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A Christmas Carol vocabulary words

This list collects vocabulary from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, covering the miserly habits of Scrooge, the ghostly visitors who challenge him, and the poverty and generosity that shape the story. Middle and high school readers can use it to preview unfamiliar words before reading or to review key terms after finishing each stave, building confidence with Victorian-era English.

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A Christmas Carol vocabulary words

32 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
misernounA person who hoards money and spends as little as possible, often to an extreme or unpleasant degree.The old miser refused to turn on the heat even in the coldest winter.
covetousadjectiveHaving a strong, often excessive desire for something that belongs to someone else.He cast a covetous eye on his neighbor's new sports car.
avaricenounExtreme and insatiable greed for wealth or material possessions beyond one's needs.The novel's villain is driven entirely by avarice, betraying friends for profit.
apparitionnounA ghostly or unexpected figure that appears suddenly, often seeming supernatural.Guests at the old inn swore they saw an apparition drifting through the hallway at midnight.
specternounA ghost, or something feared and unsettling that seems to threaten from the background.Villagers claimed a specter haunted the abandoned mansion on the hill.
phantomnounA ghost or apparition, or something that seems to exist but has no real, physical presence.Local legend says a phantom still wanders the corridors of the abandoned hotel.
misanthropenounA person who dislikes or distrusts other people in general and tends to avoid their company.The old misanthrope refused every invitation and lived alone in the woods.
penitentadjectiveFeeling or showing genuine sorrow and regret for having done wrong.The penitent teenager apologized to his sister and offered to fix the broken vase.
redemptionnounThe act of being saved from sin, error, or a bad situation, or of making up for a past fault.After years of hard work, he finally found redemption in the eyes of his community.
solitaryadjectiveDone or existing alone, without the company of others.She enjoyed a solitary walk along the beach at sunrise before anyone else arrived.
gruelnounA thin, watery porridge made by boiling oats, rice, or other grain in water or milk.The orphanage served a thin bowl of gruel for breakfast every morning.
workhousenounA historical institution, especially in Britain, where poor people lived and performed labor in exchange for food and shelter.Charles Dickens wrote vividly about the harsh conditions inside the Victorian workhouse.
humbugnounDeceptive talk or behavior intended to trick or mislead people; a fraud or sham.The traveling salesman's miracle cure turned out to be pure humbug.
surplusnounAn amount of something left over after requirements have been met; more than is needed.The farm produced a surplus of corn that year, so extra bushels were sold at market.
clerknounA person employed in an office, shop, or court to keep records, handle paperwork, or assist customers.The clerk at the courthouse filed the documents and stamped them with the day's date.
chestnutnounA hard-shelled, edible brown nut, or the tree that produces it.We roasted chestnuts over the fire and peeled off their shells while they were warm.
shroudnounA cloth used to wrap a dead body for burial, or anything that conceals or covers something.The body was wrapped in a plain white shroud before the funeral service began.
mortaladjectiveSubject to death eventually, as all living things are, or capable of causing death.Even kings and queens are mortal, however powerful they may seem.
corpulentadjectiveHaving a large, heavy body, typically used to describe someone who is noticeably overweight.The corpulent old merchant struggled to climb the narrow staircase to his office.
jovialadjectiveCheerful, friendly, and full of good humor.The jovial host welcomed every guest with a warm handshake and a joke.
benevolentadjectiveShowing kindness and a desire to help others.A benevolent neighbor quietly paid for the damaged fence.
dismaladjectiveDepressingly dark, gloomy, or lacking in any hope or cheer.Rain fell over the dismal parking lot for the third straight day of the trip.
gloomnounA state of darkness or partial darkness; also a feeling of sadness or hopelessness.The old library sat in gloom, lit only by a single flickering lamp.
festiveadjectiveRelating to or suitable for a celebration, and marked by a joyful, cheerful atmosphere.The town square looked festive with twinkling lights and garlands for the holiday season.
charitableadjectiveGenerous in giving money or help to people in need, or willing to think kindly of others.The company donates part of its profits to several charitable organizations each year.
destituteadjectiveCompletely without money, food, or the basic means to live; extremely poor.The flood left thousands of families destitute and in need of emergency shelter.
squalidadjectiveExtremely dirty and unpleasant, typically as a result of poverty or neglect.The refugees were forced to live in squalid camps with no clean water.
pittancenounA very small or inadequate amount of money, especially as payment for work.He complained that the factory paid its workers a mere pittance for long hours.
ledgernounA book or digital record in which a business's financial transactions are systematically recorded.The accountant checked the ledger to confirm that all payments had been recorded correctly.
ominousadjectiveSuggesting that something bad or threatening is likely to happen soon.Dark, ominous clouds gathered on the horizon just before the storm hit the coast.
repentverbTo feel deep regret for a wrongdoing and resolve to change one's behavior.The character repents of his crimes only after losing everything he valued.
dolefuladjectiveExpressing or feeling great sadness or sorrow, often with a mournful appearance.The dog gave a doleful look after being left home alone.

Vocabulary from A Christmas Carol

Dickens fills the novella with words describing wealth and want, from Scrooge's covetous, miserly habits to the destitute families he ignores at first. Ghostly vocabulary like apparition, specter, and phantom sets the eerie tone of each haunting, while words such as redemption, penitent, and benevolent trace his transformation. Learning these words together helps readers follow both the plot and its moral arc.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of words appear in A Christmas Carol vocabulary lists?

Most lists mix words about wealth and poverty, such as miser and destitute, with ghostly and moral vocabulary like apparition and redemption that reflect the story's themes.