decimal

/ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ/

//ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ// adj

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

"decimal" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decimal” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,086. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,086
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Concerning numbers expressed in decimal or mathematical calculations performed using decimal.

Corpus desk

Index EN-decimal · decimal · English

decimal · rank #20,086 · 10 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #20,086
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dashed

Nearest frequency peer: dashed (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “decimal”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “decimal” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

decimal vs denial
71% similar
decimal vs dermal
71% similar
decimal vs decal
71% similar

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

Key facts for decimal
PropertyValue
Headworddecimal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#20,086
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “decimal”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).decimallands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “dashed” (#20,085), “defensively” (#20,087), “Darryl” (#20,084). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “decimal” is #20,086. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around decimal (IPA /ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #20,086 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Concerning numbers expressed in decimal or mathematical calculations performed using decimal.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for decimal, with forms such as "dceimal", "ddecimal", and "deccimal". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "denial", "dermal", "decal", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin, Medieval Latin decimalis, from Latin decimus, from decem (“ten”) + adjective suffix -alis. The correct English form is decimal, spelled D-E-C-I-M-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Concerning numbers expressed in decimal or mathematical calculations performed using decimal.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin, Medieval Latin decimalis, from Latin decimus, from decem (“ten”) + adjective suffix -alis.

Synonyms

base-tendenary

This word in other languages

decimal(Español)décimal(Français)dezimal(Deutsch)decimal(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • dceimal
  • ddecimal
  • deccimal
  • deciaml
  • decimall
  • decimla
  • decimmal
  • decmial
  • deicmal
  • edcimal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

dceimal2ddecimal1deccimal1deciaml2decimall1decimla2decimmal1decmial2
Edit distance from "decimal"

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 "decimal"?
"decimal" is spelled D-E-C-I-M-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ/.
What does "decimal" mean?
As an adjective, "decimal" means: Concerning numbers expressed in decimal or mathematical calculations performed using decimal.
What words are commonly confused with "decimal"?
"decimal" is commonly confused with "denial", "dermal", "decal". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "decimal"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decimal" is /ˈdɛs.ɪ.məɫ/. 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 "decimal"?
Borrowed from Late Latin, Medieval Latin decimalis, from Latin decimus, from decem (“ten”) + adjective suffix -alis. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "decimal", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

defunct#20,088degrade#20,089diffuse#20,095cramped#20,076

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

dreamer10 variantsconduit10 variantsexcused10 variantsforearm10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list