Pema

/ˈpɛmə/

//ˈpɛmə// noun

"pema" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Pema” is uncommon English (frequency #78,006 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#78,006
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A title indicating great respect, prefixed to the names of Tibetan Buddhists.

Key facts for Pema
PropertyValue
HeadwordPema
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɛmə/
Letters4
Frequency rank#78,006
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Pema” 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). Pema 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

Pema is uncommon English at frequency #78,006 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpɛmə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A title indicating great respect, prefixed to the names of Tibetan Buddhists.".

Pema doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Tibetan པད་མ (pad ma), from Sanskrit पद्म (padma, “lotus”). Doublet of Padma. The correct English form is Pema, spelled P-E-M-A.

Definition

  1. 1
    A title indicating great respect, prefixed to the names of Tibetan Buddhists.

Etymology

Borrowed from Tibetan པད་མ (pad ma), from Sanskrit पद्म (padma, “lotus”). Doublet of Padma.

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 "Pema"?
"Pema" is spelled P-E-M-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɛmə/.
What does "Pema" mean?
As a noun, "Pema" means: A title indicating great respect, prefixed to the names of Tibetan Buddhists.
How do you pronounce "Pema"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Pema" is /ˈpɛmə/. 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 "Pema"?
Borrowed from Tibetan པད་མ (pad ma), from Sanskrit पद्म (padma, “lotus”). Doublet of Padma. 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 “Pema”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-E-M-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɛmə/ (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