rationale
/ˌɹæʃ.əˈnæl/noun
rationale is spelled R-A-T-I-O-N-A-L-E: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 3.4 times per million words in written English, the 14,307th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, rationale means “An explanation of the basis or fundamental reasons for something” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of rationale is rationales or rationalia.
How many letters and syllables are in rationale?
| Letters | 9: R-A-T-I-O-N-A-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.4 times per million words; the 14,307th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; 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 rationale?
Rationale appears 3.4 times per million words in written English, the 14,307th 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 rationale?
- UK /ˌɹæʃ.əˈnɑːl/
- US /ˌɹæʃ.əˈnæl/
- /ˌɹæ.ʃəˈnæ.le/
Rationale has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-rationale.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with rationale?
7 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as rationale from its last stressed vowel (/æl/):
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 rationale
- rationales plural
- rationalia plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does rationale mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An explanation of the basis or fundamental reasons for something.
- 2
A justification or rationalization for something.
- 3
rareA liturgical vestment worn by some Christian bishops of various denominations.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Rationale in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | raison , justification , rational, surhuméral |
| German | Argumentation, Begründung , Rationale, Superhumerale |
| Spanish | fundamentación, fundamento, raciocinio |
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 rationale come from?
From Late Latin ratiōnāle.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).