anticipation

/ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/

//ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"anticipation" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“anticipation” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,487. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,487
frequency rank, English
35,202
“A” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of anticipating, taking up, placing, or considering something beforehand, or before the proper time in natural order.

Key facts for anticipation
PropertyValue
Headwordanticipation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#10,487
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “anticipation” 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). anticipation lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around anticipation (IPA /ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #10,487 among 35,202 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for anticipation, with forms such as "anitcipation", "annticipation", and "antciipation". 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. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English anticipacioun, from Middle French anticipation and its etymon Latin anticipātiō, anticipātiōnem. The correct English form is anticipation, spelled A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of anticipating, taking up, placing, or considering something beforehand, or before the proper time in natural order.
  2. 2
    The eagerness associated with waiting for something to occur.
  3. 3
    Prepayment of a debt, generally in order to pay less interest.
  4. 4
    Prolepsis.
  5. 5
    A non-harmonic tone that is lower or higher than a note in the previous chord and a unison to a note in the next chord.
  6. 6
    Hasty notion; intuitive preconception.

Etymology

From Middle English anticipacioun, from Middle French anticipation and its etymon Latin anticipātiō, anticipātiōnem.

Synonyms

expectingness

This word in other languages

previsión(Español)Erwartung(Deutsch)antecipação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • anitcipation
  • annticipation
  • antciipation
  • anticcipation
  • anticiaption
  • anticipaiton
  • anticipasion
  • anticipatino
  • anticipationn
  • anticipatoin
  • anticipattion
  • anticippation
  • anticiptaion
  • anticpiation
  • antiicpation
  • antticipation
  • atnicipation
  • naticipation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of anticipation - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

anitcipation2annticipation1antciipation2anticcipation1anticiaption2anticipaiton2anticipasion1anticipatino2
Edit distance from "anticipation"

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 "anticipation"?
"anticipation" is spelled A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/.
What does "anticipation" mean?
As a noun, "anticipation" means: The act of anticipating, taking up, placing, or considering something beforehand, or before the proper time in natural order.
What are common misspellings of "anticipation"?
Common misspellings include "anitcipation", "annticipation", "antciipation", "anticcipation", "anticiaption". The correct spelling is "anticipation".
How do you pronounce "anticipation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anticipation" is /ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/. 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 "anticipation"?
From Middle English anticipacioun, from Middle French anticipation and its etymon Latin anticipātiō, anticipātiōnem. 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 “anticipation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ænˌtɪs.ɪˈpeɪ.ʃən/ (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

Same frequency band

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