reprisal

/ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/

//ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl// noun

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

"reprisal" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reprisal” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,261 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#34,261
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An act of retaliation.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

reprisal vs reprise
75% similar
reprisal vs retrial
75% similar

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

Key facts for reprisal
PropertyValue
Headwordreprisal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#34,261
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reprisal” 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). reprisal 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 reprisal is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #34,261 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for reprisal, with forms such as "erprisal", "repirsal", and "repprisal". 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, "reprise", "retrial", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Anglo-Norman reprisaille (French représaille), from Old Italian ripresaglia (Italian rappresaglia), from ripreso, past participle of riprendere (“to take back”), from Latin reprendere, earlier reprehendere (see reprehend). The correct English form is reprisal, spelled R-E-P-R-I-S-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    An act of retaliation.
  2. 2
    Something taken from an enemy in retaliation.
  3. 3
    The act of taking something from an enemy by way of retaliation or indemnity.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman reprisaille (French représaille), from Old Italian ripresaglia (Italian rappresaglia), from ripreso, past participle of riprendere (“to take back”), from Latin reprendere, earlier reprehendere (see reprehend).

This word in other languages

represalia(Español)représailles(Français)Vergeltungsmaßnahme(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erprisal,repirsal,repprisal,repriasl,reprisall,reprisla,reprissal,reprrisal,reprsial,rerpisal,rperisal,rreprisal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erprisal2repirsal2repprisal1repriasl2reprisall1reprisla2reprissal1reprrisal1
Edit distance from "reprisal"

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 "reprisal"?
"reprisal" is spelled R-E-P-R-I-S-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/.
What does "reprisal" mean?
As a noun, "reprisal" means: An act of retaliation.
What words are commonly confused with "reprisal"?
"reprisal" is commonly confused with "reprise", "retrial". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "reprisal"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reprisal" is /ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/. 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 "reprisal"?
From Anglo-Norman reprisaille (French représaille), from Old Italian ripresaglia (Italian rappresaglia), from ripreso, past participle of riprendere (“to take back”), from Latin reprendere, earlier reprehendere (see reprehend). 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 “reprisal”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-P-R-I-S-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈpɹaɪzəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “reprise” - see the side-by-side comparison. reprisal vs reprise
  • 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