parricide

/ˈpæ.ɹɪ.saɪd/

//ˈpæ.ɹɪ.saɪd// noun

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

The verdict

“parricide” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Someone who kills a relative, especially a parent.

Corpus desk

Index EN-parricide · parricide · English

parricide · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for parricide
PropertyValue
Headwordparricide
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpæ.ɹɪ.saɪd/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “parricide” in English

parricideranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

parricide is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpæ.ɹɪ.saɪd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for parricide, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French parricide, from Latin parricīda, of uncertain origin, perhaps from pār (“equal”). The correct English form is parricide, spelled P-A-R-R-I-C-I-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who kills a relative, especially a parent.
  2. 2
    Someone who commits treason.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how parricide appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I told him the reuenging Gods, / ’Gainst Paricides did all the thunder bend […]

Etymology

From Middle French parricide, from Latin parricīda, of uncertain origin, perhaps from pār (“equal”).

This word in other languages

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

How do you spell "parricide"?
"parricide" is spelled P-A-R-R-I-C-I-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpæ.ɹɪ.saɪd/.
What does "parricide" mean?
As a noun, "parricide" means: Someone who kills a relative, especially a parent.
How do you pronounce "parricide"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "parricide" is /ˈpæ.ɹɪ.saɪd/. 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 "parricide"?
From Middle French parricide, from Latin parricīda, of uncertain origin, perhaps from pār (“equal”). 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list