simulacrum

/ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkɹəm/

//ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkɹəm// noun

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

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

The verdict

“simulacrum” is uncommon English (frequency #81,826 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#81,826
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A physical image or representation of a deity, person, or thing.

Corpus desk

Index EN-simulacrum · simulacrum · English

simulacrum · rank #81,826 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #81,826
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Sinema

Nearest frequency peer: Sinema (+1 rank slots)

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.

Long-tail ranks near “simulacrum”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “simulacrum” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for simulacrum
PropertyValue
Headwordsimulacrum
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkɹəm/
Letters10
Frequency rank#81,826
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “simulacrum” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).simulacrumfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “Sinema” (#81,827), “sillier” (#81,824), “sledging” (#81,831). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “simulacrum” is #81,826. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

simulacrum is uncommon English at frequency #81,826 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkɹəm/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for simulacrum in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. 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: Learned borrowing from Latin simulācrum (“image, likeness”), from simul(ā) + -crum (a variant of -culum, from Proto-Indo-European *-tlom, a suffix forming instrument nouns), from similis (“similar (to)”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; tog… The correct English form is simulacrum, spelled S-I-M-U-L-A-C-R-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A physical image or representation of a deity, person, or thing.
  2. 2
    A thing which has the appearance or form of another thing, but not its true qualities; a thing which simulates another thing; an imitation; a semblance.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. a simulacrum of a New York studio apartment
  2. [H]e crossed the haunted Almo, renowned of yore for its healing virtues, and whose stream the far-famed simulacrum, the image of Cybele,) which fell from heaven, was wont to be laved with every coming spring; […]

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin simulācrum (“image, likeness”), from simul(ā) + -crum (a variant of -culum, from Proto-Indo-European *-tlom, a suffix forming instrument nouns), from similis (“similar (to)”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one; together”).

This word in other languages

simulacro(Español)simulacre(Français)simulacro(Português)

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 "simulacrum"?
"simulacrum" is spelled S-I-M-U-L-A-C-R-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkɹəm/.
What does "simulacrum" mean?
As a noun, "simulacrum" means: A physical image or representation of a deity, person, or thing.
How do you pronounce "simulacrum"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "simulacrum" is /ˌsɪmjʊˈleɪkɹəm/. 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 "simulacrum"?
Learned borrowing from Latin simulācrum (“image, likeness”), from simul(ā) + -crum (a variant of -culum, from Proto-Indo-European *-tlom, a suffix forming instrument nouns), from similis (“similar (to)”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- ... 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "simulacrum", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Southworth#81,841stablemate#81,852salubrious#81,793subletting#81,869

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list