hypoallergenic

/haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/

//haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk// adj

"hypoallergenic" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hypoallergenic” is uncommon English (frequency #68,309 among 23,837 “H” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#68,309
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Containing fewer allergens; minimally allergenic.

Key facts for hypoallergenic
PropertyValue
Headwordhypoallergenic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/
Letters14
Frequency rank#68,309
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hypoallergenic” 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). hypoallergenic 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

hypoallergenic is uncommon English at frequency #68,309 among 23,837 “H” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

hypoallergenic doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Coined between 1950 and 1955 from hypo- + allergenic. Some say that it was coined by advertisers in 1953. Merriam-Webster puts the date at 1940. The correct English form is hypoallergenic, spelled H-Y-P-O-A-L-L-E-R-G-E-N-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Containing fewer allergens; minimally allergenic.
  2. 2
    Relating to a hypoallergen.

Etymology

Coined between 1950 and 1955 from hypo- + allergenic. Some say that it was coined by advertisers in 1953. Merriam-Webster puts the date at 1940.

Synonyms

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

How do you spell "hypoallergenic"?
"hypoallergenic" is spelled H-Y-P-O-A-L-L-E-R-G-E-N-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/.
What does "hypoallergenic" mean?
As an adjective, "hypoallergenic" means: Containing fewer allergens; minimally allergenic.
How do you pronounce "hypoallergenic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hypoallergenic" is /haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/. 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 "hypoallergenic"?
Coined between 1950 and 1955 from hypo- + allergenic. Some say that it was coined by advertisers in 1953. Merriam-Webster puts the date at 1940. 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 “hypoallergenic”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-Y-P-O-A-L-L-E-R-G-E-N-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /haɪ.pəʊ.æl.ə(ɹ)ˈdʒɛn.ɪk/ (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