encirclement

/ɪnˈsɜː(ɹ)kəlmənt/

//ɪnˈsɜː(ɹ)kəlmənt// noun

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

"encirclement" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“encirclement” is uncommon English (frequency #67,408 among 18,836 “E” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#67,408
frequency rank, English
18,836
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of encircling or the state of being encircled

Key facts for encirclement
PropertyValue
Headwordencirclement
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪnˈsɜː(ɹ)kəlmənt/
Letters12
Frequency rank#67,408
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “encirclement” 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). encirclement 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

encirclement is uncommon English at frequency #67,408 among 18,836 “E” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɪnˈsɜː(ɹ)kəlmənt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for encirclement, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From encircle + -ment. The correct English form is encirclement, spelled E-N-C-I-R-C-L-E-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of encircling or the state of being encircled
  2. 2
    The isolation of a target by the formation of a blockade around it

Etymology

From encircle + -ment.

This word in other languages

Umzingelung(Deutsch)

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 "encirclement"?
"encirclement" is spelled E-N-C-I-R-C-L-E-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈsɜː(ɹ)kəlmənt/.
What does "encirclement" mean?
As a noun, "encirclement" means: The act of encircling or the state of being encircled
How do you pronounce "encirclement"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "encirclement" is /ɪnˈsɜː(ɹ)kəlmənt/. 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 "encirclement"?
From encircle + -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 “encirclement”

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

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