approximation

Name: approximation, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/

//əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“approximation” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,014 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#19,014
frequency rank, English: 13
letters: 18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act, process or result of approximating, as

Key facts for approximation
Property	Value
Headword	approximation
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/
Letters	13
Frequency rank	#19,014
Misspellings tracked	18
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “approximation” 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). approximation lands here:

#19,014

#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 approximation is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,014 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for approximation, with forms such as "apporximation", "approixmation", and "approxiamtion". 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. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

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 Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōl… The correct English form is approximation, spelled A-P-P-R-O-X-I-M-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

1
The act, process or result of approximating, as
2
The act, process or result of approximating, as:
3
The act, process or result of approximating, as:
4
The act, process or result of approximating, as:

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 Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English approximation From approximate + -ion.

This word in other languages

aproximación(Español)rapprochement(Français)Approximieren(Deutsch)aproximação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apporximation,approixmation,approxiamtion,approximaiton,approximasion,approximatino,approximationn,approximatoin,approximattion,approximmation,approximtaion,approxmiation,approxximation,apprroximation,apprxoimation,aproximation,aprpoximation,paproximation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

Edit distance from "approximation"

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 "approximation"?

"approximation" is spelled A-P-P-R-O-X-I-M-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/.

What does "approximation" mean?

As a noun, "approximation" means: The act, process or result of approximating, as

What are common misspellings of "approximation"?

Common misspellings include "apporximation", "approixmation", "approxiamtion", "approximaiton", "approximasion". The correct spelling is "approximation".

How do you pronounce "approximation"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "approximation" is /əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.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 "approximation"?

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 Proto-Indo-European *-tisder. Proto-Italic *-tjō Latin -tiō La... 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 “approximation”

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-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.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

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.