elegiac

/ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək/

//ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək// adj

"elegiac" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“elegiac” is an uncommon English word, ranked #58,660 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#58,660
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or relating to an elegy.

Key facts for elegiac
PropertyValue
Headwordelegiac
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək/
Letters7
Frequency rank#58,660
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “elegiac” 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). elegiac 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 elegiac is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək/. Corpus data places it at rank #58,660 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.

No generated misspelling entries exist for elegiac in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French élégiaque, from Latin elegīacus, from Ancient Greek ἐλεγειακός (elegeiakós). The correct English form is elegiac, spelled E-L-E-G-I-A-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or relating to an elegy.
  2. 2
    Expressing sorrow or mourning.

Etymology

From Middle French élégiaque, from Latin elegīacus, from Ancient Greek ἐλεγειακός (elegeiakós).

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); 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 "elegiac"?
"elegiac" is spelled E-L-E-G-I-A-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək/.
What does "elegiac" mean?
As an adjective, "elegiac" means: Of or relating to an elegy.
How do you pronounce "elegiac"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "elegiac" is /ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək/. 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 "elegiac"?
From Middle French élégiaque, from Latin elegīacus, from Ancient Greek ἐλεγειακός (elegeiakós). 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 “elegiac”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-L-E-G-I-A-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɛlɪˈd͡ʒaɪək/ (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.

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

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