vilipend
/ˈvɪlɪpɛnd/
"vilipend" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“vilipend” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless; to despise, to look down on.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | vilipend |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈvɪlɪpɛnd/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “vilipend” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for vilipend is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈvɪlɪpɛnd/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
No generated misspelling entries exist for vilipend in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English vilipenden (“to treat (something) as contemptible”) [and other forms], from Old French vilipender (modern French vilipender (“to condemn, despise, revile, scorn, vilipend, vilify”)), or its etymon Latin vilipendō, from vīlis (“cheap, ine… The correct English form is vilipend, spelled V-I-L-I-P-E-N-D.
Definition
- 1To treat (something) as inconsequential or worthless; to despise, to look down on.
- 2To express a disparaging opinion of; to slander or vilify.
Etymology
From Middle English vilipenden (“to treat (something) as contemptible”) [and other forms], from Old French vilipender (modern French vilipender (“to condemn, despise, revile, scorn, vilipend, vilify”)), or its etymon Latin vilipendō, from vīlis (“cheap, inexpensive; base, mean, vile, worthless”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wes- (“to buy, sell”)) + pendō (“to hang, suspend; to weigh, weigh out; (figuratively) to consider, ponder”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- (“to stretch”)). The English word is cognate with Italian vilipendere (“to despise, scorn, vilipend”), Portuguese vilipendiar (“to vilify”), Spanish vilipendiar (“to vilify”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "vilipend"?
What does "vilipend" mean?
How do you pronounce "vilipend"?
What is the origin of the word "vilipend"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “vilipend”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is V-I-L-I-P-E-N-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈvɪlɪpɛnd/ (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.