equivocal
/əˈkwɪvəkəl/
"equivocal" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“equivocal” is an uncommon English word, ranked #61,448 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.
- #61,448
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | equivocal |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /əˈkwɪvəkəl/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #61,448 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “equivocal” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for equivocal is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈkwɪvəkəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #61,448 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
No generated misspelling entries exist for equivocal in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Latin aequivocus + -al, from aequus + vocō. By surface analysis, equi- + vocal. The correct English form is equivocal, spelled E-Q-U-I-V-O-C-A-L.
Definition
- 1Having two or more equally applicable meanings; capable of double or multiple interpretation.
- 2Capable of being ascribed to different motives, or of signifying opposite feelings, purposes, or characters; deserving to be suspected.
- 3Uncertain, as an indication or sign.
Etymology
From Late Latin aequivocus + -al, from aequus + vocō. By surface analysis, equi- + vocal.
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); 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
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Using “equivocal”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-Q-U-I-V-O-C-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /əˈkwɪvəkəl/ (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.