Technology & Progress — C1 English Vocabulary

This C1 vocabulary list gathers 60 advanced English words about technology & progress — innovation and the shape of the future. Every word comes with its British-English pronunciation and a natural example sentence, so you learn each one in real context. When you are ready, open the flashcards to practise and remember them for good.

1. self-driving/ˌself ˈdraɪ.vɪŋ/

   “Self-driving cars are coming.”

2. machine learning/məˈʃiːn ˌlɜː.nɪŋ/

   “Machine learning powers the app.”

3. neural network/ˌnjʊə.rəl ˈnet.wɜːk/

   “A neural network spots fraud.”

4. quantum computing/ˌkwɒn.təm kəmˈpjuː.tɪŋ/

   “Quantum computing is years away.”

5. cryptocurrency/ˈkrɪp.təʊˌkʌr.ən.si/

   “He invested in cryptocurrency.”

6. blockchain/ˈblɒk.tʃeɪn/

   “Blockchain records every deal.”

7. fibre-optic/ˌfaɪ.bər ˈɒp.tɪk/

   “They laid fibre-optic cable.”

8. holographic/ˌhɒl.əˈɡræf.ɪk/

   “It uses a holographic display.”

9. augmented reality/ɔːɡˌmen.tɪd riˈæl.ɪ.ti/

   “Augmented reality overlays data.”

10. bioengineering/ˌbaɪ.əʊˌen.dʒɪˈnɪə.rɪŋ/

    “Bioengineering creates new crops.”

11. genetic engineering/dʒəˌnet.ɪk ˌen.dʒɪˈnɪə.rɪŋ/

    “Genetic engineering raises ethical issues.”

12. cloning/ˈkləʊ.nɪŋ/

    “Animal cloning is controversial.”

13. automaton/ɔːˈtɒm.ə.tən/

    “The factory uses an automaton.”

14. cybernetics/ˌsaɪ.bəˈnet.ɪks/

    “He researches cybernetics.”

15. exoskeleton/ˌek.səʊˈskel.ɪ.tən/

    “An exoskeleton helps her walk.”

16. bionic/baɪˈɒn.ɪk/

    “He has a bionic hand.”

17. cyborg/ˈsaɪ.bɔːɡ/

    “The film features a cyborg.”

18. terraforming/ˈter.əˌfɔː.mɪŋ/

    “Terraforming Mars is a dream.”

19. spacecraft/ˈspeɪs.krɑːft/

    “The spacecraft left orbit.”

20. rover/ˈrəʊ.və/

    “The rover explored the crater.”

21. propulsion/prəˈpʌl.ʃən/

    “They tested a new propulsion system.”

22. biofuel/ˈbaɪ.əʊ.fjuː.əl/

    “Biofuel powers the bus.”

23. desalination/diːˌsæl.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

    “Desalination provides fresh water.”

24. obsolescence/ˌɒb.səˈles.əns/

    “Planned obsolescence wastes goods.”

25. interoperable/ˌɪn.tərˈɒp.ər.ə.bəl/

    “The devices are interoperable.”

26. modular/ˈmɒd.jə.lə/

    “The design is modular.”

27. iteration/ˌɪt.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

    “Each iteration improves the app.”

28. transformative/trænsˈfɔː.mə.tɪv/

    “It is a transformative technology.”

29. seamless/ˈsiːm.ləs/

    “The update was seamless.”

30. next-generation/ˌnekst dʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃən/

    “It is next-generation hardware.”

31. dystopia/dɪsˈtəʊ.pi.ə/

    “The novel imagines a dystopia.”

32. singularity/ˌsɪŋ.ɡjəˈlær.ɪ.ti/

    “Some fear the singularity.”

33. enhancement/ɪnˈhɑːns.mənt/

    “They study human enhancement.”

34. biotechnology/ˌbaɪ.əʊ.tekˈnɒl.ə.dʒi/

    “Biotechnology is booming.”

35. teleconferencing/ˈtel.i.kɒn.fər.ən.sɪŋ/

    “Teleconferencing replaced travel.”

36. implant/ˈɪm.plɑːnt/

    “She has a hearing implant.”

37. mechanised/ˈmek.ə.naɪzd/

    “Farming became mechanised.”

38. digitisation/ˌdɪdʒ.ɪ.taɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/

    “Digitisation transformed banking.”

39. decryption/diːˈkrɪp.ʃən/

    “Decryption took the team days.”

40. firmware/ˈfɜːm.weə/

    “The firmware needs an update.”

41. latency/ˈleɪ.tən.si/

    “Low latency is vital for gaming.”

42. server farm/ˈsɜː.və fɑːm/

    “A vast server farm runs the cloud.”

43. swarm/swɔːm/

    “A swarm of drones filmed the show.”

44. supercomputer/ˈsuː.pə.kəmˌpjuː.tə/

    “A supercomputer ran the model.”

45. leapfrog/ˈliːp.frɒɡ/

    “Phones let villages leapfrog old tech.”

46. redundant/rɪˈdʌn.dənt/

    “The old system is now redundant.”

47. automated/ˈɔː.tə.meɪ.tɪd/

    “The checkout is fully automated.”

48. gamification/ˌɡeɪm.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

    “Gamification keeps users hooked.”

49. futurist/ˈfjuː.tʃər.ɪst/

    “A futurist predicted flying taxis.”

50. utopia/juːˈtəʊ.pi.ə/

    “He dreams of a tech utopia.”

51. cybernetic/ˌsaɪ.bəˈnet.ɪk/

    “It is a cybernetic limb.”

52. retrofit/ˈret.rəʊ.fɪt/

    “They retrofit old homes with solar.”

53. throughput/ˈθruː.pʊt/

    “The new chip boosts throughput.”

54. streamlined/ˈstriːm.laɪnd/

    “The process is now streamlined.”

55. incubator/ˈɪŋ.kjə.beɪ.tə/

    “The startup joined an incubator.”

56. frontier/ˈfrʌn.tɪə/

    “Space is the next frontier.”

57. telemetry/təˈlem.ɪ.tri/

    “Sensors send telemetry to base.”

58. self-sufficient/ˌself səˈfɪʃ.ənt/

    “The home is self-sufficient.”

59. moonshot/ˈmuːn.ʃɒt/

    “It is a real moonshot project.”

60. obsolescent/ˌɒb.səˈles.ənt/

    “The format is already obsolescent.”