tabulate

/ˈtæbjʊleɪt/

//ˈtæbjʊleɪt// verb

"tabulate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tabulate” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To arrange in tabular form; to arrange into a table.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tabulate · tabulate · English

tabulate · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "T" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for tabulate
PropertyValue
Headwordtabulate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈtæbjʊleɪt/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tabulate” sits in English frequency

tabulateranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tabulate is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈtæbjʊleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for tabulate, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. 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 Late Latin tabulātus (“having a floor; floored”), perfect passive participle of tabulō (“to fit with planks”), from tabula (“board, plank”), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂- (a variant of *steh₂- (“to stand”)) + *-dʰlom (a … The correct English form is tabulate, spelled T-A-B-U-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To arrange in tabular form; to arrange into a table.
  2. 2
    To set out as a list; to enumerate, to list.
  3. 3
    To enter into an official register or roll.
  4. 4
    To shape with a flat surface.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Let it be required to Tabulate or lay down this Number 3496. Firſt, from among your Sets of Rods (or out of your Caſe) take four of them, of which let one of them have the Figure 3 at the top thereof, and lay it upon your Tabellet cloſe to the Edge thereof, […]
  2. It [the School Department] gives advice and instruction concerning their duties to thirteen thousand school directors and controllers, furnishes them blanks, receives and tabulates their reports, reviews their accounts, judges whether they have kept their schools open according to law, and, if so, pays them the State appropriation for their respecive dist…

Etymology

From Late Latin tabulātus (“having a floor; floored”), perfect passive participle of tabulō (“to fit with planks”), from tabula (“board, plank”), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂- (a variant of *steh₂- (“to stand”)) + *-dʰlom (a variant of *-trom (suffix forming nouns denoting tools or instruments)). Equivalent to table + -ate (verb-forming suffix).

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 "tabulate"?
"tabulate" is spelled T-A-B-U-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtæbjʊleɪt/.
What does "tabulate" mean?
As a verb, "tabulate" means: To arrange in tabular form; to arrange into a table.
How do you pronounce "tabulate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tabulate" is /ˈtæbjʊleɪt/. 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 "tabulate"?
From Late Latin tabulātus (“having a floor; floored”), perfect passive participle of tabulō (“to fit with planks”), from tabula (“board, plank”), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *teh₂- (a variant of *steh₂- (“to stand”)) + *... 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.

What to do next

You've looked up "tabulate". Here's where to go from here.

  • Browse more English words in the "T" letter cohort. T–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list