Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

vocabulary

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of vocabulary

1 the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field

  • scientific vocabulary
Synonyms of vocabulary

argot, cant, dialect, jargon, jive, language, lingo, patois, patter, shop, shoptalk, slang, terminology
Words Related to vocabulary

colloquial, colloquialism, idiom, localism, parlance, pidgin, provincialism, regionalism, speech, vernacular, vernacularism

slanguage

bureaucratese, computerese, cyberspeak, educationese, governmentese, journalese, technobabble

2 the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication

  • children learn enough of the common vocabulary to make themselves understood by around the age of two
Synonyms of vocabulary

language, lingo, mother tongue, speech, tongue
Words Related to vocabulary

acrolect

argot, cant, colloquial, dialect, idiolect, idiom, jargon, parlance, patois, patter, pidgin, slang, slanguage, vernacular

colloquialism, localism, provincialism, regionalism, shibboleth, vernacularism

terminology

coinage, modernism, neologism

Learn More about vocabulary

  1. See words that rhyme with vocabulary Dictionary: Definition of vocabulary Spanish Central: Translation of vocabulary Nglish: Translation of vocabulary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of vocabulary for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vocabulary

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up vocabulary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games