catholicon
/kəˈθɒlɪkɒn/
"catholicon" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“catholicon” 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) - A supposed universal remedy.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | catholicon |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /kəˈθɒlɪkɒn/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “catholicon” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for catholicon is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈθɒlɪkɒn/. 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.
catholicon doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: Late Middle English, via Medieval Latin from Ancient Greek καθολικόν (katholikón, “that which is universal”), the neuter substantive form of καθολικός (katholikós). The correct English form is catholicon, spelled C-A-T-H-O-L-I-C-O-N.
Definition
- 1A supposed universal remedy.
- 2A large urban church used for large gatherings.
Etymology
Late Middle English, via Medieval Latin from Ancient Greek καθολικόν (katholikón, “that which is universal”), the neuter substantive form of καθολικός (katholikós).
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 "catholicon"?
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Using “catholicon”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-A-T-H-O-L-I-C-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /kəˈθɒlɪkɒn/ (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.