scintillate
/ˈsɪn.tɪˌleɪt/
"scintillate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“scintillate” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To give off sparks; to shine as if emanating sparks; to twinkle or glow.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | scintillate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈsɪn.tɪˌleɪt/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “scintillate” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
scintillate is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈsɪn.tɪˌleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for scintillate, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin scintillātus, past participle of scintillāre (“to sparkle, glitter, gleam, flash”), from scintilla (“a spark”). The correct English form is scintillate, spelled S-C-I-N-T-I-L-L-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To give off sparks; to shine as if emanating sparks; to twinkle or glow.
- 2Of a star or other celestial body: to vary rapidly in brightness; to twinkle.
- 3Especially of a phosphor: to emit a flash of light upon absorbing ionizing radiation.
- 4To dazzle or to impress.
- 5To throw off like sparks.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin scintillātus, past participle of scintillāre (“to sparkle, glitter, gleam, flash”), from scintilla (“a spark”).
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “scintillate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-C-I-N-T-I-L-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈsɪn.tɪˌleɪt/ (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
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.