valedictorian

/ˌvæl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən/

//ˌvæl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən// noun

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

"valedictorian" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“valedictorian” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,952. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,952
frequency rank, English
969
“V” headwords
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell or valedictory address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades.

Corpus desk

Index EN-valedictorian · valedictorian · English

valedictorian · rank #40,952 · 19 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #40,952
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-MID 969
  • PHOTO-FINISH utterance

Nearest frequency peer: utterance (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “valedictorian”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “valedictorian” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for valedictorian
PropertyValue
Headwordvaledictorian
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌvæl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən/
Letters13
Frequency rank#40,952
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “valedictorian” sits in English frequency

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).valedictorianlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “utterance” (#40,951), “verso” (#40,953), “urination” (#40,950). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around valedictorian (IPA /ˌvæl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #40,952 among 969 “V” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for valedictorian, with forms such as "avledictorian", "vaeldictorian", and "valdeictorian". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. 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: Formed 1759, from valedictory (“of a speech made when leaving”) + -an. The correct English form is valedictorian, spelled V-A-L-E-D-I-C-T-O-R-I-A-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell or valedictory address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades.
  2. 2
    The individual in a graduating class who graduates with the highest grades.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Our oldest son was valedictorian of his high school class and went to a top university. But right about this time two years ago, our second son told us he wasn’t interested in college.
  2. At first, it seemed a joyous occasion. There was an audible gasp in the room, then boisterous cheering and applause when the announcement was made: Ikeria Washington and Layla Temple had been named 2021 valedictorian and salutatorian for West Point High School.

Etymology

Formed 1759, from valedictory (“of a speech made when leaving”) + -an.

This word in other languages

major(Français)Jahrgangsbester(Deutsch)orador(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • avledictorian
  • vaeldictorian
  • valdeictorian
  • valedcitorian
  • valeddictorian
  • valedicctorian
  • valedicotrian
  • valedictoiran
  • valedictorain
  • valedictoriann
  • valedictorina
  • valedictorrian
  • valedictroian
  • valedicttorian
  • valeditcorian
  • valeidctorian
  • valledictorian
  • vlaedictorian
  • vvaledictorian

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of valedictorian - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

avledictorian2vaeldictorian2valdeictorian2valedcitorian2valeddictorian1valedicctorian1valedicotrian2valedictoiran2
Edit distance from "valedictorian"

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 "valedictorian"?
"valedictorian" is spelled V-A-L-E-D-I-C-T-O-R-I-A-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌvæl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən/.
What does "valedictorian" mean?
As a noun, "valedictorian" means: The individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell or valedictory address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades.
What are common misspellings of "valedictorian"?
Common misspellings include "avledictorian", "vaeldictorian", "valdeictorian", "valedcitorian", "valeddictorian". The correct spelling is "valedictorian".
How do you pronounce "valedictorian"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "valedictorian" is /ˌvæl.əd.ɪkˈtɔɹ.ɪən/. 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 "valedictorian"?
Formed 1759, from valedictory (“of a speech made when leaving”) + -an. 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 "valedictorian", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

unanticipated#40,942translocation#40,934subcontractor#40,911rearrangement#40,867

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (19 here; floor ≥5).

professorship19 variantspostoperative19 variantsdisbursement19 variantshypertrophy19 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "valedictorian". Here's where to go from here.

  • 19 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #40,952 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "V" letter cohort. V–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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