basically
/ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/
"basically" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“basically” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,327 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.
- #2,327
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 12
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | basically |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adverb |
| IPA | /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #2,327 |
| Misspellings tracked | 12 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “basically” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for basically is 9 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,327 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for basically, with forms such as "absically", "baiscally", and "bascially". 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 confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From basic + -ally. The correct English form is basically, spelled B-A-S-I-C-A-L-L-Y.
Definition
- 1In a fundamental, essential or basic manner.
- 2Essentially; mostly; pretty much.
- 3Used to refer to the most important or fundamental point that the speaker is making or to indicate a generalization or simplification; sometimes tending towards a meaningless filler word.
Etymology
From basic + -ally.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: absically,baiscally,bascially,basiaclly,basicallyy,basicaly,basicalyl,basiccally,basiclaly,bassically,bbasically,bsaically
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of basically - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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
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Using “basically”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is B-A-S-I-C-A-L-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.