approximation

/əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/

//əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"approximation" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“approximation” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,014. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,014
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act, process or result of approximating, as

Corpus desk

Index EN-approximation · approximation · English

approximation · rank #19,014 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #19,014
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH apa

Nearest frequency peer: apa (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “approximation”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “approximation” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for approximation
PropertyValue
Headwordapproximation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/
Letters13
Frequency rank#19,014
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “approximation”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).approximationlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “apa” (#19,013), “aromatic” (#19,015), “antagonist” (#19,012). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “approximation” is #19,014. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around approximation (IPA /əˌpɹɒk.sɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #19,014 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how approximation appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. At the back of the cupboard, you find your interview skirt, the one you bought when you had cash to purchase an approximation of the fashion spreads you mulled over in magazines.
  2. For some loanwords borrowed from French into English, the standard English pronunciation is an approximation of the French, as with denoument.

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.

apporximation2approixmation2approxiamtion2approximaiton2approximasion1approximatino2approximationn1approximatoin2
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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "approximation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

commissioning#19,047Staffordshire#18,962realistically#18,936visualization#19,246

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

characterize18 variantsmatchmaking18 variantsdehydration18 variantsdenomination18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list