tribadism

/ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m/

//ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m// noun

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

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

The verdict

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

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Lesbianism.

Key facts for tribadism
PropertyValue
Headwordtribadism
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tribadism” sits in English frequency

tribadism falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

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

Rare enough to double-check

tribadism is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for tribadism in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From tribade + -ism. The correct English form is tribadism, spelled T-R-I-B-A-D-I-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lesbianism.
  2. 2
    A sexual act in which two women rub their vulvas together.

Etymology

From tribade + -ism.

This word in other languages

tribadismo(Español)tribadisme(Français)Tribadie(Deutsch)

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 "tribadism"?
"tribadism" is spelled T-R-I-B-A-D-I-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m/.
What does "tribadism" mean?
As a noun, "tribadism" means: Lesbianism.
How do you pronounce "tribadism"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tribadism" is /ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m/. 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 "tribadism"?
From tribade + -ism. 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 “tribadism”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-I-B-A-D-I-S-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɹɪbədɪz(ə)m/ (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
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