Dalit

/ˈdɑːlɪt/

//ˈdɑːlɪt// noun

"dalit" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Dalit” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,455 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#34,455
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A member of a South Asian group of people traditionally regarded as untouchables or outcastes.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Dalit vs dat
40% similar
Dalit vs dit
40% similar
Dalit vs dart
40% similar

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

Key facts for Dalit
PropertyValue
HeadwordDalit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɑːlɪt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#34,455
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Dalit” 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). Dalit 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 Dalit is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɑːlɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #34,455 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A member of a South Asian group of people traditionally regarded as untouchables or outcastes.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for Dalit, with forms such as "adlit", "dailt", and "dalitt". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "dat", "dit", "dart", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Marathi दलित (dalit, “oppressed”), from Sanskrit दलित (dalita, “broken, destroyed”). The correct English form is Dalit, spelled D-A-L-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A member of a South Asian group of people traditionally regarded as untouchables or outcastes.

Etymology

Borrowed from Marathi दलित (dalit, “oppressed”), from Sanskrit दलित (dalita, “broken, destroyed”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: adlit,dailt,dalitt,dallit,dalti,ddalit,dlait

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

adlit2dailt2dalitt1dallit1dalti2ddalit1dlait2
Edit distance from "Dalit"

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 "Dalit"?
"Dalit" is spelled D-A-L-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɑːlɪt/.
What does "Dalit" mean?
As a noun, "Dalit" means: A member of a South Asian group of people traditionally regarded as untouchables or outcastes.
What words are commonly confused with "Dalit"?
"Dalit" is commonly confused with "dat", "dit", "dart". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Dalit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Dalit" is /ˈdɑːlɪt/. 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 "Dalit"?
Borrowed from Marathi दलित (dalit, “oppressed”), from Sanskrit दलित (dalita, “broken, destroyed”). 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 “Dalit”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-A-L-I-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdɑːlɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dat” - see the side-by-side comparison. Dalit vs dat
  • 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