oscillate

/ˈɑsɪleɪt/

//ˈɑsɪleɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“oscillate” is uncommon English (frequency #58,254 among 15,494 “O” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#58,254
frequency rank, English
15,494
“O” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.

Key facts for oscillate
PropertyValue
Headwordoscillate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɑsɪleɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#58,254
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “oscillate” 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). oscillate 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

oscillate is uncommon English at frequency #58,254 among 15,494 “O” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈɑsɪleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for oscillate in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1726; borrowed from Latin ōscillātus, perfect passive participle of Latin ōscillō (“to swing”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ōscillum (“a swing”), usually identified with ōscillum (“a little face or mask hung on a tree that sways … The correct English form is oscillate, spelled O-S-C-I-L-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.
  2. 2
    To vacillate between conflicting opinions, etc.
  3. 3
    To vary above and below a mean value.

Etymology

First attested in 1726; borrowed from Latin ōscillātus, perfect passive participle of Latin ōscillō (“to swing”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ōscillum (“a swing”), usually identified with ōscillum (“a little face or mask hung on a tree that sways with the wind”), diminutive of ōs (“mouth, face”). Doublet of osculate.

Synonyms

vacillate

This word in other languages

oscilar(Español)osciller(Français)schwingen(Deutsch)oscilar(Português)

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 "oscillate"?
"oscillate" is spelled O-S-C-I-L-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɑsɪleɪt/.
What does "oscillate" mean?
As a verb, "oscillate" means: To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.
How do you pronounce "oscillate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "oscillate" is /ˈɑsɪleɪt/. 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 "oscillate"?
First attested in 1726; borrowed from Latin ōscillātus, perfect passive participle of Latin ōscillō (“to swing”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ōscillum (“a swing”), usually identified with ōscillum (“a little face or mask hung on a tree t... 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 “oscillate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is O-S-C-I-L-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɑsɪleɪt/ (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