peremptory
/pəˈɹɛmptəɹi/adjective, noun
peremptory is spelled P-E-R-E-M-P-T-O-R-Y: 10 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 8 million words in written English, the 86,301st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, peremptory means “Precluding debate or expostulation; not admitting of question or appeal” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in peremptory?
| Letters | 10: P-E-R-E-M-P-T-O-R-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 8 million words; the 86,301st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
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); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is peremptory?
Peremptory appears about once in every 8 million words in written English, the 86,301st 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 peremptory?
- UK /pəˈɹɛmptəɹi/
Peremptory has 4 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-peremptory.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with peremptory?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as peremptory (/ɛmptəɹi/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: preemptory.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of peremptory
- more peremptory comparative
- most peremptory superlative
- peremptories plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does peremptory mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Precluding debate or expostulation; not admitting of question or appeal.
- 2
Of a date or deadline, absolutely requiring compliance or attendance; brooking no further delay; proceeding whether a party attends or not; final.
As this trial has now been postponed multiple times, there will be an adjournment to April 24, peremptory on the parties.
- 3
Positive in opinion or judgment; absolutely certain, overconfident, unwilling to hear any debate or argument (especially in a pejorative sense); dogmatic.
- 4
obsoleteFirmly determined, resolute; obstinate, stubborn.
- 5
Accepting no refusal or disagreement; imperious, dictatorial.
noun
- 1
A challenge to the admission of a juror, without the challenger needing to show good cause.
Each side was allowed 20 peremptories, and the prosecution used 18 of its allotment.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Peremptory in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | irréfutable, sans appel, péremptoire , impérieux, autoritaire |
| German | unabweisbar, entschieden |
| Portuguese | irrefutável |
| Spanish | irrefutable, irrebatible, inapelable , imperioso, autoritario , perentorio |
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 peremptory come from?
From Anglo-Norman peremptorie, parentorie et al. (Modern French péremptoire), and its source, Latin peremptōrius (“deadly; precluding debate, decisive”), from perimō (“destroy, thwart”), from per- (“thorough”) + emō (“to obtain, buy”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).