ponderous

/ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs/

//ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs// adj

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

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

The verdict

“ponderous” is uncommon English (frequency #55,025 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#55,025
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Heavy, massive, weighty.

Key facts for ponderous
PropertyValue
Headwordponderous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#55,025
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ponderous” 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). ponderous 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

ponderous is uncommon English at frequency #55,025 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for ponderous in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: Ultimately from Latin ponderōsus (“weighty”). The correct English form is ponderous, spelled P-O-N-D-E-R-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Heavy, massive, weighty.
  2. 2
    Serious, onerous, oppressive.
  3. 3
    Clumsy, unwieldy, or slow, especially due to weight.
  4. 4
    Dull, boring, tedious; long-winded in expression.
  5. 5
    Characterized by or associated with pondering.
  6. 6
    Dense.

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin ponderōsus (“weighty”).

Synonyms

heavymassiveoppressiveserious

This word in other languages

pesado(Español)pesant(Français)schwerfällig(Deutsch)enfadonho(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 "ponderous"?
"ponderous" is spelled P-O-N-D-E-R-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs/.
What does "ponderous" mean?
As an adjective, "ponderous" means: Heavy, massive, weighty.
How do you pronounce "ponderous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ponderous" is /ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs/. 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 "ponderous"?
Ultimately from Latin ponderōsus (“weighty”). 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 “ponderous”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-O-N-D-E-R-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɒn.dəɹ.əs/ (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