On-screen lookup shortcut
Press ⌥A to scan or look up words directly from the screen without switching apps or opening a browser tab.
Leafy
Leafy is a Mac vocabulary builder that saves looked-up words with their source sentence, helping readers and learners review words without leaving the page.
Vocabulary capture and review for Mac
Leafy is a Mac vocabulary builder that lets you look up words from anywhere on screen with a keyboard shortcut. It is designed to capture a word together with the sentence around it, so the meaning and context are saved at the same time.
Instead of asking you to create flashcards manually, Leafy builds a vocabulary list as you read. You can review saved words in their original sentences, export the library to several formats, or import an existing list from a template or another app.
Core features
Sentence-based vocabulary capture
Leafy reads the sentence around the word, then saves the word together with the line it came from so you can revisit it in context.
Contextual review
Review mode hides the target word inside the original sentence and asks you to fill it in, turning your reading history into practice material.
Wide capture support
The app works with PDFs, ebooks, images, and other on-screen text, plus text selected through the PopClip bar.
Import and export options
Export saved words to JSON, CSV, Excel, PDF, or Anki, and import data from templates or common vocabulary exports.
Multi-language support
Leafy includes multiple learning languages, with support listed for English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Greek, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Arabic.
Practical ways to use Leafy
Reading in context
Look up unfamiliar words while reading PDFs, ebooks, or webpages without breaking your flow. Leafy saves the word and its sentence, so you can come back to it later with context intact.
Language learning
Build a vocabulary list as you study a new language. The app supports multiple learning languages and turns the sentences you encounter into review cards.
Migrating an existing word list
Import a spreadsheet, CSV, JSON, text file, or Anki export if you already keep vocabulary elsewhere. Leafy can also use a template when you want to start from a structured list.
Selected-text workflow
Use PopClip to define, translate, or save selected text anywhere on your Mac when you want a quick lookup from highlighted text rather than screen scanning.
Study review and backup
Export your saved vocabulary to formats like CSV, Excel, PDF, JSON, or Anki if you want to study elsewhere or keep a backup copy.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Captures words in context instead of storing isolated word lists.
- Supports a broad range of file types and export formats.
- Keeps the library on the Mac with no account or sync server.
- Offers a simple shortcut-based workflow that avoids leaving the page you are reading.
- Includes a built-in review mode based on the sentence where the word first appeared.
Cons
- Scanning depends on AI processing, and the privacy policy says queried text is sent to a third-party service.
- PopClip integration requires the separate PopClip app, which is sold and managed by another developer.
- Some workflow details are limited during beta, and the site says nothing is for sale yet.
FAQ
Can I use Leafy on more than one Mac?
Leafy is set up for individual use on a Mac. The website says there is no account and no sync server, and the pricing page notes that multiple Macs are supported if they are yours.
Can I import an existing vocabulary list into Leafy?
Yes. The help guide says you can import a template file from Excel or CSV, and it also supports direct imports from CSV, TSV, Excel (.xlsx), JSON, plain text, and Anki (.apkg) exports.
Does Leafy integrate with PopClip?
On the help page, Leafy says it can look up selected text through a PopClip extension. PopClip is a separate paid app and must be installed and running for the extension to work.
Where is my vocabulary data stored?
Leafy saves your library on your Mac. When you scan or look up text, the text is sent to a third-party AI service for processing, and the privacy policy says you can avoid that transfer by not using the AI features.
Do I need an account to download or use Leafy?
The site says there is no account and no email required to download while the app is in beta. Paid plans are described on the pricing page, but nothing is for sale yet.
Quick Facts
- Product
- Leafy
- Category
- Vocabulary builder
- Platform
- Mac
- Website
- leafyapp.uk
- Primary shortcut
- ⌥A
- Data storage
- Local on Mac; no account or sync server
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