menstruation
/ˌmɛnstɹuːˈeɪʃən/
"menstruation" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“menstruation” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #32,919 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #32,919
- frequency rank, English
- 12
- letters
- 19
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The periodic discharging of the menses, the flow of blood and cells from the lining of the uterus in unfertilized females of humans and other primates.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | menstruation |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌmɛnstɹuːˈeɪʃən/ |
| Letters | 12 |
| Frequency rank | #32,919 |
| Misspellings tracked | 19 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “menstruation” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for menstruation is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌmɛnstɹuːˈeɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #32,919 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for menstruation, with forms such as "emnstruation", "mennstruation", and "mensrtuation". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From menstruum + -ation, modelled after Late Latin menstruatio. The word is a cognate with French menstruation, Spanish menstruación, which displaced Old English mōnaþblōd (literally “monthblood”). The correct English form is menstruation, spelled M-E-N-S-T-R-U-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1The periodic discharging of the menses, the flow of blood and cells from the lining of the uterus in unfertilized females of humans and other primates.
- 2An instance of menstruation, the part of each month during which a fertile woman menstruates.
Etymology
From menstruum + -ation, modelled after Late Latin menstruatio. The word is a cognate with French menstruation, Spanish menstruación, which displaced Old English mōnaþblōd (literally “monthblood”).
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: emnstruation,mennstruation,mensrtuation,mensstruation,menstraution,menstrruation,menstruaiton,menstruasion,menstruatino,menstruationn,menstruatoin,menstruattion,menstrutaion,mensttruation,mensturation,mentsruation,mesntruation,mmenstruation,mnestruation
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of menstruation - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
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 "menstruation"?
What does "menstruation" mean?
What are common misspellings of "menstruation"?
How do you pronounce "menstruation"?
What is the origin of the word "menstruation"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “menstruation”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is M-E-N-S-T-R-U-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌmɛnstɹuːˈeɪʃən/ (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.