pestilential

/ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl/

//ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl// adj

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

"pestilential" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or relating to pestilence or plague.

Key facts for pestilential
PropertyValue
Headwordpestilential
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl/
Letters12
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pestilential” sits in English frequency

pestilential 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.

Rare enough to double-check

pestilential is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for pestilential in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin pestilentialis, from pestilentia. The correct English form is pestilential, spelled P-E-S-T-I-L-E-N-T-I-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or relating to pestilence or plague.
  2. 2
    Of or relating to pestilence or plague.
  3. 3
    Of or relating to pestilence or plague.
  4. 4
    Of or relating to pestilence or plague.
  5. 5
    Having a harmful moral effect (especially one that is believed to spread in the manner of pestilence).
  6. 6
    Causing irritation or annoyance.

Etymology

From Latin pestilentialis, from pestilentia.

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 "pestilential"?
"pestilential" is spelled P-E-S-T-I-L-E-N-T-I-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl/.
What does "pestilential" mean?
As an adjective, "pestilential" means: Of or relating to pestilence or plague.
How do you pronounce "pestilential"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pestilential" is /ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl/. 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 "pestilential"?
From Latin pestilentialis, from pestilentia. 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 “pestilential”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-E-S-T-I-L-E-N-T-I-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌpɛstɪˈlɛnʃi.əl/ (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