ablution

/əˈbluː.ʃn̩/

//əˈbluː.ʃn̩// noun

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

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

The verdict

“ablution” is uncommon English (frequency #82,963 among 35,202 “A” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#82,963
frequency rank, English
35,202
“A” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of washing something.

Key facts for ablution
PropertyValue
Headwordablution
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˈbluː.ʃn̩/
Letters8
Frequency rank#82,963
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ablution” 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). ablution lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

ablution is uncommon English at frequency #82,963 among 35,202 “A” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /əˈbluː.ʃn̩/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 8 senses are on record.

ablution doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ablucioun (“cleansing of impurities”), from Old French ablution, and its source, Late Latin ablūtiō (“a washing away”), from abluō (“wash away”), from ab- (“away”) + lavō (“wash”). The correct English form is ablution, spelled A-B-L-U-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of washing something.
  2. 2
    The act of washing something.
  3. 3
    The act of washing something.
  4. 4
    The act of washing something.
  5. 5
    The act of washing something.
  6. 6
    The liquid used in the cleansing or ablution.
  7. 7
    The ritual consumption by the deacon or priest of leftover sacred wine of host after the Communion.
  8. 8
    The location or building where the showers and basins are located.

Etymology

From Middle English ablucioun (“cleansing of impurities”), from Old French ablution, and its source, Late Latin ablūtiō (“a washing away”), from abluō (“wash away”), from ab- (“away”) + lavō (“wash”).

This word in other languages

ablución(Español)ablution(Français)Waschung(Deutsch)ablução(Português)

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 "ablution"?
"ablution" is spelled A-B-L-U-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈbluː.ʃn̩/.
What does "ablution" mean?
As a noun, "ablution" means: The act of washing something.
How do you pronounce "ablution"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ablution" is /əˈbluː.ʃn̩/. 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 "ablution"?
From Middle English ablucioun (“cleansing of impurities”), from Old French ablution, and its source, Late Latin ablūtiō (“a washing away”), from abluō (“wash away”), from ab- (“away”) + lavō (“wash”). 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 “ablution”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-B-L-U-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈbluː.ʃn̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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