appliance

/əˈplaɪ.əns/

//əˈplaɪ.əns// noun

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

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

The verdict

“appliance” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,239 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#18,239
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

appliance vs alliance
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for appliance
PropertyValue
Headwordappliance
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˈplaɪ.əns/
Letters9
Frequency rank#18,239
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “appliance” 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). appliance 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 appliance is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈplaɪ.əns/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,239 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for appliance, with forms such as "apliance", "aplpiance", and "appilance". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "alliance", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Recorded since the 1560s. From the English apply + -ance. The correct English form is appliance, spelled A-P-P-L-I-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially
  2. 2
    An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially:
  3. 3
    An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially:
  4. 4
    The act of applying.
  5. 5
    A means of eliminating or counteracting something undesirable, especially an illness.
  6. 6
    Willing service, willingness to act as someone wishes.

Etymology

Recorded since the 1560s. From the English apply + -ance.

This word in other languages

electrodoméstico(Español)appareil(Français)Gerät(Deutsch)aparelho(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apliance,aplpiance,appilance,applaince,appliacne,appliancce,applianec,appliannce,applience,applinace,applliance,papliance

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of appliance - 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.

apliance1aplpiance2appilance2applaince2appliacne2appliancce1applianec2appliannce1
Edit distance from "appliance"

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 "appliance"?
"appliance" is spelled A-P-P-L-I-A-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈplaɪ.əns/.
What does "appliance" mean?
As a noun, "appliance" means: An implement, an instrument or apparatus designed (or at least used) as a means to a specific end, especially
What words are commonly confused with "appliance"?
"appliance" is commonly confused with "alliance". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "appliance"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "appliance" is /əˈplaɪ.əns/. 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 "appliance"?
Recorded since the 1560s. From the English apply + -ance. 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 “appliance”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-L-I-A-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈplaɪ.əns/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “alliance” - see the side-by-side comparison. appliance vs alliance
  • 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