ambiguity

/æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/

//æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti// noun

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

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

The verdict

“ambiguity” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #17,756. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#17,756
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of being ambiguous; the state of leaving room for more than one interpretation.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ambiguity · ambiguity · English

ambiguity · rank #17,756 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #17,756
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH als

Nearest frequency peer: als (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “ambiguity”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “ambiguity” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for ambiguity
PropertyValue
Headwordambiguity
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/
Letters9
Frequency rank#17,756
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “ambiguity”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).ambiguitylands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “als” (#17,755), “anguish” (#17,757), “affluent” (#17,754). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “ambiguity” is #17,756. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around ambiguity (IPA /æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #17,756 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for ambiguity, with forms such as "abmiguity", "ambbiguity", and "ambgiuity". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English ambiguite, from Old French ambiguite (French ambiguïté), from Latin ambiguitas, equivalent to ambiguous + -ity. The correct English form is ambiguity, spelled A-M-B-I-G-U-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being ambiguous; the state of leaving room for more than one interpretation.
  2. 2
    An instance of this state: words or statements that are open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, especially if that meaning cannot be determined from the context.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ambiguity appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. His speech was made with such great ambiguity that neither supporter nor opponent could be certain of his true position.
  2. Whan this ſayd monument diſcouered was / Suche a ſuauite and fragrant odoure / Aſcended from the corps by ſingular grace / Paſſyng all worldly ſwetnes and ſauour / That all there present that day and hour / Suppoſed they had ben / in the felicite / Of erthely paradiſe / without ambiguite.

Etymology

From Middle English ambiguite, from Old French ambiguite (French ambiguïté), from Latin ambiguitas, equivalent to ambiguous + -ity.

Synonyms

ambiguousnessimprecisionpolysemyweasel word

Antonyms

unambiguity

This word in other languages

ambigüedad(Español)ambiguïté(Français)Ambiguität(Deutsch)ambiguidade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • abmiguity
  • ambbiguity
  • ambgiuity
  • ambigguity
  • ambigiuty
  • ambiguitty
  • ambiguityy
  • ambiguiyt
  • ambigutiy
  • ambiugity
  • amibguity
  • ammbiguity
  • mabiguity

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ambiguity - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

abmiguity2ambbiguity1ambgiuity2ambigguity1ambigiuty2ambiguitty1ambiguityy1ambiguiyt2
Edit distance from "ambiguity"

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 "ambiguity"?
"ambiguity" is spelled A-M-B-I-G-U-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/.
What does "ambiguity" mean?
As a noun, "ambiguity" means: The state of being ambiguous; the state of leaving room for more than one interpretation.
What are common misspellings of "ambiguity"?
Common misspellings include "abmiguity", "ambbiguity", "ambgiuity", "ambigguity", "ambigiuty". The correct spelling is "ambiguity".
How do you pronounce "ambiguity"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ambiguity" is /æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/. 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 "ambiguity"?
From Middle English ambiguite, from Old French ambiguite (French ambiguïté), from Latin ambiguitas, equivalent to ambiguous + -ity. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ambiguity", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

antitrust#17,759barrister#17,765bracelets#17,775brokerage#17,778

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

workings13 variantssynopsis13 variantsrightful13 variantsdesignate13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list