hibernate

/ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/

//ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“hibernate” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #41,671. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#41,671
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To spend the winter in a dormant or inactive state of minimal activity, low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate, and low metabolic rate; to go through a winter sleep.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hibernate · hibernate · English

hibernate · rank #41,671 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #41,671
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH HIPAA

Nearest frequency peer: HIPAA (+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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “hibernate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “hibernate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for hibernate
PropertyValue
Headwordhibernate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#41,671
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “hibernate”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).hibernatelands here:

#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. Same rarity band neighbours include “HIPAA” (#41,672), “Herrmann” (#41,669), “Holborn” (#41,673). Among 2,646 “H” headwords, “hibernate” is #41,671. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around hibernate (IPA /ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #41,671 among 2,646 “H” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for hibernate, with forms such as "hbiernate", "hhibernate", and "hibbernate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”). The correct English form is hibernate, spelled H-I-B-E-R-N-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To spend the winter in a dormant or inactive state of minimal activity, low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate, and low metabolic rate; to go through a winter sleep.
  2. 2
    To live in seclusion.
  3. 3
    To enter a standby state which conserves power without losing the contents of memory.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Hedgehogs and bears are two of the many mammals that hibernate in winter.
  2. Organisms have developed all sorts of ways of dealing with these variations. They hibernate or estivate or migrate.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”).

This word in other languages

hibernar(Español)hiberner(Français)überwintern(Deutsch)hibernar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • hbiernate
  • hhibernate
  • hibbernate
  • hibenrate
  • hiberante
  • hibernaet
  • hibernatte
  • hibernnate
  • hiberntae
  • hiberrnate
  • hibrenate
  • hiebrnate
  • ihbernate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of hibernate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

hbiernate2hhibernate1hibbernate1hibenrate2hiberante2hibernaet2hibernatte1hibernnate1
Edit distance from "hibernate"

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 "hibernate"?
"hibernate" is spelled H-I-B-E-R-N-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/.
What does "hibernate" mean?
As a verb, "hibernate" means: To spend the winter in a dormant or inactive state of minimal activity, low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate, and low metabolic rate; to go through a winter sleep.
What are common misspellings of "hibernate"?
Common misspellings include "hbiernate", "hhibernate", "hibbernate", "hibenrate", "hiberante". The correct spelling is "hibernate".
How do you pronounce "hibernate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hibernate" is /ˈhaɪbə(r)ˌneɪt/. 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 "hibernate"?
Borrowed from Latin hībernātus, perfect passive participle of hībernō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from hībernus (“wintry”). 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 "hibernate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

hollering#41,674Haymarket#41,666Halliwell#41,660Fortescue#41,635

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

excavator13 variantslakeshore13 variantsobliquely13 variantsoutermost13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list