laterite

/ˈlatəɹʌɪt/

//ˈlatəɹʌɪt// noun

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

"laterite" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“laterite” is uncommon English (frequency #81,493 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#81,493
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A red hard or gravel-like soil or subsoil formed in the tropics that has been leached of soluble minerals leaving insoluble iron and aluminium oxides and hydroxides; used to make bricks and roads.

Corpus desk

Index EN-laterite · laterite · English

laterite · rank #81,493 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #81,493
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH lacrimal

Nearest frequency peer: lacrimal (-4 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.

Long-tail ranks near “laterite”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “laterite” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for laterite
PropertyValue
Headwordlaterite
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlatəɹʌɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#81,493
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “laterite” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).lateritefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “lacrimal” (#81,489), “lackland” (#81,488), “legalese” (#81,500). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “laterite” is #81,493. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

laterite is uncommon English at frequency #81,493 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈlatəɹʌɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A red hard or gravel-like soil or subsoil formed in the tropics that has been leached of soluble minerals leaving insoluble iron and aluminium oxides and hydroxides; used to make bricks and roads.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for laterite, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin later (“brick”) + -ite. The correct English form is laterite, spelled L-A-T-E-R-I-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A red hard or gravel-like soil or subsoil formed in the tropics that has been leached of soluble minerals leaving insoluble iron and aluminium oxides and hydroxides; used to make bricks and roads.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Although the track is ballasted, it does not prevent clouds of reddish dust from the laterite soil blowing about when the train is in motion; after a journey with the windows open a bath is a necessity!
  2. Constant tropical rain makes a mush of hard old lavas. The end product is a brick red soil called laterite.

Etymology

From Latin later (“brick”) + -ite.

Synonyms

murram

This word in other languages

latérite(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 "laterite"?
"laterite" is spelled L-A-T-E-R-I-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlatəɹʌɪt/.
What does "laterite" mean?
As a noun, "laterite" means: A red hard or gravel-like soil or subsoil formed in the tropics that has been leached of soluble minerals leaving insoluble iron and aluminium oxides and hydroxides; used to make bricks and roads.
How do you pronounce "laterite"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "laterite" is /ˈlatəɹʌɪt/. 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 "laterite"?
From Latin later (“brick”) + -ite. 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 "laterite", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

lacrimal#81,489lackland#81,488legalese#81,500lethally#81,503

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list