ultraviolet
/ˌʌltɹəˈvaɪələt/adjective, noun
ultraviolet is spelled U-L-T-R-A-V-I-O-L-E-T: 11 letters and 5 syllables. It appears 2.1 times per million words in written English, the 18,811th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, ultraviolet means “Of electromagnetic radiation beyond (higher in frequency than) light visible to the human eye; radiation with wavelengths from 380 to 10 nanometres” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in ultraviolet?
| Letters | 11: U-L-T-R-A-V-I-O-L-E-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 5 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.1 times per million words; the 18,811th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is ultraviolet?
Ultraviolet appears 2.1 times per million words in written English, the 18,811th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce ultraviolet?
- US /ˌʌltɹəˈvaɪələt/
- US /ˌʌltɹəˈvaɪlət/
Ultraviolet has 5 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-ultraviolet.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with ultraviolet?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as ultraviolet from its last stressed vowel (/aɪələt/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of ultraviolet
- more ultraviolet comparative
- most ultraviolet superlative
- ultraviolets plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does ultraviolet mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of electromagnetic radiation beyond (higher in frequency than) light visible to the human eye; radiation with wavelengths from 380 to 10 nanometres.
- 2
Relating to very high energies or very small distances or time spans.
noun
- 1
Ultraviolet colour.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate ultraviolet?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of ultraviolet: UV.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Ultraviolet in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | ultraviolet |
| German | ultraviolett , Ultraviolett |
| Portuguese | ultravioleta |
| Spanish | ultravioleta |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does ultraviolet come from?
From ultra- (“beyond”) + violet (“violet”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).