illustrate

/ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt/

//ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“illustrate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,044 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#11,044
frequency rank, English
10
letters
13
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

illustrate vs illustrated
91% similar
illustrate vs illustrator
82% similar
illustrate vs illustrative
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for illustrate
PropertyValue
Headwordillustrate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#11,044
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “illustrate” 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). illustrate 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 illustrate is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,044 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for illustrate, with forms such as "illsutrate", "illusrtate", and "illusstrate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "illustrated", "illustrator", "illustrative", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Back-formation from illustration. The correct English form is illustrate, spelled I-L-L-U-S-T-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
  2. 2
    To provide a book or other publication with pictures, diagrams or other explanatory or decorative features.
  3. 3
    To shed light upon.
  4. 4
    To give renown or honour to; to make illustrious.

Etymology

Back-formation from illustration.

This word in other languages

ilustrar(Español)illustrer(Français)illustrieren(Deutsch)ilustrar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: illsutrate,illusrtate,illusstrate,illustarte,illustraet,illustratte,illustrrate,illustrtae,illusttrate,illutsrate,ilulstrate,ilustrate,lilustrate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of illustrate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

illsutrate2illusrtate2illusstrate1illustarte2illustraet2illustratte1illustrrate1illustrtae2
Edit distance from "illustrate"

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 "illustrate"?
"illustrate" is spelled I-L-L-U-S-T-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt/.
What does "illustrate" mean?
As a verb, "illustrate" means: To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison.
What words are commonly confused with "illustrate"?
"illustrate" is commonly confused with "illustrated", "illustrator", "illustrative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "illustrate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "illustrate" is /ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt/. 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 "illustrate"?
Back-formation from illustration. 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 “illustrate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-L-L-U-S-T-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɪl.jʊˌstɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “illustrated” - see the side-by-side comparison. illustrate vs illustrated
  • 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