reticle

/ˈɹɛtɪkəl/

//ˈɹɛtɪkəl// noun

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

"reticle" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reticle” is uncommon English (frequency #59,670 among 3,094 “R” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#59,670
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A transparent plate marked with a crosshair, grid, or scale which is used in an optical instrument, etc., to aid in alignment, counting, or measurement of objects being observed; also, the crosshai...

Corpus desk

Index EN-reticle · reticle · English

reticle · rank #59,670 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #59,670
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH respawn

Nearest frequency peer: respawn (-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 “reticle”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for reticle
PropertyValue
Headwordreticle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹɛtɪkəl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#59,670
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “reticle” 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).reticlefalls 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: “respawn” (#59,669), “repatriate” (#59,668), “reignite” (#59,665). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “reticle” is #59,670. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

reticle is uncommon English at frequency #59,670 among 3,094 “R” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈɹɛtɪkəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

reticle has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin rēticulum, diminutive of Latin rēte (“net”). Doublet of reticulum, Reticulum, and reticule. The correct English form is reticle, spelled R-E-T-I-C-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A transparent plate marked with a crosshair, grid, or scale which is used in an optical instrument, etc., to aid in alignment, counting, or measurement of objects being observed; also, the crosshair, grid, or scale on such a plate.
  2. 2
    A master or template, comprising a pattern of lines and shapes, used in photolithography to create the tiny integrated circuits on a microchip.
  3. 3
    Alternative form of reticule (“a little bag”).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Near-synonym: photomask (broadly synonymous in context)
  2. On the following day Mrs. Kent went into the bed-room; and laid a reticle, which contained the money, upon her bed; and afterwards returned into the sitting-room; leaving the door between that and the bed-room open. After she had remained in the sitting-room about five minutes, she sent Miss S. for the reticle; and it was not to be found.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin rēticulum, diminutive of Latin rēte (“net”). Doublet of reticulum, Reticulum, and reticule.

This word in other languages

retículo(Español)réticule(Français)Fadenkreuz(Deutsch)retículo(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 "reticle"?
"reticle" is spelled R-E-T-I-C-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛtɪkəl/.
What does "reticle" mean?
As a noun, "reticle" means: A transparent plate marked with a crosshair, grid, or scale which is used in an optical instrument, etc., to aid in alignment, counting, or measurement of objects being observed; also, the crosshai...
How do you pronounce "reticle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reticle" is /ˈɹɛtɪkəl/. 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 "reticle"?
Borrowed from Late Latin rēticulum, diminutive of Latin rēte (“net”). Doublet of reticulum, Reticulum, and reticule. 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 "reticle", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

respawn#59,669rhizome#59,676puncher#59,646Schuman#59,694

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list