perpendicular

/ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/

//ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"perpendicular" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“perpendicular” has 20 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,935. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,935
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - At or forming a right angle (to something).

Corpus desk

Index EN-perpendicular · perpendicular · English

perpendicular · rank #19,935 · 20 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #19,935
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 20 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH perch

Nearest frequency peer: perch (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “perpendicular”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “perpendicular” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for perpendicular
PropertyValue
Headwordperpendicular
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/
Letters13
Frequency rank#19,935
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “perpendicular”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).perpendicularlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “perch” (#19,934), “physique” (#19,936), “pediatrics” (#19,933). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “perpendicular” is #19,935. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around perpendicular (IPA /ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #19,935 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for perpendicular, with forms such as "eprpendicular", "peprendicular", and "perepndicular". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Derived from Middle French perpendiculaire, from Old French perpendiculer, from Latin perpendiculum (“plumb line”). The correct English form is perpendicular, spelled P-E-R-P-E-N-D-I-C-U-L-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    At or forming a right angle (to something).
  2. 2
    Exactly upright; extending in a straight line toward the centre of the earth, etc.
  3. 3
    Independent of or irrelevant to each other; orthogonal.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In most houses, the walls are perpendicular to the floor.
  2. A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place. Applying a force tangential to the knob is essentially equivalent to applying one perpendicular to a radial line defining the lever.

Etymology

Derived from Middle French perpendiculaire, from Old French perpendiculer, from Latin perpendiculum (“plumb line”).

This word in other languages

perpendicular(Español)perpendiculaire(Français)rechtwinklig(Deutsch)perpendicular(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eprpendicular
  • peprendicular
  • perepndicular
  • perpednicular
  • perpendciular
  • perpenddicular
  • perpendiccular
  • perpendicluar
  • perpendicualr
  • perpendicularr
  • perpendicullar
  • perpendiculra
  • perpendiuclar
  • perpenidcular
  • perpenndicular
  • perpnedicular
  • perppendicular
  • perrpendicular
  • pperpendicular
  • prependicular

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of perpendicular - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

eprpendicular2peprendicular2perepndicular2perpednicular2perpendciular2perpenddicular1perpendiccular1perpendicluar2
Edit distance from "perpendicular"

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 "perpendicular"?
"perpendicular" is spelled P-E-R-P-E-N-D-I-C-U-L-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/.
What does "perpendicular" mean?
As an adjective, "perpendicular" means: At or forming a right angle (to something).
What are common misspellings of "perpendicular"?
Common misspellings include "eprpendicular", "peprendicular", "perepndicular", "perpednicular", "perpendciular". The correct spelling is "perpendicular".
How do you pronounce "perpendicular"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "perpendicular" is /ˌpɜː.pənˈdɪk.jə.lə(ɹ)/. 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 "perpendicular"?
Derived from Middle French perpendiculaire, from Old French perpendiculer, from Latin perpendiculum (“plumb line”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "perpendicular", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

denominations#19,810decentralized#19,808commemoration#19,792stabilization#19,704

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (20 here; floor ≥5).

electronically20 variantspredetermined20 variantsadministering20 variantsgratification20 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list