profligate

/ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/

//ˈpɹɒflɪɡət// adj

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

"profligate" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“profligate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #61,727 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#61,727
frequency rank, English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly.

Key facts for profligate
PropertyValue
Headwordprofligate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/
Letters10
Frequency rank#61,727
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “profligate” 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). profligate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for profligate is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/. Corpus data places it at rank #61,727 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for profligate, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: The adjective is first attested in 1535, the verb in 1542; borrowed from Latin prōflīgātus, perfect passive participle of prōflīgō (“to strike down, cast down”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 an 3)), from prō- (“forward”) + flīgō (“to strike, dash”) + -ō (verb-f… The correct English form is profligate, spelled P-R-O-F-L-I-G-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly.
  2. 2
    Immoral; abandoned to vice.
  3. 3
    Profligated: routed, overcome, driven away.
  4. 4
    Overthrown, ruined.

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1535, the verb in 1542; borrowed from Latin prōflīgātus, perfect passive participle of prōflīgō (“to strike down, cast down”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 an 3)), from prō- (“forward”) + flīgō (“to strike, dash”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Common participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

This word in other languages

disoluto(Español)dépensier(Français)verschwenderisch(Deutsch)

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 "profligate"?
"profligate" is spelled P-R-O-F-L-I-G-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/.
What does "profligate" mean?
As an adjective, "profligate" means: Inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly.
How do you pronounce "profligate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "profligate" is /ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/. 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 "profligate"?
The adjective is first attested in 1535, the verb in 1542; borrowed from Latin prōflīgātus, perfect passive participle of prōflīgō (“to strike down, cast down”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 an 3)), from prō- (“forward”) + flīgō (“to strike, dash”) + ... 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 “profligate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-O-F-L-I-G-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɹɒflɪɡət/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list