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The BIP39 English Wordlist

From TeachMeBitcoin, the free encyclopedia Reading time: 13 min

The BIP39 English Wordlist

The BIP39 Wordlist is a carefully curated set of 2048 words. These words were not chosen at random; they were selected based on specific criteria to minimize human error and maximize technical efficiency.

1. Selection Criteria

Every word in the list follows these rules:

  1. Prefix Uniqueness: The first 4 letters of every word are unique. Even if you only write down the first 4 letters (e.g., aban for abandon), you can uniquely identify the word.

  2. Visual Distinction: Words that look similar (like built and build) were removed to prevent reading errors.

  3. Auditory Distinction: Words that sound similar were avoided to make it easier to dictate backups over the phone or in person.

  4. Commonality: The list uses simple, common English words that are familiar to most people, reducing the chance of spelling mistakes.

2. The Wordlist (Indices 0 - 2047)

Click to view all 2048 Words
abandon, ability, able, about, above, absent, absorb, abstract, absurd, abuse, access, accident, account, accuse, achieve, acid, acoustic, acquire, across, act, action, actor, actress, actual, adapt, add, addict, address, adjust, admit, adult, advance, advice, adviser, aery, affair, afford, afraid, again, age, agent, agree, ahead, aid, aim, air, airport, aisle, alarm, album, alcohol, alert, alien, alike, alive, all, alley, allow, almost, alone, alpha, already, also, alter, always, amateur, amaze, amber, ambition, amount, amuse, analyst, anchor, ancient, anger, angle, angry, animal, ankle, announce, annual, another, answer, antenna, antique, anxiety, any, apart, apology, appear, apple, approve, april, arch, arctic, area, arena, argue, arm, armed, armor, army, around, arrange, arrest, arrive, arrow, art, artefact, artist, artwork, ash, ask, aspect, assault, asset, assist, assume, asthma, athlete, atom, attack, attend, attitude, attract, auction, audit, august, aunt, author, auto, autumn, avail, avenue, average, avocado, avoid, awake, aware, away, awesome, awful, awkward, axis, baby, bachelor, bacon, badge, bag, balance, balcony, ball, bamboo, banana, banner, bar, barely, bargain, barrel, base, basic, basket, battle, beach, bean, beauty, because, become, beef, before, begin, behave, behind, believe, below, belt, bench, benefit, best, betray, better, between, beyond, bicycle, bid, bike, bind, biology, bird, birth, bitter, black, blade, blame, blanket, blast, bleak, bless, blind, blood, blossom, blouse, blue, blur, blush, board, boat, body, boil, bomb, bone, bonus, book, boost, border, boring, borrow, boss, bottom, bounce, box, boy, bracket, brain, brand, brass, brave, bread, breeze, brick, bridge, brief, bright, bring, brisk, broccoli, broken, bronze, broom, brother, brown, brush, bubble, buddy, budget, buffalo, build, bulb, bulk, bullet, bundle, bunker, burden, burger, burst, bus, business, busy, butter, buyer, buzz, cabbage, cabin, cable, cactus, cage, cake, call, calm, camera, camp, can, canal, cancel, candy, cannon, canoe, canvas, canyon, capable, capital, captain, car, carbon, card, cargo, carpet, carry, cart, case, cash, casino, castle, casual, cat, catalog, catch, category, cattle, caught, cause, caution, cave, ceiling, celery, cement, census, century, cereal, certain, certificate, chair, chalk, champion, change, chaos, chapter, charge, chase, chat, cheap, check, cheese, chef, cherry, chest, chicken, chief, child, chimney, choice, choose, chronic, chuckle, chunk, churn, cigar, cinnamon, circle, citizen, city, civil, claim, clap, clarify, claw, clay, clean, clerk, clever, click, client, cliff, climb, clinic, clip, clock, clog, close, cloth, cloud, clown, club, clump, cluster, clutch, coach, coast, coconut, code, coffee, coil, coin, collect, color, column, combine, come, comfort, comic, common, company, concert, conduct, confirm, congress, connect, consider, control, convince, cook, cool, copper, copy, coral, core, corn, corner, cost, cotton, couch, cough, could, count, country, couple, courage, cousin, cover, coyote, crack, cradle, craft, cram, crane, crash, crater, crawl, crazy, cream, credit, creek, crew, cricket, crime, crisp, critic, crocodile, chrome, cross, crouch, crowd, crucial, cruel, cruise, crumble, crunch, crush, cry, crystal, cube, culture, cup, cupboard, curious, current, curtain, curve, cushion, custom, cute, cycle, daddy, damage, damp, dance, danger, daring, dash, daughter, dawn, day, deal, debate, debris, decade, december, decide, decline, decorate, decrease, deer, defense, define, defy, degree, delay, deliver, demand, demise, denial, dentist, deny, depart, depend, deposit, depth, deputy, derive, desert, design, desk, despair, destroy, detail, detect, develop, device, devote, diagram, dial, diamond, diary, dice, diesel, diet, differ, digital, dignity, dilemma, dinner, dinosaur, direct, dirt, disagree, disaster, discard, discipline, discount, disease, dish, dismiss, disorder, display, distance, divert, divide, divorce, dizzy, doctor, document, dog, doll, dolphin, domain, donate, donkey, donor, door, dose, double, dove, draft, dragon, drain, drama, drastic, draw, dream, dress, drift, drill, drink, drip, drive, drop, drum, dry, duck, dumb, dune, during, dust, dutch, duty, dwarf, dynamic, eager, eagle, early, earn, earth, easily, east, easy, echo, ecology, economy, edge, edit, educate, effort, egg, eight, either, elbow, elder, electric, elegant, element, elephant, elevator, elite, else, embark, embody, embrace, emerge, emotion, employ, empower, empty, enable, enact, end, endless, endorse, enemy, energy, enforce, engine, english, enhance, enjoy, enlist, enough, enrich, enroll, ensure, enter, entire, entry, envelope, episode, equal, equip, era, erase, erode, erosion, error, erupt, escape, essay, essence, estate, eternal, ethics, evidence, evil, evoke, evolve, exact, example, excess, exchange, excite, exclude, excuse, execute, exercise, exhaust, exhibit, exile, exist, exit, exotic, expand, expect, expire, explain, expose, express, extend, extra, eye, eyebrow, fabric, face, faculty, fade, faint, faith, fall, false, fame, family, famous, fan, fancy, fantasy, farm, fashion, fat, fatal, father, fatigue, fault, favorite, feature, february, federal, fee, feed, feel, female, fence, festival, fetch, fever, few, fiber, fiction, field, figure, file, film, filter, final, find, fine, finger, finish, fire, firm, first, fiscal, fish, fit, fitness, fix, flag, flame, flash, flat, flavor, flee, flight, flip, float, flock, floor, flower, fluid, flush, fly, foam, focus, fog, foil, fold, follow, food, foot, force, forest, forget, fork, fortune, forum, forward, fossil, foster, found, fox, fragile, frame, frequent, fresh, friend, fringe, frog, front, frost, frown, frozen, fruit, fuel, fun, funny, furnace, fury, future, gadget, gain, galaxy, gallery, game, gap, garage, garbage, garden, garlic, garment, gas, gasp, gate, gather, gauge, gaze, general, genius, genre, gentle, genuine, gesture, ghost, giant, gift, giggle, ginger, giraffe, girl, give, glad, glance, glare, glass, glide, glimpse, globe, gloom, glory, glove, glow, glue, goat, goddess, gold, good, goose, gorilla, gospel, gossip, govern, gown, grab, grace, grain, grant, grape, grass, gravity, gray, great, green, grid, grief, grit, grocery, group, grow, grunt, guard, guess, guide, guilt, guitar, gun, gym, habit, hair, half, hammer, hamster, hand, happy, harbor, hard, harsh, harvest, hat, have, hawk, hazard, head, health, heart, heavy, hedgehog, height, hello, helmet, help, hen, hero, hidden, high, hill, hint, hip, hire, history, hobby, hockey, hold, hole, holiday, hollow, home, honey, hood, hope, horn, horror, horse, hospital, host, hotel, hour, hover, hub, huge, human, humble, humor, hundred, hungry, hunt, hurdle, hurry, hurt, husband, hybrid, ice, icon, idea, identify, idle, idol, if, ignite, ill, illegal, illness, image, imitate, immense, immune, impact, impose, improve, impulse, inch, include, income, increase, index, indicate, indoor, industry, infant, inflict, inform, inhale, inherit, initial, inject, injury, inmate, inner, innocent, input, inquiry, insane, insect, inside, inspire, install, intact, integer, integral, intent, inter, into, invest, invite, involve, iron, island, isolate, issue, item, ivory, jacket, jaguar, jar, jazz, jealous, jeans, jelly, jewel, job, join, joke, journey, joy, judge, juice, jump, jungle, junior, junk, just, kangaroo, keen, keep, ketchup, key, kick, kid, kidney, kind, kingdom, kiss, kit, kitchen, kite, kitten, kiwi, knee, knife, knock, know, lab, label, labor, ladder, lady, lake, lamp, language, laptop, large, later, latin, laugh, laundry, lava, law, lawn, lawsuit, layer, lazy, leader, leaf, learn, leave, lecture, left, leg, legal, legend, leisure, lemon, lend, length, lens, leopard, lesson, letter, level, liar, liberty, library, license, life, lift, light, like, limb, limit, link, lion, liquid, list, little, live, lizard, load, loan, lobster, local, lock, logic, lonely, long, loop, lottery, loud, lounge, love, loyal, lucky, luggage, lumber, lunar, lunch, luxury, lyrics, machine, mad, magic, magnet, maid, mail, main, major, make, mammal, man, manage, mandate, mango, mansion, manual, maple, marble, march, margin, marine, market, marriage, mask, mass, master, match, material, math, matrix, matter, maximum, maze, meadow, mean, measure, meat, mechanic, medal, media, melody, melt, member, memory, mention, menu, mercy, merge, merit, merry, mesh, message, metal, method, middle, midnight, milk, million, mimic, mind, mine, mingle, minor, minute, mirror, misery, miss, mistake, mix, mixed, mixture, mobile, model, modify, mom, moment, monitor, monkey, monster, month, moon, moral, more, morning, mosquito, mother, motion, motor, mountain, mouse, move, movie, much, muffin, mule, multiply, muscle, museum, mushroom, music, must, mutual, myself, mystery, myth, naive, name, napkin, narrow, nasty, nation, nature, near, nebula, neck, need, negative, neglect, neither, nephew, nerve, nest, net, network, neutral, never, news, next, nice, night, noble, noise, nomad, noodle, north, nose, notable, note, nothing, notice, novel, now, nuclear, number, nurse, nut, oak, obey, object, oblige, obscure, observe, obtain, obvious, occur, ocean, october, odor, off, offer, office, often, oil, okay, old, olive, olympic, omit, once, one, onion, online, only, open, opera, opinion, oppose, option, oracle, orange, orbit, orchard, order, ordinary, organ, orient, origin, orphan, ostrich, other, outdoor, outer, output, outside, oval, oven, over, own, owner, oxygen, oyster, ozone, pact, paddle, page, pair, palace, palm, panda, panel, panic, panther, paper, parade, parent, park, parrot, party, pass, patch, path, patient, patio, patrol, patron, pause, pave, payment, peace, peanut, pear, peasant, pelican, pen, penalty, pencil, people, pepper, perfect, permit, person, pet, phone, photo, phrase, physical, piano, picnic, picture, piece, pig, pigeon, pill, pilot, pink, pioneer, pipe, piston, prize, pit, pitch, pizza, place, planet, plastic, plate, play, please, pledge, pluck, plug, plunge, poem, poet, point, polar, pole, police, pond, pony, pool, popular, portion, position, possible, post, potato, pottery, poverty, powder, power, practice, praise, predict, prefer, pregnant, prepare, present, prevent, prey, price, pride, primary, print, priority, prison, private, prize, problem, process, produce, profit, program, project, promote, proof, property, prosper, protect, proud, provide, public, pudding, pull, pulp, pulse, pumpkin, punch, pupil, puppy, purchase, purity, purpose, purse, push, put, puzzle, pyramid, quality, quantum, quarter, queen, query, quest, queue, quick, quiet, quiz, quote, rabbit, raccoon, race, rack, radar, radio, rail, rain, raise, rally, ramp, ranch, random, range, rapid, rare, rate, rather, raven, raw, razor, ready, real, reason, rebel, rebuild, recall, receive, recipe, record, recycle, reduce, reflect, reform, refuse, region, regret, regular, reject, relax, release, relief, rely, remain, remember, remind, remove, render, renew, rent, reopen, repair, repeat, replace, report, require, rescue, resemble, resist, resource, respond, rest, result, retire, retreat, return, reunion, reveal, review, reward, rhythm, rib, ribbon, rice, rich, ride, ridge, rifle, rigid, ring, riot, ripple, risk, ritual, rival, river, road, roast, robot, robust, rocket, romance, roof, rookie, room, rose, rotate, rough, round, route, royal, rubber, rude, rug, rule, run, runway, rural, sadness, safe, sail, salad, salmon, salon, salt, salute, same, sample, sand, satisfy, satoshi, sauce, sausage, save, say, scale, scan, scare, scatter, scene, scheme, school, science, scissors, scorpion, scout, scrap, screen, script, scrub, sea, search, season, seat, second, secret, section, security, seed, seek, segment, select, sell, seminar, senior, sense, sentence, series, service, session, settle, setup, seven, shadow, shaft, shallow, share, shed, shell, sheriff, shield, shift, shine, ship, shiver, shock, shoe, shoot, shop, short, shoulder, shove, shrimp, shrug, shuffle, shy, sibling, sick, side, sieve, sight, sign, silent, silk, silly, silver, similar, simple, since, sing, siren, sister, situate, six, size, skate, sketch, ski, skill, skin, skirt, skull, slab, slam, sleep, slender, slice, slide, slight, slim, slogan, slot, slow, slush, small, smart, smile, smoke, smooth, snack, snake, snap, sniff, snow, soap, soccer, social, sock, soda, soft, solar, soldier, solid, solution, solve, someone, song, soon, sorry, sort, soul, sound, soup, source, south, space, spare, spatial, spawn, speak, special, speed, spell, spend, sphere, spice, spider, spike, spin, spirit, split, spoil, sponsor, spoon, sport, spot, spray, spread, spring, spy, square, squeeze, squirrel, stable, stadium, staff, stage, stair, stamp, stand, star, start, state, stay, steak, steel, stem, step, stereo, stick, still, sting, stock, stomach, stone, stool, stop, storage, store, storm, story, stove, strategy, street, strike, strong, struggle, student, stuff, stumble, style, subject, submit, subway, success, such, sudden, suffer, sugar, suggest, suit, summer, sun, sunny, sunset, super, supply, supreme, sure, surface, surge, surprise, surround, survey, suspect, sustain, swallow, swamp, swap, swarm, swear, sweet, swift, swim, swing, switch, sword, symbol, symptom, syrup, system, table, tackle, tag, tail, talent, talk, tank, tape, target, task, taste, tattoo, taxi, tea, teach, team, tell, ten, tenant, tennis, tent, term, test, text, thank, that, theme, then, theory, there, they, thing, this, thought, three, thrive, throat, through, throw, thumb, thunder, ticket, tide, tiger, tilt, timber, time, tiny, tip, tired, tissue, title, toast, tobacco, today, toddler, toe, together, toilet, token, tomato, tomorrow, tone, tongue, tonight, tool, tooth, top, topic, topple, torch, tornado, tortoise, toss, total, tourist, toward, tower, town, toy, track, trade, traffic, tragic, train, transfer, trap, trash, travel, tray, treat, tree, trend, trial, tribe, trick, trigger, trim, trio, trip, triumph, trophy, trouble, truck, true, truly, trumpet, trust, truth, try, tube, tuition, tumble, tuna, tunnel, turkey, turn, turtle, twelve, twenty, twice, twin, twist, two, type, typical, ugly, umbrella, unable, unaware, uncle, uncover, under, undo, unfair, unfold, unhappy, uniform, unique, unit, universe, unknown, unlock, until, unusual, unveil, update, upgrade, uphold, upon, upper, upset, urban, urge, usage, use, used, useful, useless, usual, utility, vacant, vacuum, vague, valid, valley, valve, van, vanish, vapor, various, vast, vault, vehicle, velvet, vendor, venture, venue, verb, verify, version, very, vessel, veteran, viable, vibrant, vicious, victory, video, view, village, vintage, violin, virtual, virus, visa, visit, visual, vital, vivid, vocal, voice, void, volcano, volume, vote, voyage, wage, wagon, wait, walk, wall, walnut, want, warfare, warm, warrior, wash, wasp, waste, water, wave, way, wealth, weapon, wear, weasel, weather, wedding, weekend, weird, welcome, west, wet, whale, what, wheat, wheel, when, where, whip, whisper, wide, width, wife, wild, will, win, window, wine, wing, wink, winner, winter, wire, wisdom, wise, wish, witness, wolf, woman, wonder, wood, wool, word, work, world, worry, worth, wrap, wreck, wrestle, wrist, write, wrong, yard, year, yellow, you, young, youth, zebra, zero, zone, zoo

3. Localization

While the English wordlist is the global standard, BIP39 also defines official lists for:

Most experts recommend using the English list even if it is not your native language. This ensures that your words will be supported by every wallet software in existence, even 50 years from now.

4. The Last Word

The 12th or 24th word is special. It contains the Checksum.

Range Total Words Unique Prefix
0 - 2047 2048 First 4 Letters

In the next section, we will discuss how these words become a Binary Seed.

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Ethereum: 0x578417C51783663D8A6A811B3544E1f779D39A85
Bitcoin: bc1q77k9e95rn669kpzyjr8ke9w95zhk7pa5s63qzz
Solana: 4ycT2ayqeMucixj3wS8Ay8Tq9NRDYRPKYbj3UGESyQ4J
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