Paleocene

/ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn/

//ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn// adj

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

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

The verdict

“Paleocene” is uncommon English (frequency #77,989 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#77,989
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or pertaining to the Paleocene epoch.

Key facts for Paleocene
PropertyValue
HeadwordPaleocene
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn/
Letters9
Frequency rank#77,989
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Paleocene” 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). Paleocene 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

Paleocene is uncommon English at frequency #77,989 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Of or pertaining to the Paleocene epoch.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Paleocene, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French Paléocène. Coined by French botanist Wilhelm Philippe Schimper in 1874. By surface analysis, paleo- + -cene. The correct English form is Paleocene, spelled P-A-L-E-O-C-E-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to the Paleocene epoch.

Etymology

From French Paléocène. Coined by French botanist Wilhelm Philippe Schimper in 1874. By surface analysis, paleo- + -cene.

This word in other languages

paléocène(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 "Paleocene"?
"Paleocene" is spelled P-A-L-E-O-C-E-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn/.
What does "Paleocene" mean?
As an adjective, "Paleocene" means: Of or pertaining to the Paleocene epoch.
How do you pronounce "Paleocene"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Paleocene" is /ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn/. 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 "Paleocene"?
From French Paléocène. Coined by French botanist Wilhelm Philippe Schimper in 1874. By surface analysis, paleo- + -cene. 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 “Paleocene”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-L-E-O-C-E-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌpeɪ.liː.əʊˈsiːn/ (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