deoxy-

prefix

"deoxy" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Formally derived from another compound by the replacement of a hydroxy group by a hydrogen atom

Key facts for deoxy-
PropertyValue
Headworddeoxy-
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrefix
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deoxy-” sits in English frequency

deoxy- 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 deoxy- is 6 letters long, classified as a prefix. 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: "Formally derived from another compound by the replacement of a hydroxy group by a hydrogen atom".

No generated misspelling entries exist for deoxy- in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. 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: From de- + oxy-. The correct English form is deoxy-, spelled D-E-O-X-Y--.

Definition

  1. 1
    Formally derived from another compound by the replacement of a hydroxy group by a hydrogen atom

Etymology

From de- + oxy-.

Synonyms

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 "deoxy-"?
"deoxy-" is spelled D-E-O-X-Y--.
What does "deoxy-" mean?
As a prefix, "deoxy-" means: Formally derived from another compound by the replacement of a hydroxy group by a hydrogen atom
What is the origin of the word "deoxy-"?
From de- + oxy-. 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 “deoxy-”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-O-X-Y-- - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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