mandrill

/ˈmæn.dɹɪl/

//ˈmæn.dɹɪl// noun

"mandrill" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A primate, Mandrillus sphinx, with a colorful face and rump.

Corpus desk

Index EN-mandrill · mandrill · English

mandrill · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-2 2 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 mandrill
PropertyValue
Headwordmandrill
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmæn.dɹɪl/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “mandrill” in English

mandrillfalls 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

mandrill is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmæn.dɹɪl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A primate, Mandrillus sphinx, with a colorful face and rump.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for mandrill, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From man + drill (“Mandrillus leucophaeus”). The correct English form is mandrill, spelled M-A-N-D-R-I-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A primate, Mandrillus sphinx, with a colorful face and rump.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. For the Mandrills live in society, and their bands are so powerful in point of numbers, and so crafty in point of management, that they are about as formidable neighbours as could be imagined.
  2. In both mandrills and drills, males have long muzzles with pronounced maxillary ridges and long tooth rows. Like baboons, mandrills and drills have forelimbs and hindlimbs of nearly equal length.

Etymology

From man + drill (“Mandrillus leucophaeus”).

This word in other languages

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 "mandrill"?
"mandrill" is spelled M-A-N-D-R-I-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæn.dɹɪl/.
What does "mandrill" mean?
As a noun, "mandrill" means: A primate, Mandrillus sphinx, with a colorful face and rump.
How do you pronounce "mandrill"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mandrill" is /ˈmæn.dɹɪl/. 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 "mandrill"?
From man + drill (“Mandrillus leucophaeus”). 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