abdication

/ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən/

//ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"abdication" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“abdication” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #36,847 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#36,847
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of disowning or disinheriting a child.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

abdication vs addiction
80% similar
abdication vs abduction
80% similar

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

Key facts for abdication
PropertyValue
Headwordabdication
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#36,847
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abdication” 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). abdication 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 abdication is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #36,847 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for abdication, with forms such as "abbdication", "abdciation", and "abddication". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "addiction", "abduction", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1552. From Latin abdicātiō (“renunciation”), from abdicō. By surface analysis, abdicate + -ion. The correct English form is abdication, spelled A-B-D-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of disowning or disinheriting a child.
  2. 2
    The act of abdicating; the renunciation of a high office, dignity, or trust, by its holder.
  3. 3
    The voluntary renunciation of sovereign power.
  4. 4
    The renunciation of interest in a property or a legal claim; abandonment.
  5. 5
    The action of being deposed from the seat of power.

Etymology

First attested in 1552. From Latin abdicātiō (“renunciation”), from abdicō. By surface analysis, abdicate + -ion.

This word in other languages

abdicación(Español)abdication(Français)Abdankung(Deutsch)abdicação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abbdication,abdciation,abddication,abdiaction,abdicaiton,abdicasion,abdicatino,abdicationn,abdicatoin,abdicattion,abdiccation,abdictaion,abidcation,adbication,badication

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of abdication - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

abbdication1abdciation2abddication1abdiaction2abdicaiton2abdicasion1abdicatino2abdicationn1
Edit distance from "abdication"

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 "abdication"?
"abdication" is spelled A-B-D-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən/.
What does "abdication" mean?
As a noun, "abdication" means: The act of disowning or disinheriting a child.
What words are commonly confused with "abdication"?
"abdication" is commonly confused with "addiction", "abduction". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "abdication"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abdication" is /ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən/. 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 "abdication"?
First attested in 1552. From Latin abdicātiō (“renunciation”), from abdicō. By surface analysis, abdicate + -ion. 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 “abdication”

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-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌæb.dəˈkeɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “addiction” - see the side-by-side comparison. abdication vs addiction
  • 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