obturate
"obturate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“obturate” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To block up or obstruct.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | obturate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “obturate” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for obturate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for obturate, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin obtūrātus, perfect passive participle of obtūrō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix). The correct English form is obturate, spelled O-B-T-U-R-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To block up or obstruct.
- 2To block up or obstruct.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin obtūrātus, perfect passive participle of obtūrō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).
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
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Using “obturate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is O-B-T-U-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- 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.