abnegation

/ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/

//ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“abnegation” is uncommon English (frequency #74,703 among 3,931 “A” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#74,703
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A denial; a renunciation; denial of desire or self-interest.

Corpus desk

Index EN-abnegation · abnegation · English

abnegation · rank #74,703 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #74,703
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH Abelard

Nearest frequency peer: Abelard (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “abnegation”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “abnegation” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for abnegation
PropertyValue
Headwordabnegation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#74,703
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “abnegation” in English

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

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “Abelard” (#74,702), “abductors” (#74,700), “AAV” (#74,699). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “abnegation” is #74,703. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

abnegation is uncommon English at frequency #74,703 among 3,931 “A” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A denial; a renunciation; denial of desire or self-interest.".

Zero misspellings are on record for abnegation in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested before 1398. From Middle English abnegacioun, borrowed from Late Latin abnegātiō, from abnegō (“refuse, deny”), from ab (“off”) + negō (“deny; refuse, say no”). Compare French abnégation. The correct English form is abnegation, spelled A-B-N-E-G-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A denial; a renunciation; denial of desire or self-interest.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how abnegation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. With abnegation of God, of his honor, and of religion, they may retain the friendship of the court.
  2. Tony's face expressed relief, and Nettie sat silent for a moment until the vicar said “It was a generous impulse, but it may have been a momentary one, while in the case of monk and crusader there must have been a sustaining purpose, and possibly a great abnegation, a leaving of lands and possessions.”

Etymology

First attested before 1398. From Middle English abnegacioun, borrowed from Late Latin abnegātiō, from abnegō (“refuse, deny”), from ab (“off”) + negō (“deny; refuse, say no”). Compare French abnégation.

This word in other languages

abnegación(Español)abnégation(Français)abnegação(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 "abnegation"?
"abnegation" is spelled A-B-N-E-G-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/.
What does "abnegation" mean?
As a noun, "abnegation" means: A denial; a renunciation; denial of desire or self-interest.
How do you pronounce "abnegation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abnegation" is /ˌæbnɪˈɡeɪ̯ʃən/. 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 "abnegation"?
First attested before 1398. From Middle English abnegacioun, borrowed from Late Latin abnegātiō, from abnegō (“refuse, deny”), from ab (“off”) + negō (“deny; refuse, say no”). Compare French abnégation. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "abnegation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Alamogordo#74,712Alcibiades#74,714Austerlitz#74,733ballplayer#74,749

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list