scandalous

/ˈskændələs/

//ˈskændələs// adj

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

"scandalous" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scandalous” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,218. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,218
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of a thing: causing or having the nature of a scandal; regarded as so immoral or wrong as to be extremely disgraceful; despicable, shameful.

Key facts for scandalous
PropertyValue
Headwordscandalous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈskændələs/
Letters10
Frequency rank#20,218
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scandalous” 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). scandalous lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around scandalous (IPA /ˈskændələs/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #20,218 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 8 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for scandalous, with forms such as "csandalous", "sacndalous", and "scadnalous". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Middle English scandalouse (“disgraceful, shameful”), borrowed from Old French scandaleux (“scandalous”) (modern French scandaleux), from Medieval Latin scandalōsus, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“scandal”) + Latin -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘fu… The correct English form is scandalous, spelled S-C-A-N-D-A-L-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of a thing: causing or having the nature of a scandal; regarded as so immoral or wrong as to be extremely disgraceful; despicable, shameful.
  2. 2
    Of a person: delighted by scandal.
  3. 3
    Of speech or writing: defamatory, malicious.
  4. 4
    Exceeding reasonable limits; outrageous.
  5. 5
    Of a person: guilty of extremely disgraceful conduct or some misconduct; infamous; also, unfit for their office or position due to misconduct, etc.
  6. 6
    Of information, a statement, etc.: not pertinent to a matter; irrelevant, and bringing the court into disrepute.
  7. 7
    Causing offence or trouble.
  8. 8
    Of a disease or symptom: putrid, rotting.

Etymology

From Late Middle English scandalouse (“disgraceful, shameful”), borrowed from Old French scandaleux (“scandalous”) (modern French scandaleux), from Medieval Latin scandalōsus, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“scandal”) + Latin -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; prone to’ forming adjectives). Scandalum is derived from Ancient Greek σκᾰ́νδᾰλον (skắndălon, “offence, scandal; snare, trap”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Pre-Greek or Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to jump”) (referring to a device for climbing or jumping on, such as might be used by someone setting a trap). By surface analysis, scandal + -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance), or a relation to the nouns).

This word in other languages

escandaloso(Español)scandaleux(Français)skandalös(Deutsch)escandaloso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • csandalous
  • sacndalous
  • scadnalous
  • scanadlous
  • scandallous
  • scandalosu
  • scandalouss
  • scandaluos
  • scandaolus
  • scanddalous
  • scandlaous
  • scanndalous
  • sccandalous
  • scnadalous
  • sscandalous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of scandalous - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

csandalous2sacndalous2scadnalous2scanadlous2scandallous1scandalosu2scandalouss1scandaluos2
Edit distance from "scandalous"

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 "scandalous"?
"scandalous" is spelled S-C-A-N-D-A-L-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskændələs/.
What does "scandalous" mean?
As an adjective, "scandalous" means: Of a thing: causing or having the nature of a scandal; regarded as so immoral or wrong as to be extremely disgraceful; despicable, shameful.
What are common misspellings of "scandalous"?
Common misspellings include "csandalous", "sacndalous", "scadnalous", "scanadlous", "scandallous". The correct spelling is "scandalous".
How do you pronounce "scandalous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scandalous" is /ˈskændələs/. 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 "scandalous"?
From Late Middle English scandalouse (“disgraceful, shameful”), borrowed from Old French scandaleux (“scandalous”) (modern French scandaleux), from Medieval Latin scandalōsus, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“scandal”) + Latin -ōsus (suffix m... 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 “scandalous”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-A-N-D-A-L-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈskændələs/ (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

Same frequency band

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