parachute
/ˈpæɹəʃut/noun, verb
parachute is spelled P-A-R-A-C-H-U-T-E: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 3.2 times per million words in written English, the 14,731st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, parachute means “A device, generally constructed from fabric, that is designed to employ air resistance to control the fall of an object or person, causing them to…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of parachute is parachutes.
How many letters and syllables are in parachute?
| Letters | 9: P-A-R-A-C-H-U-T-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.2 times per million words; the 14,731st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is parachute?
Parachute appears 3.2 times per million words in written English, the 14,731st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce parachute?
- UK /ˈpæɹəʃuːt/
- US /ˈpæɹəʃut/
- /ˈpɛɹəʃut/
Parachute has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-parachute.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of parachute
- parachutes plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- parachuting participle, present
- parachuted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does parachute mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A device, generally constructed from fabric, that is designed to employ air resistance to control the fall of an object or person, causing them to float instead of falling.
- 2
A web or fold of skin extending between the legs of gliding mammals, such as the flying squirrel and colugo.
- 3
Any of various mushrooms with broad, domed caps.
- 4
A small collar which fastens around the scrotum and from which weights can be hung.
- 5
A large sheet of fabric used in children's physical education, often colorful, with handles allowing many people to control its motion.
verb
- 1
To jump, fall, descend, etc. using such a device.
- 2
To introduce into a place using such a device.
The soldiers were parachuted behind enemy lines.
- 3
To place (somebody) in an organisation in a position of authority without their having previous experience there; used with in or into.
- 4
slangTo wrap illicit drugs in a covering before swallowing them, so that they will be released for absorption when the covering dissolves within the body.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate parachute?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of parachute: prcht.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Parachute in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | parachute |
| German | Fallschirm , Schwungtuch , mit dem Fallschirm abspringen |
| Portuguese | paraquedas |
| Spanish | paracaídas , lanzarse en paracaídas |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does parachute come from?
Borrowed from French parachute, from para- (“protection against”) (as in parasol) and chute (“fall”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).