expensive

/ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/

//ɪkˈspɛnsɪv// adj

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

The verdict

“expensive” is uncommon Portuguese (frequency #71,756 among 2,493 “E” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#71,756
frequency rank, Portuguese
2,493
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - caro

Key facts for expensive
PropertyValue
Headwordexpensive
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/
Letters9
Frequency rank#71,756
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “expensive” sits in Portuguese 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). expensive lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

expensive is uncommon Portuguese at frequency #71,756 among 2,493 “E” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "caro".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for expensive, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable Portuguese rules. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct Portuguese form is expensive, spelled E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    caro

Synonyms

costly

Antonyms

cheap

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 Portuguese corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "expensive"?
"expensive" is spelled E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/.
What does "expensive" mean?
As an adjective, "expensive" means: caro
How do you pronounce "expensive"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "expensive" is /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "expensive" come from?
"expensive" is a Portuguese 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 “expensive”

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

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈspɛnsɪv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words

Other uncommon Portuguese words near this rank

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