precipitously

/pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li/

//pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li// adv

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

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

The verdict

“precipitously” is uncommon English (frequency #60,389 among 46,516 “P” headwords), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#60,389
frequency rank, English
46,516
“P” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a precipitous manner.

Key facts for precipitously
PropertyValue
Headwordprecipitously
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li/
Letters13
Frequency rank#60,389
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “precipitously” 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). precipitously 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

precipitously is uncommon English at frequency #60,389 among 46,516 “P” headwords, classed as anadverb, transcribed /pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for precipitously in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From precipitous + -ly. The correct English form is precipitously, spelled P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-O-U-S-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a precipitous manner.
  2. 2
    In a precipitous manner.

Etymology

From precipitous + -ly.

This word in other languages

precipitadamente(Español)abruptement(Français)unerwartet(Deutsch)abruptamente(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 "precipitously"?
"precipitously" is spelled P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-O-U-S-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li/.
What does "precipitously" mean?
As an adverb, "precipitously" means: In a precipitous manner.
How do you pronounce "precipitously"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "precipitously" is /pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li/. 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 "precipitously"?
From precipitous + -ly. 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 “precipitously”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-C-I-P-I-T-O-U-S-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pɹɪˈsɪ.pɪ.təs.li/ (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