abrade

/əˈbɹeɪd/

//əˈbɹeɪd// verb

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

"abrade" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“abrade” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To rub or wear off; erode.

Key facts for abrade
PropertyValue
Headwordabrade
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əˈbɹeɪd/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abrade” sits in English frequency

abrade falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for abrade is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈbɹeɪd/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for abrade in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin abrādō (“scrape off”), from ab (“from, away from”) + rādō (“scrape”). First attested in 1677. The correct English form is abrade, spelled A-B-R-A-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To rub or wear off; erode.
  2. 2
    To wear down or exhaust, as a person; irritate.
  3. 3
    To irritate by rubbing; chafe.
  4. 4
    To cause the surface to become more rough.
  5. 5
    To undergo abrasion.

Etymology

From Latin abrādō (“scrape off”), from ab (“from, away from”) + rādō (“scrape”). First attested in 1677.

This word in other languages

escoriar(Español)abraser(Français)abschleifen(Deutsch)desgastar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "abrade"?
"abrade" is spelled A-B-R-A-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈbɹeɪd/.
What does "abrade" mean?
As a verb, "abrade" means: To rub or wear off; erode.
How do you pronounce "abrade"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abrade" is /əˈbɹeɪd/. 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 "abrade"?
From Latin abrādō (“scrape off”), from ab (“from, away from”) + rādō (“scrape”). First attested in 1677. 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 “abrade”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-B-R-A-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈbɹeɪd/ (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
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