apoplectic

/ˌæp.əˈplɛk.tɪk/

//ˌæp.əˈplɛk.tɪk// adj

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

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

The verdict

“apoplectic” is uncommon English (frequency #70,458 among 3,931 “A” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#70,458
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of or relating to apoplexy.

Corpus desk

Index EN-apoplectic · apoplectic · English

apoplectic · rank #70,458 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #70,458
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH Anis

Nearest frequency peer: Anis (-2 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “apoplectic”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “apoplectic” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for apoplectic
PropertyValue
Headwordapoplectic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌæp.əˈplɛk.tɪk/
Letters10
Frequency rank#70,458
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “apoplectic” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).apoplecticfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “Anis” (#70,456), “animatronics” (#70,455), “arbour” (#70,462). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “apoplectic” is #70,458. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

apoplectic is uncommon English at frequency #70,458 among 3,931 “A” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌæp.əˈplɛk.tɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for apoplectic, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French apoplectique, from Late Latin apoplēcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀποπληκτικός (apoplēktikós), from ἀπόπληκτος (apóplēktos), from ἀποπλήσσω (apoplḗssō), from ἀπό (apó, “of, from”) + πλήσσω (plḗssō, “I strike”). The correct English form is apoplectic, spelled A-P-O-P-L-E-C-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or relating to apoplexy.
  2. 2
    Marked by extreme anger or fury.
  3. 3
    Effused with blood.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Once she heard Jem refer to our father as 'Atticus' and her reaction was apoplectic.
  2. Speak of the devil—he marches through the door, and becomes apoplectic when he learns of the upheaval.

Etymology

From French apoplectique, from Late Latin apoplēcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀποπληκτικός (apoplēktikós), from ἀπόπληκτος (apóplēktos), from ἀποπλήσσω (apoplḗssō), from ἀπό (apó, “of, from”) + πλήσσω (plḗssō, “I strike”).

This word in other languages

apoplektisch(Deutsch)apoplético(Português)

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 "apoplectic"?
"apoplectic" is spelled A-P-O-P-L-E-C-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæp.əˈplɛk.tɪk/.
What does "apoplectic" mean?
As an adjective, "apoplectic" means: Of or relating to apoplexy.
How do you pronounce "apoplectic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "apoplectic" is /ˌæp.əˈplɛk.tɪk/. 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 "apoplectic"?
From French apoplectique, from Late Latin apoplēcticus, from Ancient Greek ἀποπληκτικός (apoplēktikós), from ἀπόπληκτος (apóplēktos), from ἀποπλήσσω (apoplḗssō), from ἀπό (apó, “of, from”) + πλήσσω (plḗssō, “I strike”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "apoplectic", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

ampicillin#70,452Beckinsale#70,490bridgehead#70,515Caernarfon#70,528

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list