rectitude

/ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd/

//ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd// noun

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

"rectitude" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rectitude” is uncommon English (frequency #77,130 among 3,094 “R” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#77,130
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Straightness; the state or quality of having a constant direction and not being crooked or bent.

Corpus desk

Index EN-rectitude · rectitude · English

rectitude · rank #77,130 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #77,130
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH recordkeeping

Nearest frequency peer: recordkeeping (-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.

Long-tail ranks near “rectitude”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “rectitude” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for rectitude
PropertyValue
Headwordrectitude
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#77,130
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “rectitude” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).rectitudefalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “recordkeeping” (#77,129), “reappointment” (#77,128), “reeducation” (#77,132). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “rectitude” is #77,130. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

rectitude is uncommon English at frequency #77,130 among 3,094 “R” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for rectitude in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English rectitude, from Middle French rectitude, from Late Latin rectitūdō (“straightness, uprightness”), from Latin rectus (“straight”), perfect passive participle of regō (“regulate, guide”). The correct English form is rectitude, spelled R-E-C-T-I-T-U-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Straightness; the state or quality of having a constant direction and not being crooked or bent.
  2. 2
    The fact or quality of being right or correct; correctness of opinion or judgement.
  3. 3
    Conformity to the rules prescribed for moral conduct; (moral) uprightness, virtue.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. A consciousness of rectitude can be a terrible thing, and in those days I didn't just think that I was right: I thought that “we” (our group of International Socialists in particular) were being damn well proved right.
  2. We, therefore, the Repreſentatives of the united States of America, in General Congreſs, Aſsembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of theſe Colonies, ſolemnly publiſh and declare, That theſe United Colonies are, and of right ought to be Free and Independ…

Etymology

From Middle English rectitude, from Middle French rectitude, from Late Latin rectitūdō (“straightness, uprightness”), from Latin rectus (“straight”), perfect passive participle of regō (“regulate, guide”).

This word in other languages

rectitud(Español)rectitude(Français)retidão(Português)

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 "rectitude"?
"rectitude" is spelled R-E-C-T-I-T-U-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd/.
What does "rectitude" mean?
As a noun, "rectitude" means: Straightness; the state or quality of having a constant direction and not being crooked or bent.
How do you pronounce "rectitude"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rectitude" is /ˈɹɛk.tɪ.tjuːd/. 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 "rectitude"?
From Middle English rectitude, from Middle French rectitude, from Late Latin rectitūdō (“straightness, uprightness”), from Latin rectus (“straight”), perfect passive participle of regō (“regulate, guide”). 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 "rectitude", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

readymade#77,127quizzical#77,119replicant#77,141retractor#77,144

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list