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S
| Sequence and initial | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0151–0170 · A | abaca, acerola, aconite, agapanthus, agrimony, albacore, alewife, allantois, alstroemeria, alyssum, amaryllis, amberjack, amphipod, anhinga, anthozoan, anthurium, araucaria, arbutus, armyworm, arnica |
| 0171–0178 · A | artiodactyl, arum, ascidian, asp, asphodel, aspidistra, astilbe, aurochs |
| 0179–0198 · B | babassu, babirusa, balsa, balsam, banteng, barberry, barramundi, basidium, basswood, bast, batfish, bayberry, bearberry, bearcat, bedstraw, beebalm, belemnite, belladonna, bergamot, betel |
| 0199–0218 · B | bilimbi, billfish, bine, biped, blackbuck, blackcap, blackfish, bladderwort, blenny, blowfish, bluestem, bobolink, bobwhite, bolete, boll, bollworm, bonefish, boneset, bonnethead, borecole |
| 0219–0238 · B | bovid, bowfin, bowhead, boxfish, boxwood, brachiopod, brambling, branchlet, brant, brill, bristlegrass, bristletail, brittle-star, bronco, brontosaur, brooklime, broomcorn, buckeye, buckthorn, buddleia |
| 0239–0251 · B | bugleweed, bullhead, bunchgrass, burbot, burl, burrfish, burro, bushbaby, bushbuck, bustard, butcherbird, butterbur, butterwort |
| 0252–0271 · C | cabbageworm, cachalot, caladium, calamint, calla, calliandra, caltrop, camas, campanula, camphorweed, campion, candlenut, candytuft, canid, cankerworm, canna, canvasback, capelin, capercaillie, capsicum |
| 0272–0291 · C | carabao, caracara, cardinalfish, carnauba, carnosaur, caryopsis, cascara, casuarina, catalpa, catamount, catbird, catechu, catmint, cattleya, cavy, celandine, centaury, ceratopsian, cervid, cestode |
| 0292–0311 · C | chachalaca, chela, chelonian, chevrotain, cholla, chub, chuckwalla, cichlid, cineraria, clary, cleavers, cleg, cobia, cockchafer, cocobolo, codling, coelacanth, coffeeberry, cohosh, collard |
| 0312–0331 · C | coltsfoot, colugo, columbine, colza, coneflower, conger, constrictor, coonhound, copepod, copperhead, coralberry, coreopsis, corkwood, cornsilk, cotoneaster, cottonmouth, courser, coydog, crabgrass, crake |
| 0332–0346 · C | cranesbill, craw, crawdad, crocodilian, croton, crucifer, ctenophore, cuckooflower, cuckoopint, curassow, cuscus, cutch, cutworm, cyclamen, cymbidium |
| 0347–0366 · D | dabchick, dace, dahlia, damselfish, daphne, daphnia, darnel, darter, dendrobium, deodar, deutzia, diamondback, diapensia, diapsid, digitalis, dimetrodon, dinoflagellate, diplodocus, dipper, dipterocarp |
| 0367–0381 · D | dittany, dobsonfly, dodder, dogbane, dogie, dotterel, dowitcher, dracaena, dragonhead, drosophila, drumfish, duckbill, dulse, dunlin, dunnock |
| 0382–0398 · E | earthstar, ectoproct, eddo, edelweiss, eelworm, eft, eglantine, elaphure, elapid, elasmobranch, ephedra, equid, ergot, ermine, euglena, eutherian, everlasting |
| 0399–0418 · F | fanwort, felid, fescue, fetlock, feverfew, fiddlehead, finback, fingerroot, firethorn, fireweed, flameflower, fleabane, foamflower, forsythia, fossa, frogfish, froghopper, frogmouth, fruitage, fumitory |
| 0419–0420 · F | furcula, furze |
| 0421–0440 · G | gaillardia, galago, gallinule, gar, garganey, gaur, gavial, gelding, gemsbok, gentian, geoduck, gerenuk, germander, gillyflower, ginseng, glasswort, gloxinia, gnatcatcher, gnu, goatfish |
| 0441–0460 · G | goatsbeard, gobbler, goby, goldcrest, goldeneye, goldenrod, goldenseal, goosander, goosefish, goosefoot, goral, grackle, grampus, greenbottle, greenshank, grevillea, greyhen, greylag, grison, grivet |
| 0461–0472 · G | grosbeak, groundcover, groundfish, groundsel, guan, guar, gudgeon, guenon, guereza, gumwood, gurnard, gyrfalcon |
| 0473–0492 · H | hackmatack, hadrosaur, halfbeak, hamadryad, harebell, hart, hartebeest, hawfinch, hawksbill, hawkweed, hellbender, hellebore, hellgrammiate, helminth, henbane, hexapod, hinny, hoatzin, hogfish, hogget |
| 0493–0505 · H | hogweed, holothurian, hominid, hookworm, hornbeam, horsemint, horseweed, hoya, humpback, hydrilla, hydroid, hydrozoan, hyrax |
| 0506–0512 · I | ichneumon, ichthyosaur, iguanodon, immortelle, indri, inkberry, isopod |
| 0513–0528 · J | jabiru, jacamar, jacaranda, jack-in-the-pulpit, jacksmelt, jaeger, jaguarundi, japonica, javelina, jaybird, jennet, jessamine, jewelweed, jimsonweed, jonquil, junco |
| 0529–0540 · K | kaoliang, kea, kiang, killdeer, kittiwake, knapweed, knotgrass, kob, kola, kowhai, krait, kudzu |
| 0541–0560 · L | labyrinthodont, lacebark, lacertid, ladybeetle, ladyfish, lagomorph, lammergeier, lancelet, langsat, lantana, lanternfish, largemouth, larkspur, leatherjacket, leatherleaf, lechwe, leporid, leptosporangium, liger, limpkin |
| 0561–0580 · L | ling, listeria, lithophyte, lithops, live-bearer, liverleaf, lizardfish, lobelia, locoweed, loggerhead, longwool, loosestrife, lords-and-ladies, lorica, lory, louvar, love-in-a-mist, lucerne, lugworm, lumpfish |
| 0581–0581 · L | lychnis |
| 0582–0601 · M | madrepore, madrona, maguey, mahimahi, maidenhair, mako, malanga, maleo, mallow, mandrake, mangabey, manul, manzanita, mara, marabou, maranta, margosa, markhor, massasauga, mastodon |
| 0602–0621 · M | mavis, mayapple, mayflower, maypop, mayweed, meadowgrass, meadowlark, mealybug, medfly, medusa, megabat, megalosaur, megapode, menhaden, merganser, merlin, mesquite, metasequoia, metazoan, microbat |
| 0622–0641 · M | midvein, mignonette, mildew, milfoil, milkcap, mirasol, mistflower, moa, molly, monarda, monkeypod, monkshood, monstera, moonfish, moray, morula, mosquitofish, motherwort, motmot, mouflon |
| 0642–0649 · M | mouser, mugwort, mullein, mulloway, mummichog, murre, mustang, mustelid |
| 0650–0663 · N | narcissus, natterjack, nautilus, neem, nekton, nester, nigella, nilgai, nopal, notochord, nutgrass, nutria, nutsedge, nyala |
| 0664–0683 · O | oarfish, ocotillo, octopod, odonate, oilbird, oleander, oligochaete, oncidium, opah, orach, orb-weaver, origanum, orris, orrisroot, osier, ostracoderm, ovenbird, oxalis, oxeye, oxlip |
| 0684–0703 · P | pachysandra, palfrey, palmetto, palmyra, palomino, paloverde, pandanus, paramecium, paraphysis, partridgeberry, pasqueflower, passerine, passionflower, pastern, pawpaw, peasecod, peewit, pelage, pennyroyal, peperomia |
| 0704–0723 · P | peridium, peyote, phacelia, phalanger, phalarope, philodendron, phragmocone, piculet, piddock, pileus, pimpernel, pinniped, pintail, pinyon, piranha, placental, placoderm, planarian, planula, platy |
| 0724–0743 · P | plesiosaur, pleurocarp, pochard, poinciana, polyanthus, polypody, polypore, pomfret, ponderosa, popinjay, porbeagle, porcupinefish, porgy, porker, portulaca, pothos, potoroo, potto, primula, privet |
| 0744–0749 · P | prosimian, protea, psyllium, puffball, pulasan, purslane |
| 0750–0750 · Q | quillwort |
| 0751–0762 · R | ragweed, ragwort, rapeseed, ravenala, redbud, rhizopus, rimu, rooibos, rosebay, roselle, rowanberry, ryegrass |
| 0763–0782 · S | safflower, sagebrush, saguaro, sainfoin, salal, salmonberry, saltbush, saltwort, salvia, samphire, sandwort, sansevieria, sapote, saxifrage, scabious, scape, scilla, sedum, self-heal, senna |
| 0783–0800 · S | serviceberry, shaddock, shellbark, shiitake, shittimwood, silene, silkwood, silversword, sissoo, skirret, snakeroot, sneezeweed, sneezewort, soapwort, sourwood, southernwood, spathiphyllum, spatterdock |
Advanced — optional specialist reading: words 801–2000
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T · U · V · X · Z
| Sequence and initial | Words, in sequence |
|---|---|
| 0801–0820 · A | aalii, abele, abelia, abelmosk, abrocome, acanthocephalan, acanthopterygian, acarid, acarine, accentor, acervulus, achillea, achimenes, achira, acridid, acrocarp, acrodont, acrogen, actinian, actinopod |
| 0821–0840 · A | aculeus, acylglycerol, addax, adelgid, adenohypophysis, aeciospore, aecium, aepyornis, aftershaft, agama, agamete, agamid, ageratum, agnathan, agueweed, ailanthus, akee, ala, albizia, alderfly |
| 0841–0860 · A | alecost, alehoof, algin, alkanet, allamanda, allelomorph, alligatorfish, allosaur, alocasia, althaea, alula, alumroot, amadavat, amarelle, amatungulu, amboyna, ambulacrum, ameloblast, ament, amnion |
| 0861–0880 · A | amniote, amphioxus, amphiuma, anaspid, anchusa, andrenid, angiocarp, anglewing, angostura, angwantibo, ani, animalcule, anisogamete, ankylosaur, anoa, anopheline, antbird, antheridiophore, antherozoid, anuran |
| 0881–0900 · A | aplacophoran, apodeme, apomict, apothecium, applemint, apteryx, aquilegia, aralia, arborvitae, archerfish, archespore, archiannelid, archipallium, arctiid, areca, argali, argasid, arista, aroid, arrowworm |
| 0901–0917 · A | artemisia, arytenoid, asarabacca, asclepiad, ascolichen, ascoma, ascus, astrantia, auklet, australopithecine, autophyte, avens, awlwort, awn, axilla, axseed, azadirachtin |
| 0918–0937 · B | babbler, bacca, backswimmer, bagasse, bakeapple, balata, balloonfish, balsamroot, baneberry, banksia, barbasco, barbel, barilla, barosaur, barracouta, barrelfish, barrenwort, basidiolichen, bassarisk, batrachian |
| 0938–0957 · B | baya, bdellium, beaugregory, beefalo, beefwood, beetleweed, beggarweed, bellbird, bellwort, bennet, benzoin, bergall, bergenia, beta-lactamase, bettong, bigarade, bigeye, bignoniad, bilsted, birthroot |
| 0958–0977 · B | birthwort, bittercress, bitternut, bitterroot, bitterweed, bitterwood, blackpoll, blackseed, blacksnake, blacktail, blackwood, bladdernose, bladderpod, blastema, blastomycete, blewits, blindworm, blinks, blolly, bloodberry |
| 0978–0997 · B | bloodleaf, bloodroot, bloodwort, blowball, bluehead, bluethroat, blueweed, boarfish, boatbill, bogbean, bogmat, bombycid, bonduc, bonxie, borrelia, botfly, bottlenose, boxberry, boxthorn, brachyuran |
| 0998–1017 · B | branchia, branchiopod, breadroot, breakstone, briarroot, briarwood, brit, brittlebush, broadbill, brocket, brome, bromegrass, brookweed, broomweed, brotula, browallia, browntail, bryony, bryozoan, buckbean |
| 1018–1030 · B | bufflehead, bugbane, bugloss, bullace, bullbrier, bunchberry, bunt, burgrass, bursa, bushtit, buteonine, butterweed, buttonwood |
| 1031–1050 · C | cacique, cacomistle, caddisworm, caecilian, caecum, calabazilla, calamus, calceolaria, calisaya, calliopsis, calvaria, calycle, calypter, camwood, candelilla, candleberry, candlewood, candyweed, canella, cankerweed |
| 1051–1070 · C | cantala, capeweed, capiz, caprifig, caprimulgid, capulin, caracul, caragana, caranda, carangid, caribe, carinate, carissa, carpetweed, carpophore, carpospore, carrageenan, carrizo, cascarilla, caseworm |
| 1071–1090 · C | catalufa, catananche, catarrhine, catbrier, catchfly, catchweed, catclaw, cathartid, catostomid, cavalla, cayuse, cedarbird, ceibo, centrarchid, cephalaspid, cephalochordate, ceras, ceratosaur, cercaria, cere |
| 1091–1110 · C | ceriman, cero, chacma, chaeta, chaetognath, chaffweed, chaja, chalcid, characid, charlock, chaulmoogra, cheatgrass, checkerberry, checkerbloom, chickeree, chigoe, chinaberry, chinch, chincherinchee, chinquapin |
| 1111–1130 · C | chiropteran, chlamydia, chlorophyte, choanocyte, chondrichthian, chordamesoderm, chorioallantois, chorion, chrysomelid, chrysopid, chufa, chunga, chyle, chylomicron, cigarfish, ciliophoran, cimarron, cirio, cirriped, citronwood |
| 1131–1150 · C | cladophyll, clammyweed, clearweed, cleistothecium, cleome, clerid, clianthus, clingfish, clinid, clintonia, clostridium, clotbur, clupeid, clusia, clypeus, coachwhip, coagulum, coca, cocarboxylase, coccidium |
| 1151–1170 · C | cocklebur, cocksfoot, cockspur, coelenteron, cohune, cole, colewort, colicroot, coliphage, collembolan, colophony, colostrum, colubrid, columnea, comatulid, combretum, commelina, compsognathus, conceptus, conenose |
| 1171–1190 · C | conidiophore, conidiospore, conodont, convictfish, convolvulus, cony, coontie, cooter, cootie, copaiba, coralbells, coralroot, coralwood, corbina, cordgrass, coreid, cornel, cornetfish, cornsmut, cornu |
| 1191–1210 · C | corozo, cortina, corydalis, corynebacterium, corythosaur, cosmea, cotinga, cottonweed, cottonwick, coucal, courbaril, courlan, cowage, cowfish, cowherb, coxa, coxsackievirus, coyol, crampbark, crampfish |
| 1211–1230 · C | craniate, crawler, crazyweed, creamcups, crinkleroot, crossopterygian, crotalaria, croup, crowberry, crowfoot, crownbeard, cryptocoryne, cryptogam, cryptomonad, cryptophyte, ctene, ctenidium, cudweed, cunner, cupflower |
| 1231–1244 · C | currawong, cushat, cusk-eel, cutlassfish, cymling, cymule, cynodont, cyprinid, cyprinodont, cyrilla, cytolysin, cytomegalovirus, cytoplast, cytostome |
| 1245–1264 · D | dagame, dallisgrass, danaid, danewort, dangleberry, dassie, dasyure, dasyurid, daw, dayflower, dealfish, deathwatch, deerberry, defoliator, demoiselle, denticle, derris, desmid, devilfish, devilwood |
| 1265–1284 · D | diarthrosis, dicamptodontid, dichondra, dicynodont, digitigrade, diluent, dinocerate, diplococcus, dipteran, disa, discomycete, ditchmoss, divi-divi, doctorfish, dollarfish, domatium, dombeya, doodia, dorbeetle, douroucouli |
| 1285–1294 · D | dovekie, dracontium, driftfish, dromaeosaur, dropseed, dryopithecine, dura, duramen, durmast, dyeweed |
| 1295–1314 · E | earthball, earthtongue, ecdysis, echinococcus, echovirus, ectoblast, ectozoan, edentate, eelblenny, eelpout, efflux, eggar, elecampane, encephalon, encolure, endoblast, endocardium, endogen, endozoan, energid |
| 1315–1334 · E | entellus, enteron, enterovirus, entoproct, eosin, epacris, ephemerid, ephemeropteran, epicranium, epididymis, epiphyllum, episcia, episome, episperm, epizoan, erica, erwinia, eryngo, erythrina, escolar |
| 1335–1342 · E | eubacterium, euglenid, euglenophyte, eurypterid, eusporangium, exotherm, eyas, eyra |
| 1343–1362 · F | fanaloka, fanweed, farkleberry, fauces, featherfoil, feathertop, felwort, fer-de-lance, ferritin, fetterbush, feverroot, fibrinopeptide, fiddleneck, figeater, filaree, filaria, filefish, filovirus, fimbria, fissiped |
| 1363–1382 · F | fitch, flagfish, flagroot, flamefish, flannelbush, flathead, flavivirus, flavone, fleawort, flickertail, fluorescein, fluorochrome, fothergilla, framboise, fraxinella, freetail, fringepod, frogbit, frostweed, frostwort |
| 1383–1384 · F | fucoid, fumewort |
| 1385–1404 · G | gadoid, galbulus, gallberry, gallinacean, gametocyte, gametoecium, ganoid, ganoin, garget, gaskin, gasteromycete, gayal, gayfeather, gazania, gean, geebung, gelechiid, gemmation, gempylid, genipa |
| 1405–1424 · G | genlisea, gentianella, geometrid, gesneriad, ghostfish, giardia, gidgee, girasol, gladdon, glareole, gleba, glia, globeflower, globigerina, gloriosa, glucoside, gnathostome, gnetum, goatsfoot, goatsucker |
| 1425–1444 · G | goldenbush, goldfields, goldthread, gomphothere, gomuti, gonococcus, gopherwood, gorgonian, goujon, gracilariid, grama, granadillo, grassfinch, gravelweed, greasewood, greenbrier, greeneye, greenhood, greenling, greenweed |
| 1445–1462 · G | greenwing, gregarine, gromwell, grugru, guacharo, guaiacum, guayule, guib, guitarfish, gulfweed, gumbo-limbo, gumweed, gunnel, gutta-percha, gynobase, gynostegium, gypsyweed, gypsywort |
| 1463–1482 · H | haemoproteid, haemoprotein, haemosporidian, hagberry, hairtail, hallux, halobacterium, halogeton, hamelia, haoma, haplosporidian, hardinggrass, harpullia, harvestfish, haulm, hawkbit, headfish, heartleaf, heartseed, helianthemum |
| 1483–1502 · H | heliopsis, heliozoan, helleborine, helmetflower, helvella, hemerobiid, hemiepiphyte, hemiparasite, hemipode, hemipteran, henbit, hepadnavirus, hepatica, heteroploid, heterostracan, heterozygote, hindgut, hippeastrum, hippoboscid, hirudinean |
| 1503–1522 · H | hogchoker, hollygrape, holocephalan, holophyte, homeotherm, homogenate, homopteran, homozygote, honeybells, honeycreeper, honeyflower, honeysucker, hornpout, horseleech, hortensia, houhere, huisache, humate, humin, hyaloplasm |
| 1523–1527 · H | hypermastigote, hypobasidium, hypoblast, hypodermis, hypophysis |
| 1528–1543 · I | icaco, iguanid, ilama, infructescence, infusorian, inoculant, inosine, intumescence, inula, inulin, invagination, ironweed, isogamete, isogamy, ivorybill, ixodid |
| 1544–1554 · J | jacksnipe, jagua, jamberry, jassid, jawfish, jellyleaf, jird, jocote, joewood, jointworm, jupati |
| 1555–1574 · K | kahikatea, kalmia, kanchil, kapuka, karyokinesis, karyolysis, karyoplasm, kawaka, kelpwort, ketembilla, keurboom, kiaat, kingcup, kingwood, kinin, kitul, knawel, kniphofia, kohleria, konini |
| 1575–1576 · K | kurrajong, kurrat |
| 1577–1596 · L | lacepod, lacewood, lactobacillus, laelia, lambkill, lamellibranch, lampshell, lancetfish, lancewood, lappet, larid, larvacean, larvicide, lasiocampid, laticifer, lauhala, launce, laurelwood, laver, lawyerbush |
| 1597–1616 · L | leadplant, leadwort, leatherwood, lecanora, lectin, legionella, lentisk, leopardbane, lepiota, leptocephalus, leptodactylid, leptospira, leptotene, lerot, lespedeza, leucocytozoan, leucothoe, lightwood, lignum, liliopsid |
| 1617–1636 · L | lionet, lipfern, liquidambar, lobefin, lobworm, lodgepole, loir, longicorn, longroot, lontar, lookdown, looper, lorchel, love-in-idleness, love-in-winter, love-lies-bleeding, luciferin, lumpsucker, lycaenid, lygaeid |
| 1637–1640 · L | lymantriid, lyreflower, lysis, lyssavirus |
| 1641–1660 · M | machilid, macroevolution, macrospore, macrozamia, madderwort, madwort, magnoliopsid, mahoe, mahuang, malacopterygian, maleberry, mallee, malope, malvasia, mammee, mamoncillo, mangel-wurzel, maniraptor, manroot, mantispid |
| 1661–1680 · M | marasca, marblewood, margate, marginocephalian, marguerite, mariposa, markweed, marlberry, marri, martagon, marum, marumi, masterwort, mastigophoran, matai, matchbush, matchweed, mayfish, mayhaw, mazzard |
| 1681–1700 · M | mealberry, mecopteran, megasporophyll, megathere, megatheriid, melilot, meloid, merozoite, mesencephalon, mesoblast, mesocolon, mesohippus, metamere, metatherian, metencephalon, mezereon, microsome, microsporidian, microsporophyll, midgrass |
| 1701–1720 · M | milcher, milkwort, milo, minniebush, mirid, miro, mitrewort, mockernut, mojarra, mola, mollymawk, monal, moneran, monocarp, monogenesis, moonseed, moonshell, moonwort, moorcock, moorwort |
| 1721–1740 · M | moosewood, morphallaxis, motoneuron, msasa, mucoid, mucor, mucuna, mudder, multiflora, munjeet, murine, muskwood, muttonfish, myelencephalon, mylodontid, myrmecophile, myrmecophyte, myrobalan, mytilid, myxobacterium |
| 1741–1742 · M | myxosporidian, myxovirus |
| 1743–1762 · N | naboom, nagami, naiad, nakedwood, nameko, napu, naranjilla, nardoo, naris, neb, needlebush, needlefish, needlewood, nemertean, nemophila, neopallium, nephthytis, neritid, nerveroot, nervure |
| 1763–1782 · N | neurilemma, neuroblast, neurochemical, neurohormone, neurohypophysis, neuropil, neuropteran, nierembergia, nimblewill, nitrobacterium, nitrogenase, noctiluca, noctuid, nondisjunction, nothosaur, notornis, nucha, numbfish, nummulite, nymphalid |
| 1783–1802 · O | obeche, oca, occiput, odontoglossum, oleaster, olecranon, oleoresin, oligodendroglia, oligonucleotide, olm, omasum, ombu, omentum, onychophoran, ootid, openbill, opepe, ophidian, orchis, ormer |
| 1803–1820 · O | ornithischian, ornithomimid, ornithopod, orpine, orthomyxovirus, orthopteran, ortolan, oscine, osmoreceptor, osmund, osteostracan, ostiole, oviraptorid, ovotestis, oxidoreduction, oxtongue, oxygenase, oxyhaemoglobin |
| 1821–1840 · P | pachytene, padauk, paddlefish, pademelon, palas, palingenesis, palmitin, palometa, papain, papovavirus, paramyxovirus, parapodium, parazoan, parnassia, parr, parthenote, parturition, parvovirus, pasang, paspalum |
| 1841–1860 · P | patas, peachick, pearlfish, pearlweed, pearlwort, peba, pecopteris, peeper, pekan, pelecypod, pellitory, peludo, pelycosaur, penicillinase, pennycress, pentastomid, pepperidge, pepperwood, pepperwort, pepsinogen |
| 1861–1880 · P | percher, percoid, perennation, pericardium, peridinian, perigone, perineum, peripatus, perissodactyl, pewee, phalsa, phanerogam, phasianid, phasmid, phellem, philadelphus, phlomis, phoebe, phoronid, phosphoprotein |
| 1881–1900 · P | phycobilin, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin, physostegia, pichiciego, pickerelweed, picornavirus, pierid, pigfish, pikeblenny, pilotfish, pilus, pinfish, pinscher, pintado, pinworm, piroplasm, plasmodium, platyctenean, platyhelminth |
| 1901–1920 · P | platyrrhine, plecopteran, plectognath, plethodont, pleurodont, plica, poeciliid, pogge, pogonophoran, poliovirus, pollex, polygene, polymastigote, polyplacophore, polyzoan, pongid, poorwill, porkfish, potamogale, potentiation |
| 1921–1940 · P | pouter, poxvirus, poyou, pratincole, prehensor, pricket, proboscidean, procyonid, proenzyme, proliferation, pronucleus, prosencephalon, prothorax, protoctist, protomammal, protoplast, provirus, pseudocarp, pteridophyte, puberulent |
| 1941–1941 · P | putrescine |
| 1942–1951 · R | radiolysis, redeposition, relaxin, resorption, retrogression, reuptake, rhinencephalon, rhombencephalon, ruga, runcinate |
| 1952–1971 · S | sapropel, saprophytic, schizogony, sebum, sensorium, septate, serosa, serrulate, setaceous, sinciput, spermatid, spermatocyte, spermatogenesis, spermatophyte, sporogenous, submucosa, sucrase, symphysis, synapsis, syncarpous |
| 1972–1973 · S | syneresis, synovia |
| 1974–1986 · T | tarsus, telencephalon, tentorium, thalloid, thallophyte, theca, thiazine, thymosin, transamination, triacetate, tributyrin, tripinnate, trochanter |
| 1987–1990 · U | ubiquinone, umbilicus, unguis, urceolate |
| 1991–1995 · V | vagus, vermis, vernation, vesiculation, vinification |
| 1996–1996 · X | xanthophyll |
| 1997–2000 · Z | zygospore, zygotene, zymase, zymolysis |
Using this bank
Read a natural-history description and separate what was observed, what was classified and what was inferred.
The complete list is above. Go to age guidance, the practical method, definitions and examples, common problems, frequent questions or all published age banks.
A photograph shows something you cannot yet name. A museum caption supplies a name you cannot yet explain. A nature documentary moves from an animal’s appearance to a claim about its behaviour. In each case, one useful word can open the description, provided you keep the evidence beside the explanation.
Use this bank when a particular term interrupts something you want to understand: a garden label, a field guide, an aquarium display, a wildlife report or a conversation after a walk. Find the entry, check its meaning in that setting, then return to the sentence. You do not need to study every neighbouring word before continuing.
The numbered banks in this series avoid repeating earlier entries, so this continuation includes many specialist names and structures. Some will suit a passing curiosity; others belong on a reference shelf for a lasting interest. Choose by usefulness to your question. There is no required starting point or finishing date.
What Age 22 means here
iNaturalist describes an observation as a record of encountering an organism, or recent evidence of one, at a particular place and time. Its guidance distinguishes another photograph from the same encounter from a later visit. That distinction offers a useful starting point here: preserve the encounter before deciding what it means. The reading routine below is an editorial suggestion, not an iNaturalist identification protocol. iNaturalist: What is an observation?.
Age 22 identifies this Young Adult volume. Beginner, intermediate and advanced describe routes through this bank, not expected knowledge at a particular birthday. A familiar hobby can make a specialist term easy, while an ordinary plant name can be unfamiliar outside its region. “Top 2000” is the series title, not a measured frequency ranking.
| Band | What it means here | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | A starting route within this collection | Choose an entry that fits something you already notice, discuss or enjoy. |
| Intermediate | More detail, description and relationships | Choose a word that makes an existing idea more precise or adds a useful distinction. |
| Advanced | Optional specialist reading extension | Use a term only when a suitable text, interest or question gives it a meaningful context. |
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Keep three kinds of statement separate
1. Record what you can point to
Begin with a plain description: colour, outline, position, movement or a visible relationship. Write “three pale marks along the edge” before choosing a species name. If you are reading someone else’s account, identify the sentence that reports the observation. This gives the unfamiliar term something concrete to attach to.
2. Locate the word’s job
Ask whether the word names an organism, a part, a stage, a process or a broad grouping. A word for a structure does not automatically identify the whole organism. Draw a small arrow on a copy of the picture, or write which part of the sentence the word explains.
3. Check the meaning in this source
Use the glossary supplied with the field guide, museum or scientific account when one is available. Compare its definition with the actual description. A general dictionary can establish that a word exists; a specialist source helps you decide which sense fits. Keep the source’s subject and date with your note.
4. Mark the step from evidence to interpretation
Separate “I saw,” “the reference calls this,” and “this might suggest.” Classification assigns a name or category using stated features. Inference goes beyond the immediate observation. Ask what additional observation would strengthen or weaken that inference. Leave the question open when the evidence does not settle it.
5. Save a note you can revise
Keep the original description, your current identification, the source and one unresolved question together. When better evidence arrives, update the identification without rewriting what you originally saw. A short revision note makes the change understandable to you and to anyone with whom you share the record.
The cited iNaturalist page supports retaining the organism, place, time and encounter context in a record. The distinction between an observation, a classification and an inference is used here as an editorial reading aid. The source does not assess these 2,000 words, their difficulty bands or their suitability for every twenty-two-year-old. iNaturalist: What is an observation?.
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Useful meanings and examples from ordinary life
Examples use familiar words from across the series, including earlier volumes. The no-repeat rule applies only to the numbered bank entries. The situations are illustrative, and the linked sources support the meanings. Each short meaning explains the intended sense in its example; it is not an exhaustive dictionary entry.
1. Understanding a grass-fruit diagram
caryopsis — a dry fruit containing one seed whose coat is fused with the fruit wall, characteristic of grasses
“The diagram labels the small grass fruit as a caryopsis.”
Use the diagram to distinguish the seed from the surrounding fruit wall. The technical name concerns their relationship. A small object’s size or colour alone does not show whether it has that structure.
Meaning reference: University of Sydney eFlora: Caryopsis.
2. Reading about a sheltered space on a plant
domatium — a plant structure that forms a shelter, such as a chamber or other protected space, for small organisms
“The caption identifies the sheltered pocket on the leaf as a domatium.”
Separate the structure from its occupant. A description of a possible shelter does not establish that an animal is inside this particular pocket. Record any visible occupant separately from the botanical label.
Meaning reference: Missouri Botanical Garden: A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin — Domatium.
3. Following a plant-tissue illustration
laticifer — a specialised plant cell, or connected series of cells, that produces latex
“The tissue drawing marks the laticifer beneath the plant’s surface.”
The word names the cellular structure, while latex names its product. Read the drawing’s labels before extending the explanation to an unfamiliar plant. A photograph of fluid alone may leave the underlying tissue unclear.
Meaning reference: New York Botanical Garden: Laticifer.
4. Understanding a marine-life grouping
nekton — aquatic animals able to swim through the water against currents
“The display groups several actively swimming animals under the heading nekton.”
This is a grouping by how animals move through water. It does not name one species or establish that every animal in the group is closely related. Check which organisms the particular display includes.
Meaning reference: NOAA: Estuary Glossary — Nekton.
5. Describing leaves before they open
vernation — the arrangement of young foliage leaves within a bud
“The illustration compares two patterns of vernation.”
Look at how the leaves are folded or positioned while still in the bud. Keep that observation separate from the date when a plant opens its leaves. One term describes arrangement; your seasonal note answers a different question.
Meaning reference: Missouri Botanical Garden: A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin — Vernation.
6. Reading a sequence of crustacean photographs
ecdysis — the shedding of the old outer covering during moulting
“The sequence shows the crab leaving its old covering during ecdysis.”
Use the sequence to identify the event. If you have only an empty covering, describe what is present and what is missing. The object alone may not reveal when the shedding happened or where the animal went.
Meaning reference: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Crustacea Glossary — Ecdysis (Bliss, 1982; Ingle, 1983).
7. Following a bird-skeleton label
furcula — the wishbone in a bird’s shoulder girdle, formed from joined collarbones
“The museum diagram places the furcula between the shoulders.”
Match the label to its position in the skeleton. Naming this bone helps you follow the display, but a claim about how a particular bird flew requires evidence beyond recognising one labelled structure.
Meaning reference: Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Bird Academy glossary — Furcula.
8. Comparing a sea squirt’s life stages
notochord — a flexible supporting rod present at some stage in the life of a chordate animal
“The larval sea-squirt drawing labels a notochord that is absent from the adult drawing.”
The Smithsonian’s account explains that a sea squirt has this structure as a larva and absorbs it during its change to the adult form. Check the life stage before treating two different-looking illustrations as a contradiction.
Meaning reference: Smithsonian Ocean: Tunicates—Not So Spineless Invertebrates.
Make uncertainty useful instead of hiding it
The examples above are invented reading situations. Their definitions come from the linked specialist sources; the situations demonstrate how to use those definitions without claiming to have made a real field observation. You can apply the same separation to your own notes: preserve the evidence, give the term its intended meaning and state where interpretation begins.
Consider an invented notebook entry: “A small animal crossed the path at dusk. I saw a long tail and two pale marks; the photograph is blurred.” An identification app proposes a name. You now have two kinds of information: the encounter you recorded and a proposed identification. Write both, then ask which distinguishing feature the image actually shows. A name can remain provisional while the observation remains useful.
Try a second example: one visit to a pond produces no sighting of the animal you hoped to see. “I did not see it during this visit” accurately describes your experience. “It no longer lives here” adds a much larger conclusion. Ask what the visit covered, what you could see and what further records would answer the larger question. Vocabulary should help you frame that question, without making a short visit seem more comprehensive than it was.
When writing for someone else, lead with the finding they need. Add the unfamiliar term where it saves confusion, give a brief meaning, and connect it to the photograph or passage. Prefer “the label identifies a furcula, the bird’s wishbone” to a sentence crowded with unexplained anatomy. Precision comes from making the relationship clear, not from maximising the number of technical terms.
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Five possible occasions to return to a useful word
Choose occasions that fit naturally. These are not five compulsory days, and there is no daily quota or completion deadline. Repeat, change or stop an activity according to your interest and purpose.
| Occasion | What to try |
|---|---|
| Before a walk or museum visit | Choose one small interest, such as leaf arrangement or the way a skeleton is labelled. Keep the relevant words accessible. |
| When a caption interrupts your reading | Find the word that blocks the sentence, check that meaning and reread the complete caption before looking up more terms. |
| When comparing two photographs | Note the viewpoint, scale and visible features before deciding that a difference reflects a different organism or structure. |
| When sharing an observation | Include a plain description and the reason for your proposed identification. State which important feature you could not check. |
| When returning to the subject | Revisit one unresolved question. Add a clearer image, a better source or a correction; keep the note brief enough to use again. |
Reading across subjects and languages
Let the topic guide your reading. A story, information book, picture, recipe, sign or instruction can give a word a useful context. Read with someone when you want support, or discuss an unfamiliar passage afterwards. Pause for a necessary explanation and return to the meaning of the passage.
If you use more than one language, add a translation or a familiar explanation to your own notes when that helps. Check it against the particular sentence: one English word may need different translations in different settings. This English bank is a reference you can adapt, not a measure of everything you know.
When something is not working
| What you notice | A useful adjustment |
|---|---|
| The definition contains several more unfamiliar words | Find a labelled drawing and resolve the one relationship that matters now. For caryopsis, start with the fruit wall and seed coat before exploring a complete classification of fruits. |
| A familiar name seems to describe different organisms | Check the region and the source’s use of the name. Keep any scientific name and identifying description together so another reader can see which organism the author means. |
| Two references use different categories | Compare their dates, scope and explanation of the grouping. Record the difference in your note. You can understand the passage while leaving a specialised classification question for an appropriate reference or expert. |
| You recognise a term but cannot apply it | Explain what feature you would need to see in a picture. If you cannot locate that feature, return to a labelled example before assigning the word to a new specimen. |
| The list feels too specialised | Choose an approachable name connected to your own interest, or use an earlier bank for background. The advanced route is available when a particular reading task calls for it. |
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Frequently asked questions
Should a twenty-two-year-old know all 2,000 entries?
No. This is a reference bank for different interests and levels of familiarity. The age identifies a volume, and the bands offer reading routes. Neither is a test of adulthood, intelligence or readiness for work.
How should I use the beginner section?
Start with a word you have encountered recently. Find its intended meaning and try one clear sentence about the source. Beginner means a more approachable route within this bank; it does not mean every entry is familiar to every reader.
Does knowing the term confirm an identification?
No. A definition tells you what the term means. Applying it requires the relevant features and context. Keep a tentative identification tentative when the image, specimen or description leaves an essential feature unresolved.
Why are some common nature words missing?
Earlier numbered banks already own many common entries. The no-repeat rule applies to those lists, so explanations can still use ordinary words freely. Return to an earlier volume whenever it supplies the foundation you need.
What makes a note worth keeping?
It should help you return to the encounter or passage: the feature you noticed, the term that clarified it, the source you used and the question still open. A corrected short note is more useful than a long record you cannot confidently interpret.
The sequence and word audit
Age 22: 2,000 distinct listed entries. This volume occupies series positions 42,001–44,000. The published collection currently contains Ages 1–24, with 48,000 distinct listed entries across twenty-four banks.
The audit checks the numbered list entries, rather than every word in the article. Case, spacing, hyphens, apostrophes, accents and recorded spelling variants are normalised to catch duplicates. Established single words and conventional hyphenated headwords count as entries. Different meanings of the same spelling do not receive extra entries. Some useful derived forms are separate entries; the total is not a count of unrelated word families.
“Top” means an editorial selection for this reference project. It does not mean the most frequent words in a measured language corpus or the best 2,000 words for every reader. Sequence numbers locate entries in the collection; they are not importance scores or developmental measures.
Keep repeating useful words in real life. The non-repeating lists offer additional choices. They do not recommend withholding familiar language or learning 2,000 new words at each birthday.
Age 1: 2,000-word bank · Age 2: 2,000-word bank · Age 3: 2,000-word bank · Age 4: 2,000-word bank · Age 5: 2,000-word bank · Age 6: 2,000-word bank · Age 7: 2,000-word bank · Age 8: 2,000-word bank · Age 9: 2,000-word bank · Age 10: 2,000-word bank · Age 11: 2,000-word bank · Age 12: 2,000-word bank · Age 13: 2,000-word bank · Age 14: 2,000-word bank · Age 15: 2,000-word bank · Age 16: 2,000-word bank · Age 17: 2,000-word bank · Age 18: 2,000-word bank · Age 19: 2,000-word bank · Age 20: 2,000-word bank · Age 21: 2,000-word bank · Age 22: 2,000-word bank · Age 23: 2,000-word bank · Age 24: 2,000-word bank
| Published volume | Series positions |
|---|---|
| Age 1 | 1–2,000 |
| Age 2 | 2,001–4,000 |
| Age 3 | 4,001–6,000 |
| Age 4 | 6,001–8,000 |
| Age 5 | 8,001–10,000 |
| Age 6 | 10,001–12,000 |
| Age 7 | 12,001–14,000 |
| Age 8 | 14,001–16,000 |
| Age 9 | 16,001–18,000 |
| Age 10 | 18,001–20,000 |
| Age 11 | 20,001–22,000 |
| Age 12 | 22,001–24,000 |
| Age 13 | 24,001–26,000 |
| Age 14 | 26,001–28,000 |
| Age 15 | 28,001–30,000 |
| Age 16 | 30,001–32,000 |
| Age 17 | 32,001–34,000 |
| Age 18 | 34,001–36,000 |
| Age 19 | 36,001–38,000 |
| Age 20 | 38,001–40,000 |
| Age 21 | 40,001–42,000 |
| Age 22 | 42,001–44,000 |
| Age 23 | 44,001–46,000 |
| Age 24 | 46,001–48,000 |
Entry counts and cross-age allocation checked on 3 November 2026 (Asia/Singapore). The selection is an original editorial resource. The sources below support the attributed communication, observation and reading guidance; they do not endorse or validate this particular word bank.
A useful next step
Choose one caption, field-guide paragraph or nature photograph that left you curious. Use one word from the bank to clarify it, then write three brief statements: what the evidence shows, how the source names it and what you still want to find out.
Back to the word list · Guide and examples
Sources and editorial note
iNaturalist: What is an observation?
University of Sydney eFlora: Caryopsis
Missouri Botanical Garden: A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin — Domatium
New York Botanical Garden: Laticifer
NOAA: Estuary Glossary — Nekton
Missouri Botanical Garden: A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin — Vernation
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Bird Academy glossary — Furcula
Smithsonian Ocean: Tunicates—Not So Spineless Invertebrates
The guides, definitions and examples are original eduKate editorial explanations. The cited organisations do not endorse this page. “Top” describes the editorial selection; no search ranking, measured word-frequency order or learning outcome is promised.
Lexical reference: WordNet 3.1. Words were selected and reviewed individually; database inclusion does not validate the audience label or difficulty bands.
Additional lexical checks used Open English Wordnet 2025 under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. The selection and original guide are editorial adaptations, not endorsements by the source projects.
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edu|Kate Singapore · Clear words for useful conversations, reading and everyday understanding.