rectification

/ˌɹɛktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

//ˌɹɛktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən// noun

"rectification" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rectification” is an uncommon English word, ranked #50,185 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#50,185
frequency rank, English
13
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The action or process of rectifying.

Key facts for rectification
PropertyValue
Headwordrectification
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɹɛktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
Letters13
Frequency rank#50,185
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rectification” 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). rectification 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 rectification is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɹɛktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #50,185 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for rectification in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English rectificacioun, from Old French rectificacion, from Late Latin rectificatio. The correct English form is rectification, spelled R-E-C-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The action or process of rectifying.
  2. 2
    The determination of a straight line whose length is equal to a portion of a curve.
  3. 3
    The truncation of a polyhedron by replacing each vertex with a face that passes though the midpoint of each edge connected to the vertex; an analogous procedure on a polytope of dimension higher than 3.
  4. 4
    The adjustment of a globe preparatory to the solution of a proposed problem.
  5. 5
    Purification of a substance through repeated or continuous distillation.
  6. 6
    Any of a number of Chinese and Filipino communist purges. See rectification movement.
  7. 7
    A procedure that attempts to determine a person's time of birth based on events in their life.

Etymology

From Middle English rectificacioun, from Old French rectificacion, from Late Latin rectificatio.

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); 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 "rectification"?
"rectification" is spelled R-E-C-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɹɛktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/.
What does "rectification" mean?
As a noun, "rectification" means: The action or process of rectifying.
How do you pronounce "rectification"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rectification" is /ˌɹɛktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/. 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 "rectification"?
From Middle English rectificacioun, from Old French rectificacion, from Late Latin rectificatio. 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 “rectification”

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

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