incorrigible

/ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(ə)l/

//ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(ə)l// adj

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

"incorrigible" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incorrigible” is uncommon English (frequency #52,402 among 17,902 “I” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,402
frequency rank, English
17,902
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Defective and impossible to materially correct or set aright.

Key facts for incorrigible
PropertyValue
Headwordincorrigible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(ə)l/
Letters12
Frequency rank#52,402
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “incorrigible” 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). incorrigible lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

incorrigible is uncommon English at frequency #52,402 among 17,902 “I” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(ə)l/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

incorrigible doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English incorrigible, from Middle French incorrigible (1334), or directly from Latin incorrigibilis (“not to be corrected”), from in- (“not”) + corrigere (“to correct”) + -ibilis (“-able”), equivalent to in- + corrigible. Recorded since 1340. The correct English form is incorrigible, spelled I-N-C-O-R-R-I-G-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Defective and impossible to materially correct or set aright.
  2. 2
    Unmanageable; impervious to correction by punishment or pain.
  3. 3
    Incurably depraved; not reformable.
  4. 4
    Unchangeably established in a belief or habit.
  5. 5
    Intrinsically incapable of being corrected; impossible to disprove, by its very nature.
  6. 6
    Impossible to cure.

Etymology

From Middle English incorrigible, from Middle French incorrigible (1334), or directly from Latin incorrigibilis (“not to be corrected”), from in- (“not”) + corrigere (“to correct”) + -ibilis (“-able”), equivalent to in- + corrigible. Recorded since 1340.

Synonyms

irreparableuncorrectableirredeemableunreformablereprobatedetermineddyed-in-the-woolhopelessincurableunalterableaxiomaticunfalsifiableincurable

Antonyms

corrigiblecorrectable

This word in other languages

incorregible(Español)unverbesserbar(Deutsch)incorrigível(Português)

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 "incorrigible"?
"incorrigible" is spelled I-N-C-O-R-R-I-G-I-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(ə)l/.
What does "incorrigible" mean?
As an adjective, "incorrigible" means: Defective and impossible to materially correct or set aright.
How do you pronounce "incorrigible"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incorrigible" is /ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(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 "incorrigible"?
From Middle English incorrigible, from Middle French incorrigible (1334), or directly from Latin incorrigibilis (“not to be corrected”), from in- (“not”) + corrigere (“to correct”) + -ibilis (“-able”), equivalent to in- + corrigible. Recorded sinc... 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 “incorrigible”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-O-R-R-I-G-I-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(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

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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