degauss
/diːˈɡaʊs/
"degauss" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“degauss” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 7
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To reduce or eliminate the magnetic field from (the hull of a ship, or a computer monitor, etc.).
Corpus desk
Index EN-degauss · degauss · English
degauss · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 7 letters
- VOW-3 3 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "D" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
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.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | degauss |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /diːˈɡaʊs/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “degauss” in English
Rare enough to double-check
degauss is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /diːˈɡaʊs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To reduce or eliminate the magnetic field from (the hull of a ship, or a computer monitor, etc.).".
degauss has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From de- + gauss (“unit of magnetic field strength”). A neologism coined by then-Commander Charles F. Goodeve, RCNVR, during World War II. The correct English form is degauss, spelled D-E-G-A-U-S-S.
Definition
- 1To reduce or eliminate the magnetic field from (the hull of a ship, or a computer monitor, etc.).
Recorded use
Wiktionary exampleThese source excerpts show how degauss appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
Despite sustaining some damage from air attacks, it was used as a mooring point for large landing crafts with a deep draught in the lead-up to the D-Day landings, and later for the purpose of degaussing vessels.
Etymology
From de- + gauss (“unit of magnetic field strength”). A neologism coined by then-Commander Charles F. Goodeve, RCNVR, during World War II.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
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.