Cities, homes and travel

Town planning, housing, buildings, transport, tourism and your hometown.

107 words

urbanizationB2nounthe process by which more and more people move to live in towns and cities
urbanB2adjectiveconnected with a town or city
ruralB2adjectiveconnected with the countryside, not with towns or cities
suburbB2nounan area where people live on the edge of a city, away from the center
suburbanC1adjectivein or typical of the areas of houses on the edge of a city
outskirtsB2nounthe areas at the edge of a town or city, far from the center
congestionC1nouna situation where a road or place is so full that traffic or movement becomes very slow
overcrowdingB2nouna situation in which too many people or things are in a place
skyscraperB1nouna very tall modern building in a city
housingB2nounhouses and apartments where people live, considered as a group or a supply
accommodationB2nouna place to live or stay, such as a room, flat or hotel
slumB2nouna crowded, poor part of a city where living conditions are bad
sprawlC1nounthe spread of buildings and roads over a large area around a city
amenityB2nouna useful or pleasant feature of a place, such as a park, shop or gym
pedestrianB2nouna person who is walking in a street rather than traveling in a vehicle
commuterB2nouna person who travels some distance between home and work every day
metropolisC1nouna very large, busy city, often the most important one in a country or region
landmarkB2nouna famous or easily recognized building or place that helps you know where you are
gentrificationC1nounthe process of a poorer area changing as richer people move in, which raises prices
vehicleB1nouna machine such as a car, bus or truck that carries people or goods
tollB2nounmoney you pay to use a road or bridge; also the deaths or damage that something causes
freewayB2nouna wide road built for fast traffic, with no traffic lights or crossings
cyclistB2nouna person who rides a bicycle
carpoolB2verbto share a car with other people who are going the same way, so that fewer cars are used
railwayB1nouna track that trains run on, or the whole system of trains in a country
aviationC1nounthe design, building and flying of aircraft, and the industry that does this
airlineB1nouna company that carries passengers or goods by plane
tourismB1nounthe business of providing hotels, trips and services for people on holiday
destinationB1nounthe place where someone or something is going
itineraryC1nouna detailed plan for a journey that lists the places you will visit and when
hospitalityB2nounbeing friendly and generous to guests; also the business of hotels, restaurants and tourism
souvenirB1nounsomething you buy or keep to remind you of a place you visited or an event
backpackerB1nouna traveler who goes on a long, cheap trip, usually carrying their things in a large bag
ecotourismC2nountravel to natural places that tries not to harm the environment and helps local people
heritageB2nounthe history, traditions, buildings and culture that a society has kept from the past
attractionB1nouna place or thing people want to visit or see; also the feeling of liking someone or something
resortB1nouna place people visit for a holiday, usually with hotels, pools and things to do
excursionB2nouna short trip, usually made by a group of people, to visit a place for pleasure
landlordB2nouna person or company that rents a house, flat or room to someone else
tenantB2nouna person who pays rent to live in a house or use land or a building
mortgageB2nouna loan from a bank to buy a home, which you pay back over many years
dormitoryB2nouna large building where students live; also a big room with many beds
renovationB2nounwork done to repair and improve an old building or room so that it looks new
furnishedB2adjectivewith beds, tables and other items already inside, ready for someone to live in
spaciousC1adjectivehaving a lot of space inside, so it feels large and comfortable
crampedC1adjectivetoo small for the people or things inside, so it is uncomfortable
neighborhoodB1nouna part of a town or city where people live, and the people who live there
residentialB2adjectiveused for people to live in, rather than for business or industry
estateB2nouna large area of land with a house, or all the money and property a person owns
propertyB1nounthings that someone owns; also land and buildings
downsizeC1verbto become or make something smaller, especially to move to a smaller home or cut jobs in a company
relocateB2verbto move to a new place to live or work, or to move a business there
homeownerB2nouna person who owns the house or apartment they live in
architectB1nouna person whose job is to design buildings; also the person who plans an idea
architecturalB2adjectiverelating to the design and style of buildings
skylineB2nounthe shape that buildings or hills make against the sky, especially in a city
facadeC1nounthe front of a building, or a false appearance that hides what something is really like
blueprintC1nouna detailed technical drawing of a building or machine, or a detailed plan for doing something
constructionB1nounthe work of building houses, roads and other large structures; also the way something is built
demolishB2verbto destroy a building completely, or to show that an idea or argument is wrong
demolitionC1nounthe act of knocking down a building or other structure on purpose
renovateB2verbto repair and improve an old building or room so that it looks new
restoreB1verbto bring something back to its earlier good condition, or to make something exist again
passportB1nounan official document that proves who you are and lets you travel to other countries
visaB1nounan official document or stamp in a passport that allows you to enter, leave or stay in a country
luggageB1nounthe bags and suitcases that you take with you when you travel
baggageB1nounthe bags and cases that you take with you when you travel
departureB1nounthe act of leaving a place, or a person leaving a job
arrivalB1nounthe moment when someone or something reaches a place; also the start of something new
stopoverB2nouna short stay in a place between two parts of a long trip, especially a flight
layoverB2nouna short stop between two parts of a long trip, especially a wait at an airport before another flight
boardingB1nounthe process of getting on a plane, ship or train
districtB1nounan area of a town or country, often with its own character or official borders
provinceB2nounone of the main areas that a country is divided into for government
landscapeB1nouneverything you see across an area of land, or a picture of it; also the general situation in a field
picturesqueB2adjectivevery pretty, often in an old-fashioned way, like a scene in a painting
tranquilC1adjectivecalm, quiet and peaceful
bustlingB2adjectivefull of people who are moving around and busy doing things
vibrantB2adjectivefull of life, energy and excitement, or bright and strong in color
cosmopolitanC1adjectivefull of people, ideas or influences from many different countries and cultures
applianceC1nouna machine used in the home, such as a fridge or washing machine
decorB2nounthe style and arrangement of furniture, colors and objects in a room or building
decorationB2nounsomething added to a place or object to make it look nicer or more festive
interiorB2nounthe inside part of something, such as a building or a car
exteriorC1nounthe outside of something, especially a building; also the way a person seems on the outside
basementB1nouna room or floor of a building that is partly or completely below the ground
atticB1nouna room or space under the roof of a house, often used for storing things
backyardB2nounthe area of grass or garden behind a house
lawnB2nounan area of short grass, usually in a garden or park
porchB2nouna covered area at the entrance of a house, often with a roof and a place to sit
terraceB2nouna flat area outside a building for sitting; also flat steps cut into a hillside for farming
cozyB2adjectivewarm, comfortable and pleasant, so that you feel relaxed and safe
tidyB1adjectiveneat and organized, with everything in its place; of money, quite large
messyB1adjectivedirty or not tidy; complicated and unpleasant to deal with
choreB1nouna regular job at home, like cleaning or washing; also any boring task
houseworkB1nounthe regular work of keeping a home clean and tidy, such as cleaning, washing and cooking
terminalB1nouna building at an airport, or a station where buses or trains start and end their journeys
delayB1verbto make something happen later than planned, or to make someone late
cancellationB2nounthe act of deciding that something planned will not happen, or of ending an arrangement
voyageB1nouna long trip, usually by sea or into space
cruiseB2verbto travel by ship for pleasure, or to move along smoothly at a steady speed
ferryB1nouna boat that carries people and often vehicles across a river or a short stretch of sea
metroB1nounan underground railway system in a large city
carriageB1nounone of the sections of a train where passengers sit; also a vehicle pulled by horses
helmetB1nouna hard hat that protects your head, for example when riding a motorbike
crossingB1nouna journey across a sea, river or border, or a place where you cross a road or railway
intersectionB2nouna place where two or more roads meet and cross each other