spasmodic

/spæzˈmɒd.ɪk/

//spæzˈmɒd.ɪk// adj

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

"spasmodic" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“spasmodic” is uncommon English (frequency #85,799 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#85,799
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of or relating to a spasm; resembling a sudden contraction of the muscles.

Corpus desk

Index EN-spasmodic · spasmodic · English

spasmodic · rank #85,799 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #85,799
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH soz

Nearest frequency peer: soz (-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 “spasmodic”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for spasmodic
PropertyValue
Headwordspasmodic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/spæzˈmɒd.ɪk/
Letters9
Frequency rank#85,799
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “spasmodic” in English

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).spasmodicfalls in this rarity band:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Rare peers in the same band: “soz” (#85,798), “speach” (#85,800), “southeastward” (#85,797). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “spasmodic” is #85,799. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

spasmodic is uncommon English at frequency #85,799 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /spæzˈmɒd.ɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

spasmodic doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. 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: From New Latin spasmōdicus, from Ancient Greek σπασμώδης (spasmṓdēs, “spasmodic”), from σπασμός (spasmós, “spasm”). The correct English form is spasmodic, spelled S-P-A-S-M-O-D-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or relating to a spasm; resembling a sudden contraction of the muscles.
  2. 2
    Convulsive; consisting of spasms.
  3. 3
    Intermittent or fitful; occurring in abrupt bursts.
  4. 4
    Erratic or unsustained.
  5. 5
    Of or relating to the spasmodic poets, a group of British Victorian poets who wrote introspective drama in verse.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. spasmodic asthma
  2. […] Dr. Francis Fuller, […] upon wearing a Quick-ſilver Girdle, for the Cure of the Itch, (and that after an inconſiderate and raſh manner) was brought under a violent Spaſmodick Diſtemper, which was ſupposed by himſelf and others to be owing to ſome Mercurial Particles lodg'd in ſome excretory Ducts of the Brain.

Etymology

From New Latin spasmōdicus, from Ancient Greek σπασμώδης (spasmṓdēs, “spasmodic”), from σπασμός (spasmós, “spasm”).

This word in other languages

espasmódico(Español)spasmodique(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 "spasmodic"?
"spasmodic" is spelled S-P-A-S-M-O-D-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /spæzˈmɒd.ɪk/.
What does "spasmodic" mean?
As an adjective, "spasmodic" means: Of or relating to a spasm; resembling a sudden contraction of the muscles.
How do you pronounce "spasmodic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "spasmodic" is /spæzˈmɒd.ɪk/. 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 "spasmodic"?
From New Latin spasmōdicus, from Ancient Greek σπασμώδης (spasmṓdēs, “spasmodic”), from σπασμός (spasmós, “spasm”). 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 "spasmodic", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

steepness#85,813sleepwalk#85,784skintight#85,781subalpine#85,820

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list