Topic: LANGUAGES
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| Date: | 1500-1600 |
| Language: | French |
| Origin: | vocabulaire, from Medieval Latin vocabularium, from Latin vocabulum 'word, name', from vocare; VOCATION |
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vo‧cab‧u‧la‧ry
plural vocabularies
plural vocabularies1 [uncountable and countable]SL all the words that someone knows or uses
active vocabulary (=the words someone can use)
passive vocabulary (=the words someone can understand, but does not use)
2 [countable]SLL all the words in a particular language : English has the largest vocabulary of any language.
English has the largest vocabulary of any language.3 [uncountable and countable]SL the words that are typically used when talking about a particular subject : Most technical jobs use a specialized vocabulary.
Most technical jobs use a specialized vocabulary.4 [uncountable and countable] the range of possible features, effects, actions etc, especially in a type of music or art
vocabulary of Charlie Parker expanded the vocabulary of jazz.
Charlie Parker expanded the vocabulary of jazz.5 used to say that someone never thinks of accepting failure etc
(the word) failure/guilt/compromise etc is not in somebody's vocabulary
6 [countable]SLLTCN old-fashioned a list of words with explanations of their meanings, especially in a book for learning a foreign language
