auto da fe
/ˈaʊtəʊ də ˈfeɪ/
"auto-da-fe" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“auto da fe” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The public announcement of the sentences imposed by the Inquisition on supposed heretics.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | auto da fe |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈaʊtəʊ də ˈfeɪ/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “auto da fe” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for auto da fe is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈaʊtəʊ də ˈfeɪ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
No generated misspelling entries exist for auto da fe in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: Unadapted borrowing from Portuguese auto da fé (“act/sentence of (the) faith”), in turn from Latin actus de fide. The correct English form is auto da fe, spelled A-U-T-O- -D-A- -F-E.
Definition
- 1The public announcement of the sentences imposed by the Inquisition on supposed heretics.
- 2The public execution of those sentences, often by burning at the stake.
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Portuguese auto da fé (“act/sentence of (the) faith”), in turn from Latin actus de fide.
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
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Using “auto da fe”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-U-T-O- -D-A- -F-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈaʊtəʊ də ˈfeɪ/ (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.