clemency

/ˈklɛ.mən.si/

//ˈklɛ.mən.si// noun

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

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

The verdict

“clemency” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #29,971. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#29,971
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The gentle or kind exercise of power; leniency, mercy; compassion in judging or punishing.

Corpus desk

Index EN-clemency · clemency · English

clemency · rank #29,971 · 13 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #29,971
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH codified

Nearest frequency peer: codified (+2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “clemency”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “clemency” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

clemency vs clement
75% similar
clemency vs Clemens
63% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for clemency
PropertyValue
Headwordclemency
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈklɛ.mən.si/
Letters8
Frequency rank#29,971
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “clemency”

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

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “codified” (#29,973), “Claremont” (#29,968), “circadian” (#29,967). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “clemency” is #29,971. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around clemency (IPA /ˈklɛ.mən.si/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #29,971 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for clemency, with forms such as "cclemency", "celmency", and "cleemncy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "clement", "Clemens", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English clemency, clemencie, from Latin clēmentia. Gradually eclipsed Middle English clemence, from Old French clemence, from the same Latin origin. The correct English form is clemency, spelled C-L-E-M-E-N-C-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The gentle or kind exercise of power; leniency, mercy; compassion in judging or punishing.
  2. 2
    A pardon, commutation, or similar reduction, removal, or postponement of legal penalties by an executive officer of a state.
  3. 3
    Mildness of weather.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how clemency appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. For vs, and for our Tragedie, / Heere stooping to your Clemencie: / We begge your hearing Patientlie.
  2. Notwithstanding, that I be not farther tedious vnto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldest heare vs of thy clemencie a few words.

Etymology

From Middle English clemency, clemencie, from Latin clēmentia. Gradually eclipsed Middle English clemence, from Old French clemence, from the same Latin origin.

Antonyms

cruelty

This word in other languages

clemencia(Español)clémence(Français)Milde(Deutsch)clemência(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cclemency
  • celmency
  • cleemncy
  • clemecny
  • clemenccy
  • clemencyy
  • clemenncy
  • clemenyc
  • clemmency
  • clemnecy
  • cllemency
  • clmeency
  • lcemency

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of clemency - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cclemency1celmency2cleemncy2clemecny2clemenccy1clemencyy1clemenncy1clemenyc2
Edit distance from "clemency"

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 "clemency"?
"clemency" is spelled C-L-E-M-E-N-C-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklɛ.mən.si/.
What does "clemency" mean?
As a noun, "clemency" means: The gentle or kind exercise of power; leniency, mercy; compassion in judging or punishing.
What words are commonly confused with "clemency"?
"clemency" is commonly confused with "clement", "Clemens". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "clemency"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "clemency" is /ˈklɛ.mən.si/. 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 "clemency"?
From Middle English clemency, clemencie, from Latin clēmentia. Gradually eclipsed Middle English clemence, from Old French clemence, from the same Latin origin. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "clemency", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

codified#29,973Chechnya#29,963cataract#29,957Cambrian#29,950

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

circadian13 variantsdeceitful13 variantsBradbury13 variantsavoidable13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list