The Word Book

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Explore the original definitions and examples included in Voyage. Your personal discovery history stays in the app on your device.

199 word meanings

ADVENTURE

An exciting or unusual experience, often involving exploration.

Their island adventure began at sunrise.

ANCHOR

A heavy device lowered into water to hold a boat in place.

The captain lowered the anchor in the bay.

APPLE

A round fruit that grows on an apple tree.

She packed an apple for the voyage.

ARCHAEOLOGIST

A person who studies the human past through objects and remains.

The archaeologist examined an ancient clay bowl.

ASTRAL

Relating to stars.

The map showed an astral pattern of bright stars.

ASTRONAUT

A person trained to travel and work in space.

The astronaut repaired equipment outside the spacecraft.

AUTUMN

The season between summer and winter.

The leaves turned gold in autumn.

BANANA

A long fruit with soft flesh and a peel, often yellow when ripe.

He peeled a banana for breakfast.

BARREL

A large container with curved sides and flat ends.

The crew filled the barrel with water.

BEACH

An area of sand or stones beside the sea or a lake.

They found smooth pebbles on the beach.

BEACON

A light or signal used to guide or warn people.

The beacon helped the ship find the harbor.

BELL

A hollow object that rings when struck.

The ship's bell rang twice.

BERRY

A small, often juicy fruit.

A ripe berry fell from the bush.

BIOLUMINESCENCE

Light produced by a living organism through a chemical reaction.

Bioluminescence made the tiny sea organisms glow.

BIRD

An animal with feathers, a beak and wings.

A bird landed on the mast.

BIRTHDAY

The yearly anniversary of the day someone was born.

The crew baked a cake for her birthday.

BOAT

A vessel used to travel on water.

They rowed the boat across the lake.

BRIDGE

A structure that carries a path or road over an obstacle.

The bridge crossed the river.

BUBBLE

A thin film enclosing air or another gas.

A bubble rose to the water's surface.

BUTTERFLY

An insect with broad, often colourful wings.

A butterfly rested on the flower.

CANDY

A sweet food made mainly from sugar.

She shared a piece of candy.

CAPTAIN

The person in command of a ship or team.

The captain checked the weather before sailing.

CARGO

Goods carried by a ship, aircraft or other vehicle.

The ship's cargo included crates of oranges.

CASTLE

A large fortified building, often with towers and strong walls.

The old castle overlooked the harbor.

CAULDRON

A large pot used for cooking or boiling over a fire.

Soup simmered in the cauldron.

CHARACTERISTICALLY

In a way that is typical of a person or thing.

Characteristically, the careful captain checked the map twice.

CHEST

A large, sturdy box used for storage.

They opened the wooden chest.

CLOUD

A visible mass of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in the sky.

A dark cloud covered the sun.

COCONUT

The large fruit of a coconut palm, with a hard shell and edible white flesh.

They cracked the coconut to reach the flesh.

COMET

An icy body that orbits the Sun and can develop a glowing tail.

The comet appeared in the night sky.

COMMUNICATION

The sharing of information, thoughts or feelings.

Clear communication helped the crew work together.

COMPASS

An instrument that helps show direction, usually using a magnetic needle.

The compass needle pointed north.

CONSTELLATION

A named pattern of stars, or the region of sky containing it.

They recognised a constellation above the ship.

CORAL

A small sea animal, or the hard material its colonies build.

The divers avoided touching the coral.

COSMIC

Relating to the universe beyond Earth.

The telescope revealed clouds of cosmic dust.

COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY

Opposing a revolution or seeking to reverse its changes.

The historian studied a counterrevolutionary movement.

COVE

A small, sheltered bay.

The boat rested in a quiet cove.

CREW

The people who work together on a ship, aircraft or task.

The crew raised the sail.

CRYSTAL

A solid whose particles form an orderly repeating structure.

The salt crystal had tiny flat faces.

CURRENT

A flow of water, air or electric charge in a particular direction.

The ocean current carried the leaf away.

DAWN

The time when daylight begins to appear before sunrise.

They set sail at dawn.

DISCOVER

To find or learn something previously unknown.

The explorers hoped to discover a new route.

DOCK

A structure or enclosed water area where boats load, unload or moor.

They tied the boat to the dock.

DOLPHIN

A marine mammal with a streamlined body and a toothed snout.

A dolphin surfaced beside the boat.

DRAGON

An imaginary creature often shown as a large, winged reptile.

The story's dragon guarded a mountain cave.

DREAM

Images and experiences during sleep, or a strongly desired hope.

She had a dream about sailing among the stars.

DUCK

A waterbird with webbed feet and a broad bill.

The duck paddled across the pond.

DUSK

The time when daylight fades after sunset.

The harbor lights came on at dusk.

EARTHQUAKE

A shaking of the ground caused by movement within Earth's crust.

The earthquake made the windows rattle.

ECLIPSE

An event in which one celestial body blocks light from another.

They used proper protective viewers to watch the solar eclipse.

ELECTROMAGNETISM

The interaction of electric and magnetic fields and the forces they produce.

Electromagnetism helps an electric motor turn.

ELEPHANT

A large mammal with a trunk and broad ears.

The elephant used its trunk to lift a branch.

EXPLORE

To travel through or examine a place to learn about it.

They wanted to explore the island's paths.

EXTRAORDINARY

Very unusual or remarkable.

The glowing sea was an extraordinary sight.

FEAST

A large or special meal.

The harvest ended with a feast.

FEATHER

One of the light structures covering a bird's body.

A feather drifted down from the parrot.

FERN

A plant with divided leaves that reproduces by spores rather than flowers.

A fern grew beside the shady path.

FESTIVAL

An organised celebration or series of special events.

Music filled the town during the festival.

FISH

A water-dwelling animal that usually breathes through gills and has fins.

A silver fish swam beneath the dock.

FLAME

The visible, glowing part of a fire.

A small flame flickered in the lantern.

FLOWER

The part of many plants that produces seeds, often with colourful petals.

A bee visited the flower.

FOREST

A large area covered mainly by trees.

The trail led into the forest.

FROG

An amphibian with strong back legs, often suited to jumping.

A frog jumped into the pond.

FROST

A thin layer of ice crystals that forms on a cold surface.

Frost covered the grass before sunrise.

GALAXY

A vast system of stars, gas and dust held together by gravity.

Our Sun belongs to a galaxy called the Milky Way.

GARDEN

An area where plants are grown and cared for.

They grew herbs in the garden.

GARLAND

A decorative string or wreath of flowers, leaves or other materials.

A garland of leaves hung above the door.

GHOST

In stories, the spirit of a dead person.

The sailor told a story about a friendly ghost.

GIFT

Something given to another person without expecting payment.

The map was a gift from her grandfather.

GLITTER

Tiny shiny pieces, or a sparkling appearance.

The decoration was covered in glitter.

GLOW

A steady light without a visible flame, or the act of giving such light.

The lantern cast a warm glow.

GOLD

A yellow metallic element valued for its beauty and resistance to corrosion.

The small ring was made of gold.

GOLDEN

Made of gold or having a rich yellow colour.

Golden light spread across the water.

GRAPE

A small, juicy fruit that grows in clusters on a vine.

She picked a grape from the bunch.

HARBOR

A sheltered area of water where ships can stay safely.

The ship returned to the harbor before the storm.

HARVEST

The gathering of ripe crops, or the crops gathered.

The apple harvest filled many baskets.

HOLIDAYS

Days or periods set aside for rest, celebration or travel.

They visited the coast during the holidays.

HORSE

A large hoofed mammal often ridden or used for pulling loads.

The horse walked along the field.

INCOMPREHENSIBILITY

The quality of being very difficult or impossible to understand.

The incomprehensibility of the instructions led her to ask for a simpler version.

INTERCONNECTEDNESS

The state of being linked to one another.

The food web shows the interconnectedness of sea life.

INTERNATIONALIZATION

The process of adapting or extending something for use across countries.

Internationalization helped the app support several languages.

ISLAND

An area of land surrounded by water.

A sandy island appeared on the horizon.

JELLY

An informal name for a jellyfish, a soft-bodied sea animal with tentacles.

A translucent jelly drifted beyond the reef.

JINGLE

A light ringing sound, or a short catchy tune.

They heard the jingle of tiny bells.

JOURNEY

Travel from one place to another.

Their journey took them across the ocean.

JUMP

To push off a surface and move into the air.

The frog can jump from one stone to another.

KELP

A large brown seaweed that often forms underwater forests.

Fish sheltered among the kelp.

KINGDOM

A country ruled by a king or queen.

The tale described a kingdom beside the sea.

LAGOON

A shallow body of water separated from the sea by a barrier such as a reef.

The lagoon lay behind the coral reef.

LAMP

A device that produces light.

She switched on the reading lamp.

LANTERN

A light inside a protective case, often portable.

They carried a lantern along the path.

LEAF

A usually flat plant organ that often captures sunlight to make food.

A green leaf floated on the stream.

LIGHT

Energy that makes things visible.

Light streamed through the window.

LIGHTHOUSE

A tower or building with a strong light to guide ships.

The lighthouse warned ships of the rocky coast.

LUNAR

Relating to the Moon.

The astronauts studied a lunar rock.

MAGIC

An imaginary power used to cause extraordinary events, or tricks that create illusions.

In the story, magic made the boat fly.

MAP

A drawing or model showing places and their positions.

The map showed a path to the cove.

MARINE

Relating to the sea or its life.

The reef supported many marine animals.

MAST

A tall upright pole on a ship that supports sails or equipment.

The flag flew from the mast.

METEOR

A streak of light made when a small space object enters an atmosphere.

They saw a meteor flash across the night sky.

MIDNIGHT

Twelve o'clock at night.

The ship's bell sounded at midnight.

MIST

Tiny water droplets suspended in air near the ground.

Mist hid the far side of the lake.

MISUNDERSTANDING

An incorrect understanding of what someone means or what has happened.

They cleared up the misunderstanding by talking.

MOON

A natural object that orbits a planet; Earth's natural satellite is the Moon.

The Moon rose above the harbor.

MOONBEAM

A ray or narrow area of moonlight.

A moonbeam shone through the cabin window.

MOUNTAIN

A large, high natural rise in Earth's surface.

Snow covered the top of the mountain.

MOUSE

A small rodent with a pointed nose and a long tail.

A mouse hid behind the barrel.

MYSTERY

Something not yet understood or explained.

The missing map remained a mystery.

NEBULA

A cloud of gas and dust in space.

New stars can form inside a nebula.

NOVA

A star that suddenly becomes much brighter and later fades.

Astronomers measured the changing brightness of the nova.

OCEAN

A vast body of salt water covering much of Earth.

The ship crossed the ocean.

OCTOPUS

A soft-bodied sea animal with eight arms.

The octopus curled an arm around a rock.

ORANGE

A round citrus fruit with a thick peel, or its reddish-yellow colour.

She peeled an orange after lunch.

ORBIT

The curved path of one object around another under gravity.

The satellite stayed in orbit around Earth.

PALM

A tree or shrub with a crown of large leaves, often found in warm regions.

A coconut grew on the palm.

PARROT

A bird with a curved beak and grasping feet; some species copy sounds.

The parrot perched on a branch.

PATH

A route or track for travelling along.

The path wound through the forest.

PEARL

A hard, often rounded material formed inside certain molluscs.

A small pearl lay inside the shell.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The process in which plants and some other organisms use light to make food from carbon dioxide and water.

The plant uses photosynthesis to make sugars.

PIRATE

A person who attacks or robs ships at sea.

The fictional pirate searched for buried treasure.

PLANET

A large, nearly round body that orbits a star and dominates its orbital neighbourhood.

Earth is the planet we live on.

PLANT

A living organism such as a tree, grass or flower, usually making food using light.

They watered the plant each morning.

PRESENT

A gift given to someone.

He wrapped the present in bright paper.

PUMPKIN

A large, round squash, often with orange skin.

They made soup from the pumpkin.

RAIN

Drops of liquid water falling from clouds.

Rain pattered on the cabin roof.

RAINBOW

An arc of colours formed when sunlight is refracted and reflected in water droplets.

A rainbow appeared after the rain.

RAINDROP

A single drop of falling rain.

A raindrop landed on the map.

REEF

A ridge of rock, coral or sand near the water's surface.

Many fish lived around the reef.

REINDEER

A deer adapted to cold northern regions, also called a caribou.

The reindeer walked across the snowy ground.

RESPONSIBILITY

A duty to care for something or to answer for one's actions.

Checking the ropes was her responsibility.

RIPPLE

A small wave or series of small waves on a surface.

A ripple spread where the pebble fell.

RIVER

A natural stream of water flowing towards another body of water.

The river reached the sea near the town.

ROCK

A natural solid material made of minerals, or a piece of it.

The crab hid under a rock.

ROCKET

A vehicle or device propelled by expelling gas at high speed.

The rocket carried a satellite into space.

ROPE

A strong, thick cord made from strands twisted or braided together.

They secured the boat with a rope.

SAIL

A sheet of material that catches wind to move a boat.

The wind filled the sail.

SAILBOAT

A boat mainly moved by wind acting on sails.

The sailboat crossed the bay.

SAND

Small, loose grains of rock or other minerals.

They left footprints in the sand.

SEABED

The ground beneath the sea.

A shell rested on the seabed.

SEAHORSE

A small fish with a horse-shaped head and a curled tail.

The seahorse held a stem with its tail.

SEASHELL

The hard outer covering of a sea animal, especially a mollusc.

She found an empty seashell on the beach.

SEAWEEDS

Kinds of large algae that grow in the sea.

Seaweeds swayed with the current.

SHEEP

A hoofed mammal often kept for wool, milk or meat.

The sheep grazed in the field.

SHELL

A hard outer covering that protects an animal.

The turtle pulled its head towards its shell.

SHIP

A large vessel used to travel on water.

The ship sailed beyond the island.

SHOOTING

Sending a projectile from a device or weapon, such as a cannon.

The crew practised shooting at distant flags.

SILVER

A shiny grey-white metallic element.

The old coin was made of silver.

SKELETON

The framework of bones supporting a human or other animal.

The museum displayed a whale skeleton.

SKULL

The bony structure of the head that protects the brain.

The skull protects the animal's brain.

SLEET

Precipitation involving ice pellets or a mixture of rain and snow, depending on regional usage.

Sleet tapped against the window.

SNOW

Soft ice crystals or flakes falling from clouds.

Snow covered the path.

SNOWBALL

A rounded mass of packed snow.

They rolled a snowball across the garden.

SNOWFALL

Snow falling, or the amount that falls during a period.

The snowfall left the trees white.

SNOWMAN

A figure shaped like a person and made from packed snow.

They gave the snowman a scarf.

SOLAR

Relating to the Sun.

The solar panel used sunlight to generate electricity.

SPACE

The region beyond Earth's atmosphere.

The spacecraft travelled through space.

SPACECRAFT

A vehicle designed to travel or operate in space.

The spacecraft sent pictures back to Earth.

SPARK

A tiny, glowing particle or a brief electrical discharge.

A spark jumped between the wires.

SPARKLE

To shine with small flashes of light, or such a flash.

The stars seemed to sparkle above the sea.

SPIDER

An eight-legged arachnid, often able to produce silk.

The spider made a web between the branches.

SPIN

To turn quickly around a central point.

The wheel began to spin.

SPRING

The season between winter and summer.

Flowers opened in spring.

STAR

A massive, luminous ball of hot gas or plasma powered by nuclear reactions.

The Sun is the nearest star to Earth.

STARDOM

The state of being a famous performer or public figure.

Her first film brought her stardom.

STARFISH

A sea animal, also called a sea star, usually with arms around a central body.

The starfish moved slowly over the rock.

STONE

A small piece of rock, or rock used as a building material.

A smooth stone lay beside the stream.

STORM

A period of disturbed weather with strong wind and often rain, snow or thunder.

The ship stayed in harbor during the storm.

SUMMER

The warmest season of the year in many regions.

They swam in the lake during summer.

SUNSHINE

Light coming directly from the Sun.

Sunshine warmed the deck.

TELESCOPE

An instrument that gathers light or other radiation to observe distant objects.

The telescope revealed details on the Moon.

THUNDER

The sound made by rapidly expanding air heated by lightning.

Thunder rumbled after the flash.

TIDE

The regular rise and fall of sea level, mainly caused by the Moon's and Sun's gravity.

The rising tide covered the sand.

TIGER

A large wild cat with a striped coat.

The tiger moved through the tall grass.

TRANSPORTATION

The movement of people or goods from one place to another.

The boat provided transportation to the island.

TREASURE

Valuable objects or something greatly cherished.

The chest held a small treasure of old coins.

TREE

A plant with a woody trunk and branches.

The tree shaded the garden.

TRIDENT

A spear or similar implement with three prongs.

The statue held a trident.

TURTLE

A reptile with a protective shell.

The sea turtle surfaced to breathe.

UMBRELLA

A folding cover held over a person to protect against rain or sunlight.

She opened an umbrella in the rain.

UNCHARACTERISTICALLY

In a way that is not typical of a person or thing.

The usually quiet sailor was uncharacteristically talkative.

UNDERWATER

Below the surface of water.

The divers explored an underwater cave.

VOYAGE

A long journey, especially by sea or through space.

Their voyage lasted several weeks.

VOYAGER

A person who makes a long journey.

The voyager kept a journal of each island.

WATER

The liquid made of hydrogen and oxygen that is essential to life.

They filled their bottles with clean water.

WAVE

A moving rise and fall on water, or a disturbance carrying energy.

A wave rocked the boat.

WHALE

A large marine mammal that breathes air.

The whale rose to the surface to breathe.

WHISPER

To speak very softly, or a very soft voice.

They had to whisper in the quiet library.

WIND

Air moving from one place to another.

The wind pushed the sailboat forward.

WINTER

The coldest season of the year in many regions.

Frost often covered the garden in winter.

WISH

A desire for something to happen.

Her wish was to see the ocean.

WITCH

In stories, a person with magical powers, often shown casting spells.

The story's witch brewed a colourful potion.

CAT

A small domesticated mammal often kept as a pet.

The cat slept beside the window.

SUN

The star at the centre of our solar system.

The Sun warmed the deck.

ARC

A curved line or part of a circle.

The cannonball followed a high arc.

BOW

The front part of a boat or ship.

He stood at the bow as the boat left harbor.

POP

A short, sharp bursting sound.

The bubble burst with a pop.

RING

A circular band or loop.

The key hung from a metal ring.

CHIME

A musical ringing sound, often made by bells.

They heard the chime of the harbor clock.

BLOOM

A flower, or the state of producing flowers.

The tree was covered in pink bloom.

Original learning copy by the Wordbomb project. One contextual meaning per word; not a complete dictionary. No account or purchase required.