chimeric

/kɪˈmɛɹɪk/

//kɪˈmɛɹɪk// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"chimeric" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chimeric” is uncommon English (frequency #74,829 among 43,570 “C” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#74,829
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Like a chimera.

Key facts for chimeric
PropertyValue
Headwordchimeric
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kɪˈmɛɹɪk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#74,829
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chimeric” 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). chimeric lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

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

Rare enough to double-check

chimeric is uncommon English at frequency #74,829 among 43,570 “C” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /kɪˈmɛɹɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for chimeric in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From chimera + -ic. The correct English form is chimeric, spelled C-H-I-M-E-R-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Like a chimera.
  2. 2
    Imaginary, fanciful.
  3. 3
    Pertaining to a genetic chimera.

Etymology

From chimera + -ic.

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 "chimeric"?
"chimeric" is spelled C-H-I-M-E-R-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /kɪˈmɛɹɪk/.
What does "chimeric" mean?
As an adjective, "chimeric" means: Like a chimera.
How do you pronounce "chimeric"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chimeric" is /kɪˈmɛɹɪk/. 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 "chimeric"?
From chimera + -ic. 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 “chimeric”

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

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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list