copulate

/ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt/

//ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“copulate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #76,667 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#76,667
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To engage in sexual intercourse.

Key facts for copulate
PropertyValue
Headwordcopulate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#76,667
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “copulate” 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). copulate 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 copulate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #76,667 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To engage in sexual intercourse.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for copulate, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin cōpulātus, perfect passive participle of cōpulō (“to couple, join, connect”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French copuler. The correct English form is copulate, spelled C-O-P-U-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To engage in sexual intercourse.

Etymology

From Latin cōpulātus, perfect passive participle of cōpulō (“to couple, join, connect”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French copuler.

Synonyms

fuckhave sexmake lovescrewswivebangsleep togetherboffapproachcohabitcompanycopulatecoupleengage in sexexchange fleshhave intimate relationshave marital relationshave sexual relationsintercourseknowknow someone in the biblical sensemateshare a bedstrainbaufbeatboneboinkbonkbopbouncebreedbump nastiesbump ugliescatch a dickclap cheeksdancediscuss Ugandadip one's pen in someone's inkwelldo itdo the deeddo the nastyeffengenderexpletive deletedfrackfrakfrickfrigget busyget downget freakyget itget it onget jiggyget laidget luckyget one's dick wetget one's end awayget one's freak onget one's groove onget one's leg overget one's oatsget physicalget someget the dirty water off one's chestgraft the forked treego all the wayhaul one's asheshave it awayhave it offhide the salamihide the sausagehide the wieniehike the Appalachian Trailhook uphumpjig-jigknock bootslay pipelay the pipemake itmake outmake the beast with two backsmake whoopeemeddlemingNetflix and chillpenetratepipepipe downplayplay hide the sausagepoundrailriderock and rollrogerroll aroundrootsee someone's etchingssexshagshaboinkshelveshow someone one's etchingsslap belliessticktumble

Antonyms

abstainkeep it in one's pantswouldn't touch with yours

This word in other languages

copular(Español)coïter(Français)kopulieren(Deutsch)copular(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 "copulate"?
"copulate" is spelled C-O-P-U-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt/.
What does "copulate" mean?
As a verb, "copulate" means: To engage in sexual intercourse.
How do you pronounce "copulate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "copulate" is /ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt/. 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 "copulate"?
From Latin cōpulātus, perfect passive participle of cōpulō (“to couple, join, connect”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French copuler. 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 “copulate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-P-U-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒp.jʊ.leɪt/ (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.

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

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