embrittlement

/ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/

//ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“embrittlement” 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 May 6, 2026) - The process of being embrittled; loss of flexibility or elasticity of a material; the development of brittleness.

Key facts for embrittlement
PropertyValue
Headwordembrittlement
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/
Letters13
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “embrittlement” sits in English frequency

embrittlement falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Rare enough to double-check

embrittlement is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "The process of being embrittled; loss of flexibility or elasticity of a material; the development of brittleness.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for embrittlement, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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: From embrittle + -ment. The correct English form is embrittlement, spelled E-M-B-R-I-T-T-L-E-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The process of being embrittled; loss of flexibility or elasticity of a material; the development of brittleness.

Etymology

From embrittle + -ment.

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 "embrittlement"?
"embrittlement" is spelled E-M-B-R-I-T-T-L-E-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/.
What does "embrittlement" mean?
As a noun, "embrittlement" means: The process of being embrittled; loss of flexibility or elasticity of a material; the development of brittleness.
How do you pronounce "embrittlement"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "embrittlement" is /ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/. 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 "embrittlement"?
From embrittle + -ment. 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 “embrittlement”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-M-B-R-I-T-T-L-E-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/ (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