Tartarus

/ˈtɑː(r)tərəs/

//ˈtɑː(r)tərəs// name

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

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

The verdict

“Tartarus” is uncommon English (frequency #57,759 among 3,151 “T” headwords), classed as a proper noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#57,759
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A dark and gloomy part of the realm of Hades, reserved for the damned and the wicked, such as the Titans; an equivalent of hell in Greek and Roman mythology.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tartarus · Tartarus · English

Tartarus · rank #57,759 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #57,759
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH tarry

Nearest frequency peer: tarry (-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 “Tartarus”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for Tartarus
PropertyValue
HeadwordTartarus
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈtɑː(r)tərəs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#57,759
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “Tartarus” 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).Tartarusfalls 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: “tarry” (#57,758), “tardiness” (#57,757), “teeter” (#57,761). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “Tartarus” is #57,759. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

Tartarus is uncommon English at frequency #57,759 among 3,151 “T” headwords, classed as aproper noun, transcribed /ˈtɑː(r)tərəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for Tartarus, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin Tartarus, from Ancient Greek Τάρταρος (Tártaros). The correct English form is Tartarus, spelled T-A-R-T-A-R-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A dark and gloomy part of the realm of Hades, reserved for the damned and the wicked, such as the Titans; an equivalent of hell in Greek and Roman mythology.
  2. 2
    Any hellish place; a dark gloomy chasm or pit.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. […] them with Fire and hoſtile Arms / Fearleſs aſſault, and to the brow of Heav'n / Purſuing, drive them out from God and bliſs, / Into thir place of puniſhment, the Gulf / Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide / His fiery Chaos to receave thir fall.
  2. We lay there hour after hour in terror and misery of mind so deep that I will not attempt to describe it, and listened to the wild storm-voices of that Tartarus, as, set to the deep undertone of the spur opposite against which the wind hummed like some awful harp, they called to each other from precipice to precipice.

Etymology

From Latin Tartarus, from Ancient Greek Τάρταρος (Tártaros).

This word in other languages

Tártaro(Español)Tartare(Français)

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 "Tartarus"?
"Tartarus" is spelled T-A-R-T-A-R-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɑː(r)tərəs/.
What does "Tartarus" mean?
As a proper noun, "Tartarus" means: A dark and gloomy part of the realm of Hades, reserved for the damned and the wicked, such as the Titans; an equivalent of hell in Greek and Roman mythology.
How do you pronounce "Tartarus"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Tartarus" is /ˈtɑː(r)tərəs/. 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 "Tartarus"?
From Latin Tartarus, from Ancient Greek Τάρταρος (Tártaros). 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 "Tartarus", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Talmudic#57,755Tremaine#57,781undertow#57,799slurring#57,717

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list