hypothesize

/haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz/

//haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz// verb

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

"hypothesize" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hypothesize” is an uncommon English word, ranked #53,009 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#53,009
frequency rank, English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To assume or assert tentatively on uncertain grounds.

Key facts for hypothesize
PropertyValue
Headwordhypothesize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz/
Letters11
Frequency rank#53,009
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hypothesize” 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). hypothesize 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 hypothesize is 11 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #53,009 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To assume or assert tentatively on uncertain grounds.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for hypothesize in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From hypothesis + -ize. The correct English form is hypothesize, spelled H-Y-P-O-T-H-E-S-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To assume or assert tentatively on uncertain grounds.

Etymology

From hypothesis + -ize.

This word in other languages

suponer(Español)supposer(Français)vermuten(Deutsch)supor(Português)

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 "hypothesize"?
"hypothesize" is spelled H-Y-P-O-T-H-E-S-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz/.
What does "hypothesize" mean?
As a verb, "hypothesize" means: To assume or assert tentatively on uncertain grounds.
How do you pronounce "hypothesize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hypothesize" is /haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz/. 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 "hypothesize"?
From hypothesis + -ize. 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 “hypothesize”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-Y-P-O-T-H-E-S-I-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /haɪˈpɒθ.ɪ.saɪz/ (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