impure

/ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)/

//ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)// adj

"impure" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“impure” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,840 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#30,840
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not pure

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

impure vs insure
67% similar
impure vs injure
67% similar
impure vs immune
67% similar

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

Key facts for impure
PropertyValue
Headwordimpure
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#30,840
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “impure” 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). impure 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 impure is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,840 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 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for impure, with forms such as "immpure", "imppure", and "imprue". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 9 confusable-pair relationships, "insure", "injure", "immune", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French impur, from Latin impūrus. The correct English form is impure, spelled I-M-P-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not pure
  2. 2
    Not pure
  3. 3
    Not pure
  4. 4
    Not pure

Etymology

From Middle French impur, from Latin impūrus.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: immpure,imppure,imprue,impuer,impurre,imupre,ipmure,mipure

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

immpure1imppure1imprue2impuer2impurre1imupre2ipmure2mipure2
Edit distance from "impure"

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 "impure"?
"impure" is spelled I-M-P-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)/.
What does "impure" mean?
As an adjective, "impure" means: Not pure
What words are commonly confused with "impure"?
"impure" is commonly confused with "insure", "injure", "immune". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "impure"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impure" is /ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)/. 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 "impure"?
From Middle French impur, from Latin impūrus. 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 “impure”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-M-P-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪmˈpjʊə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “insure” - see the side-by-side comparison. impure vs insure
  • 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