scilicet

/ˈsɪlɪˌsɛt/

//ˈsɪlɪˌsɛt// adv

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

The verdict

“scilicet” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Namely, to wit, as follows.

Corpus desk

Index EN-scilicet · scilicet · English

scilicet · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "S" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for scilicet
PropertyValue
Headwordscilicet
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈsɪlɪˌsɛt/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “scilicet” in English

scilicetfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

scilicet is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed /ˈsɪlɪˌsɛt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

scilicet doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin scīlicet. The correct English form is scilicet, spelled S-C-I-L-I-C-E-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Namely, to wit, as follows.
  2. 2
    Done in the appropriate place within a jurisdiction for the documented act.
  3. 3
    Used parenthetically to supply information which is not given in the portion of text being quoted, but is clearly given by its context, such as for quoted pronouns with unquoted antecedents.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. As in ejectment, where the declaration is of a demise the second of January, and that the defendant afterwards, scilicet, the first of January ejected him, here the scilicet may be rejected, as being contrary to what went before.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin scīlicet.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "scilicet"?
"scilicet" is spelled S-C-I-L-I-C-E-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪlɪˌsɛt/.
What does "scilicet" mean?
As an adverb, "scilicet" means: Namely, to wit, as follows.
How do you pronounce "scilicet"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scilicet" is /ˈsɪlɪˌsɛt/. 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 "scilicet"?
Borrowed from Latin scīlicet. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list