disdain

/dɪsˈdeɪn/

//dɪsˈdeɪn// noun

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

"disdain" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“disdain” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,805. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,805
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A feeling of contempt or scorn.

Corpus desk

Index EN-disdain · disdain · English

disdain · rank #18,805 · 10 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #18,805
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH deterrent

Nearest frequency peer: deterrent (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “disdain”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “disdain” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for disdain
PropertyValue
Headworddisdain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪsˈdeɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#18,805
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “disdain”

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).disdainlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “deterrent” (#18,804), “disgraceful” (#18,806), “demonic” (#18,803). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “disdain” is #18,805. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around disdain (IPA /dɪsˈdeɪn/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #18,805 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for disdain, with forms such as "ddisdain", "didsain", and "disadin". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner). The correct English form is disdain, spelled D-I-S-D-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A feeling of contempt or scorn.
  2. 2
    That which is worthy to be disdained or regarded with contempt and aversion.
  3. 3
    The state of being despised; shame.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The cat viewed the cheap supermarket catfood with disdain and stalked away.
  2. He that with ſhepheards and a litle ſpoyle, Durſt in diſdaine of wrong and tyrannie, Defend his freedome gainſt a Monarchie: What will he doe ſupported by a king?

Etymology

From Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner).

Synonyms

abominationcondescensioncontemptdespisalscorn

Antonyms

adorationadmirationhonorrespectreverence

This word in other languages

desdén(Español)dédain(Français)Verachtung(Deutsch)desdém(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddisdain
  • didsain
  • disadin
  • disdainn
  • disdani
  • disddain
  • disdian
  • dissdain
  • dsidain
  • idsdain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of disdain - 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.

ddisdain1didsain2disadin2disdainn1disdani2disddain1disdian2dissdain1
Edit distance from "disdain"

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 "disdain"?
"disdain" is spelled D-I-S-D-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈdeɪn/.
What does "disdain" mean?
As a noun, "disdain" means: A feeling of contempt or scorn.
What are common misspellings of "disdain"?
Common misspellings include "ddisdain", "didsain", "disadin", "disdainn", "disdani". The correct spelling is "disdain".
How do you pronounce "disdain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "disdain" is /dɪsˈdeɪn/. 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 "disdain"?
From Middle English disdeynen, from Old French desdeignier (modern French dédaigner). 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 "disdain", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

demonic#18,803enraged#18,813Clifton#18,789fatally#18,822

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

corvette10 variantscitadel10 variantsFlickr10 variantsGabrielle10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list