consequentialism
/ˌkɒn(t)sɪˈkwɛnʃəlɪzəm/
"consequentialism" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“consequentialism” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 16
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The ethical study of morals, duties and rights with an approach that focuses consequences of a particular action or cause.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | consequentialism |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌkɒn(t)sɪˈkwɛnʃəlɪzəm/ |
| Letters | 16 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “consequentialism” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
consequentialism is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌkɒn(t)sɪˈkwɛnʃəlɪzəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for consequentialism, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: From consequential + -ism, coined by British analytic philosopher G. E. M. Anscombe in 1958. The correct English form is consequentialism, spelled C-O-N-S-E-Q-U-E-N-T-I-A-L-I-S-M.
Definition
- 1The ethical study of morals, duties and rights with an approach that focuses consequences of a particular action or cause.
- 2The belief that consequences form the basis for any valid moral judgment about an action. Thus, from a consequentialist standpoint, a morally right action is one that produces a good outcome, or consequence.
Etymology
From consequential + -ism, coined by British analytic philosopher G. E. M. Anscombe in 1958.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "consequentialism"?
What does "consequentialism" mean?
How do you pronounce "consequentialism"?
What is the origin of the word "consequentialism"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “consequentialism”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-S-E-Q-U-E-N-T-I-A-L-I-S-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌkɒn(t)sɪˈkwɛnʃəlɪzəm/ (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.