contrite

/kənˈtɹaɪt/

//kənˈtɹaɪt// adj

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

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

The verdict

“contrite” is uncommon English (frequency #54,091 among 5,599 “C” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,091
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions.

Corpus desk

Index EN-contrite · contrite · English

contrite · rank #54,091 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,091
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH conformational

Nearest frequency peer: conformational (-1 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.

Long-tail ranks near “contrite”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “contrite” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for contrite
PropertyValue
Headwordcontrite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kənˈtɹaɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#54,091
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “contrite” in English

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

#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. Rare peers in the same band: “conformational” (#54,090), “confection” (#54,089), “cordillera” (#54,093). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “contrite” is #54,091. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

contrite is uncommon English at frequency #54,091 among 5,599 “C” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /kənˈtɹaɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for contrite, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English contrit, from Old French contrit, from Latin contrītus (literally “ground to pieces”), perfect passive participle of conterō (“grind, bruise”), from con- + terō (“rub, wear away”). The correct English form is contrite, spelled C-O-N-T-R-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions.
  2. 2
    Thoroughly bruised or broken.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The Lord will happineſs divine / On contrite hearts beſtow : / Then tell me, gracious God, is mine / A contrite heart, or no ?
  2. He greeted Milo jovially each time they met and, in an excess of contrite generosity, impulsively recommended Major Major for promotion. The recommendation was rejected at once at Twenty-seventh Air Force Headquarters by ex-P.F.C. Wintergreen, who scribbled a brusque, unsigned reminder that the Army had only one Major Major Major Major and did not intend…

Etymology

From Middle English contrit, from Old French contrit, from Latin contrītus (literally “ground to pieces”), perfect passive participle of conterō (“grind, bruise”), from con- + terō (“rub, wear away”).

This word in other languages

contrito(Español)contrit(Français)zerknirscht(Deutsch)contrito(Português)

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 "contrite"?
"contrite" is spelled C-O-N-T-R-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈtɹaɪt/.
What does "contrite" mean?
As an adjective, "contrite" means: Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions.
How do you pronounce "contrite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contrite" is /kənˈtɹaɪt/. 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 "contrite"?
From Middle English contrit, from Old French contrit, from Latin contrītus (literally “ground to pieces”), perfect passive participle of conterō (“grind, bruise”), from con- + terō (“rub, wear away”). 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 "contrite", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

dampness#54,108cashflow#54,072bushfire#54,063disjoint#54,123

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list