proliferate

/pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt/

//pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“proliferate” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,350. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,350
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To increase in number or spread rapidly; to multiply.

Corpus desk

Index EN-proliferate · proliferate · English

proliferate · rank #42,350 · 16 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #42,350
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH profitably

Nearest frequency peer: profitably (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “proliferate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “proliferate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for proliferate
PropertyValue
Headwordproliferate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#42,350
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “proliferate”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).proliferatelands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “profitably” (#42,349), “propagandist” (#42,351), “Priestley” (#42,348). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “proliferate” is #42,350. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around proliferate (IPA /pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #42,350 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Dominant gloss: "To increase in number or spread rapidly; to multiply.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for proliferate, with forms such as "porliferate", "pproliferate", and "prloiferate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Back-formation from proliferation. The correct English form is proliferate, spelled P-R-O-L-I-F-E-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To increase in number or spread rapidly; to multiply.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The flowers proliferated rapidly all spring.
  2. When no certain cure exists, quack remedies tend to proliferate and the history of quackery and secret cures is full of extraordinary forms of treatment for the various arthritic disorders.

Etymology

Back-formation from proliferation.

This word in other languages

proliferar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • porliferate
  • pproliferate
  • prloiferate
  • proilferate
  • prolfierate
  • proliefrate
  • prolifearte
  • proliferaet
  • proliferatte
  • proliferrate
  • prolifertae
  • prolifferate
  • prolifreate
  • prolliferate
  • prroliferate
  • rpoliferate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of proliferate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

porliferate2pproliferate1prloiferate2proilferate2prolfierate2proliefrate2prolifearte2proliferaet2
Edit distance from "proliferate"

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 "proliferate"?
"proliferate" is spelled P-R-O-L-I-F-E-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt/.
What does "proliferate" mean?
As a verb, "proliferate" means: To increase in number or spread rapidly; to multiply.
What are common misspellings of "proliferate"?
Common misspellings include "porliferate", "pproliferate", "prloiferate", "proilferate", "prolfierate". The correct spelling is "proliferate".
How do you pronounce "proliferate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "proliferate" is /pɹəˈlɪf.əɹ.eɪt/. 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 "proliferate"?
Back-formation from proliferation. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "proliferate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

personalize#42,333patronising#42,325requisition#42,375pandemonium#42,323

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

profitably16 variantspersonable16 variantsmothership16 variantssupersport16 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list