decapitate

/dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt/

//dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“decapitate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #62,089 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#62,089
frequency rank, English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To remove the head of.

Key facts for decapitate
PropertyValue
Headworddecapitate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#62,089
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decapitate” 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). decapitate 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 decapitate is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #62,089 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for decapitate, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French décapiter, from Late Latin decapitare, from de- + caput. The correct English form is decapitate, spelled D-E-C-A-P-I-T-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove the head of.
  2. 2
    To oust or destroy the leadership or ruling body of (a government etc.).

Etymology

From French décapiter, from Late Latin decapitare, from de- + caput.

Synonyms

beheaddecollate

Antonyms

recapitate

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 "decapitate"?
"decapitate" is spelled D-E-C-A-P-I-T-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt/.
What does "decapitate" mean?
As a verb, "decapitate" means: To remove the head of.
How do you pronounce "decapitate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decapitate" is /dɪˈkap.ɪt.eɪt/. 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 "decapitate"?
From French décapiter, from Late Latin decapitare, from de- + caput. 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 “decapitate”

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

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