eradicate

/ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt/

//ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt// verb

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

The verdict

“eradicate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,830 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#19,830
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To pull up by the roots.

Key facts for eradicate
PropertyValue
Headworderadicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#19,830
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “eradicate” 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). eradicate lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for eradicate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,830 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for eradicate, with forms such as "eardicate", "eradciate", and "eraddicate". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *wréh₂ds From Middle English eradicaten (“to eradicate”), from eradicat(e) (“eradicated”, past participle of eradicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin ērādīcātus, the perfect passive participle of ērādīcō (“to uproot, root out; … The correct English form is eradicate, spelled E-R-A-D-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To pull up by the roots.
  2. 2
    To destroy completely; to reduce to nothing radically; to put an end to.

Etymology

PIE word *wréh₂ds From Middle English eradicaten (“to eradicate”), from eradicat(e) (“eradicated”, past participle of eradicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin ērādīcātus, the perfect passive participle of ērādīcō (“to uproot, root out; to anihilate, eradicate”), from ē- (“out”) + rādīx (“root”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). See also radish.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eardicate,eradciate,eraddicate,eradiacte,eradicaet,eradicatte,eradiccate,eradictae,eraidcate,erdaicate,erradicate,readicate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eardicate2eradciate2eraddicate1eradiacte2eradicaet2eradicatte1eradiccate1eradictae2
Edit distance from "eradicate"

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 "eradicate"?
"eradicate" is spelled E-R-A-D-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt/.
What does "eradicate" mean?
As a verb, "eradicate" means: To pull up by the roots.
What are common misspellings of "eradicate"?
Common misspellings include "eardicate", "eradciate", "eraddicate", "eradiacte", "eradicaet". The correct spelling is "eradicate".
How do you pronounce "eradicate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eradicate" is /ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt/. 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 "eradicate"?
PIE word *wréh₂ds From Middle English eradicaten (“to eradicate”), from eradicat(e) (“eradicated”, past participle of eradicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin ērādīcātus, the perfect passive participle of ērādīcō (“to uproot, ... 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 “eradicate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-R-A-D-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈɹæd.ɪ.keɪt/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list