rancor
ran·cor/ˈɹæ̝ŋkɚ/noun
rancor is spelled R-A-N-C-O-R: 6 letters and 2 syllables (ran·cor). It appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 52,337th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, rancor means “A feeling of long-lasting ire for another, sometimes to the point of hatred, over a perceived wrongdoing; bitterness” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of rancor is rancors.
How many letters and syllables are in rancor?
| Letters | 6: R-A-N-C-O-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: ran·cor |
| In writing | about once in every 3 million words; the 52,337th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Sounds like | |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is rancor?
Rancor appears about once in every 3 million words in written English, the 52,337th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce rancor?
- UK /ˈɹæ̞ŋkə/
- US /ˈɹæ̝ŋkɚ/
- /ˈɹeɪ̯ŋkɚ/
Rancor has 2 syllables, split ran·cor in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-rancor.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vininn126-rancour.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with rancor
Sounds like: ranker (Wiktionary's homophone list; some hold only in some accents).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
What rhymes with rancor?
6 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as rancor from its last stressed vowel (/æŋkəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of rancor
- rancors plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- rancour
- rancoring participle, present
- rancored participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does rancor mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
USA feeling of long-lasting ire for another, sometimes to the point of hatred, over a perceived wrongdoing; bitterness.
I could almost see the rancor in his eyes when he challenged me to a fight.
- 2
USrareRancidity, rankness.
verb
- 1
USarchaicTo rankle or fester.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Rancor in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense the deepest malignity or spite:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | rancune, rancœur, rancœurs |
| German | Groll |
| Portuguese | rancor |
| Spanish | rencor, rancor, rencura, rancura |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does rancor come from?
First attested in the 13th century as Middle English rancour, from Old French rancor, from Latin rancor (“rancidity, grudge, rancor”), from ranceō (“to be rotten or putrid”), from which also English rancid.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).