past participle

/ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl/

//ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl// noun

"past-participle" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“past participle” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A participle indicating a completed action or state.

Key facts for past participle
PropertyValue
Headwordpast participle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl/
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “past participle” sits in English frequency

past participle falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for past participle is 15 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A participle indicating a completed action or state.".

past participle has no tracked misspelling variants, 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.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is past participle, spelled P-A-S-T- -P-A-R-T-I-C-I-P-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A participle indicating a completed action or state.

Synonyms

perfect participle

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 "past participle"?
"past participle" is spelled P-A-S-T- -P-A-R-T-I-C-I-P-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl/.
What does "past participle" mean?
As a noun, "past participle" means: A participle indicating a completed action or state.
How do you pronounce "past participle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "past participle" is /ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "past participle" come from?
"past participle" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “past participle”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-A-S-T- -P-A-R-T-I-C-I-P-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpæst pɑː(ɹ)ˈtɪsɪpəl/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list