Scylla

Name: Scylla, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈsɪlə/

//ˈsɪlə// name

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“Scylla” is uncommon English (frequency #56,422 among 54,294 “S” headwords), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#56,422
frequency rank, English: 54,294
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A dangerous rock on the Italian coast opposite the whirlpool Charybdis on the coast of Sicily. The passage between Scylla and Charybdis was formerly considered perilous; hence, the saying between S...

Key facts for Scylla
Property	Value
Headword	Scylla
Language	English
Part of speech	Proper noun
IPA	/ˈsɪlə/
Letters	6
Frequency rank	#56,422
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Scylla” 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). Scylla lands here:

#56,422

#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

Scylla is uncommon English at frequency #56,422 among 54,294 “S” headwords, classed as aproper noun, transcribed /ˈsɪlə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for Scylla in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin Scylla, from Ancient Greek Σκύλλα (Skúlla). The correct English form is Scylla, spelled S-C-Y-L-L-A.

Definition

1
A dangerous rock on the Italian coast opposite the whirlpool Charybdis on the coast of Sicily. The passage between Scylla and Charybdis was formerly considered perilous; hence, the saying between Scylla and Charybdis signifies a great peril on either hand.
2
A personification of said rock as a ravenous monster.
3
A princess, daughter of King Nisos of Megara, who fell in love with King Minos and betrayed her city to him.
4
The main belt asteroid 155 Scylla.

Etymology

From Latin Scylla, from Ancient Greek Σκύλλα (Skúlla).

This word in other languages

Scylla(Français)

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 "Scylla"?

"Scylla" is spelled S-C-Y-L-L-A. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪlə/.

What does "Scylla" mean?

As a proper noun, "Scylla" means: A dangerous rock on the Italian coast opposite the whirlpool Charybdis on the coast of Sicily. The passage between Scylla and Charybdis was formerly considered perilous; hence, the saying between S...

How do you pronounce "Scylla"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Scylla" is /ˈsɪlə/. 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 "Scylla"?

From Latin Scylla, from Ancient Greek Σκύλλα (Skúlla). 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 “Scylla”

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

The one correct English spelling is S-C-Y-L-L-A - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈsɪlə/ (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.