applicative

/əˈplɪkətɪv/

//əˈplɪkətɪv// adj

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

"applicative" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having practical application; applicable.

Key facts for applicative
PropertyValue
Headwordapplicative
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/əˈplɪkətɪv/
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “applicative” sits in English frequency

applicative falls 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

applicative is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /əˈplɪkətɪv/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for applicative in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From applicate + -ive. The correct English form is applicative, spelled A-P-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having practical application; applicable.
  2. 2
    Of a programming language: using successive functional transformations on data to arrive at a result.
  3. 3
    Involving the application of an operator on an operand.

Etymology

From applicate + -ive.

This word in other languages

applicatif(Français)

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 "applicative"?
"applicative" is spelled A-P-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈplɪkətɪv/.
What does "applicative" mean?
As an adjective, "applicative" means: Having practical application; applicable.
How do you pronounce "applicative"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "applicative" is /əˈplɪkətɪv/. 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 "applicative"?
From applicate + -ive. 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 “applicative”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-L-I-C-A-T-I-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈplɪkətɪv/ (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