anti-
/ˈænˌti/
"anti" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“anti-” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a prefix - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 5
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Against, opposed to.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | anti- |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prefix |
| IPA | /ˈænˌti/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “anti-” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for anti- is 5 letters long, classified as a prefix, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈænˌti/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
anti- doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-)der. English anti- From Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-, “against”). Cognate with Old English and- (“against, in return, back, un-”), German ent- (“off, away, un-”). Doublet of ante- and un-. The correct English form is anti-, spelled A-N-T-I--.
Definition
- 1Against, opposed to.
- 2Counteracting, neutralizing.
- 3The opposite of what is typically expected.
- 4Physically opposite, reverse in position or direction.
- 5A rival or counterpart to.
- 6Composed of antimatter.
- 7Reacting with immunoglobins found in the specified animal.
Etymology
Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-)der. English anti- From Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-, “against”). Cognate with Old English and- (“against, in return, back, un-”), German ent- (“off, away, un-”). Doublet of ante- and un-.
This word in other languages
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
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Using “anti-”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-N-T-I-- - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈænˌti/ (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.