duplex
/ˈdu.plɛks/adjective, noun, verb
duplex is spelled D-U-P-L-E-X: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 24,463rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, duplex means “Having two floors” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in duplex?
| Letters | 6: D-U-P-L-E-X |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.3 times per million words; the 24,463rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is duplex?
Duplex appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 24,463rd 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 duplex?
- US /ˈdu.plɛks/
Duplex has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-duplex.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with duplex?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as duplex from its last stressed vowel (/uplɛks/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of duplex
- duplexes plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- duplices plural
- duplexing participle, present
- duplexed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does duplex mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Having two floors.
- 2
Having two units, divisions, suites, or apartments.
- 3
Of stainless steel: having a structure containing austenite and ferrite in roughly equal proportions.
- 4
Bidirectional (in two directions).
duplex telegraphy
- 5
Having horizons with contrasting textures.
noun
- 1
AustraliaCanadaUSA house made up of two dwelling units.
- 2
USA dwelling unit with two floors.
- 3
A cancellation combining a numerical cancellation with a second mark showing time, date, and place of posting.
- 4
A throwing motion where two balls are thrown with one hand at the same time.
- 5
A double-stranded polynucleotide.
- 6
A system of multiple thrust faults bounded above and below by a roof thrust and floor thrust.
verb
- 1
To make duplex.
- 2
To make into a duplex.
- 3
To make a series of duplex throws.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Duplex in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Spanish | dúplex |
| French | duplex , flamme postale, flamme |
| German | Doppelhaus |
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 duplex come from?
Borrowed from Latin duplex (“double, two-fold”), from duo (“two”) + plico (“fold together”); compare the roots of διπλόος (diplóos, “double”); compare also πλέκω (plékō, “twist, braid”). By surface analysis, duo- + -plex.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).