imprecate
/ˈɪmpɹəkeɪt/
"imprecate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“imprecate” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To call down by prayer, as something hurtful or calamitous.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | imprecate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈɪmpɹəkeɪt/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “imprecate” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for imprecate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪmpɹəkeɪt/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To call down by prayer, as something hurtful or calamitous.".
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for imprecate, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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: Borrowed from Latin imprecātus, perfect active participle of imprecor (“to invoke (good or evil) upon, pray to, call upon”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (“upon”) + precor (“to pray”). The correct English form is imprecate, spelled I-M-P-R-E-C-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To call down by prayer, as something hurtful or calamitous.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin imprecātus, perfect active participle of imprecor (“to invoke (good or evil) upon, pray to, call upon”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- (“upon”) + precor (“to pray”).
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "imprecate"?
What does "imprecate" mean?
How do you pronounce "imprecate"?
What is the origin of the word "imprecate"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “imprecate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is I-M-P-R-E-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈɪmpɹəkeɪt/ (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.