dilute

/daɪˈljuːt/

//daɪˈljuːt// verb

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

"dilute" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dilute” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,951 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#22,951
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make thinner by adding solvent to a solution, especially by adding water.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

dilute vs Duluth
50% similar
dilute vs disuse
67% similar
dilute vs dispute
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for dilute
PropertyValue
Headworddilute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/daɪˈljuːt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#22,951
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dilute” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). dilute lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dilute is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /daɪˈljuːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,951 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for dilute, with forms such as "ddilute", "dillute", and "diltue". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "Duluth", "disuse", "dispute", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin dīlūtus, from dīluere (“to wash away, dissolve, cause to melt, dilute”), from dī-, dis- (“away, apart”) + luere (“to wash”). See lave, and compare deluge. The correct English form is dilute, spelled D-I-L-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make thinner by adding solvent to a solution, especially by adding water.
  2. 2
    To weaken, especially by adding a foreign substance.
  3. 3
    To cause the value of individual shares or the stake of a shareholder to decrease by increasing the total number of shares.
  4. 4
    To become attenuated, thin, or weak.

Etymology

From Latin dīlūtus, from dīluere (“to wash away, dissolve, cause to melt, dilute”), from dī-, dis- (“away, apart”) + luere (“to wash”). See lave, and compare deluge.

This word in other languages

diluir(Español)diluer(Français)verdünnen(Deutsch)diluir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddilute,dillute,diltue,diluet,dilutte,diulte,dliute,idlute

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dilute - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddilute1dillute1diltue2diluet2dilutte1diulte2dliute2idlute2
Edit distance from "dilute"

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 "dilute"?
"dilute" is spelled D-I-L-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /daɪˈljuːt/.
What does "dilute" mean?
As a verb, "dilute" means: To make thinner by adding solvent to a solution, especially by adding water.
What words are commonly confused with "dilute"?
"dilute" is commonly confused with "Duluth", "disuse", "dispute". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dilute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dilute" is /daɪˈljuːt/. 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 "dilute"?
From Latin dīlūtus, from dīluere (“to wash away, dissolve, cause to melt, dilute”), from dī-, dis- (“away, apart”) + luere (“to wash”). See lave, and compare deluge. 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 “dilute”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-L-U-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /daɪˈljuːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Duluth” - see the side-by-side comparison. dilute vs Duluth
  • 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