determinate

/dɪˈtɜːmɪnət/

//dɪˈtɜːmɪnət// adj

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

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

The verdict

“determinate” is uncommon English (frequency #64,314 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#64,314
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Distinct, clearly defined.

Corpus desk

Index EN-determinate · determinate · English

determinate · rank #64,314 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #64,314
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dexamethasone

Nearest frequency peer: dexamethasone (+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 “determinate”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for determinate
PropertyValue
Headworddeterminate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈtɜːmɪnət/
Letters11
Frequency rank#64,314
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “determinate” 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).determinatefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “dexamethasone” (#64,315), “diddly” (#64,316), “disembarking” (#64,317). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “determinate” is #64,314. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

determinate is uncommon English at frequency #64,314 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /dɪˈtɜːmɪnət/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for determinate, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English determinate, determynat, determinat, from Latin dēterminātus, perfect passive participle of dēterminō (“I limit, set bounds”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more. The correct English form is determinate, spelled D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Distinct, clearly defined.
  2. 2
    Fixed, determined, set, unvarying.
  3. 3
    Of growth: ending once a genetically predetermined structure has formed.
  4. 4
    Conclusive; decisive; positive.
  5. 5
    Determined or resolved upon.
  6. 6
    Of determined purpose; resolute.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Quantity of words and a determinate number of feet.
  2. […] on account of his responsibility to Norman and Marigold, and on account of his now determinate age, he considered himself ineligible for more dangerous service.

Etymology

From Middle English determinate, determynat, determinat, from Latin dēterminātus, perfect passive participle of dēterminō (“I limit, set bounds”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more.

Antonyms

indeterminatenondeterminateantonym(s) of

This word in other languages

determinado(Español)bestimmt(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 "determinate"?
"determinate" is spelled D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈtɜːmɪnət/.
What does "determinate" mean?
As an adjective, "determinate" means: Distinct, clearly defined.
How do you pronounce "determinate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "determinate" is /dɪˈtɜːmɪnət/. 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 "determinate"?
From Middle English determinate, determynat, determinat, from Latin dēterminātus, perfect passive participle of dēterminō (“I limit, set bounds”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more. 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 "determinate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

disquieting#64,318eclecticism#64,345Chillicothe#64,264Centreville#64,257

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list