replicate

/ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt/

//ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“replicate” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,004. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,004
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make a copy (replica) of.

Corpus desk

Index EN-replicate · replicate · English

replicate · rank #14,004 · 13 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #14,004
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH repairing

Nearest frequency peer: repairing (-2 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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “replicate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “replicate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

replicate vs replica
78% similar
replicate vs relocate
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for replicate
PropertyValue
Headwordreplicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#14,004
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “replicate”

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).replicatelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “repairing” (#14,002), “retaliation” (#14,006), “regulating” (#14,001). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “replicate” is #14,004. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around replicate (IPA /ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #14,004 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for replicate, with forms such as "erplicate", "relpicate", and "repilcate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "replica", "relocate", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin replicātus, past participle of replicāre (“to fold or bend back; reply”), from re (“back”) + plicāre (“to fold”); see ply. Doublet of reply and replica. The correct English form is replicate, spelled R-E-P-L-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make a copy (replica) of.
  2. 2
    To repeat (an experiment or trial) with a consistent result.
  3. 3
    To reply.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. On entering a host cell, a virus will start to replicate.
  2. It is the Northern portals that are most interesting. The earlier structure was given the romantic, grotto-like feature of a tower with windows. When expanded (circa 1893), the engineers chose to replicate that design, seemingly extending the castle further.

Etymology

From Latin replicātus, past participle of replicāre (“to fold or bend back; reply”), from re (“back”) + plicāre (“to fold”); see ply. Doublet of reply and replica.

This word in other languages

replicar(Español)répliquer(Français)replicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erplicate
  • relpicate
  • repilcate
  • replciate
  • repliacte
  • replicaet
  • replicatte
  • repliccate
  • replictae
  • repllicate
  • repplicate
  • rpelicate
  • rreplicate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of replicate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

erplicate2relpicate2repilcate2replciate2repliacte2replicaet2replicatte1repliccate1
Edit distance from "replicate"

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 "replicate"?
"replicate" is spelled R-E-P-L-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt/.
What does "replicate" mean?
As a verb, "replicate" means: To make a copy (replica) of.
What words are commonly confused with "replicate"?
"replicate" is commonly confused with "replica", "relocate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "replicate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "replicate" is /ˈɹɛplɪkeɪt/. 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 "replicate"?
From Latin replicātus, past participle of replicāre (“to fold or bend back; reply”), from re (“back”) + plicāre (“to fold”); see ply. Doublet of reply and replica. 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 "replicate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

repairing#14,002safeguard#14,013portrayal#13,987plaintiff#13,982

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

penetrate13 variantsmystical13 variantsmeltdown13 variantsavoidance13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list