undulate
/ˈʌndjəleɪt/
"undulate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“undulate” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To cause to move in a wavelike motion.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | undulate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈʌndjəleɪt/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “undulate” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
undulate is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈʌndjəleɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.
No generated misspelling entries exist for undulate in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1664; borrowed from New Latin undulātus, the perfect passive participle of undulō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from an unattested *undula (“small wave”), diminutive of Latin unda (“wave”). The correct English form is undulate, spelled U-N-D-U-L-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To cause to move in a wavelike motion.
- 2To cause to resemble a wave.
- 3To move in wavelike motions.
- 4To appear wavelike.
Etymology
First attested in 1664; borrowed from New Latin undulātus, the perfect passive participle of undulō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from an unattested *undula (“small wave”), diminutive of Latin unda (“wave”).
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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "undulate"?
What does "undulate" mean?
How do you pronounce "undulate"?
What is the origin of the word "undulate"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “undulate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is U-N-D-U-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈʌndjəleɪt/ (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.