decree

/dɪˈkɹiː/

//dɪˈkɹiː// noun

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

"decree" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“decree” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,316. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,316
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An edict or law.

Corpus desk

Index EN-decree · decree · English

decree · rank #9,316 · 8 variants · 11 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,316
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 11 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH decoration

Nearest frequency peer: decoration (-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 “decree”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “decree” 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).

decree vs Derek
50% similar
decree vs decry
67% similar
decree vs degree
83% similar

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

Key facts for decree
PropertyValue
Headworddecree
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˈkɹiː/
Letters6
Frequency rank#9,316
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “decree”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).decreelands 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 “decoration” (#9,315), “definitions” (#9,317), “declaring” (#9,314). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “decree” is #9,316. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around decree (IPA /dɪˈkɹiː/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,316 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for decree, with forms such as "dceree", "ddecree", and "deccree". 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 11 confusable-pair relationships, "Derek", "decry", "degree", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English decre, decree, from Old French decré (French décret), from Latin dēcrētum. The correct English form is decree, spelled D-E-C-R-E-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An edict or law.
  2. 2
    The judicial decision in a litigated cause rendered by a court of equity.
  3. 3
    The determination of a cause in a court of admiralty or court of probate.
  4. 4
    A predetermination made by God; an act of providence.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how decree appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
  2. Poor hand, why quiverest thou at this decree?

Etymology

From Middle English decre, decree, from Old French decré (French décret), from Latin dēcrētum.

This word in other languages

decreto(Español)décret(Français)Erlass(Deutsch)decreto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • dceree
  • ddecree
  • deccree
  • decere
  • decre
  • decrree
  • dercee
  • edcree

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of decree - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

dceree2ddecree1deccree1decere2decre1decrree1dercee2edcree2
Edit distance from "decree"

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 "decree"?
"decree" is spelled D-E-C-R-E-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈkɹiː/.
What does "decree" mean?
As a noun, "decree" means: An edict or law.
What words are commonly confused with "decree"?
"decree" is commonly confused with "Derek", "decry", "degree". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "decree"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "decree" is /dɪˈkɹiː/. 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 "decree"?
From Middle English decre, decree, from Old French decré (French décret), from Latin dēcrētum. 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 "decree", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

endure#9,328enzyme#9,329Fraser#9,335cheeks#9,296

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

drift8 variantscapita8 variantsgrams8 variantshatch8 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list