make up

/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/

//ˌmeɪk ˈʌp// verb

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

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

The verdict

“make up” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To constitute, to compose.

Corpus desk

Index EN-make-up · make up · English

make up · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "M" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for make up
PropertyValue
Headwordmake up
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “make up” in English

make upfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

make up is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 18 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for make up, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English maken up, equivalent to make + up (adverb). The correct English form is make up, spelled M-A-K-E- -U-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To constitute, to compose.
  2. 2
    To constitute, to compose.
  3. 3
    To compensate, to fill in, to catch up.
  4. 4
    To compensate, to fill in, to catch up.
  5. 5
    To invent, to imagine, to concoct
  6. 6
    To invent, to imagine, to concoct
  7. 7
    To assemble, to prepare.
  8. 8
    To assemble, to prepare.
  9. 9
    To assemble, to prepare.
  10. 10
    To apply cosmetics.
  11. 11
    To apply cosmetics.
  12. 12
    To make peace, to settle a dispute.
  13. 13
    To make peace, to settle a dispute.
  14. 14
    To arrange, to advance.
  15. 15
    To arrange, to advance.
  16. 16
    To arrange, to advance.
  17. 17
    To build, to complete.
  18. 18
    To build, to complete.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The words "dream interpretation" […] remind one of all sorts of childish, superstitious notions, which make up the thread and woof of dream books, read by none but the ignorant and the primitive.
  2. The critical component of the photosynthetic system is the water-oxidizing complex, made up of manganese atoms and a calcium atom.

Etymology

From Middle English maken up, equivalent to make + up (adverb).

This word in other languages

reponer(Español)constituer(Français)wiedergutmachen(Deutsch)compensar(Português)

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

How do you spell "make up"?
"make up" is spelled M-A-K-E- -U-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/.
What does "make up" mean?
As a verb, "make up" means: To constitute, to compose.
How do you pronounce "make up"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "make up" is /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/. 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 "make up"?
From Middle English maken up, equivalent to make + up (adverb). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list