transmute

/tɹænzˈmjuːt/

//tɹænzˈmjuːt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“transmute” is uncommon English (frequency #76,409 among 3,151 “T” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#76,409
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To change or convert one thing to another, or from one state or form to another.

Corpus desk

Index EN-transmute · transmute · English

transmute · rank #76,409 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #76,409
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH trou

Nearest frequency peer: trou (+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 “transmute”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

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

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for transmute
PropertyValue
Headwordtransmute
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/tɹænzˈmjuːt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#76,409
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “transmute” 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).transmutefalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “trou” (#76,411), “tubercle” (#76,415), “tuberous” (#76,416). Among 3,151 “T” headwords, “transmute” is #76,409. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

transmute is uncommon English at frequency #76,409 among 3,151 “T” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /tɹænzˈmjuːt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To change or convert one thing to another, or from one state or form to another.".

Zero misspellings are on record for transmute in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. 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 Latin trānsmūtāre, from trans + mūtāre. The correct English form is transmute, spelled T-R-A-N-S-M-U-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To change or convert one thing to another, or from one state or form to another.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The alchemists tried to transmute base metals to gold.
  2. Did the base metals transmute to gold?

Etymology

From Latin trānsmūtāre, from trans + mūtāre.

This word in other languages

trasladar(Español)transmuer(Français)verwandeln(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 "transmute"?
"transmute" is spelled T-R-A-N-S-M-U-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /tɹænzˈmjuːt/.
What does "transmute" mean?
As a verb, "transmute" means: To change or convert one thing to another, or from one state or form to another.
How do you pronounce "transmute"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "transmute" is /tɹænzˈmjuːt/. 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 "transmute"?
From Latin trānsmūtāre, from trans + mūtāre. 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 "transmute", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

thrifting#76,399ultrathin#76,422Tewksbury#76,394valueless#76,443

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list