Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
age
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
always
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
appear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
beautiful
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
called
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
certainly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
Comte
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
de
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
finenounUS /fine/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
followed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
Frenchwoman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
greatnounUS /great/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
historians
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
history
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
lacking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
lady
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
letters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
Louis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
madame
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
made
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
most
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
much
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
now
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
opinion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
Paris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
perfect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
posterity
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
proportions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
publish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
quitenounUS /quite/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
Recamier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
repliednounUS /replied/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
Sévigné
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
thousand
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
truly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
Vandenesse
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We have made so much history that historians will be lacking.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
WhetherconjunctionUS /ˈweðər/
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
whopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “When posterity shall have followed us, will not Madame Recamier appear in proportions as fine as those of the most beautiful women of the past?
woman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whether the Frenchwoman be called ‘perfect lady,’ or great lady, she will always be the woman among women.
women
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
write
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
XIV
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The age of Louis XIV. had but one Madame de Sévigné; we have a thousand now in Paris who certainly write better than she did, and who do not publish their letters.
yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I am quite of your opinion, madame; the women of this age are truly great,” replied the Comte de Vandenesse.
