aspirin

/ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn/

//ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn// noun

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

"aspirin" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“aspirin” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #18,487 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#18,487
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - an analgesic drug, acetylsalicylic acid

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

aspirin vs aspiring
88% similar
aspirin vs aspire
71% similar
aspirin vs aspirant
75% similar

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

Key facts for aspirin
PropertyValue
Headwordaspirin
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#18,487
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “aspirin” 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). aspirin 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 aspirin is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #18,487 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for aspirin, with forms such as "apsirin", "asiprin", and "aspiirn". 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. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "aspiring", "aspire", "aspirant", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Genericized trademark of German Aspirin, from acetylierte Spirsäure (literally “acetylated spiraeic acid”). The trade name Aspirin is a registered trademark in some countries, but has entered the English language in generic usage, as various German trademar… The correct English form is aspirin, spelled A-S-P-I-R-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    an analgesic drug, acetylsalicylic acid
  2. 2
    a tablet containing this substance

Etymology

Genericized trademark of German Aspirin, from acetylierte Spirsäure (literally “acetylated spiraeic acid”). The trade name Aspirin is a registered trademark in some countries, but has entered the English language in generic usage, as various German trademarks were nullified in the United States after World War I (see also heroin).

This word in other languages

aspirina(Español)aspirine(Français)Aspirin(Deutsch)aspirina(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: apsirin,asiprin,aspiirn,aspirinn,aspirni,aspirrin,asppirin,aspriin,asspirin,sapirin

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of aspirin - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

apsirin2asiprin2aspiirn2aspirinn1aspirni2aspirrin1asppirin1aspriin2
Edit distance from "aspirin"

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 "aspirin"?
"aspirin" is spelled A-S-P-I-R-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn/.
What does "aspirin" mean?
As a noun, "aspirin" means: an analgesic drug, acetylsalicylic acid
What words are commonly confused with "aspirin"?
"aspirin" is commonly confused with "aspiring", "aspire", "aspirant". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "aspirin"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "aspirin" is /ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn/. 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 "aspirin"?
Genericized trademark of German Aspirin, from acetylierte Spirsäure (literally “acetylated spiraeic acid”). The trade name Aspirin is a registered trademark in some countries, but has entered the English language in generic usage, as various Germa... 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 “aspirin”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-S-P-I-R-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈæsp(ɪ)ɹɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “aspiring” - see the side-by-side comparison. aspirin vs aspiring
  • 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