libertine

/ˈlɪb.ə.tiːn/

//ˈlɪb.ə.tiːn// noun

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

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

The verdict

“libertine” is uncommon English (frequency #52,457 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,457
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Someone freed from slavery in Ancient Rome; a freedman.

Corpus desk

Index EN-libertine · libertine · English

libertine · rank #52,457 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #52,457
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH Liaoning

Nearest frequency peer: Liaoning (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “libertine”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for libertine
PropertyValue
Headwordlibertine
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlɪb.ə.tiːn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#52,457
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “libertine” 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).libertinefalls 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: “Liaoning” (#52,456), “liaise” (#52,455), “lich” (#52,459). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “libertine” is #52,457. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

libertine is uncommon English at frequency #52,457 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈlɪb.ə.tiːn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Someone freed from slavery in Ancient Rome; a freedman.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for libertine in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin libertinus (“a freedman, prop. adj., of or belonging to the condition of a freedman”), from libertus (“a freedman”), from liber (“free”); see liberal, liberate. The correct English form is libertine, spelled L-I-B-E-R-T-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone freed from slavery in Ancient Rome; a freedman.

Etymology

From Latin libertinus (“a freedman, prop. adj., of or belonging to the condition of a freedman”), from libertus (“a freedman”), from liber (“free”); see liberal, liberate.

Synonyms

adultererbed-hoppercarpetmongerchambererdebaucheedebaucherfornicatorgallantlecherlewdsterlibertinehood ratphilandererrakerantipolerizzlerrouéplayerseducervoluptuarywanton

Antonyms

celibatecelibatistmonogamistvirgin

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 "libertine"?
"libertine" is spelled L-I-B-E-R-T-I-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɪb.ə.tiːn/.
What does "libertine" mean?
As a noun, "libertine" means: Someone freed from slavery in Ancient Rome; a freedman.
How do you pronounce "libertine"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "libertine" is /ˈlɪb.ə.tiːn/. 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 "libertine"?
From Latin libertinus (“a freedman, prop. adj., of or belonging to the condition of a freedman”), from libertus (“a freedman”), from liber (“free”); see liberal, liberate. 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 "libertine", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

leasehold#52,449Llandudno#52,465merriment#52,488misbehave#52,493

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list