unintelligible

/ˌʌnɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒɪbəl/

//ˌʌnɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒɪbəl// adj

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

"unintelligible" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unintelligible” has 20 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #36,384. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#36,384
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not intelligible; unable to be understood.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unintelligible · unintelligible · English

unintelligible · rank #36,384 · 20 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #36,384
  • LEN-MEGA 14 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 20 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH undersecretary

Nearest frequency peer: undersecretary (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “unintelligible”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “unintelligible” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for unintelligible
PropertyValue
Headwordunintelligible
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌʌnɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒɪbəl/
Letters14
Frequency rank#36,384
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “unintelligible”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).unintelligiblelands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “undersecretary” (#36,383), “unorganized” (#36,385), “unassuming” (#36,382). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unintelligible” is #36,384. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around unintelligible (IPA /ˌʌnɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒɪbəl/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #36,384 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Not intelligible; unable to be understood.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for unintelligible, with forms such as "nuintelligible", "uinntelligible", and "uninetlligible". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + intelligible. The correct English form is unintelligible, spelled U-N-I-N-T-E-L-L-I-G-I-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not intelligible; unable to be understood.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unintelligible appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. And indeed, my lord, there are so many passages in your writing in this controversy with me, which for their construction, as well as otherwise, are so unintelligible to me, that if I should be so unmannerly as to measure your understanding by mine, I should not know what to think of them.
  2. They have ſwallowed and digeſted all the Fathers, the Codes, Provincials, Decretals, Pandects, Councils, Canons ; are Maſters of all the Schoolmen, not to fill their Heads and ſtuff their Writings with Quiddities and Quoddities, and far-fetched unintelligible Diſtinctions, but to be able to reaſon cloſely, to argue ſolidly, to rebuke, to confute, to reply…

Etymology

From un- + intelligible.

Synonyms

inscrutableunexplainable

Antonyms

intelligible

This word in other languages

ininteligible(Español)inintelligible(Français)unverständlich(Deutsch)ininteligível(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nuintelligible
  • uinntelligible
  • uninetlligible
  • uninntelligible
  • uninteligible
  • unintelilgible
  • unintellgiible
  • unintelligable
  • unintelligbile
  • unintelliggible
  • unintelligibble
  • unintelligibel
  • unintelligiblle
  • unintelligilbe
  • unintelliigble
  • unintleligible
  • uninttelligible
  • unitnelligible
  • unnintelligible
  • unnitelligible

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unintelligible - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

nuintelligible2uinntelligible2uninetlligible2uninntelligible1uninteligible1unintelilgible2unintellgiible2unintelligable1
Edit distance from "unintelligible"

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 "unintelligible"?
"unintelligible" is spelled U-N-I-N-T-E-L-L-I-G-I-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌʌnɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒɪbəl/.
What does "unintelligible" mean?
As an adjective, "unintelligible" means: Not intelligible; unable to be understood.
What are common misspellings of "unintelligible"?
Common misspellings include "nuintelligible", "uinntelligible", "uninetlligible", "uninntelligible", "uninteligible". The correct spelling is "unintelligible".
How do you pronounce "unintelligible"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unintelligible" is /ˌʌnɪnˈtɛlɪd͡ʒɪbəl/. 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 "unintelligible"?
From un- + intelligible. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unintelligible", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 14 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

undersecretary#36,383respectability#36,316psychoanalytic#36,299predisposition#36,294

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (20 here; floor ≥5).

victimization20 variantsdiscoloration20 variantsprotectionism20 variantsuncomplicated20 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list