papilla

/pəˈpɪl.ə/

//pəˈpɪl.ə// noun

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

"papilla" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“papilla” is uncommon English (frequency #99,672 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#99,672
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A nipple-like protuberance on a part or organ of the body.

Key facts for papilla
PropertyValue
Headwordpapilla
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/pəˈpɪl.ə/
Letters7
Frequency rank#99,672
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “papilla” 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). papilla 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

papilla is uncommon English at frequency #99,672 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /pəˈpɪl.ə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for papilla, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin papilla (“a nipple, teat”). The correct English form is papilla, spelled P-A-P-I-L-L-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A nipple-like protuberance on a part or organ of the body.
  2. 2
    A nipple-like protuberance on a part or organ of the body.
  3. 3
    A nipple-like protuberance on a part or organ of the body.
  4. 4
    A small fleshy projection on a plant.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin papilla (“a nipple, teat”).

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 "papilla"?
"papilla" is spelled P-A-P-I-L-L-A. The IPA pronunciation is /pəˈpɪl.ə/.
What does "papilla" mean?
As a noun, "papilla" means: A nipple-like protuberance on a part or organ of the body.
How do you pronounce "papilla"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "papilla" is /pəˈpɪl.ə/. 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 "papilla"?
Borrowed from Latin papilla (“a nipple, teat”). 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 “papilla”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-P-I-L-L-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pəˈpɪl.ə/ (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