elephantiasis

/ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs/

//ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs// noun

"elephantiasis" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“elephantiasis” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A complication of chronic filariasis, in which nematode worms block the lymphatic vessels, usually in the legs or scrotum, causing extreme enlargement of the infected area.

Corpus desk

Index EN-elephantiasis · elephantiasis · English

elephantiasis · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "E" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for elephantiasis
PropertyValue
Headwordelephantiasis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs/
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “elephantiasis” in English

elephantiasisranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

elephantiasis is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for elephantiasis, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin elephantiasis or directly from Ancient Greek ἐλεφᾰντῐ́ᾱσῐς (elephăntĭ́āsĭs). The correct English form is elephantiasis, spelled E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T-I-A-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A complication of chronic filariasis, in which nematode worms block the lymphatic vessels, usually in the legs or scrotum, causing extreme enlargement of the infected area.
  2. 2
    Synonym of leprosy.

Etymology

From Latin elephantiasis or directly from Ancient Greek ἐλεφᾰντῐ́ᾱσῐς (elephăntĭ́āsĭs).

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 "elephantiasis"?
"elephantiasis" is spelled E-L-E-P-H-A-N-T-I-A-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs/.
What does "elephantiasis" mean?
As a noun, "elephantiasis" means: A complication of chronic filariasis, in which nematode worms block the lymphatic vessels, usually in the legs or scrotum, causing extreme enlargement of the infected area.
How do you pronounce "elephantiasis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "elephantiasis" is /ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs/. 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 "elephantiasis"?
From Latin elephantiasis or directly from Ancient Greek ἐλεφᾰντῐ́ᾱσῐς (elephăntĭ́āsĭs). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list