consummate

/ˈkɒnsəmət/

//ˈkɒnsəmət// adj

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

"consummate" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“consummate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #27,411 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#27,411
frequency rank, English
10
letters
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Complete in every detail, perfect, absolute.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

consummate vs consulate
80% similar

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

Key facts for consummate
PropertyValue
Headwordconsummate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɒnsəmət/
Letters10
Frequency rank#27,411
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “consummate” 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). consummate lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for consummate is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒnsəmət/. Corpus data places it at rank #27,411 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for consummate, with forms such as "cconsummate", "cnosummate", and "connsummate". 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, "consulate", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English consummat(e) (“(past participle) fulfilled, completed; (adjective) perfect, consummate”), borrowed from Latin cōnsummātus, perfect passive participle of cō… The correct English form is consummate, spelled C-O-N-S-U-M-M-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Complete in every detail, perfect, absolute.
  2. 2
    Supremely skilled and experienced; highly accomplished; fully qualified.
  3. 3
    Consummated, completed, perfected, fully accomplished.
  4. 4
    Consummated.

Etymology

First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English consummat(e) (“(past participle) fulfilled, completed; (adjective) perfect, consummate”), borrowed from Latin cōnsummātus, perfect passive participle of cōnsummō (“to sum up, finish, complete”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from con- (“together”) + summa (“a sum”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix); see sum, summation. Common participial usage up until Early Modern English.

This word in other languages

consumado(Español)consommé(Français)perfekt(Deutsch)consumado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconsummate,cnosummate,connsummate,consmumate,conssummate,consumamte,consumate,consummaet,consummatte,consummtae,conusmmate,cosnummate,ocnsummate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconsummate1cnosummate2connsummate1consmumate2conssummate1consumamte2consumate1consummaet2
Edit distance from "consummate"

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 "consummate"?
"consummate" is spelled C-O-N-S-U-M-M-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒnsəmət/.
What does "consummate" mean?
As an adjective, "consummate" means: Complete in every detail, perfect, absolute.
What words are commonly confused with "consummate"?
"consummate" is commonly confused with "consulate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "consummate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "consummate" is /ˈkɒnsəmət/. 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 "consummate"?
First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English consummat(e) (“(past participle) fulfilled, completed; (adjective) perfect, consummate”), borrowed from Latin cōnsummātus, perfect passive partic... 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 “consummate”

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

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

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

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