approximate

/əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/

//əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət// adj

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

"approximate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“approximate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,181 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#12,181
frequency rank, English
11
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

approximate vs approximately
85% similar

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

Key facts for approximate
PropertyValue
Headwordapproximate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/
Letters11
Frequency rank#12,181
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “approximate” 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). approximate 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 approximate is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,181 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for approximate, with forms such as "apporximate", "approixmate", and "approxiamte". 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, "approximately", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin proximō Latin approximō Latin approximātusder. Middle English approximat English approximate From Middle English approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”… The correct English form is approximate, spelled A-P-P-R-O-X-I-M-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.
  2. 2
    Nearing correctness; nearly exact; not perfectly accurate.
  3. 3
    Drawn close together, but not united.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin proximō Latin approximō Latin approximātusder. Middle English approximat English approximate From Middle English approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar; intimate”, also used as the past participle of approximaten), from Latin approximātus, the perfect passive participle of approximō (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), further from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + proximō (“to come near”). The noun was derived from the adjective through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix). See also proximate. By surface analysis, ap- + proximate.

Synonyms

close

Antonyms

exactprecise

This word in other languages

aproximado(Español)approximant(Français)annähernd(Deutsch)aproximado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apporximate,approixmate,approxiamte,approximaet,approximatte,approximmate,approximtae,approxmiate,approxximate,apprroximate,apprxoimate,aproximate,aprpoximate,paproximate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of approximate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

apporximate2approixmate2approxiamte2approximaet2approximatte1approximmate1approximtae2approxmiate2
Edit distance from "approximate"

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 "approximate"?
"approximate" is spelled A-P-P-R-O-X-I-M-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/.
What does "approximate" mean?
As an adjective, "approximate" means: Approaching; proximate; nearly resembling.
What words are commonly confused with "approximate"?
"approximate" is commonly confused with "approximately". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "approximate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "approximate" is /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/. 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 "approximate"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin proximō Latin approximō Latin approximātusder. Middle English approximat English approximate From Middle English approximat(e) (“close, near (to); similar;... 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 “approximate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-P-P-R-O-X-I-M-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈpɹɒk.sɪ.mət/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “approximately” - see the side-by-side comparison. approximate vs approximately
  • 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