auxiliary

/ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi/

//ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi// adj

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

"auxiliary" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“auxiliary” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,494. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,494
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Helping; giving assistance or support.

Corpus desk

Index EN-auxiliary · auxiliary · English

auxiliary · rank #10,494 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #10,494
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH authorization

Nearest frequency peer: authorization (-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 “auxiliary”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “auxiliary” 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 auxiliary
PropertyValue
Headwordauxiliary
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi/
Letters9
Frequency rank#10,494
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “auxiliary”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).auxiliarylands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “authorization” (#10,493), “assessing” (#10,492), “baggage” (#10,496). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “auxiliary” is #10,494. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around auxiliary (IPA /ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #10,494 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for auxiliary, with forms such as "auixliary", "auxiilary", and "auxilairy". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin auxiliārius (“assistant, ally”), equiv. to auxiliāris (“helping, aiding”), from auxilium (“help, aid”), from augēre (“to increase”). The correct English form is auxiliary, spelled A-U-X-I-L-I-A-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Helping; giving assistance or support.
  2. 2
    Supplementary or subsidiary.
  3. 3
    Held in reserve for exceptional circumstances.
  4. 4
    Of a ship, having both sails and an engine.
  5. 5
    Relating to an auxiliary verb.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. auxiliary troops

Etymology

From Latin auxiliārius (“assistant, ally”), equiv. to auxiliāris (“helping, aiding”), from auxilium (“help, aid”), from augēre (“to increase”).

Synonyms

accessorymotorsailer

This word in other languages

auxiliar(Español)auxiliaire(Français)helfend(Deutsch)auxiliar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • auixliary
  • auxiilary
  • auxilairy
  • auxiliarry
  • auxiliaryy
  • auxiliayr
  • auxiliray
  • auxilliary
  • auxliiary
  • auxxiliary
  • axuiliary
  • uaxiliary

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

auixliary2auxiilary2auxilairy2auxiliarry1auxiliaryy1auxiliayr2auxiliray2auxilliary1
Edit distance from "auxiliary"

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 "auxiliary"?
"auxiliary" is spelled A-U-X-I-L-I-A-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi/.
What does "auxiliary" mean?
As an adjective, "auxiliary" means: Helping; giving assistance or support.
What are common misspellings of "auxiliary"?
Common misspellings include "auixliary", "auxiilary", "auxilairy", "auxiliarry", "auxiliaryy". The correct spelling is "auxiliary".
How do you pronounce "auxiliary"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "auxiliary" is /ɔːɡˈzɪl.(j)ə.ɹi/. 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 "auxiliary"?
From Latin auxiliārius (“assistant, ally”), equiv. to auxiliāris (“helping, aiding”), from auxilium (“help, aid”), from augēre (“to increase”). 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 "auxiliary", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

assessing#10,492amusement#10,485valuation#10,474thickness#10,464

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

briefing12 variantsEinstein12 variantsenclosed12 variantsshattered12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list