madcap

/ˈmædkæp/

//ˈmædkæp// noun

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

"madcap" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“madcap” is uncommon English (frequency #57,540 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,540
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner.

Key facts for madcap
PropertyValue
Headwordmadcap
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmædkæp/
Letters6
Frequency rank#57,540
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “madcap” 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). madcap 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

madcap is uncommon English at frequency #57,540 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmædkæp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for madcap, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: The noun is derived from mad + cap (“(informal) head”). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun. The correct English form is madcap, spelled M-A-D-C-A-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    A person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner.
  2. 2
    A very foolish or irresponsible person; a fool, an idiot.
  3. 3
    An insane person; a lunatic.

Etymology

The noun is derived from mad + cap (“(informal) head”). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun.

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 "madcap"?
"madcap" is spelled M-A-D-C-A-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmædkæp/.
What does "madcap" mean?
As a noun, "madcap" means: A person who acts in a capricious, impulsive, or reckless manner.
How do you pronounce "madcap"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "madcap" is /ˈmædkæp/. 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 "madcap"?
The noun is derived from mad + cap (“(informal) head”). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun. 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 “madcap”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-D-C-A-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmædkæp/ (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