inelastic

Name: inelastic, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/

//ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk// adj

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“inelastic” is an uncommon English word, ranked #59,466 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#59,466
frequency rank, English: 9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Lacking elasticity; inflexible, unyielding.

Key facts for inelastic
Property	Value
Headword	inelastic
Language	English
Part of speech	Adjective
IPA	/ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/
Letters	9
Frequency rank	#59,466
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “inelastic” 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). inelastic lands here:

#59,466

#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 inelastic is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/. Corpus data places it at rank #59,466 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for inelastic, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From in- + elastic. The correct English form is inelastic, spelled I-N-E-L-A-S-T-I-C.

Definition

1
Lacking elasticity; inflexible, unyielding.
2
Insensitive to changes in price.
3
Resistant to swings during elections; predictable.

Etymology

From in- + elastic.

This word in other languages

inélastique(Français)

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 "inelastic"?

"inelastic" is spelled I-N-E-L-A-S-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/.

What does "inelastic" mean?

As an adjective, "inelastic" means: Lacking elasticity; inflexible, unyielding.

How do you pronounce "inelastic"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "inelastic" is /ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/. 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 "inelastic"?

From in- + elastic. 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 “inelastic”

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

The one correct English spelling is I-N-E-L-A-S-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˌɪnəˈlæstɪk/ (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.