interpolate

/ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/

//ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“interpolate” is uncommon English (frequency #94,997 among 17,902 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#94,997
frequency rank, English
17,902
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To introduce (something) between other things; especially to insert (possibly spurious) words into a text.

Key facts for interpolate
PropertyValue
Headwordinterpolate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#94,997
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “interpolate” 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). interpolate 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

interpolate is uncommon English at frequency #94,997 among 17,902 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for interpolate, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin interpolātus, perfect passive participle of interpolō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French interpoler. The correct English form is interpolate, spelled I-N-T-E-R-P-O-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To introduce (something) between other things; especially to insert (possibly spurious) words into a text.
  2. 2
    To estimate the value of a function between two tabulated points.
  3. 3
    During the course of processing some data, and in response to a directive in that data, to fetch data from a different source and process it in-line along with the original data.

Etymology

From Latin interpolātus, perfect passive participle of interpolō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French interpoler.

Synonyms

transclude

This word in other languages

interpoler(Français)interpolieren(Deutsch)

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 "interpolate"?
"interpolate" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-P-O-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/.
What does "interpolate" mean?
As a verb, "interpolate" means: To introduce (something) between other things; especially to insert (possibly spurious) words into a text.
How do you pronounce "interpolate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "interpolate" is /ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/. 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 "interpolate"?
From Latin interpolātus, perfect passive participle of interpolō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare French interpoler. 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 “interpolate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-T-E-R-P-O-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˈtɜː.pəˌleɪt/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list