usurpation
/ˌjuː.sə(ɹ)ˈpeɪ.ʃən/noun
usurpation is spelled U-S-U-R-P-A-T-I-O-N: 10 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 64,400th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, usurpation means “The wrongful seizure of something by force, especially of sovereignty or other authority” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of usurpation is usurpations.
How many letters and syllables are in usurpation?
| Letters | 10: U-S-U-R-P-A-T-I-O-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 5 million words; the 64,400th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
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).
How common is usurpation?
Usurpation appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 64,400th 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 usurpation?
- /ˌjuː.sə(ɹ)ˈpeɪ.ʃən/
- /-zə(ɹ)ˈ-/
Usurpation has 4 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-usurpation.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of usurpation
- usurpations plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does usurpation mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The wrongful seizure of something by force, especially of sovereignty or other authority.
- 2
Trespass onto another's property without permission.
- 3
A taking or use without right.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Usurpation in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense wrongful seizure:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | usurpation |
| German | Usurpation, Anmaßung, widerrechtliche Inbesitznahme |
| Portuguese | usurpação |
| Spanish | usurpación |
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 usurpation come from?
From Middle English usurpacioun, from Old French usurpacion, from Latin ūsurpātiō; equivalent to usurp + -ation.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).