duplicate

adj

"duplicate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“duplicate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,138 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,138
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Being the same as another; identical, often having been copied from an original.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

duplicate vs delicate
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for duplicate
PropertyValue
Headwordduplicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters9
Frequency rank#13,138
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “duplicate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). duplicate lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for duplicate is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective. Corpus data places it at rank #13,138 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for duplicate, with forms such as "dduplicate", "dpulicate", and "dulpicate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "delicate", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *dwóh₁ Borrowed from Latin duplicātus, perfect passive participle of duplicō, see -ate. The correct English form is duplicate, spelled D-U-P-L-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Being the same as another; identical, often having been copied from an original.
  2. 2
    In which the hands of cards, tiles, etc. are preserved between rounds to be played again by other players.

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ Borrowed from Latin duplicātus, perfect passive participle of duplicō, see -ate.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: dduplicate,dpulicate,dulpicate,dupilcate,duplciate,dupliacte,duplicaet,duplicatte,dupliccate,duplictae,dupllicate,dupplicate,udplicate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of duplicate - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

dduplicate1dpulicate2dulpicate2dupilcate2duplciate2dupliacte2duplicaet2duplicatte1
Edit distance from "duplicate"

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 "duplicate"?
"duplicate" is spelled D-U-P-L-I-C-A-T-E.
What does "duplicate" mean?
As an adjective, "duplicate" means: Being the same as another; identical, often having been copied from an original.
What words are commonly confused with "duplicate"?
"duplicate" is commonly confused with "delicate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "duplicate"?
PIE word *dwóh₁ Borrowed from Latin duplicātus, perfect passive participle of duplicō, see -ate. 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.

Using “duplicate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-U-P-L-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Don't mix it up with “delicate” - see the side-by-side comparison. duplicate vs delicate
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list