animadversion

/ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/

//ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən// noun

"animadversion" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A criticism, a critical remark.

Corpus desk

Index EN-animadversion · animadversion · English

animadversion · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 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 animadversion
PropertyValue
Headwordanimadversion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “animadversion” in English

animadversionfalls 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

animadversion is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for animadversion in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French animadversion and its etymon Latin animadversiō (“observation, criticism”), from animadvertō (“I pay attention”), from animus (“mind”) + advertō (“I turn to”). The correct English form is animadversion, spelled A-N-I-M-A-D-V-E-R-S-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A criticism, a critical remark.
  2. 2
    The state or characteristic of being animadversive.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. [A] misconstruction or misinterpretation, nay, the misplacing of a comma, was in Gifford's eyes a crime worthy of the most severe animadversion.
  2. While the censorious man is most severe in judging others, he is invariably the most ready to repel any animadversions made upon himself; upon the principle well understood in medical circles, that the feeblest bodies are always the most sensitive.

Etymology

From Middle French animadversion and its etymon Latin animadversiō (“observation, criticism”), from animadvertō (“I pay attention”), from animus (“mind”) + advertō (“I turn to”).

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

How do you spell "animadversion"?
"animadversion" is spelled A-N-I-M-A-D-V-E-R-S-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/.
What does "animadversion" mean?
As a noun, "animadversion" means: A criticism, a critical remark.
How do you pronounce "animadversion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "animadversion" is /ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʒən/. 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 "animadversion"?
From Middle French animadversion and its etymon Latin animadversiō (“observation, criticism”), from animadvertō (“I pay attention”), from animus (“mind”) + advertō (“I turn to”). 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