delict

/dɪˈlɪkt/

//dɪˈlɪkt// noun

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

The verdict

“delict” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A wrongful act, analogous to a tort in common law.

Corpus desk

Index EN-delict · delict · English

delict · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 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.

Key facts for delict
PropertyValue
Headworddelict
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˈlɪkt/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “delict” in English

delictsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

delict is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /dɪˈlɪkt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for delict, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin dēlīctum (“fault”), neuter of dēlīctus, past participle of delinquo (“to fail; to be lacking”), from dē- + linquō (“to leave, quit, forsake, depart from”). The correct English form is delict, spelled D-E-L-I-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A wrongful act, analogous to a tort in common law.
  2. 2
    The branch of law dealing in delicts.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dēlīctum (“fault”), neuter of dēlīctus, past participle of delinquo (“to fail; to be lacking”), from dē- + linquō (“to leave, quit, forsake, depart from”).

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 "delict"?
"delict" is spelled D-E-L-I-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈlɪkt/.
What does "delict" mean?
As a noun, "delict" means: A wrongful act, analogous to a tort in common law.
How do you pronounce "delict"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "delict" is /dɪˈlɪkt/. 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 "delict"?
Borrowed from Latin dēlīctum (“fault”), neuter of dēlīctus, past participle of delinquo (“to fail; to be lacking”), from dē- + linquō (“to leave, quit, forsake, depart from”). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list