reverential

/ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl/

//ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl// adj

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

"reverential" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reverential” is uncommon English (frequency #80,814 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#80,814
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Showing or characterized by reverence; respectful.

Key facts for reverential
PropertyValue
Headwordreverential
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl/
Letters11
Frequency rank#80,814
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reverential” 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). reverential lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

reverential is uncommon English at frequency #80,814 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Showing or characterized by reverence; respectful.".

reverential doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin reverentiālis, from Latin reverentia (“reverence”) + -ālis (adjectival suffix). The correct English form is reverential, spelled R-E-V-E-R-E-N-T-I-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Showing or characterized by reverence; respectful.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin reverentiālis, from Latin reverentia (“reverence”) + -ālis (adjectival suffix).

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 "reverential"?
"reverential" is spelled R-E-V-E-R-E-N-T-I-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl/.
What does "reverential" mean?
As an adjective, "reverential" means: Showing or characterized by reverence; respectful.
How do you pronounce "reverential"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reverential" is /ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl/. 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 "reverential"?
From Medieval Latin reverentiālis, from Latin reverentia (“reverence”) + -ālis (adjectival suffix). 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 “reverential”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-V-E-R-E-N-T-I-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɹɛvəˈɹɛnʃəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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