decapitation

/dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/

//dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"decapitation" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decapitation” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #45,318. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#45,318
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Beheading; the act of beheading or decapitating.

Key facts for decapitation
PropertyValue
Headworddecapitation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#45,318
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decapitation” 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). decapitation lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around decapitation (IPA /dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #45,318 among 26,416 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for decapitation, with forms such as "dceapitation", "ddecapitation", and "deacpitation". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French décapitation. The correct English form is decapitation, spelled D-E-C-A-P-I-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Beheading; the act of beheading or decapitating.
  2. 2
    The ousting or destruction of the ruling body of a government or other organization.
  3. 3
    The unseating of a senior politician.

Etymology

From French décapitation.

Synonyms

beheading

This word in other languages

décapitation(Français)Enthauptung(Deutsch)decapitação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • dceapitation
  • ddecapitation
  • deacpitation
  • decaiptation
  • decapiattion
  • decapitaiton
  • decapitasion
  • decapitatino
  • decapitationn
  • decapitatoin
  • decapitattion
  • decapittaion
  • decapittation
  • decappitation
  • decaptiation
  • deccapitation
  • decpaitation
  • edcapitation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

dceapitation2ddecapitation1deacpitation2decaiptation2decapiattion2decapitaiton2decapitasion1decapitatino2
Edit distance from "decapitation"

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 "decapitation"?
"decapitation" is spelled D-E-C-A-P-I-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/.
What does "decapitation" mean?
As a noun, "decapitation" means: Beheading; the act of beheading or decapitating.
What are common misspellings of "decapitation"?
Common misspellings include "dceapitation", "ddecapitation", "deacpitation", "decaiptation", "decapiattion". The correct spelling is "decapitation".
How do you pronounce "decapitation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decapitation" is /dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/. 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 "decapitation"?
From French décapitation. 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 “decapitation”

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-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˌkæp.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/ (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

Same frequency band

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