directrix
di·rec·trix/dɪˈɹɛk.tɹɪks/noun
directrix is spelled D-I-R-E-C-T-R-I-X: 9 letters and 3 syllables (di·rec·trix). It appears about once in every 42 million words in written English, the 199,120th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, directrix means “A line used to define a curve or surface; especially a line, the distance from which a point on a conic has a constant ratio to that from the focus” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of directrix is directrixes or directrices.
How many letters and syllables are in directrix?
| Letters | 9: D-I-R-E-C-T-R-I-X |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: di·rec·trix |
| In writing | about once in every 42 million words; the 199,120th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is directrix?
Directrix appears about once in every 42 million words in written English, the 199,120th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce directrix?
- UK /dɪˈɹɛk.tɹɪks/
- UK /-ˈɹek-/
- UK /daɪ̯-/
Directrix has 3 syllables, split di·rec·trix in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Flame,_not_lame-directrix.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of directrix
- directrixes plural
- directrices plural
- directrice
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does directrix mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
feminineFemale equivalent of director.
- 2
A line used to define a curve or surface; especially a line, the distance from which a point on a conic has a constant ratio to that from the focus.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Directrix in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense a line used to define a curve or surface:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | directrice |
| Spanish | directriz |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does directrix come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin dīrēctrīx. By surface analysis, direct + -trix.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).