decollate

/dɪˈkɒleɪt/

//dɪˈkɒleɪt// verb

"decollate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decollate” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To behead.

Key facts for decollate
PropertyValue
Headworddecollate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈkɒleɪt/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “decollate” sits in English frequency

decollate 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for decollate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈkɒleɪt/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To behead.".

decollate doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin dēcollātus, perfect passive participle of dēcollō (“to behead”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“of, from”) + collum (“neck”) + -ō. The correct English form is decollate, spelled D-E-C-O-L-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To behead.

Etymology

First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin dēcollātus, perfect passive participle of dēcollō (“to behead”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“of, from”) + collum (“neck”) + -ō.

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 "decollate"?
"decollate" is spelled D-E-C-O-L-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈkɒleɪt/.
What does "decollate" mean?
As a verb, "decollate" means: To behead.
How do you pronounce "decollate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decollate" is /dɪˈkɒleɪt/. 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 "decollate"?
First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin dēcollātus, perfect passive participle of dēcollō (“to behead”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- (“of, from”) + collum (“neck”) + -ō. 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 “decollate”

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

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