impute

/ɪmˈpjuːt/

//ɪmˈpjuːt// verb

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

The verdict

“impute” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To attribute or ascribe (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source.

Corpus desk

Index EN-impute · impute · English

impute · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for impute
PropertyValue
Headwordimpute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪmˈpjuːt/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “impute” in English

imputesits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

impute is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪmˈpjuːt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for impute, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French imputer, from Latin imputō (“to bring into the reckoning, charge, impute”). The correct English form is impute, spelled I-M-P-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To attribute or ascribe (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source.
  2. 2
    To ascribe (sin or righteousness) to someone by substitution.
  3. 3
    To take into account.
  4. 4
    To attribute or credit to.
  5. 5
    To replace missing data with substituted values.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how impute appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The teacher imputed the student's failure to his nervousness.
  2. Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault, / If mem’ry o’er their tomb no trophies raise, / Where thro’ the long-drawn isle and fretted vault, / The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French imputer, from Latin imputō (“to bring into the reckoning, charge, impute”).

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 "impute"?
"impute" is spelled I-M-P-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈpjuːt/.
What does "impute" mean?
As a verb, "impute" means: To attribute or ascribe (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source.
How do you pronounce "impute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impute" is /ɪmˈpjuːt/. 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 "impute"?
Borrowed from Middle French imputer, from Latin imputō (“to bring into the reckoning, charge, impute”). 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list