commemorate

/kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/

//kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt// verb

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

"commemorate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“commemorate” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,134. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,134
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To honour the memory of someone or something with a ceremony or object.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

commemorate vs commemorative
85% similar

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

Key facts for commemorate
PropertyValue
Headwordcommemorate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#15,134
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “commemorate” 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). commemorate 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 14 spelling variants around commemorate (IPA /kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #15,134 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for commemorate, with forms such as "ccommemorate", "cmomemorate", and "comemmorate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "commemorative", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin commemorātus, perfect passive participle of commemorō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Sporadic usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English. The correct English form is commemorate, spelled C-O-M-M-E-M-O-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To honour the memory of someone or something with a ceremony or object.
  2. 2
    To serve as a memorial to someone or something.

Etymology

First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin commemorātus, perfect passive participle of commemorō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Sporadic usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

This word in other languages

conmemorar(Español)commémorer(Français)gedenken(Deutsch)comemorar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccommemorate
  • cmomemorate
  • comemmorate
  • comemorate
  • commemmorate
  • commemoarte
  • commemoraet
  • commemoratte
  • commemorrate
  • commemortae
  • commemroate
  • commeomrate
  • commmeorate
  • ocmmemorate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of commemorate - 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.

ccommemorate1cmomemorate2comemmorate2comemorate1commemmorate1commemoarte2commemoraet2commemoratte1
Edit distance from "commemorate"

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 "commemorate"?
"commemorate" is spelled C-O-M-M-E-M-O-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/.
What does "commemorate" mean?
As a verb, "commemorate" means: To honour the memory of someone or something with a ceremony or object.
What words are commonly confused with "commemorate"?
"commemorate" is commonly confused with "commemorative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "commemorate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "commemorate" is /kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/. 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 "commemorate"?
First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin commemorātus, perfect passive participle of commemorō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Sporadic usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English. 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 “commemorate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-M-M-E-M-O-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kəˈmɛməˌɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “commemorative” - see the side-by-side comparison. commemorate vs commemorative
  • 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