dilatation

/ˌdaɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/

//ˌdaɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n// noun

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

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

The verdict

“dilatation” is uncommon English (frequency #82,231 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#82,231
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Prolixity; diffuse discourse.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dilatation · dilatation · English

dilatation · rank #82,231 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #82,231
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dispassionate…

Nearest frequency peer: dispassionately (+2 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 “dilatation”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for dilatation
PropertyValue
Headworddilatation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdaɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/
Letters10
Frequency rank#82,231
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “dilatation” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).dilatationfalls 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: “dispassionately” (#82,233), “displeasing” (#82,234), “divot” (#82,235). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “dilatation” is #82,231. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

dilatation is uncommon English at frequency #82,231 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌdaɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for dilatation in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French dilatation, from Late Latin dīlātātio, early 15th c. The correct English form is dilatation, spelled D-I-L-A-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Prolixity; diffuse discourse.
  2. 2
    The act of dilating; expansion; an enlarging on all sides; the state of being dilated
  3. 3
    A dilation or enlargement of a canal or other organ.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. These [boys being groomed as prostitutes] are sold by their parents (sometimes stolen from them), about the age of 4, and educated, while they are also subjected to a special physical training, which includes massage of the gluteal regions to favor development, dilatation of the anus, and epilation (which is not, however, practised by Chinese women).

Etymology

From Old French dilatation, from Late Latin dīlātātio, early 15th c.

This word in other languages

dilatación(Español)dilatation(Français)Vergrößerung(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 "dilatation"?
"dilatation" is spelled D-I-L-A-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdaɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/.
What does "dilatation" mean?
As a noun, "dilatation" means: Prolixity; diffuse discourse.
How do you pronounce "dilatation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dilatation" is /ˌdaɪleɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n/. 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 "dilatation"?
From Old French dilatation, from Late Latin dīlātātio, early 15th c. 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 "dilatation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Doylestown#82,242Fenerbahce#82,289cellulitis#82,162floodlight#82,301

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list