imprecation
/ˌɪm.pɹɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/noun
imprecation is spelled I-M-P-R-E-C-A-T-I-O-N: 11 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 45 million words in written English, the 206,808th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, imprecation means “The act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone; a prayer that a curse or calamity may befall someone” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of imprecation is imprecations.
How many letters and syllables are in imprecation?
| Letters | 11: I-M-P-R-E-C-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 45 million words; the 206,808th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is imprecation?
Imprecation appears about once in every 45 million words in written English, the 206,808th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce imprecation?
- US /ˌɪm.pɹɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
- US /ˌɪm.pɹəˈkeɪ.ʃən/
Imprecation has 4 syllables (counted from the pronunciation).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-imprecation.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with imprecation?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as imprecation from its last stressed vowel (/eɪʃən/):
- situation
- association
- population
- administration
- operation
- organization
- application
- location
- generation
- foundation
- conversation
- investigation
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of imprecation
- imprecations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does imprecation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The act of imprecating, or invoking evil upon someone; a prayer that a curse or calamity may befall someone.
- 2
A curse.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Imprecation in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | exécrer, maudire, lancer des imprécations contre , imprécation, malédiction, exécration |
| German | Verwünschung , Fluch |
| Spanish | imprecación |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does imprecation come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin imprecātiō (“calling down of curses”), from imprecor (“call down, invoke”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).