indeterminate

/ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/

//ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət// adj

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

"indeterminate" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“indeterminate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #33,684 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#33,684
frequency rank, English
13
letters
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not accurately determined or determinable.

Key facts for indeterminate
PropertyValue
Headwordindeterminate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/
Letters13
Frequency rank#33,684
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “indeterminate” 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). indeterminate 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 indeterminate is 13 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/. Corpus data places it at rank #33,684 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for indeterminate, with forms such as "idneterminate", "inddeterminate", and "indeetrminate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, leaving phoneme-to-grapheme mapping as the best guide to its spelling rather than a borrowing history. The correct English form is indeterminate, spelled I-N-D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not accurately determined or determinable.
  2. 2
    Imprecise or vague.
  3. 3
    Not definitively or precisely determined, because of the presence of infinity or zero symbols used in any of several improper combinations.
  4. 4
    With no genetically defined end, and thus theoretically limitless.
  5. 5
    Not topped with some form of terminal bud.
  6. 6
    Intersex.
  7. 7
    Designed to allow the incorporation of future changes whose nature is not yet known.

Synonyms

indeterminant

Antonyms

determinate

This word in other languages

indeterminado(Español)indéterminé(Français)unbestimmt(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: idneterminate,inddeterminate,indeetrminate,indetemrinate,indeterimnate,indetermiante,indeterminaet,indeterminatte,indeterminnate,indetermintae,indetermminate,indetermniate,indeterrminate,indetreminate,indetterminate,indteerminate,inedterminate,inndeterminate,nideterminate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of indeterminate - 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.

idneterminate2inddeterminate1indeetrminate2indetemrinate2indeterimnate2indetermiante2indeterminaet2indeterminatte1
Edit distance from "indeterminate"

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 "indeterminate"?
"indeterminate" is spelled I-N-D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/.
What does "indeterminate" mean?
As an adjective, "indeterminate" means: Not accurately determined or determinable.
What are common misspellings of "indeterminate"?
Common misspellings include "idneterminate", "inddeterminate", "indeetrminate", "indetemrinate", "indeterimnate". The correct spelling is "indeterminate".
How do you pronounce "indeterminate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "indeterminate" is /ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "indeterminate" come from?
"indeterminate" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “indeterminate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪndɪˈtɜː(ɹ)mɪnət/ (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