incarnation

/ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/

//ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"incarnation" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incarnation” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #16,731 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#16,731
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An incarnate being or form.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

incarnation vs inclination
82% similar
incarnation vs incantation
82% similar

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

Key facts for incarnation
PropertyValue
Headwordincarnation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#16,731
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “incarnation” 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). incarnation 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 incarnation is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #16,731 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for incarnation, with forms such as "icnarnation", "inacrnation", and "incanration". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "inclination", "incantation", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English incarnacion, borrowed from Old French incarnacion, from Medieval Latin, Ecclesiastical Latin incarnatio, from Late Latin incarnari (“to be made flesh”). The correct English form is incarnation, spelled I-N-C-A-R-N-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An incarnate being or form.
  2. 2
    A version or iteration (of something).
  3. 3
    A living being embodying a deity or spirit.
  4. 4
    An assumption of human form or nature.
  5. 5
    A person or thing regarded as embodying or exhibiting some quality, idea, or the like.
  6. 6
    The act of incarnating.
  7. 7
    The state of being incarnated.
  8. 8
    A rosy or red colour; flesh (the colour); carnation.
  9. 9
    The process of healing wounds and filling the part with new flesh; granulation.

Etymology

From Middle English incarnacion, borrowed from Old French incarnacion, from Medieval Latin, Ecclesiastical Latin incarnatio, from Late Latin incarnari (“to be made flesh”).

This word in other languages

encarnación(Español)incarnation(Français)Verkörperung(Deutsch)encarnação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: icnarnation,inacrnation,incanration,incarantion,incarnaiton,incarnasion,incarnatino,incarnationn,incarnatoin,incarnattion,incarnnation,incarntaion,incarrnation,inccarnation,incranation,inncarnation,nicarnation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of incarnation - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

icnarnation2inacrnation2incanration2incarantion2incarnaiton2incarnasion1incarnatino2incarnationn1
Edit distance from "incarnation"

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 "incarnation"?
"incarnation" is spelled I-N-C-A-R-N-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/.
What does "incarnation" mean?
As a noun, "incarnation" means: An incarnate being or form.
What words are commonly confused with "incarnation"?
"incarnation" is commonly confused with "inclination", "incantation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "incarnation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incarnation" is /ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/. 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 "incarnation"?
From Middle English incarnacion, borrowed from Old French incarnacion, from Medieval Latin, Ecclesiastical Latin incarnatio, from Late Latin incarnari (“to be made flesh”). 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 “incarnation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-A-R-N-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪŋ.kɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “inclination” - see the side-by-side comparison. incarnation vs inclination
  • 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