abdicate

/ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/

//ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"abdicate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“abdicate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #43,491 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#43,491
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

abdicate vs abdicated
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for abdicate
PropertyValue
Headwordabdicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#43,491
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abdicate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). abdicate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for abdicate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #43,491 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for abdicate, with forms such as "abbdicate", "abdciate", and "abddicate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "abdicated", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1532; borrowed from Latin abdicātus (“renounced”), perfect passive participle of abdicō (“to renounce, reject, disclaim”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab (“away”) + dicō (“proclaim, dedicate, declare”), akin to dīcō (“to s… The correct English form is abdicate, spelled A-B-D-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
  2. 2
    To formally separate oneself from or to divest oneself of.
  3. 3
    To depose.
  4. 4
    To reject; to cast off; to discard.
  5. 5
    To surrender, renounce or relinquish, as sovereign power; to withdraw definitely from filling or exercising, as a high office, station, dignity; to fail to fulfill responsibility for.
  6. 6
    To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity; to renounce sovereignty.

Etymology

First attested in 1532; borrowed from Latin abdicātus (“renounced”), perfect passive participle of abdicō (“to renounce, reject, disclaim”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab (“away”) + dicō (“proclaim, dedicate, declare”), akin to dīcō (“to say”). Compare Middle English abdicat (“forsaken, renounced”).

Synonyms

abandonabjurecast asidecast offcededesertdisinheritdisownforegoforsakegive upquitrefuserejectrelentrelinquishrenouncerepudiateresignretirestand downsurrendervacatewaiveyield

Antonyms

claimgraspmaintainoccupyretainseizeusurp

This word in other languages

abdicar(Español)abdiquer(Français)ausstoßen(Deutsch)abdicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abbdicate,abdciate,abddicate,abdiacte,abdicaet,abdicatte,abdiccate,abdictae,abidcate,adbicate,badicate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of abdicate - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

abbdicate1abdciate2abddicate1abdiacte2abdicaet2abdicatte1abdiccate1abdictae2
Edit distance from "abdicate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "abdicate"?
"abdicate" is spelled A-B-D-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/.
What does "abdicate" mean?
As a verb, "abdicate" means: To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
What words are commonly confused with "abdicate"?
"abdicate" is commonly confused with "abdicated". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "abdicate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abdicate" is /ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "abdicate"?
First attested in 1532; borrowed from Latin abdicātus (“renounced”), perfect passive participle of abdicō (“to renounce, reject, disclaim”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab (“away”) + dicō (“proclaim, dedicate, declare”), akin to d... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “abdicate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-B-D-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæb.dɪˌkeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “abdicated” - see the side-by-side comparison. abdicate vs abdicated
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list