stigmatize

/ˈstɪɡmətaɪz/

//ˈstɪɡmətaɪz// verb

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

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

The verdict

“stigmatize” is uncommon English (frequency #73,659 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#73,659
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To characterize as disgraceful or ignominious; to mark with a stigma or stigmata.

Corpus desk

Index EN-stigmatize · stigmatize · English

stigmatize · rank #73,659 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #73,659
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH stiffly

Nearest frequency peer: stiffly (-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 “stigmatize”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for stigmatize
PropertyValue
Headwordstigmatize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈstɪɡmətaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#73,659
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “stigmatize” 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).stigmatizefalls 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: “stiffly” (#73,658), “Stimpson” (#73,660), “stirrer” (#73,661). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “stigmatize” is #73,659. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

stigmatize is uncommon English at frequency #73,659 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈstɪɡmətaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To characterize as disgraceful or ignominious; to mark with a stigma or stigmata.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for stigmatize, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin stigmatizō (“to brand”), from Byzantine Greek στιγματίζω (stigmatízō, “to mark”), from στίγμα (stígma). The correct English form is stigmatize, spelled S-T-I-G-M-A-T-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To characterize as disgraceful or ignominious; to mark with a stigma or stigmata.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. We stigmatize the Indians, also, as cowardly and treacherous, because they use stratagem in warfare in preference to open force; but in this they are fully justified by their rude code of honor.
  2. Helen Hardacre, in her study of discourses stigmatizing women who have had abortions, argues that there has been a marked rise in media interest in women's sexuality since the 1970s.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin stigmatizō (“to brand”), from Byzantine Greek στιγματίζω (stigmatízō, “to mark”), from στίγμα (stígma).

This word in other languages

stigmatiser(Français)stigmatisieren(Deutsch)

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 "stigmatize"?
"stigmatize" is spelled S-T-I-G-M-A-T-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈstɪɡmətaɪz/.
What does "stigmatize" mean?
As a verb, "stigmatize" means: To characterize as disgraceful or ignominious; to mark with a stigma or stigmata.
How do you pronounce "stigmatize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stigmatize" is /ˈstɪɡmətaɪz/. 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 "stigmatize"?
From Medieval Latin stigmatizō (“to brand”), from Byzantine Greek στιγματίζω (stigmatízō, “to mark”), from στίγμα (stígma). 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 "stigmatize", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Tamagotchi#73,689sacredness#73,604Riemannian#73,593traduction#73,734

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list