intersectional

/ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛk.ʃə.nl̩/

//ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛk.ʃə.nl̩// adj

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

"intersectional" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intersectional” is uncommon English (frequency #52,410 among 17,902 “I” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,410
frequency rank, English
17,902
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or pertaining to an intersection, especially of multiple forms of discrimination (for example, the intersection of misogyny and racism which affects black women specifically).

Corpus desk

Index EN-intersectional · intersectional · English

intersectional · rank #52,410 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #52,410
  • LEN-MEGA 14 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 17,902
  • PHOTO-FINISH international…

Nearest frequency peer: internationalist (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “intersectional”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “intersectional” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of May 6, 2026
Key facts for intersectional
PropertyValue
Headwordintersectional
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛk.ʃə.nl̩/
Letters14
Frequency rank#52,410
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “intersectional” 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). intersectional 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

intersectional is uncommon English at frequency #52,410 among 17,902 “I” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛk.ʃə.nl̩/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for intersectional, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From intersection + -al. The correct English form is intersectional, spelled I-N-T-E-R-S-E-C-T-I-O-N-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to an intersection, especially of multiple forms of discrimination (for example, the intersection of misogyny and racism which affects black women specifically).
  2. 2
    Of or relating to intersectionalism or intersectionality.
  3. 3
    Encompassing or concerned with multiple different groups or the forms of discrimination they face (for example, inclusive of women of all races and people of color of all genders).

Etymology

From intersection + -al.

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "intersectional"?
"intersectional" is spelled I-N-T-E-R-S-E-C-T-I-O-N-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛk.ʃə.nl̩/.
What does "intersectional" mean?
As an adjective, "intersectional" means: Of or pertaining to an intersection, especially of multiple forms of discrimination (for example, the intersection of misogyny and racism which affects black women specifically).
How do you pronounce "intersectional"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intersectional" is /ˌɪn.təɹˈsɛk.ʃə.nl̩/. 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 "intersectional"?
From intersection + -al. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "intersectional", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 14 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

predestination#52,566utilitarianism#52,703unpleasantness#52,072arrondissement#52,780
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