dissimilate
/dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/
"dissimilate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“dissimilate” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make dissimilar or unlike.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | dissimilate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “dissimilate” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
dissimilate is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
Zero misspellings are on record for dissimilate in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1841; borrowed from Medieval Latin dissimilātus, perfect passive participle of dissimilō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), hypercorrected form of Classical Latin dissimulō, from dis- + simulō, from similis (“similar, the same as”); the voc… The correct English form is dissimilate, spelled D-I-S-S-I-M-I-L-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To make dissimilar or unlike.
- 2To become dissimilar or unlike.
Etymology
First attested in 1841; borrowed from Medieval Latin dissimilātus, perfect passive participle of dissimilō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), hypercorrected form of Classical Latin dissimulō, from dis- + simulō, from similis (“similar, the same as”); the vocalism was perhaps influenced by assimilate, compare dissimulate. Cognate with French dissimiler; doublet of dissemble, dissimulate, and dissimule.
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
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Using “dissimilate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-S-I-M-I-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /dɪˈsɪmɪleɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.