intricate

/ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/

//ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət// adj

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

"intricate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“intricate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,937 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#13,937
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

intricate vs intricately
82% similar
intricate vs indicate
78% similar
intricate vs intimate
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for intricate
PropertyValue
Headwordintricate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/
Letters9
Frequency rank#13,937
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “intricate” 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). intricate 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 intricate is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,937 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for intricate, with forms such as "inntricate", "inrticate", and "intircate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "intricately", "indicate", "intimate", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English intricat(e) (“entangled, intricate”), from Latin intrīcātus, perfect passive participle of intricō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). The correct English form is intricate, spelled I-N-T-R-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.
  2. 2
    Difficult to disentangle, puzzle apart, or resolve; enigmatic, obscure.

Etymology

From Middle English intricat(e) (“entangled, intricate”), from Latin intrīcātus, perfect passive participle of intricō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

This word in other languages

intrincado(Español)intriqué(Français)aufwendig(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inntricate,inrticate,intircate,intrciate,intriacte,intricaet,intricatte,intriccate,intrictae,intrricate,inttricate,itnricate,nitricate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

inntricate1inrticate2intircate2intrciate2intriacte2intricaet2intricatte1intriccate1
Edit distance from "intricate"

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 "intricate"?
"intricate" is spelled I-N-T-R-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/.
What does "intricate" mean?
As an adjective, "intricate" means: Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.
What words are commonly confused with "intricate"?
"intricate" is commonly confused with "intricately", "indicate", "intimate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "intricate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intricate" is /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/. 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 "intricate"?
From Middle English intricat(e) (“entangled, intricate”), from Latin intrīcātus, perfect passive participle of intricō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). 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 “intricate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-T-R-I-C-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɪn.tɹɪ.kət/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “intricately” - see the side-by-side comparison. intricate vs intricately
  • 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