dissimulate
/dɪˈsɪmjʊˌleɪt/
"dissimulate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“dissimulate” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To practise deception by concealment or omission, or by feigning a false appearance; to dissemble.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | dissimulate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /dɪˈsɪmjʊˌleɪt/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “dissimulate” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for dissimulate is 11 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈsɪmjʊˌleɪt/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for dissimulate in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English dissimulaten, dissimilaten, from Latin dissimulātus + -en (“verb-forming suffix”), perfect passive participle of dissimulō (“to conceal, to pretend, to neglect”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dissimilis (“unlike”) + -ō… The correct English form is dissimulate, spelled D-I-S-S-I-M-U-L-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To practise deception by concealment or omission, or by feigning a false appearance; to dissemble.
- 2To disguise or hide by adopting a false appearance; to dissemble.
- 3To connive at; to wink at; to pretend not to notice.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English dissimulaten, dissimilaten, from Latin dissimulātus + -en (“verb-forming suffix”), perfect passive participle of dissimulō (“to conceal, to pretend, to neglect”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dissimilis (“unlike”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Compare the obsolete dissimule (“to conceal, disguise”), from Old French dissimuler (French dissimuler), ultimately from the same Latin root. Doublet of dissemble, dissimilate, 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
How do you spell "dissimulate"?
What does "dissimulate" mean?
How do you pronounce "dissimulate"?
What is the origin of the word "dissimulate"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “dissimulate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-S-I-M-U-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /dɪˈsɪmjʊˌleɪt/ (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.