enunciate

/ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt/

//ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt// verb

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

"enunciate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enunciate” is uncommon English (frequency #77,647 among 2,246 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#77,647
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make a definite or systematic statement of.

Corpus desk

Index EN-enunciate · enunciate · English

enunciate · rank #77,647 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #77,647
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH environ

Nearest frequency peer: environ (+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.

Long-tail ranks near “enunciate”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “enunciate” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for enunciate
PropertyValue
Headwordenunciate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#77,647
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “enunciate” in English

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).enunciatefalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “environ” (#77,648), “enforceability” (#77,644), “epigram” (#77,651). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “enunciate” is #77,647. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

enunciate is uncommon English at frequency #77,647 among 2,246 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for enunciate in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin ēnuntiātus, past participle of ēnuntiō (“to report, declare”), from ē- + nūntiō (“to report”). The correct English form is enunciate, spelled E-N-U-N-C-I-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make a definite or systematic statement of.
  2. 2
    To announce, proclaim.
  3. 3
    To articulate, pronounce.
  4. 4
    To make sounds clearly.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. the terms in which he enunciates the great doctrines of the gospel
  2. You must enunciate all the syllables.

Etymology

From Latin ēnuntiātus, past participle of ēnuntiō (“to report, declare”), from ē- + nūntiō (“to report”).

This word in other languages

silabear(Español)artikulieren(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 "enunciate"?
"enunciate" is spelled E-N-U-N-C-I-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt/.
What does "enunciate" mean?
As a verb, "enunciate" means: To make a definite or systematic statement of.
How do you pronounce "enunciate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enunciate" is /ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt/. 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 "enunciate"?
From Latin ēnuntiātus, past participle of ēnuntiō (“to report, declare”), from ē- + nūntiō (“to report”). 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 "enunciate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

estimable#77,657ebullient#77,628dysphagia#77,625firelight#77,678

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list