devil-may-care
"devil-may-care" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“devil-may-care” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 14
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Carefree, reckless, irresponsible.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | devil-may-care |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| Letters | 14 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “devil-may-care” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for devil-may-care is 14 letters long, classified as an adjective. 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: "Carefree, reckless, irresponsible.".
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for devil-may-care, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From attributive use of a shortened idiom of the original oath or expression: The devil may care, but I do not. The correct English form is devil-may-care, spelled D-E-V-I-L---M-A-Y---C-A-R-E.
Definition
- 1Carefree, reckless, irresponsible.
Etymology
From attributive use of a shortened idiom of the original oath or expression: The devil may care, but I do not.
This word in other languages
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 "devil-may-care"?
What does "devil-may-care" mean?
What is the origin of the word "devil-may-care"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “devil-may-care”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-E-V-I-L---M-A-Y---C-A-R-E - 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.