turgid

/ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd/

//ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd// adj

"turgid" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“turgid” is uncommon English (frequency #64,078 among 27,828 “T” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#64,078
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Distended beyond the natural state by some internal agent, especially fluid, or expansive force.

Key facts for turgid
PropertyValue
Headwordturgid
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#64,078
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “turgid” 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). turgid 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

turgid is uncommon English at frequency #64,078 among 27,828 “T” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

turgid doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin turgidus (“swollen, inflated”), from turgeō (“to swell”). The correct English form is turgid, spelled T-U-R-G-I-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Distended beyond the natural state by some internal agent, especially fluid, or expansive force.
  2. 2
    Of a river, inundated with excess water as from a flood; swollen.
  3. 3
    Overly complex and difficult to understand; grandiloquent; bombastic.

Etymology

From Latin turgidus (“swollen, inflated”), from turgeō (“to swell”).

This word in other languages

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 "turgid"?
"turgid" is spelled T-U-R-G-I-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd/.
What does "turgid" mean?
As an adjective, "turgid" means: Distended beyond the natural state by some internal agent, especially fluid, or expansive force.
How do you pronounce "turgid"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "turgid" is /ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd/. 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 "turgid"?
From Latin turgidus (“swollen, inflated”), from turgeō (“to swell”). 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 “turgid”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-U-R-G-I-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɜː.d͡ʒɪd/ (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