ventilate

/ˈvɛntɪleɪt/

//ˈvɛntɪleɪt// verb

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

"ventilate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ventilate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #67,939 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#67,939
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To replace stale or noxious air with fresh.

Key facts for ventilate
PropertyValue
Headwordventilate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈvɛntɪleɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#67,939
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ventilate” 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). ventilate 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 ventilate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvɛntɪleɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #67,939 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

ventilate has no tracked misspelling variants, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English, borrowed from Latin ventilātus, past participle of ventilō. The correct English form is ventilate, spelled V-E-N-T-I-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To replace stale or noxious air with fresh.
  2. 2
    To circulate air through a building, etc.
  3. 3
    To provide with a vent.
  4. 4
    To expose something to the circulation of fresh air.
  5. 5
    To expose something to public examination or discussion.
  6. 6
    To provide manual or mechanical breathing to (a patient).
  7. 7
    To breathe.
  8. 8
    To shoot with a firearm; to pierce with bullets.

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Latin ventilātus, past participle of ventilō.

This word in other languages

ventilar(Español)ventiler(Français)lüften(Deutsch)ventilar(Português)

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 "ventilate"?
"ventilate" is spelled V-E-N-T-I-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɛntɪleɪt/.
What does "ventilate" mean?
As a verb, "ventilate" means: To replace stale or noxious air with fresh.
How do you pronounce "ventilate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ventilate" is /ˈvɛntɪleɪt/. 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 "ventilate"?
From Middle English, borrowed from Latin ventilātus, past participle of ventilō. 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 “ventilate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is V-E-N-T-I-L-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvɛntɪleɪt/ (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