linolenic

/ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk/

//ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk// adj

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

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

The verdict

“linolenic” is uncommon English (frequency #96,170 among 16,425 “L” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#96,170
frequency rank, English
16,425
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or pertaining to linolenic acid or its derivatives.

Key facts for linolenic
PropertyValue
Headwordlinolenic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#96,170
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “linolenic” 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). linolenic 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

linolenic is uncommon English at frequency #96,170 among 16,425 “L” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Of or pertaining to linolenic acid or its derivatives.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for linolenic in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Irregularly derived from linoleic + -ene because of the extra double bond. The correct English form is linolenic, spelled L-I-N-O-L-E-N-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to linolenic acid or its derivatives.

Etymology

Irregularly derived from linoleic + -ene because of the extra double bond.

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 "linolenic"?
"linolenic" is spelled L-I-N-O-L-E-N-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk/.
What does "linolenic" mean?
As an adjective, "linolenic" means: Of or pertaining to linolenic acid or its derivatives.
How do you pronounce "linolenic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "linolenic" is /ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk/. 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 "linolenic"?
Irregularly derived from linoleic + -ene because of the extra double bond. 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 “linolenic”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-N-O-L-E-N-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌlɪn.ə(ʊ)ˈlɛn.ɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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