deputation

/ˌdɛpjuːˈteɪʃən/

//ˌdɛpjuːˈteɪʃən// noun

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

"deputation" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“deputation” is uncommon English (frequency #59,338 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#59,338
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of deputing, or of appointing or commissioning a deputy or representative; office of a deputy or delegate; vicegerency.

Corpus desk

Index EN-deputation · deputation · English

deputation · rank #59,338 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #59,338
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH depreciating

Nearest frequency peer: depreciating (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “deputation”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “deputation” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for deputation
PropertyValue
Headworddeputation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdɛpjuːˈteɪʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#59,338
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “deputation” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).deputationfalls in this rarity band:

#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. Rare peers in the same band: “depreciating” (#59,337), “deride” (#59,339), “depreciated” (#59,336). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “deputation” is #59,338. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

deputation is uncommon English at frequency #59,338 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌdɛpjuːˈteɪʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for deputation, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French députation, from Late Latin deputatio. The correct English form is deputation, spelled D-E-P-U-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of deputing, or of appointing or commissioning a deputy or representative; office of a deputy or delegate; vicegerency.
  2. 2
    The person or persons deputed or commissioned by another person, party, or public body to act in his or its behalf; a delegation.
  3. 3
    Among Christian missionaries, the process or period of time during which they raise support in preparation for going to their mission field.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The authority of conscience stands founded upon its vicegerency and deputation under God.
  2. The general sent a deputation to the enemy to propose a truce.

Etymology

From Middle French députation, from Late Latin deputatio.

This word in other languages

Abordnung(Deutsch)

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 "deputation"?
"deputation" is spelled D-E-P-U-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdɛpjuːˈteɪʃən/.
What does "deputation" mean?
As a noun, "deputation" means: The act of deputing, or of appointing or commissioning a deputy or representative; office of a deputy or delegate; vicegerency.
How do you pronounce "deputation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deputation" is /ˌdɛpjuːˈteɪʃən/. 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 "deputation"?
From Middle French députation, from Late Latin deputatio. 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 "deputation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

depositary#59,334diminution#59,345equanimity#59,373conflation#59,291

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list