incomprehensible

/ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/

//ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l// adj

"incomprehensible" is a 16-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incomprehensible” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,311 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#23,311
frequency rank, English
16
letters
26
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Impossible or very difficult to understand.

Key facts for incomprehensible
PropertyValue
Headwordincomprehensible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/
Letters16
Frequency rank#23,311
Misspellings tracked26
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “incomprehensible” 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). incomprehensible 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 incomprehensible is 16 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,311 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 26 likely wrong-spelling variants for incomprehensible, with forms such as "icnomprehensible", "inccomprehensible", and "incmoprehensible". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French incomprehensible, from Latin incomprehensibilis. Equivalent to in- + comprehensible. The correct English form is incomprehensible, spelled I-N-C-O-M-P-R-E-H-E-N-S-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Impossible or very difficult to understand.
  2. 2
    Which cannot be contained; boundless, infinite.

Etymology

From Middle French incomprehensible, from Latin incomprehensibilis. Equivalent to in- + comprehensible.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: icnomprehensible,inccomprehensible,incmoprehensible,incommprehensible,incomperhensible,incompprehensible,incompreehnsible,incomprehenisble,incomprehennsible,incomprehensable,incomprehensbile,incomprehensibble,incomprehensibel,incomprehensiblle,incomprehensilbe,incomprehenssible,incomprehesnible,incomprehhensible,incomprehnesible,incomprheensible,incomprrehensible,incomrpehensible,incopmrehensible,inncomprehensible,inocmprehensible,nicomprehensible

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of incomprehensible - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

icnomprehensible2inccomprehensible1incmoprehensible2incommprehensible1incomperhensible2incompprehensible1incompreehnsible2incomprehenisble2
Edit distance from "incomprehensible"

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 "incomprehensible"?
"incomprehensible" is spelled I-N-C-O-M-P-R-E-H-E-N-S-I-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/.
What does "incomprehensible" mean?
As an adjective, "incomprehensible" means: Impossible or very difficult to understand.
What are common misspellings of "incomprehensible"?
Common misspellings include "icnomprehensible", "inccomprehensible", "incmoprehensible", "incommprehensible", "incomperhensible". The correct spelling is "incomprehensible".
How do you pronounce "incomprehensible"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incomprehensible" is /ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/. 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 "incomprehensible"?
From Middle French incomprehensible, from Latin incomprehensibilis. Equivalent to in- + comprehensible. 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 “incomprehensible”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-O-M-P-R-E-H-E-N-S-I-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˌkɒmpɹɪˈhɛnsɪb(ə)l/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list