chide

Name: chide, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ t͡ʃaɪd/

// t͡ʃaɪd// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“chide” is an uncommon English word, ranked #76,635 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#76,635
frequency rank, English: 5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.

Key facts for chide
Property	Value
Headword	chide
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/ t͡ʃaɪd/
Letters	5
Frequency rank	#76,635
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chide” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). chide lands here:

#76,635

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for chide is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as / t͡ʃaɪd/. Corpus data places it at rank #76,635 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Zero misspellings are on record for chide in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English chiden (“to chide, rebuke, disapprove, criticize; complain, grumble, dispute; argue, debate, dispute, quarrel”), from Old English ċīdan (“to chide, reprove, rebuke; blame, contend, strive, quarrel, complain”). Cognate with German kiden (… The correct English form is chide, spelled C-H-I-D-E.

Definition

1
To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.
2
To utter words of disapprobation and displeasure; to find fault; to contend angrily.
3
To make a clamorous noise; to chafe.

Etymology

From Middle English chiden (“to chide, rebuke, disapprove, criticize; complain, grumble, dispute; argue, debate, dispute, quarrel”), from Old English ċīdan (“to chide, reprove, rebuke; blame, contend, strive, quarrel, complain”). Cognate with German kiden (“to sound”); Old High German kīdal (“wedge”).

This word in other languages

reprender(Español)réprimander(Français)schelten(Deutsch)ralhar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chide"?

"chide" is spelled C-H-I-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is / t͡ʃaɪd/.

What does "chide" mean?

As a verb, "chide" means: To admonish in blame; to reproach angrily.

How do you pronounce "chide"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chide" is / t͡ʃaɪd/. 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 "chide"?

From Middle English chiden (“to chide, rebuke, disapprove, criticize; complain, grumble, dispute; argue, debate, dispute, quarrel”), from Old English ċīdan (“to chide, reprove, rebuke; blame, contend, strive, quarrel, complain”). Cognate with Germ... 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.

Using “chide”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is C-H-I-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as / t͡ʃaɪd/ (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.