lustrate
/ˈlʌstɹeɪt/
"lustrate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“lustrate” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Synonym of purify, to ritually cleanse or renew, particularly to do so with a propitiatory offering or (historical) the lustration, quinquennial ritual of the Roman censor to cleanse the city after...
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | lustrate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈlʌstɹeɪt/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “lustrate” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for lustrate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlʌstɹeɪt/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
lustrate has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin lustrātus (“lustrated”), perfect passive participle of lustrō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lustrum (“ritual purification”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), q.v. In reference to imparting luster, further via senses of Middle… The correct English form is lustrate, spelled L-U-S-T-R-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1Synonym of purify, to ritually cleanse or renew, particularly to do so with a propitiatory offering or (historical) the lustration, quinquennial ritual of the Roman censor to cleanse the city after a census.
- 2Synonym of pass through, traverse.
- 3Synonym of look, look over, survey.
- 4Synonym of luster, to impart luster to, to make lustrous.
Etymology
From Latin lustrātus (“lustrated”), perfect passive participle of lustrō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lustrum (“ritual purification”) + -ō (first conjugation verb-forming suffix), q.v. In reference to imparting luster, further via senses of Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro.
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
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Using “lustrate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is L-U-S-T-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈlʌstɹeɪt/ (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
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.