ultimatum

/ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/

//ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm// noun

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

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

The verdict

“ultimatum” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,106. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,106
frequency rank, English
23,789
“U” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another, especially one that expresses a threat of reprisal or war if the terms are not met before some specified date and time.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

ultimatum vs ultimate
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for ultimatum
PropertyValue
Headwordultimatum
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/
Letters9
Frequency rank#21,106
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ultimatum” 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). ultimatum lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around ultimatum (IPA /ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #21,106 among 23,789 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for ultimatum, with forms such as "lutimatum", "ulitmatum", and "ulltimatum". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "ultimate", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin ultimatus (“late, last final”), from Latin ultimus (“extreme, last, furthest, farthest, final”). The correct English form is ultimatum, spelled U-L-T-I-M-A-T-U-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    A final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another, especially one that expresses a threat of reprisal or war if the terms are not met before some specified date and time.
  2. 2
    An intended final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another in a negotiation.

Etymology

From Latin ultimatus (“late, last final”), from Latin ultimus (“extreme, last, furthest, farthest, final”).

This word in other languages

ultimátum(Español)ultimatum(Français)Ultimatum(Deutsch)ultimato(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lutimatum
  • ulitmatum
  • ulltimatum
  • ultiamtum
  • ultimatmu
  • ultimattum
  • ultimatumm
  • ultimautm
  • ultimmatum
  • ultimtaum
  • ultmiatum
  • ulttimatum
  • utlimatum

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ultimatum - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

lutimatum2ulitmatum2ulltimatum1ultiamtum2ultimatmu2ultimattum1ultimatumm1ultimautm2
Edit distance from "ultimatum"

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 "ultimatum"?
"ultimatum" is spelled U-L-T-I-M-A-T-U-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/.
What does "ultimatum" mean?
As a noun, "ultimatum" means: A final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another, especially one that expresses a threat of reprisal or war if the terms are not met before some specified date and time.
What words are commonly confused with "ultimatum"?
"ultimatum" is commonly confused with "ultimate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ultimatum"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ultimatum" is /ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/. 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 "ultimatum"?
From Latin ultimatus (“late, last final”), from Latin ultimus (“extreme, last, furthest, farthest, final”). 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 “ultimatum”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is U-L-T-I-M-A-T-U-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ultimate” - see the side-by-side comparison. ultimatum vs ultimate
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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