prodigality

/ˌprɒdɪˈɡælɪti/

//ˌprɒdɪˈɡælɪti// noun

"prodigality" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Wasteful extravagance.

Corpus desk

Index EN-prodigality · prodigality · English

prodigality · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "P" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for prodigality
PropertyValue
Headwordprodigality
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌprɒdɪˈɡælɪti/
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “prodigality” in English

prodigalityranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

prodigality is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌprɒdɪˈɡælɪti/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for prodigality, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. 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 prodigal + -ity, from Old French prodigalite, from Late Latin prodigalitas. The correct English form is prodigality, spelled P-R-O-D-I-G-A-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Wasteful extravagance.
  2. 2
    Lavish generosity.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how prodigality appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The plain where he was riding was one immense thicket of the gum cistus, whose frail white leaves, just veined with the faintest pink, fell in showers at the least movement of the passer-by. What a prodigality of blossom!—for the gum cistus, born and withered in an hour, is the most ephemeral of flowers.
  2. Mother[…]considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom, from which every Kensingtonian held aloof, except on the conventional tip-and-run excursions in pursuit of shopping, tea and theatres.

Etymology

From prodigal + -ity, from Old French prodigalite, from Late Latin prodigalitas.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

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 "prodigality"?
"prodigality" is spelled P-R-O-D-I-G-A-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌprɒdɪˈɡælɪti/.
What does "prodigality" mean?
As a noun, "prodigality" means: Wasteful extravagance.
How do you pronounce "prodigality"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "prodigality" is /ˌprɒdɪˈɡælɪti/. 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 "prodigality"?
From prodigal + -ity, from Old French prodigalite, from Late Latin prodigalitas. 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.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list