imperceptible

adj

"imperceptible" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“imperceptible” is an uncommon English word, ranked #53,617 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#53,617
frequency rank, English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not perceptible, not detectable, too small in magnitude to be observed.

Key facts for imperceptible
PropertyValue
Headwordimperceptible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters13
Frequency rank#53,617
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “imperceptible” 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). imperceptible 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 imperceptible is 13 letters long, classified as an adjective. Corpus data places it at rank #53,617 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for imperceptible in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English imperceptible, from Middle French imperceptible and its etymon Medieval Latin imperceptibilis. By surface analysis, im- + perceptible. The correct English form is imperceptible, spelled I-M-P-E-R-C-E-P-T-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not perceptible, not detectable, too small in magnitude to be observed.
  2. 2
    Beyond the purview of man; too great and all-encompassing to be perceived.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English imperceptible, from Middle French imperceptible and its etymon Medieval Latin imperceptibilis. By surface analysis, im- + perceptible.

Synonyms

Antonyms

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 "imperceptible"?
"imperceptible" is spelled I-M-P-E-R-C-E-P-T-I-B-L-E.
What does "imperceptible" mean?
As an adjective, "imperceptible" means: Not perceptible, not detectable, too small in magnitude to be observed.
What is the origin of the word "imperceptible"?
Inherited from Middle English imperceptible, from Middle French imperceptible and its etymon Medieval Latin imperceptibilis. By surface analysis, im- + perceptible. 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 “imperceptible”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-M-P-E-R-C-E-P-T-I-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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