palpitate
/ˈpælpɪteɪt/
"palpitate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“palpitate” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 9
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To beat strongly or rapidly; said especially of the heart.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | palpitate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈpælpɪteɪt/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “palpitate” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
palpitate is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈpælpɪteɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for palpitate, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin palpitō, palpitātus (“throb, pulsate, palpitate”). The correct English form is palpitate, spelled P-A-L-P-I-T-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To beat strongly or rapidly; said especially of the heart.
- 2To cause to beat strongly or rapidly.
- 3To shake tremulously
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin palpitō, palpitātus (“throb, pulsate, palpitate”).
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 “palpitate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is P-A-L-P-I-T-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈpælpɪteɪt/ (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.