allocution

/alə(ʊ)ˈkjuːʃən/

//alə(ʊ)ˈkjuːʃən// noun

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

The verdict

“allocution” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A formal speech, especially one which is regarded as authoritative and forceful.

Corpus desk

Index EN-allocution · allocution · English

allocution · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "A" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for allocution
PropertyValue
Headwordallocution
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/alə(ʊ)ˈkjuːʃən/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “allocution” in English

allocutionfalls 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.

Rare enough to double-check

allocution is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /alə(ʊ)ˈkjuːʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for allocution, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin allocūtiō (“address”). The correct English form is allocution, spelled A-L-L-O-C-U-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A formal speech, especially one which is regarded as authoritative and forceful.
  2. 2
    The question put to a convicted defendant by a judge after the rendering of the verdict in a trial, in which the defendant is asked whether he or she wishes to make a statement to the court before sentencing; the statement made by a defendant in response to such a question; the legal right of a defendant to make such a statement.
  3. 3
    The legal right of a victim, in some jurisdictions, to make a statement to a court prior to sentencing of a defendant convicted of a crime causing injury to that victim; the actual statement made to a court by a victim.
  4. 4
    A pronouncement by a pope to an assembly of church officials concerning a matter of church policy.
  5. 5
    The mode of information dissemination in which media broadcasts are transmitted to multiple receivers with no or very limited capability of a two-way exchange of information.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The Minister of War, in a barrack-square allocution to the officers of the artillery regiment he had been inspecting, had declared the national honour sold to foreigners.
  2. The term "allocution" refers to the personal right of a defendant to make a statement on his own behalf in an attempt to affect sentencing. . . . The word "allocution" is also frequently used . . . to describe the statement made by a defendant during a guilty plea proceeding.

Etymology

From Latin allocūtiō (“address”).

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 "allocution"?
"allocution" is spelled A-L-L-O-C-U-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /alə(ʊ)ˈkjuːʃən/.
What does "allocution" mean?
As a noun, "allocution" means: A formal speech, especially one which is regarded as authoritative and forceful.
How do you pronounce "allocution"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "allocution" is /alə(ʊ)ˈkjuːʃən/. 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 "allocution"?
From Latin allocūtiō (“address”). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list