German C1 — Advanced Vocabulary
Formal, academic and specialized words — the hard-to-find advanced vocabulary. · 2,114 words.
2,114 C1 words
| German word | English meaning |
|---|---|
| waschecht | washable / colorfast (won't fade) |
| der Wasserläufer | water strider / waterbug |
| der Wassermensch | a merman |
| die Wasserscheide | a watershed |
| das Wasserschwein | a capybara |
| der Wasserspeier | gargoyle |
| waten | to wade |
| die Wechselwirkung | interaction / interplay |
| wegwerfend | dismissive |
| wehleidig | self-pitying / whining / sniveling sniveling = complain in a whining or tearful way |
| der Wehmutstropfen | a downer |
| die Wehrgang | battlements |
| der Weichsel | the Vistula river |
| die Weihe | sanctification / consecration = the act of making / declaring something sacred |
| weilen | to soujourn / reside |
| der Weiser | a sage |
| der Weißabgleich | white balance (in pictures) |
| die Weitblick | vision / foresight |
| die Weitläufigkeit | vastness / spaciousness |
| die Welligkeit | ripple |
| die Wendel | coil / helix / spiral |
| wenngleich | albeit / although |
| werdend | nascent / emergent / expectant |
| die Werkanalyse | work analysis / critique |
| wettergegerbt | weather-beaten |
| wider | against (not really used) |
| widerborstig | contrarily / rebellious |
| widerfahren | to befall (happen) |
| widerhallen | to reverberate |
| der Widerling | a creep |
| die Widerrede | a reply / backtalk / contradiction |
| widerspenstig | unruly / rebellious |
| widerstrebend | conflicted / reluctant |
| widerwärtig | repulsive / unsavory |
| die Widrigkeiten | adversity |
| der Wiedehopf | hoopoe |
| die Wiederaufnahme | reopening of proceedings |
| wiedererstehen | to rise again / resurrect |
| die Willensfreiheit | free will / freedom of choice |
| willfährig | compliant / submissive |
| der Wimpel | pennant / bunting |
| der Wisent | a bison (wenig benutzt) |
| der Wochenabschnitt | a parsha |
| die Woge | a wave / billow / swell |
| wogen | to surge / wave / billow |
| der Wohlfahrtsstaat | welfare state |
| die Wölbung | curvature / arch |
| das Wolfram | tungsten |
| die Wonne | bliss / joy |
| die Wortbildung | word formation |
| wortkarg | taciturn / uncommunicative |
| wortreich | verbose / wordy |
| der Wortschwall | a torrent of words / tirade |
| der Wulst | a bead / bulge / bulb |
| wulstig | bulging / thick |
| der Würdenträger | a dignitary |
| würdigen | to pay tribute / appreciate / respect |
| die Xenophobie | xenophobia |
| zähflüssig | viscous |
| die Zähigkeit | toughness |
| zahlenmäßig | numerical (wenig benutzt) |
| zartbesaitet | squeamish (wenig benutzt) |
| die Zäsur | a break / cesura = any interruption or break |
| zaudern | to hesitate / vacillate (wenig benutzt) |
| der Zaunkönig | a wren |
| die Zeder | cedar |
| der Zehnte | a tithe |
| die Zeitrechnung | calendar |
| zementieren | to cement / reinforce |
| der Zenit | a zenith |
| die Zentnerlast | a heavy burden |
| der Zepter | a scepter |
| zerbröseln | to crumble (wenig benutzt) |
| zerfleischen | to lacerate / mangle / tear to pieces / savage |
| zerfressen | to eat away / gnaw / corrode |
| zergehen | to melt / dissolve / fall apart (wenig benutzt) |
| zerklüftet | rugged / fissured |
| zermahlen | to grind up / crush |
| zermürben | to wear down / grind down |
| das Zerrbild | distorted image / caricature |
| zersetzend | decomposing |
| die Zeugenaussage | witness statement / testimony |
| das Zeugma | zeugma |
| die Ziehschwester | a foster sister |
| ziepen | to chirp / tweep / cheep (wenig benutzt) |
| der Zierrat | decoration / ornamental object (wenig benutzt) |
| der Zinnober | vermilion / cinnabar |
| der Zirkelschluss | circular reasoning / logic |
| die Zitadelle | citadel |
| der Zobel | a sable = a species of marten |
| zubilligen | to grant / allow (wenig benutzt) |
| das Zubringerboot | a shuttle boat |
| das Zuchthaus | penitentiary / prison (old word) |
| zugegebenermaßen | admittedly |
| das Zugeständnis | a concession (less common) |
| zugrunde liegenden | underlying |
| die Zugspannung | tensile stress |
| zündeln | to play with fire |
| zur Vergeltung | in retaliation |
| zurechnungsfähig | of sound mine / sane |
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Frequently asked questions
How many words are in the German C1 vocabulary list?
2,114 words, each with its English translation, the article (der/die/das) and an example sentence.
Is the German C1 word list free to download?
Yes — download the whole list free as a CSV spreadsheet or an Anki flashcard deck for spaced repetition.
What topics does German C1 vocabulary cover?
Society & Abstract, Feelings & Character, Work & Education, Communication & Media, Body & Health, Nature & Weather, Everyday Actions, Travel & Transport and more — browse them above, or open a topic for its own list.
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