caecum

/ˈsiː.kəm/

//ˈsiː.kəm// noun

"caecum" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A cavity open at one end (such as the blind end of a duct), especially a blind pouch connected to the large intestine between the ileum and the colon.

Corpus desk

Index EN-caecum · caecum · English

caecum · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" 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 caecum
PropertyValue
Headwordcaecum
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsiː.kəm/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “caecum” in English

caecumsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

caecum is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈsiː.kəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A cavity open at one end (such as the blind end of a duct), especially a blind pouch connected to the large intestine between the ileum and the colon.".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for caecum, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin caecum (“invisible, hidden”), clipping of intestīnum caecum (“blind gut”), translation of Ancient Greek τῠφλὸν ἔντερον (tŭphlòn énteron). The correct English form is caecum, spelled C-A-E-C-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A cavity open at one end (such as the blind end of a duct), especially a blind pouch connected to the large intestine between the ileum and the colon.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. After a preliminary course in anatomy it was found that caecum and transverse colon also provided excellent sites for excitation.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin caecum (“invisible, hidden”), clipping of intestīnum caecum (“blind gut”), translation of Ancient Greek τῠφλὸν ἔντερον (tŭphlòn énteron).

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 "caecum"?
"caecum" is spelled C-A-E-C-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsiː.kəm/.
What does "caecum" mean?
As a noun, "caecum" means: A cavity open at one end (such as the blind end of a duct), especially a blind pouch connected to the large intestine between the ileum and the colon.
How do you pronounce "caecum"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "caecum" is /ˈsiː.kəm/. 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 "caecum"?
Borrowed from Latin caecum (“invisible, hidden”), clipping of intestīnum caecum (“blind gut”), translation of Ancient Greek τῠφλὸν ἔντερον (tŭphlòn énteron). 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