ancelle

\ɑ̃.sɛl\

/\ɑ̃.sɛl\/ noun

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

The verdict

“ancelle” is outside the top-ranked French vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Petite servante.

Key facts for ancelle
PropertyValue
Headwordancelle
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ɑ̃.sɛl\
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ancelle” sits in French frequency

ancelle falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The French entry for ancelle is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as \ɑ̃.sɛl\. 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 misspelling variants are generated for ancelle in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is ancelle, spelled A-N-C-E-L-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Petite servante.
  2. 2
    Se disait en parlant de la Sainte Vierge, qui elle-même s’appliqua le mot de servante, quand l’ange lui annonça qu’elle deviendrait mère du Sauveur (Ecce Ancilla Domini).

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 "ancelle"?
"ancelle" is spelled A-N-C-E-L-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is \ɑ̃.sɛl\.
What does "ancelle" mean?
As a noun, "ancelle" means: Petite servante.
How do you pronounce "ancelle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ancelle" is \ɑ̃.sɛl\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ancelle" come from?
"ancelle" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “ancelle”

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

  • The one correct French spelling is A-N-C-E-L-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ɑ̃.sɛl\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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