megrim

/ˈmiːɡɹɪm/

//ˈmiːɡɹɪm// noun

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

The verdict

“megrim” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A headache; a migraine.

Key facts for megrim
PropertyValue
Headwordmegrim
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmiːɡɹɪm/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “megrim” sits in English frequency

megrim falls 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for megrim is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmiːɡɹɪm/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for megrim in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French migraigne, semi-learned borrowing from Late Latin hēmicrānia (“pain in one half of the head”), from Ancient Greek ἡμικρᾱνίᾰ (hēmikrāníă), from ἡμι- (hēmi-, “hemi-, half”) + κρανίον (kraníon, “skull”) (whence also English cranium)… The correct English form is megrim, spelled M-E-G-R-I-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A headache; a migraine.
  2. 2
    A fancy, a whim, a caprice.
  3. 3
    See megrims (“depression; any of various diseases of animals”).

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French migraigne, semi-learned borrowing from Late Latin hēmicrānia (“pain in one half of the head”), from Ancient Greek ἡμικρᾱνίᾰ (hēmikrāníă), from ἡμι- (hēmi-, “hemi-, half”) + κρανίον (kraníon, “skull”) (whence also English cranium). Doublet of migraine and hemicrania.

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 "megrim"?
"megrim" is spelled M-E-G-R-I-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmiːɡɹɪm/.
What does "megrim" mean?
As a noun, "megrim" means: A headache; a migraine.
How do you pronounce "megrim"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "megrim" is /ˈmiːɡɹɪm/. 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 "megrim"?
Borrowed from Middle French migraigne, semi-learned borrowing from Late Latin hēmicrānia (“pain in one half of the head”), from Ancient Greek ἡμικρᾱνίᾰ (hēmikrāníă), from ἡμι- (hēmi-, “hemi-, half”) + κρανίον (kraníon, “skull”) (whence also Englis... 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 “megrim”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-E-G-R-I-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmiːɡɹɪm/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list