suppository

/səˈpɒzɪtəɹi/

//səˈpɒzɪtəɹi// noun

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

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

The verdict

“suppository” is uncommon English (frequency #69,480 among 6,566 “S” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#69,480
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A medicine in the form of a small plug that is inserted into a bodily cavity, especially the rectum, vagina or urethra, where it melts at body temperature.

Corpus desk

Index EN-suppository · suppository · English

suppository · rank #69,480 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #69,480
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH swire

Nearest frequency peer: swire (+2 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 “suppository”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for suppository
PropertyValue
Headwordsuppository
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/səˈpɒzɪtəɹi/
Letters11
Frequency rank#69,480
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “suppository” 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).suppositoryfalls 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: “swire” (#69,482), “swizz” (#69,483), “subservience” (#69,476). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “suppository” is #69,480. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

suppository is uncommon English at frequency #69,480 among 6,566 “S” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /səˈpɒzɪtəɹi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "A medicine in the form of a small plug that is inserted into a bodily cavity, especially the rectum, vagina or urethra, where it melts at body temperature.".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for suppository, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English suppositorie, from Anglo-Norman, from Medieval Latin suppositōrium, from Late Latin, neuter of suppositōrius (“placed beneath”), from Latin suppōnō (“to put under”). The correct English form is suppository, spelled S-U-P-P-O-S-I-T-O-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A medicine in the form of a small plug that is inserted into a bodily cavity, especially the rectum, vagina or urethra, where it melts at body temperature.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. rectal suppository
  2. vaginal suppository

Etymology

From Middle English suppositorie, from Anglo-Norman, from Medieval Latin suppositōrium, from Late Latin, neuter of suppositōrius (“placed beneath”), from Latin suppōnō (“to put under”).

This word in other languages

supositorio(Español)suppositoire(Français)Zäpfchen(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 "suppository"?
"suppository" is spelled S-U-P-P-O-S-I-T-O-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /səˈpɒzɪtəɹi/.
What does "suppository" mean?
As a noun, "suppository" means: A medicine in the form of a small plug that is inserted into a bodily cavity, especially the rectum, vagina or urethra, where it melts at body temperature.
How do you pronounce "suppository"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "suppository" is /səˈpɒzɪtəɹi/. 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 "suppository"?
From Middle English suppositorie, from Anglo-Norman, from Medieval Latin suppositōrium, from Late Latin, neuter of suppositōrius (“placed beneath”), from Latin suppōnō (“to put under”). 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 "suppository", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

shepherding#69,441Tutankhamun#69,537salvageable#69,409unmentioned#69,552

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list