Physical Features: English Vocabulary List

a distinctive and often unpleasant smell or scent that is produced by a substance or object

"Strong chemical odor."

"The laboratory had a very strong and unpleasant chemical odor that made everyone feel uncomfortable."

a sharp and distinctive taste, typically associated with acidity or a lively and refreshing quality

"Lemon tang is strong."

"The sauce had a nice fresh tang of lemon that perfectly balanced the sweet flavor."

the impressive beauty or magnificence of something, often characterized by richness, brilliance, or grandeur

"Royal splendor amazed everyone."

"The royal palace was restored to its original splendor with golden decorations and beautiful paintings."

the flashy or extravagant appearance or effect of something, often associated with glamour, sparkle, or showiness

"The movie premiere was full of glitz and glamour."

"The glitz and glamour of the award ceremony attracted hundreds of celebrities and photographers from around the world."

the exciting and attractive quality of a person, place, etc. that makes them desirable

"The glamour was obvious."

"Old Hollywood films are associated with glamour elegant dresses sparkling jewelry and sophisticated hairstyles."

the speed at which something moves in a specific direction

"The car's velocity increased quickly."

"The car was traveling at a dangerous velocity when it crashed into the tree on the roadside."

not moving or active

"The gas is inert."

"The inert gas does not react with other chemicals and it is used to create a safe atmosphere for welding."

made by humans rather than occurring naturally in nature

"The flower is artificial."

"The artificial flower looked so real that I tried to smell it before realizing it was made of plastic."

produced artificially, typically based on its natural version

"The fabric is synthetic."

"The synthetic fabric is made from petroleum based materials and it is less expensive than natural fibers like cotton or wool."

extremely hot and uncomfortable, often causing sweating

"Today is sweltering."

"The sweltering heat made it impossible to go outside without air conditioning so everyone stayed indoors with the fans running all day."

having a pleasant or sweet-smelling aroma

"The flowers are fragrant."

"The fragrant flowers in the garden attracted bees and butterflies and the sweet smell drifted through the open window into the kitchen where she was baking bread."

covered with a thick layer of dirt

"The windows are grimy."

"The grimy windows had not been cleaned in years and the sunlight could barely shine through the thick layer of dirt."

relating to space or the physical dimensions of an area or object

"The memory is spatial."

"The spatial reasoning test measures the ability to visualize objects in three dimensions and mentally rotate them."

related to the arrangement and connections of spaces or objects that remain unchanged under continuous transformations like stretching or bending

"The space is topological."

"The topological properties of a shape do not change when it is stretched or bent as long as it is not torn."

sealed or closed completely to prevent air or gas from entering or escaping

"The container is airtight."

"The airtight container keeps food fresh by preventing air from getting in and causing it to spoil."

in a rough, harsh, or abrupt manner, often indicating blunt or unfriendly speech or behavior

"He spoke gruffly to the children."

"He spoke gruffly to the children and told them to be quiet because he was trying to concentrate on his work."

easily and quickly burned

"The liquid is flammable."

"The flammable liquid should be stored away from heat sources because it can easily catch fire and cause an explosion."

related to water that is calm, smooth, and undisturbed, often with a surface that reflects light evenly

"The lake was unruffled."

"The unruffled surface of the pond perfectly mirrored the surrounding trees and the clear blue sky above."

thick and sticky, resembling the consistency of glue

"The liquid is viscous."

"The viscous honey poured slowly from the jar and it took a long time to fill the small cup."

shaky, unstable, or likely to collapse due to being old or poorly constructed

"The chair is rickety."

"The rickety old bridge swayed in the wind and the hikers decided to find another way across the river."

free from any form of corruption, pollution, or impurity and external influences

"The reputation is untainted."

"The untainted reputation of the charity helped it raise millions of dollars from donors who trusted the organization."

no longer matching the current trends or standards because of being too old

"Your computer is outdated."

"The outdated software needs to be updated because it has many security holes and bugs."

updated with modern technology or methods

"The kitchen is modernized."

"The modernized kitchen has new appliances and granite countertops and the family enjoys cooking together in the bright space."

to emit a strong and offensive odor

"The garbage reeks of rotten fish."

"The garbage left outside in the hot sun for days began to reek terribly and attract flies."

the process of burning, characterized by the chemical reaction between a fuel and oxygen that produces heat and light

"Fire needs combustion."

"The engine's efficient combustion process converts fuel into mechanical energy with minimal waste."

the process or act of setting something on fire or starting a combustion reaction, especially in an engine or device

"Car ignition switch."

"Turn the key in the ignition switch to start the car engine in the morning."

a pleasant and noticeable smell that adds to the experience of something

"Coffee aroma filled room."

"The wonderful aroma of fresh coffee filled the entire kitchen early in the morning."

the volume or amount that can be contained in a space or container

"The jug's capacity is large."

"The stadium's seating capacity was significantly increased after the recent renovations were completed."

the ability of an object or material to withstand wear, pressure, or damage over time, without significant deterioration

"High durability needed."

"This material was chosen because of its excellent strength and high durability for outdoor use."

the tendency of an object to float or rise in a fluid, like water or air, due to the upward force exerted by the fluid

"Good buoyancy in water."

"The boat has excellent buoyancy which helps it stay afloat even in rough sea conditions."

(of an object) powered by machinery or an engine

"This is mechanical."

"The mechanical problem with the engine caused the car to break down on the highway yesterday."

capable of being felt or touched

"The benefit is tangible."

"The company's investment yielded tangible results, such as increased profits and improved customer satisfaction."

perfectly clean or spotless, devoid of any dirt, marks, or impurities

"The beach is pristine."

"The remote island boasted a pristine white sand beach, untouched by human development and completely spotless."

having the ability to decay, rot, or spoil quickly, particularly of foods

"The goods are perishable."

"The perishable food must be kept in the refrigerator or it will spoil within a few hours."

free from any stain or dirt

"The house is immaculate."

"The immaculate house looked like no one had ever lived there and the real estate agent was impressed by its perfect condition."

related to the flight or motion of objects that are propelled or shot, especially bullets, missiles, or projectiles

"The missile is ballistic."

"The ballistic missile travels at very high speed and it follows a curved path toward its target."

the ability to chemically corrode or eat away materials, typically referring to strong acids

"The chemical is caustic."

"The caustic chemical burned his skin when he accidentally spilled it and he had to rinse his hand with water for twenty minutes."

damp, musty, and often cold or unpleasantly humid

"The basement is dank."

"The dank basement smelled of mold and mildew and nobody wanted to spend any time down there."

pleasing or agreeable to the sense of taste

"The soup is savory."

"The savory aroma of the roasting chicken filled the entire house and made everyone's mouths water as they waited impatiently for dinner to be served."

no longer used, supported, etc. by the general public, typically belonging to an earlier period in history

"Her dress is old-fashioned."

"Her old fashioned dress looked like something from the nineteen fifties with a full skirt and lace collar."

outdated and gone out of style, often replaced by more current trends or advancements

"This technology is obsolete."

"The old computer is obsolete now because newer machines are much faster and have more memory."

to cast a shadow over something, partially or fully blocking light

"Clouds overshadow the sun."

"His immense talent threatened to overshadow the achievements of his less experienced teammates, causing some resentment."