autistic

/ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk/

//ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk// adj

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

"autistic" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“autistic” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #16,410. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#16,410
frequency rank, English
35,202
“A” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having autism, or pertaining to autism.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

autistic vs artistic
88% similar

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

Key facts for autistic
PropertyValue
Headwordautistic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#16,410
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “autistic” 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). autistic lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around autistic (IPA /ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #16,410 among 35,202 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for autistic, with forms such as "atuistic", "auitstic", and "autisitc". 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, "artistic", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From autism + -istic or -tic. First attested in 1913. The modern clinical sense is first used in 1943 by Leo Kanner. The correct English form is autistic, spelled A-U-T-I-S-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having autism, or pertaining to autism.
  2. 2
    Socially inept, self-absorbed, or stupid.
  3. 3
    Characterized by abnormal and unhealthy focus or persistence, and unhealthy hatred of opposition or criticism. Obsessive.
  4. 4
    Lame, uncool, stupid.

Etymology

From autism + -istic or -tic. First attested in 1913. The modern clinical sense is first used in 1943 by Leo Kanner.

This word in other languages

autista(Español)autiste(Français)autistisch(Deutsch)autista(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • atuistic
  • auitstic
  • autisitc
  • autisstic
  • autistci
  • autisticc
  • autisttic
  • autitsic
  • autsitic
  • auttistic
  • uatistic

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

atuistic2auitstic2autisitc2autisstic1autistci2autisticc1autisttic1autitsic2
Edit distance from "autistic"

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 "autistic"?
"autistic" is spelled A-U-T-I-S-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk/.
What does "autistic" mean?
As an adjective, "autistic" means: Having autism, or pertaining to autism.
What words are commonly confused with "autistic"?
"autistic" is commonly confused with "artistic". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "autistic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "autistic" is /ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk/. 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 "autistic"?
From autism + -istic or -tic. First attested in 1913. The modern clinical sense is first used in 1943 by Leo Kanner. 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 “autistic”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-U-T-I-S-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɔːˈtɪs.tɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “artistic” - see the side-by-side comparison. autistic vs artistic
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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