marquetry

/ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/

//ˈmɑːkɪtɹi// noun

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

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

The verdict

“marquetry” is uncommon English (frequency #89,605 among 36,575 “M” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#89,605
frequency rank, English
36,575
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A decorative technique in which veneers of wood, ivory, metal etc. are inlaid into a wooden surface to form intricate designs.

Key facts for marquetry
PropertyValue
Headwordmarquetry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/
Letters9
Frequency rank#89,605
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “marquetry” 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). marquetry 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

marquetry is uncommon English at frequency #89,605 among 36,575 “M” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for marquetry, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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 Middle French marqueterie. The correct English form is marquetry, spelled M-A-R-Q-U-E-T-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A decorative technique in which veneers of wood, ivory, metal etc. are inlaid into a wooden surface to form intricate designs.
  2. 2
    An example of this work.

Etymology

From Middle French marqueterie.

This word in other languages

marqueterie(Français)

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 "marquetry"?
"marquetry" is spelled M-A-R-Q-U-E-T-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/.
What does "marquetry" mean?
As a noun, "marquetry" means: A decorative technique in which veneers of wood, ivory, metal etc. are inlaid into a wooden surface to form intricate designs.
How do you pronounce "marquetry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "marquetry" is /ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/. 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 "marquetry"?
From Middle French marqueterie. 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 “marquetry”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-R-Q-U-E-T-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmɑːkɪtɹi/ (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