embolism

/ˈɛmbəlɪzəm/

//ˈɛmbəlɪzəm// noun

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

"embolism" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“embolism” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,384. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,384
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An obstruction or occlusion of a blood vessel by an embolus, that is by a blood clot, air bubble or other matter that has been transported by the blood stream.

Corpus desk

Index EN-embolism · embolism · English

embolism · rank #38,384 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,384
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH embarrassingly

Nearest frequency peer: embarrassingly (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “embolism”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “embolism” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for embolism
PropertyValue
Headwordembolism
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɛmbəlɪzəm/
Letters8
Frequency rank#38,384
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “embolism”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).embolismlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “embarrassingly” (#38,383), “enclose” (#38,385), “Elo” (#38,382). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “embolism” is #38,384. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around embolism (IPA /ˈɛmbəlɪzəm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,384 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for embolism, with forms such as "ebmolism", "embbolism", and "embloism". 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. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: The term was coined in 1848 by Rudolf Virchow. From Old French embolisme (“intercalation of days in a calendar to correct errors”), from Late Latin embolismus, from Ancient Greek ἐμβολισμός (embolismós, “intercalary”), from ἐμβάλλω (embállō, “to insert, thr… The correct English form is embolism, spelled E-M-B-O-L-I-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    An obstruction or occlusion of a blood vessel by an embolus, that is by a blood clot, air bubble or other matter that has been transported by the blood stream.
  2. 2
    The insertion or intercalation of days into the calendar in order to correct the error arising from the difference between the civil year and the solar year.
  3. 3
    An intercalated prayer for deliverance from evil coming after the Lord's Prayer.
  4. 4
    The variable body of a liturgical preface, between the protocol and eschatocol, typically stating the motive for worship on a given day.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how embolism appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Authorities differ as to the manner in which the Arabs practised embolism: some say, they added a month to every third year; others, that they intercalated seven months in a period of nineteen years ; and others, nine months in twenty-four years.

Etymology

The term was coined in 1848 by Rudolf Virchow. From Old French embolisme (“intercalation of days in a calendar to correct errors”), from Late Latin embolismus, from Ancient Greek ἐμβολισμός (embolismós, “intercalary”), from ἐμβάλλω (embállō, “to insert, throw in”).

This word in other languages

embolia(Español)embolie(Français)Embolie(Deutsch)embolia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ebmolism
  • embbolism
  • embloism
  • emboilsm
  • embolims
  • embolismm
  • embolissm
  • embollism
  • embolsim
  • emmbolism
  • emoblism
  • mebolism

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of embolism - 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.

ebmolism2embbolism1embloism2emboilsm2embolims2embolismm1embolissm1embollism1
Edit distance from "embolism"

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 "embolism"?
"embolism" is spelled E-M-B-O-L-I-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɛmbəlɪzəm/.
What does "embolism" mean?
As a noun, "embolism" means: An obstruction or occlusion of a blood vessel by an embolus, that is by a blood clot, air bubble or other matter that has been transported by the blood stream.
What are common misspellings of "embolism"?
Common misspellings include "ebmolism", "embbolism", "embloism", "emboilsm", "embolims". The correct spelling is "embolism".
How do you pronounce "embolism"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "embolism" is /ˈɛmbəlɪzəm/. 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 "embolism"?
The term was coined in 1848 by Rudolf Virchow. From Old French embolisme (“intercalation of days in a calendar to correct errors”), from Late Latin embolismus, from Ancient Greek ἐμβολισμός (embolismós, “intercalary”), from ἐμβάλλω (embállō, “to i... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "embolism", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

dynastic#38,375Figueroa#38,395Djibouti#38,368formulae#38,402

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

dejected12 variantsgatherer12 variantsdecrepit12 variantscomically12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list