idolatrous

/aɪˈdɒlətrəs/

//aɪˈdɒlətrəs// adj

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

"idolatrous" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“idolatrous” is uncommon English (frequency #79,616 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#79,616
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Partaking in idolatry; worshipping idols or false gods.

Corpus desk

Index EN-idolatrous · idolatrous · English

idolatrous · rank #79,616 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #79,616
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH iconoclast

Nearest frequency peer: iconoclast (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “idolatrous”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “idolatrous” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for idolatrous
PropertyValue
Headwordidolatrous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/aɪˈdɒlətrəs/
Letters10
Frequency rank#79,616
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “idolatrous” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).idolatrousfalls in this rarity band:

#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. Rare peers in the same band: “iconoclast” (#79,615), “illicitly” (#79,619), “hythe” (#79,612). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “idolatrous” is #79,616. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

idolatrous is uncommon English at frequency #79,616 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /aɪˈdɒlətrəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for idolatrous, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From idolatry + -ous. The correct English form is idolatrous, spelled I-D-O-L-A-T-R-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Partaking in idolatry; worshipping idols or false gods.
  2. 2
    Engaging in excessive attachment or reverence; inordinately or profanely devoted.
  3. 3
    Used in or designed for idolatry; devoted to idols or idol-worship.
  4. 4
    Of or pertaining to idolatry.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. the priests of an idolatrous religion
  2. Once Robert Smellie found her in a ruinous kirk on the Lang Muir, where of old the idolatrous rites of Rome were practiced.

Etymology

From idolatry + -ous.

This word in other languages

idólatra(Español)idolâtre(Français)abgöttisch(Deutsch)idólatra(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 "idolatrous"?
"idolatrous" is spelled I-D-O-L-A-T-R-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /aɪˈdɒlətrəs/.
What does "idolatrous" mean?
As an adjective, "idolatrous" means: Partaking in idolatry; worshipping idols or false gods.
How do you pronounce "idolatrous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "idolatrous" is /aɪˈdɒlətrəs/. 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 "idolatrous"?
From idolatry + -ous. 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 "idolatrous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

iconoclast#79,615hypervisor#79,610humbleness#79,605invariable#79,636

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list