# auction

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɔːkʃən/ · frequency rank #4,506

## Definitions
1. A public event where goods or property are sold to the highest bidder.
2. The first stage of a deal, in which players bid to determine the final contract.

## Etymology
From Latin auctiō (“an increase, auction”), from augere (“to increase”).

## Easily confused with
- **Austin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/auction-vs-austin)
- **audition** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/auction-vs-audition)
- **actin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/actin-vs-auction)
- **acton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/acton-vs-auction)
- **action** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/action-vs-auction)
- **actions** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/actions-vs-auction)
- **abduction** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abduction-vs-auction)

## Common misspellings (10)
`acution`, `aucction`, `auciton`, `aucsion`, `auctino`, `auctionn`, `auctoin`, `aucttion`, `autcion`, `uaction`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/auction