demarcation

/ˌdɛm.ɑːˈkeɪ.ʃən/

//ˌdɛm.ɑːˈkeɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"demarcation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“demarcation” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,412. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,412
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
17
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of marking off a boundary or setting a limit, notably by belligerents signing a treaty or ceasefire.

Corpus desk

Index EN-demarcation · demarcation · English

demarcation · rank #37,412 · 17 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,412
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH Desai

Nearest frequency peer: Desai (+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 “demarcation”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “demarcation” 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
Key facts for demarcation
PropertyValue
Headworddemarcation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdɛm.ɑːˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#37,412
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “demarcation”

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).demarcationlands 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 “Desai” (#37,413), “dawning” (#37,410), “desalination” (#37,414). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “demarcation” is #37,412. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around demarcation (IPA /ˌdɛm.ɑːˈkeɪ.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #37,412 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for demarcation, with forms such as "ddemarcation", "deamrcation", and "demacration". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: First recorded c.1752, from Spanish línea de demarcación and/or Portuguese linha de demarcação, the demarcation line laid down by the Pope on May 4, 1493, dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal on a line 100 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands… The correct English form is demarcation, spelled D-E-M-A-R-C-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of marking off a boundary or setting a limit, notably by belligerents signing a treaty or ceasefire.
  2. 2
    A limit thus fixed, in full demarcation line.
  3. 3
    Any strictly defined separation.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. About sunset, he was leaning on the remains of an old wall, which had once probably surrounded a Roman encampment, and now served as a line of demarcation between two villages, as jealous of each other's claims as near neighbours usually are.
  2. There is an alleged, in fact somewhat artificial demarcation in the type of work done by members of different trade unions.

Etymology

First recorded c.1752, from Spanish línea de demarcación and/or Portuguese linha de demarcação, the demarcation line laid down by the Pope on May 4, 1493, dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal on a line 100 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands. Both derive from demarcar, from de- + marcar (“to mark”), from Italian marcare, from the same Germanic root as march.

This word in other languages

demarcación(Español)démarcation(Français)Abgrenzung(Deutsch)demarcação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddemarcation
  • deamrcation
  • demacration
  • demaraction
  • demarcaiton
  • demarcasion
  • demarcatino
  • demarcationn
  • demarcatoin
  • demarcattion
  • demarccation
  • demarctaion
  • demarrcation
  • demmarcation
  • demracation
  • dmearcation
  • edmarcation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of demarcation - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ddemarcation1deamrcation2demacration2demaraction2demarcaiton2demarcasion1demarcatino2demarcationn1
Edit distance from "demarcation"

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 "demarcation"?
"demarcation" is spelled D-E-M-A-R-C-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdɛm.ɑːˈkeɪ.ʃən/.
What does "demarcation" mean?
As a noun, "demarcation" means: The act of marking off a boundary or setting a limit, notably by belligerents signing a treaty or ceasefire.
What are common misspellings of "demarcation"?
Common misspellings include "ddemarcation", "deamrcation", "demacration", "demaraction", "demarcaiton". The correct spelling is "demarcation".
How do you pronounce "demarcation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "demarcation" is /ˌdɛm.ɑːˈkeɪ.ʃən/. 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 "demarcation"?
First recorded c.1752, from Spanish línea de demarcación and/or Portuguese linha de demarcação, the demarcation line laid down by the Pope on May 4, 1493, dividing the New World between Spain and Portugal on a line 100 leagues west of the Cape Ver... 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 "demarcation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

discernment#37,421conspirator#37,395Dunfermline#37,431familiarize#37,454

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

crankshaft17 variantsinadvertent17 variantsinsufferable17 variantstogetherness17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list