Collins Vocabulary for IELTS - Key Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering target terms and COBUILD definitions extracted directly from the Collins Vocabulary for IELTS course materials.

client

A person that receives a service from a professional person or organization in return for payment.

colleague

A person you work with, especially in a professional job.

employer

The person or organization that you work for.

sibling

A brother or sister.

spouse

The person someone is married to.

autonomous

Describing a person who makes their own decisions rather than being influenced by someone else.

consistent

Describing someone who always behaves in the same way, has the same attitudes, or achieves the same level of success.

conventional

Describing someone whose behaviour and opinions are ordinary and normal.

co-operative

Describing someone who does what they are asked to do without complaining or arguing.

efficient

Able to do tasks successfully, without wasting time or energy.

flexible

Able to change easily and adapt to different conditions and circumstances.

idealistic

Having ideals and basing behaviour on these ideals, even if impractical.

tolerant

Allowing other people to say and do as they like, even if not agreeing with or liking it.

vulnerable

Weak and without protection, with the result that one is easily hurt physically or emotionally.

addiction

The condition of taking harmful drugs and being unable to stop taking them.

allergy

A condition where a person becomes ill or gets a rash when eating, smelling, or touching something that does not normally make people ill.

dehydration

The condition of suffering from losing too much water from the body.

stroke

A condition where a blood vessel in the brain bursts or becomes blocked, causing death or inability to move one side of the body.

administer

To give a drug or treatment to a patient.

admit

To take someone into a hospital for treatment and keep them there until they are well enough to go home.

diagnose

To identify someone or something as having a particular illness or problem.

discharge

To officially allow or tell someone to leave a hospital.

screen

To examine people to make sure that they do not have a disease.

vaccinate

To give a person or animal a vaccine, usually by injection, to prevent them getting a disease.

archaeology

The study of past societies and peoples by examining the remains of their buildings, tools, and other objects.

astronomy

The scientific study of the stars, planets, and other natural objects in space.

economics

The study of the way in which money, industry, and trade are organized in a society.

geology

The study of the Earth's structure, surface, and origins.

linguistics

The study of the way in which language works.

psychology

The scientific study of the human mind and the reasons for people's behaviour.

sociology

The study of society or of the way society is organized.

accompany

To go somewhere with someone.

encounter

To experience problems or difficulties.

overcome

To successfully deal with and control a problem or a feeling.

reschedule

To change the time at which an event is supposed to happen.

seek

To try to find or obtain something.

venture

To go somewhere that might be dangerous.

itinerary

A plan of a journey, including the route and the places that you will visit.

dreary

Dull and depressing.

pivotal

Very important and affecting the success of something.

profound

Very great or intense.

circumference

The distance around the edge of a circle, place, or round object.

diameter

The length of a straight line that can be drawn across a round object, passing through the middle of it.

convey

To cause information or feelings to be known or understood by someone.

launch

To make a new product available to the public.

reinforce

To make a feeling, situation, or process stronger or more intense.

secure

To obtain something that you want or need, often after a lot of effort.

suspend

To delay something or stop it from happening for a while or until a decision is made.

amenity

Things such as shopping centres or sports facilities provided for people's convenience, enjoyment, or comfort.

commuter

A person who travels a long distance to work every day.

congestion

The state of being extremely crowded and blocked with traffic or people.

infrastructure

The basic facilities of a country, society, or organization, such as transport, communications, power supplies, and buildings.

bustling

Full of people who are very busy or lively.

pioneering

Doing work that has not been done before by developing or using new methods or techniques.

sprawling

Built over a large area in an untidy or uncontrolled way.

advocate

To recommend a particular action or plan publicly.

acknowledge

To accept or admit that a fact or situation is true or exists.

assert

To state a fact or belief firmly.

dispute

To say that a fact, statement, or theory is incorrect or untrue.

justify

To show or prove that a decision, action, or idea is reasonable or necessary.