chrysalis

/ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/

//ˈkɹɪsəlɪs// noun

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

"chrysalis" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chrysalis” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #46,979. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#46,979
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The pupa of a butterfly or moth, particularly bare and hanging or girdled, as opposed to enclosed in a cocoon, in which metamorphosis takes place.

Key facts for chrysalis
PropertyValue
Headwordchrysalis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#46,979
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chrysalis” 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). chrysalis lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around chrysalis (IPA /ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #46,979 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for chrysalis, with forms such as "cchrysalis", "chhrysalis", and "chrrysalis". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin chrysalis, from Ancient Greek χρυσαλλίς (khrusallís), from χρυσός (khrusós, “gold”), because of the color of some of them. The correct English form is chrysalis, spelled C-H-R-Y-S-A-L-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The pupa of a butterfly or moth, particularly bare and hanging or girdled, as opposed to enclosed in a cocoon, in which metamorphosis takes place.
  2. 2
    The cocoon itself.
  3. 3
    A limiting environment or situation.

Etymology

From Latin chrysalis, from Ancient Greek χρυσαλλίς (khrusallís), from χρυσός (khrusós, “gold”), because of the color of some of them.

This word in other languages

crisálida(Español)chrysalide(Français)Puppe(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cchrysalis
  • chhrysalis
  • chrrysalis
  • chrsyalis
  • chryaslis
  • chrysails
  • chrysaliss
  • chrysallis
  • chrysalsi
  • chryslais
  • chryssalis
  • chryysalis
  • chyrsalis
  • crhysalis
  • hcrysalis

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chrysalis - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

cchrysalis1chhrysalis1chrrysalis1chrsyalis2chryaslis2chrysails2chrysaliss1chrysallis1
Edit distance from "chrysalis"

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 "chrysalis"?
"chrysalis" is spelled C-H-R-Y-S-A-L-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/.
What does "chrysalis" mean?
As a noun, "chrysalis" means: The pupa of a butterfly or moth, particularly bare and hanging or girdled, as opposed to enclosed in a cocoon, in which metamorphosis takes place.
What are common misspellings of "chrysalis"?
Common misspellings include "cchrysalis", "chhrysalis", "chrrysalis", "chrsyalis", "chryaslis". The correct spelling is "chrysalis".
How do you pronounce "chrysalis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chrysalis" is /ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/. 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 "chrysalis"?
From Latin chrysalis, from Ancient Greek χρυσαλλίς (khrusallís), from χρυσός (khrusós, “gold”), because of the color of some of them. 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 “chrysalis”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-R-Y-S-A-L-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɹɪsəlɪs/ (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

Same frequency band

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