ambiguity

/æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/

//æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti// noun

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

The verdict

“ambiguity” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,756 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,756
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The state of being ambiguous; the state of leaving room for more than one interpretation.

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)

Where “ambiguity” sits in English 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). ambiguity lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for ambiguity is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,756 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

Etymology

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

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

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.

Using “ambiguity”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-M-B-I-G-U-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /æm.bɪˈɡjuː.ɪ.ti/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list