Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

impale

/ɪmˈpeɪl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.22 in modern English

Syllables
im-pale
IPA
/ɪmˈpeɪl/
10
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To pierce (something) with any long, pointed object.

Transitive verb

verb

To place two coats of arms side by side on the same shield (often those of two spouses upon marriage).

Transitive verb

verb

To pierce with a pale; to put to death by fixing on a sharp stake.

verb

To enclose or fence with stakes.

Example Sentences

  • "[T]he Tovvne is impailed about halfe a mile compaſſe."

Etymology

From Middle French, from Medieval Latin impālāre, from Latin palus, whence also pale.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ɪmˈpeɪl/
  • British English: /ɪmˈpeɪl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

impales (present, singular) impaling (participle, present) impaled (participle, past) impaled (past) empale (alternative)

Derived Forms

impalation impalement impaler unimpale

Phrases

make a hole

Frequently Paired Words

make a hole

Synonyms

fix stake stick run through transfix pale palisade picket empierce impale pierce prick

Homonyms

empale

Rhymes With

sale male scale full-scale mail they'll email jail fail detail trail rail

Questions

How do you pronounce impale?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɪmˈpeɪl/.
What does impale mean?
To pierce (something) with any long, pointed object.
Where does impale come from?
It is traced to Middle French.

How to pronounce impale

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “impale”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪmˈpeɪl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “impale”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “impale” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.