vampire

/ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/

//ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)// noun

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

"vampire" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“vampire” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,853 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,853
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A mythological creature (usually humanoid and undead) said to feed on the blood or life energy of the living.

Key facts for vampire
PropertyValue
Headwordvampire
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/
Letters7
Frequency rank#6,853
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “vampire” 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). vampire 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 vampire is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,853 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for vampire, with forms such as "avmpire", "vamipre", and "vammpire". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French vampire, from German Vampir, via Hungarian from a Slavic word, probably Serbo-Croatian vàmpīr /ва̀мпӣр, from Proto-Slavic *ǫpyrь. Doublet of oupire. The correct English form is vampire, spelled V-A-M-P-I-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A mythological creature (usually humanoid and undead) said to feed on the blood or life energy of the living.
  2. 2
    A person with habits traditionally ascribed to (literal) vampires, such as heliophobia, being a night owl, having pale skin, and so on.
  3. 3
    A person with the medical condition porphyria cutanea tarda, colloquially known as vampirism, with effects such as photosensitivity and brownish-red stained teeth.
  4. 4
    A blood-sucking bat; vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)
  5. 5
    A person who drains one's time, energy, money, etc.
  6. 6
    A vamp: a seductive woman who exploits men.
  7. 7
    A medical technician who works with patients' blood; especially, a phlebotomist.
  8. 8
    Synonym of anti-ship missile (ASM), particularly an incoming hostile one.

Etymology

From French vampire, from German Vampir, via Hungarian from a Slavic word, probably Serbo-Croatian vàmpīr /ва̀мпӣр, from Proto-Slavic *ǫpyrь. Doublet of oupire.

Synonyms

hemovorehematophagous

This word in other languages

vampiro(Español)vampire(Français)Blutsauger(Deutsch)vampiro(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: avmpire,vamipre,vammpire,vampier,vampirre,vamppire,vamprie,vapmire,vmapire,vvampire

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

avmpire2vamipre2vammpire1vampier2vampirre1vamppire1vamprie2vapmire2
Edit distance from "vampire"

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 "vampire"?
"vampire" is spelled V-A-M-P-I-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/.
What does "vampire" mean?
As a noun, "vampire" means: A mythological creature (usually humanoid and undead) said to feed on the blood or life energy of the living.
What are common misspellings of "vampire"?
Common misspellings include "avmpire", "vamipre", "vammpire", "vampier", "vampirre". The correct spelling is "vampire".
How do you pronounce "vampire"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "vampire" is /ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/. 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 "vampire"?
From French vampire, from German Vampir, via Hungarian from a Slavic word, probably Serbo-Croatian vàmpīr /ва̀мпӣр, from Proto-Slavic *ǫpyrь. Doublet of oupire. 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 “vampire”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is V-A-M-P-I-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvæm.paɪ.ə(ɹ)/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list