spermophile
/ˈspɜː(ɹ)məfaɪl/
"spermophile" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“spermophile” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. 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) - A terrestrial burrowing rodent; ground squirrel.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | spermophile |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈspɜː(ɹ)məfaɪl/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “spermophile” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
spermophile is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈspɜː(ɹ)məfaɪl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A terrestrial burrowing rodent; ground squirrel.".
spermophile doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Spermophilus from σπέρμα (spérma, “seed”) + φιλέω (philéō, “love”), hence, "seed-lover". This genus formerly included most of the terrestrial squirrels, but all of the North American species have been split off into separate genera. The correct English form is spermophile, spelled S-P-E-R-M-O-P-H-I-L-E.
Definition
- 1A terrestrial burrowing rodent; ground squirrel.
Etymology
From Spermophilus from σπέρμα (spérma, “seed”) + φιλέω (philéō, “love”), hence, "seed-lover". This genus formerly included most of the terrestrial squirrels, but all of the North American species have been split off into separate genera.
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 "spermophile"?
What does "spermophile" mean?
How do you pronounce "spermophile"?
What is the origin of the word "spermophile"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “spermophile”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-P-E-R-M-O-P-H-I-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈspɜː(ɹ)məfaɪl/ (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.