tormentor

/tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/

//tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)// noun

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

"tormentor" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tormentor” is uncommon English (frequency #66,353 among 27,828 “T” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#66,353
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.

Key facts for tormentor
PropertyValue
Headwordtormentor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/
Letters9
Frequency rank#66,353
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tormentor” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tormentor is uncommon English at frequency #66,353 among 27,828 “T” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

tormentor doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Anglo-Norman tourmentour, from Old French tormenteor. The correct English form is tormentor, spelled T-O-R-M-E-N-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.
  2. 2
    One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.
  3. 3
    Something abstract that causes suffering.
  4. 4
    One of a pair of narrow curtains just behind the front curtain and teaser that mask the areas on the sides of the stage and can be adjusted to the desired width.
  5. 5
    An implement for reducing a stiff soil, resembling a harrow, but running upon wheels.
  6. 6
    A long meat-fork.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman tourmentour, from Old French tormenteor.

Synonyms

torturer

This word in other languages

atormentador(Español)bourreau(Français)Peiniger(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 "tormentor"?
"tormentor" is spelled T-O-R-M-E-N-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/.
What does "tormentor" mean?
As a noun, "tormentor" means: One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.
How do you pronounce "tormentor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tormentor" is /tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/. 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 "tormentor"?
From Anglo-Norman tourmentour, from Old French tormenteor. 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.

Using “tormentor”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-O-R-M-E-N-T-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list