catafalque
/ˈkatəfalk/
"catafalque" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“catafalque” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A platform used to display or convey a coffin during a funeral, often ornate.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | catafalque |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈkatəfalk/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “catafalque” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
catafalque is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkatəfalk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A platform used to display or convey a coffin during a funeral, often ornate.".
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for catafalque, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French catafalque, from Italian catafalco, from Vulgar Latin *catafalicum, from Ancient Greek κατά (katá, “down”) + Latin fala (“scaffolding, wooden siege tower”), which is from Etruscan. Also influenced scaffold. The correct English form is catafalque, spelled C-A-T-A-F-A-L-Q-U-E.
Definition
- 1A platform used to display or convey a coffin during a funeral, often ornate.
Etymology
Borrowed from French catafalque, from Italian catafalco, from Vulgar Latin *catafalicum, from Ancient Greek κατά (katá, “down”) + Latin fala (“scaffolding, wooden siege tower”), which is from Etruscan. Also influenced scaffold.
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 “catafalque”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-A-T-A-F-A-L-Q-U-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈkatəfalk/ (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.