abridge
/əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/
"abridge" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“abridge” 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
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To deprive; to cut off.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | abridge |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “abridge” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for abridge is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
abridge doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English abreggen, abregge, abrigge (“curtail, lessen”), from Old French abregier, abreger, from Late Latin abbreviō, abbreviāre (“make brief”). Doublet of abbreviate. The correct English form is abridge, spelled A-B-R-I-D-G-E.
Definition
- 1To deprive; to cut off.
- 2To debar from.
- 3To make shorter; to shorten in duration or extent.
- 4To shorten or contract by using fewer words, yet retaining the sense; to epitomize; to condense.
- 5Cut short; truncate.
- 6To curtail.
Etymology
From Middle English abreggen, abregge, abrigge (“curtail, lessen”), from Old French abregier, abreger, from Late Latin abbreviō, abbreviāre (“make brief”). Doublet of abbreviate.
This word in other languages
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
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Using “abridge”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-B-R-I-D-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /əˈbɹɪd͡ʒ/ (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.