decantation

/ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən/

//ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən// noun

"decantation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decantation” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - the act of decanting the supernatant liquid from a solid sediment

Key facts for decantation
PropertyValue
Headworddecantation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən/
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decantation” sits in English frequency

decantation falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

decantation is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "the act of decanting the supernatant liquid from a solid sediment".

Zero misspellings are on record for decantation in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French décantation, decant + -ation. The correct English form is decantation, spelled D-E-C-A-N-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    the act of decanting the supernatant liquid from a solid sediment

Etymology

Borrowed from French décantation, decant + -ation.

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 "decantation"?
"decantation" is spelled D-E-C-A-N-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən/.
What does "decantation" mean?
As a noun, "decantation" means: the act of decanting the supernatant liquid from a solid sediment
How do you pronounce "decantation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decantation" is /ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən/. 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 "decantation"?
Borrowed from French décantation, decant + -ation. 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 “decantation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-C-A-N-T-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌdiːkænˈteɪʃən/ (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