scapular

/ˈskapjʊlə/

//ˈskapjʊlə// noun

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

The verdict

“scapular” is uncommon English (frequency #72,740 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#72,740
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A short cloak worn around the shoulders, adopted as part of the uniform of various religious orders, later often with an embroidered image of a saint.

Key facts for scapular
PropertyValue
Headwordscapular
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈskapjʊlə/
Letters8
Frequency rank#72,740
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scapular” 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). scapular 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

scapular is uncommon English at frequency #72,740 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈskapjʊlə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for scapular, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English scapelar, from Latin scapulāre, from Latin scapula (“shoulder”). Compare scapulary. The correct English form is scapular, spelled S-C-A-P-U-L-A-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A short cloak worn around the shoulders, adopted as part of the uniform of various religious orders, later often with an embroidered image of a saint.
  2. 2
    One of a special group of feathers which arise from each of the scapular regions and lie along the sides of the back.
  3. 3
    A bandage passing over the shoulder to support it, or to retain another bandage in place.
  4. 4
    A devotional object, typically consisting of two rectangular pieces of cloth (often with an embroidered image or text) joined with cloth bands and worn with one piece over the chest and one in the back.

Etymology

From Middle English scapelar, from Latin scapulāre, from Latin scapula (“shoulder”). Compare scapulary.

This word in other languages

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 "scapular"?
"scapular" is spelled S-C-A-P-U-L-A-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskapjʊlə/.
What does "scapular" mean?
As a noun, "scapular" means: A short cloak worn around the shoulders, adopted as part of the uniform of various religious orders, later often with an embroidered image of a saint.
How do you pronounce "scapular"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scapular" is /ˈskapjʊlə/. 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 "scapular"?
From Middle English scapelar, from Latin scapulāre, from Latin scapula (“shoulder”). Compare scapulary. 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 “scapular”

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

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