electrocute

/ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt/

//ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt// verb

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

"electrocute" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“electrocute” is uncommon English (frequency #69,817 among 18,836 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#69,817
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To kill by electric shock.

Key facts for electrocute
PropertyValue
Headwordelectrocute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#69,817
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “electrocute” 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). electrocute lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

electrocute is uncommon English at frequency #69,817 among 18,836 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for electrocute, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Blend of electro- + execute, after electrocution. The correct English form is electrocute, spelled E-L-E-C-T-R-O-C-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To kill by electric shock.
  2. 2
    To execute by electric shock, often by means of an electric chair.
  3. 3
    To inflict a severe electric shock (not necessarily fatal) upon.

Etymology

Blend of electro- + execute, after electrocution.

This word in other languages

electrocutar(Español)électrocuter(Français)eletrocutar(Português)

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 "electrocute"?
"electrocute" is spelled E-L-E-C-T-R-O-C-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt/.
What does "electrocute" mean?
As a verb, "electrocute" means: To kill by electric shock.
How do you pronounce "electrocute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "electrocute" is /ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt/. 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 "electrocute"?
Blend of electro- + execute, after electrocution. 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 “electrocute”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-E-C-T-R-O-C-U-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈlɛktɹəkjuːt/ (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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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