approbation
/ˌæp.ɹoʊˈbeɪ.ʃən/noun
approbation is spelled A-P-P-R-O-B-A-T-I-O-N: 11 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 66,686th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, approbation means “The act of approving; an assenting to the propriety of a thing with some degree of pleasure or satisfaction; approval, sanction, commendation or…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of approbation is approbations.
How many letters and syllables are in approbation?
| Letters | 11: A-P-P-R-O-B-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 5 million words; the 66,686th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is approbation?
Approbation appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 66,686th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce approbation?
- UK /ˌæp.ɹəʊˈbeɪ.ʃən/
- UK /ˌæp.ɹəˈbeɪ.ʃən/
- US /ˌæp.ɹoʊˈbeɪ.ʃən/
Approbation has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-approbation.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with approbation?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as approbation from its last stressed vowel (/eɪʃən/):
- situation
- association
- population
- administration
- operation
- organization
- application
- location
- generation
- foundation
- conversation
- investigation
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of approbation
- approbations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does approbation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The act of approving; an assenting to the propriety of a thing with some degree of pleasure or satisfaction; approval, sanction, commendation or official recognition.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Approbation in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense the act of approval:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | approbation |
| German | Genehmigung, Zustimmung, Billigung |
| Spanish | aprobación |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does approbation come from?
From late Middle English approbacioun, from Old French approbacion (French approbation), from Latin approbatio, from approbare (“to assent to as good, approve, also show to be good, confirm”), from ad (“to”) + probare (“approve, commend”), from probus (“good”). By surface analysis, approbate + -ion.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).