undead

/ʌnˈdɛd/

//ʌnˈdɛd// adj

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

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

The verdict

“undead” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,528 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#20,528
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not dead; alive.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

undead vs under
67% similar
undead vs unreal
67% similar
undead vs unload
67% similar

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

Key facts for undead
PropertyValue
Headwordundead
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ʌnˈdɛd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#20,528
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “undead” 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). undead lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for undead is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ʌnˈdɛd/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,528 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for undead, with forms such as "nudead", "udnead", and "undaed". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "under", "unreal", "unload", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English undede, equivalent to un- + dead. The first attestation is from around 1400. The term was revived, popularized, and imbued with supernatural connotations by its usage in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897). The correct English form is undead, spelled U-N-D-E-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not dead; alive.
  2. 2
    Pertaining to a corpse, though having qualities of life.
  3. 3
    Being animate, though non-living.

Etymology

From Middle English undede, equivalent to un- + dead. The first attestation is from around 1400. The term was revived, popularized, and imbued with supernatural connotations by its usage in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897).

This word in other languages

zombi(Español)mort-vivant(Français)morto-vivo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: nudead,udnead,undaed,unddead,undeadd,undeda,unedad,unndead

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of undead - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

nudead2udnead2undaed2unddead1undeadd1undeda2unedad2unndead1
Edit distance from "undead"

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 "undead"?
"undead" is spelled U-N-D-E-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈdɛd/.
What does "undead" mean?
As an adjective, "undead" means: Not dead; alive.
What words are commonly confused with "undead"?
"undead" is commonly confused with "under", "unreal", "unload". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "undead"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "undead" is /ʌnˈdɛd/. 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 "undead"?
From Middle English undede, equivalent to un- + dead. The first attestation is from around 1400. The term was revived, popularized, and imbued with supernatural connotations by its usage in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897). 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 “undead”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is U-N-D-E-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ʌnˈdɛd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “under” - see the side-by-side comparison. undead vs under
  • 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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list