subordinate

/səˈbɔːdɪnət/

//səˈbɔːdɪnət// adj

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

"subordinate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“subordinate” has 16 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #16,145. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#16,145
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.

Corpus desk

Index EN-subordinate · subordinate · English

subordinate · rank #16,145 · 16 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #16,145
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 16 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH swimmers

Nearest frequency peer: swimmers (+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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “subordinate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “subordinate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for subordinate
PropertyValue
Headwordsubordinate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/səˈbɔːdɪnət/
Letters11
Frequency rank#16,145
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “subordinate”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “swimmers” (#16,146), “stump” (#16,143), “synagogue” (#16,147). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “subordinate” is #16,145. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 16 spelling variants around subordinate (IPA /səˈbɔːdɪnət/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #16,145 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for subordinate, with forms such as "sbuordinate", "ssubordinate", and "subbordinate". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, from sub- + ōrdināre (“to order”). The correct English form is subordinate, spelled S-U-B-O-R-D-I-N-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
  2. 2
    Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.
  3. 3
    dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause
  4. 4
    Descending in a regular series.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The several kinds […] and subordinate species of each are easily known.
  2. November 9, 1662, Robert South, Of the Creation of Man in the Image of God It was subordinate, not enslaved, to the understanding.

Etymology

From Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, from sub- + ōrdināre (“to order”).

This word in other languages

subordinado(Español)subordonné(Français)untergeordnet(Deutsch)subordinado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • sbuordinate
  • ssubordinate
  • subbordinate
  • subodrinate
  • suborddinate
  • subordiante
  • subordinaet
  • subordinatte
  • subordinnate
  • subordintae
  • subordniate
  • suboridnate
  • suborrdinate
  • subrodinate
  • suobrdinate
  • usbordinate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of subordinate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

sbuordinate2ssubordinate1subbordinate1subodrinate2suborddinate1subordiante2subordinaet2subordinatte1
Edit distance from "subordinate"

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 "subordinate"?
"subordinate" is spelled S-U-B-O-R-D-I-N-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /səˈbɔːdɪnət/.
What does "subordinate" mean?
As an adjective, "subordinate" means: Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.
What are common misspellings of "subordinate"?
Common misspellings include "sbuordinate", "ssubordinate", "subbordinate", "subodrinate", "suborddinate". The correct spelling is "subordinate".
How do you pronounce "subordinate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "subordinate" is /səˈbɔːdɪnət/. 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 "subordinate"?
From Middle English subordinat, from Medieval Latin subōrdinātus, past participle of subōrdināre, from sub- + ōrdināre (“to order”). 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 "subordinate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

specialised#16,135secretariat#16,122reluctantly#16,111qualitative#16,101

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (16 here; floor ≥5).

wavelength16 variantsartificially16 variantsmistakenly16 variantsdiversified16 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list