alimentary

/ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/

//ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi// adj

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

The verdict

“alimentary” is an uncommon English word, ranked #88,042 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#88,042
frequency rank, English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of, or relating to food, nutrition or digestion.

Key facts for alimentary
PropertyValue
Headwordalimentary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/
Letters10
Frequency rank#88,042
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “alimentary” 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). alimentary 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 alimentary is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/. Corpus data places it at rank #88,042 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

alimentary doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From aliment (“food”) + -ary. The correct English form is alimentary, spelled A-L-I-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of, or relating to food, nutrition or digestion.
  2. 2
    Nourishing; nutritious.

Etymology

From aliment (“food”) + -ary.

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); 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 "alimentary"?
"alimentary" is spelled A-L-I-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/.
What does "alimentary" mean?
As an adjective, "alimentary" means: Of, or relating to food, nutrition or digestion.
How do you pronounce "alimentary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alimentary" is /ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/. 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 "alimentary"?
From aliment (“food”) + -ary. 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 “alimentary”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-L-I-M-E-N-T-A-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌælɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/ (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