TOEFL Words Lists — topic vocabulary you need to understand TOEFL Reading & Listening
VocabularyUpdated 3 min read
This page gives you four topic-based TOEFL word lists (geography, geology, animals, and law), 12 key words each, with a short definition for every word and a video lesson per topic. TOEFL Reading passages and Listening talks are built around academic subjects like these, so learning a topic's core words first makes the content much easier to follow.
Topic 01: Geography vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| plateau | a large area of flat, elevated land |
| peninsula | land surrounded by water on most sides but connected to a mainland |
| isthmus | a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas |
| archipelago | a group or chain of islands |
| tributary | a smaller river or stream that flows into a larger one |
| basin | a low area of land that collects water from surrounding higher ground |
| delta | land formed where a river deposits sediment as it meets a larger body of water |
| terrain | the physical features of an area of land |
| latitude | the distance of a place north or south of the equator |
| longitude | the distance of a place east or west of the prime meridian |
| climate | the typical weather conditions of a region over a long period |
| arid | having very little rain; very dry |
Topic 02: Geology vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| erosion | the gradual wearing away of rock or soil by wind, water, or ice |
| sediment | small particles of rock or organic matter that settle and build up over time |
| magma | molten rock beneath the Earth's surface |
| mineral | a naturally occurring solid substance with a specific chemical composition |
| strata | distinct layers of rock, usually built up over long periods |
| fault | a crack in the Earth's crust where blocks of rock have shifted |
| weathering | the breakdown of rock caused by exposure to the atmosphere |
| crust | the solid outer layer of the Earth |
| tectonic plate | one of the large moving sections of the Earth's crust |
| fossil | the preserved remains or trace of an ancient plant or animal in rock |
| glacier | a large, slow-moving mass of ice on land |
| volcanic | produced by or related to a volcano |
Topic 03: Animals vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| species | a group of animals or plants that share similar characteristics and can reproduce together |
| habitat | the natural environment where an organism lives |
| predator | an animal that hunts other animals for food |
| prey | an animal hunted by another animal for food |
| camouflage | coloring or a pattern that helps an animal blend into its surroundings |
| carnivore | an animal that eats mainly meat |
| herbivore | an animal that eats mainly plants |
| offspring | the young produced by an animal |
| adaptation | a feature that helps an organism survive in its environment |
| migration | the seasonal movement of animals from one region to another |
| hibernate | to spend the winter in a deep, sleep-like state |
| mammal | a warm-blooded animal that feeds its young with milk |
Topic 04: Jurisprudence (Law) vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| statute | a law formally enacted by a governing body |
| litigation | the process of taking a legal dispute to court |
| plaintiff | the person who brings a case against another in a court of law |
| defendant | the person accused or sued in a court case |
| verdict | the formal decision made by a judge or jury |
| jurisdiction | the official authority of a court or legal body to make decisions |
| precedent | an earlier court decision used as a guide for later, similar cases |
| liability | legal responsibility for something, especially a debt or damage |
| legislation | laws, or the process of making laws |
| testimony | a formal statement given by a witness in court |
| constitution | the basic principles and laws of a nation or organization |
| appeal | a request to a higher court to review and change a decision |
How to use these lists
- Learn one topic at a time. Watch the video, then cover the "Meaning" column and try to define each word yourself.
- Learn word families. For example, erode (verb), erosion (noun), and erosive (adjective) often appear in different forms in the same passage.
- Review right before you practice. Go over a topic list, then do a reading practice set while the words are still fresh.
For techniques that help new words stay in long-term memory, see the TOEFL words study guide.
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