pimpernel

/ˈpɪmpənɛl/

//ˈpɪmpənɛl// noun

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

"pimpernel" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“pimpernel” is uncommon English (frequency #75,300 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#75,300
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A plant of the genus Pimpinella, especially burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga).

Key facts for pimpernel
PropertyValue
Headwordpimpernel
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpɪmpənɛl/
Letters9
Frequency rank#75,300
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pimpernel” 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). pimpernel 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

pimpernel is uncommon English at frequency #75,300 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈpɪmpənɛl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

pimpernel has no tracked misspelling variants, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Anglo-Norman pimpernele et al., Middle French pimpinelle (“burnet saxifrage”) et al., from Medieval Latin pimpinella, pipinella, most likely from piper (“pepper”) because its fruit resembled peppercorns, although variants may suggest other derivations,… The correct English form is pimpernel, spelled P-I-M-P-E-R-N-E-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A plant of the genus Pimpinella, especially burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga).
  2. 2
    Any of various plants of the genus Anagallis, having small red, white or purple flowers, especially the scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis).
  3. 3
    Sanguisorba spp.
  4. 4
    Sanguisorba spp.
  5. 5
    A yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima)
  6. 6
    Someone resembling the fictional Scarlet Pimpernel; a gallant dashing resourceful man given to remarkable feats of bravery and derring-do in liberating victims of tyranny and injustice.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pimpernele et al., Middle French pimpinelle (“burnet saxifrage”) et al., from Medieval Latin pimpinella, pipinella, most likely from piper (“pepper”) because its fruit resembled peppercorns, although variants may suggest other derivations, bipinnella the bipennis (“two-winged”).

This word in other languages

murajes(Español)mouron(Français)Gauchheil(Deutsch)morrião(Português)

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 "pimpernel"?
"pimpernel" is spelled P-I-M-P-E-R-N-E-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɪmpənɛl/.
What does "pimpernel" mean?
As a noun, "pimpernel" means: A plant of the genus Pimpinella, especially burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga).
How do you pronounce "pimpernel"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pimpernel" is /ˈpɪmpənɛl/. 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 "pimpernel"?
From Anglo-Norman pimpernele et al., Middle French pimpinelle (“burnet saxifrage”) et al., from Medieval Latin pimpinella, pipinella, most likely from piper (“pepper”) because its fruit resembled peppercorns, although variants may suggest other de... 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 “pimpernel”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-I-M-P-E-R-N-E-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɪmpənɛl/ (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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list