relict

/ˈɹɛlɪkt/

//ˈɹɛlɪkt// noun

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

"relict" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“relict” is uncommon English (frequency #79,004 among 3,094 “R” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#79,004
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something that, or someone who, survives or remains or is left over after the loss of others; a relic.

Corpus desk

Index EN-relict · relict · English

relict · rank #79,004 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #79,004
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH Renaldo

Nearest frequency peer: Renaldo (+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 “relict”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for relict
PropertyValue
Headwordrelict
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɛlɪkt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#79,004
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “relict” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).relictfalls 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: “Renaldo” (#79,005), “renate” (#79,006), “reproached” (#79,007). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “relict” is #79,004. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

relict is uncommon English at frequency #79,004 among 3,094 “R” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɹɛlɪkt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

relict doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English relicte (“widow”), from Middle French relicte (“widow”), from Late Latin relicta (“widow”), from Latin relictus, past participle of relinquō (“I abandon, I relinquish, I leave (behind)”), from re- + linquō (“I leave, quit, fors… The correct English form is relict, spelled R-E-L-I-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that, or someone who, survives or remains or is left over after the loss of others; a relic.
  2. 2
    Something that, or someone who, survives or remains or is left over after the loss of others; a relic.
  3. 3
    Something that, or someone who, survives or remains or is left over after the loss of others; a relic.
  4. 4
    Something that, or someone who, survives or remains or is left over after the loss of others; a relic.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Upon which the Chancellor, by way of note said, 'it is suggested, that there is a relict of the deceased, married to another man, who has joined her in a power of attorney to authorize the sale of her interest, […]'
  2. But I am not the penniless nonentity I was when we first met; I can offer an honorable if not a brilliant marriage; and at the very lowest I can provide my wife – my widow, my relict – with a decent competence, an assured future.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English relicte (“widow”), from Middle French relicte (“widow”), from Late Latin relicta (“widow”), from Latin relictus, past participle of relinquō (“I abandon, I relinquish, I leave (behind)”), from re- + linquō (“I leave, quit, forsake, depart from”). Doublet of relic, derelict, and relinquish.

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 "relict"?
"relict" is spelled R-E-L-I-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛlɪkt/.
What does "relict" mean?
As a noun, "relict" means: Something that, or someone who, survives or remains or is left over after the loss of others; a relic.
How do you pronounce "relict"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "relict" is /ˈɹɛlɪkt/. 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 "relict"?
Inherited from Middle English relicte (“widow”), from Middle French relicte (“widow”), from Late Latin relicta (“widow”), from Latin relictus, past participle of relinquō (“I abandon, I relinquish, I leave (behind)”), from re- + linquō (“I leave, ... 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 "relict", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

renate#79,006Rohrer#79,017sallow#79,035qualia#78,972

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list