Laodicean

/leɪədɪˈsiːən/

//leɪədɪˈsiːən// adj

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

The verdict

“Laodicean” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of or pertaining to any ancient city named Laodicea

Corpus desk

Index EN-laodicean · Laodicean · English

Laodicean · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "L" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for Laodicean
PropertyValue
HeadwordLaodicean
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/leɪədɪˈsiːən/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “Laodicean” in English

Laodiceanranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

Laodicean is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /leɪədɪˈsiːən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Laodicean, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Laodicea (name of various former cities in West Asia) + -n. The correct English form is Laodicean, spelled L-A-O-D-I-C-E-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to any ancient city named Laodicea
  2. 2
    Lukewarm, neither hot nor cold (with reference to Revelation 3:16)
  3. 3
    Half-hearted or apathetic, especially with regards to religion or politics

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how Laodicean appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The baths were mostly tiled showers, with an endless variety of spouting mechanisms, but with one definitely non-Laodicean characteristic in common, a propensity, while in use, to turn instantly beastly hot or blindingly cold upon you, depending on whether your neighbor turned on his cold or his hot to deprive you of a necessary complement in the shower y…

Etymology

From Laodicea (name of various former cities in West Asia) + -n.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Laodicean"?
"Laodicean" is spelled L-A-O-D-I-C-E-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /leɪədɪˈsiːən/.
What does "Laodicean" mean?
As an adjective, "Laodicean" means: Of or pertaining to any ancient city named Laodicea
How do you pronounce "Laodicean"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Laodicean" is /leɪədɪˈsiːən/. 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 "Laodicean"?
From Laodicea (name of various former cities in West Asia) + -n. 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list