phthisic
/ˈ(f)θɪzɪk/
"phthisic" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“phthisic” 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
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A wasting illness of the lungs, such as asthma or tuberculosis; consumption; phthisis.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | phthisic |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈ(f)θɪzɪk/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “phthisic” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for phthisic is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈ(f)θɪzɪk/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
phthisic has no tracked misspelling variants, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English tisike, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin phthisicus (“suffering from tuberculosis”), from Ancient Greek φθισικός (phthisikós, “consumptive”), from φθίσις (phthísis, “tuberculosis, consumption”). The correct English form is phthisic, spelled P-H-T-H-I-S-I-C.
Definition
- 1A wasting illness of the lungs, such as asthma or tuberculosis; consumption; phthisis.
- 2Any wasting disease.
- 3A person suffering from phthisis.
- 4Any wasting or shrinking of another body part such as, for example, the eye (phthisis bulbi).
Etymology
From Middle English tisike, from Anglo-Norman, from Latin phthisicus (“suffering from tuberculosis”), from Ancient Greek φθισικός (phthisikós, “consumptive”), from φθίσις (phthísis, “tuberculosis, consumption”).
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
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Using “phthisic”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is P-H-T-H-I-S-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈ(f)θɪzɪk/ (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.