behavior

Name: behavior, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/

//bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“behavior” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,062 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,062
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 11
tracked misspellings: 3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Human conduct relative to social norms.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

behavior vs behaviour

89% similar

behavior vs behavioral

80% similar

behavior vs behaving

75% similar

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

Key facts for behavior
Property	Value
Headword	behavior
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#2,062
Misspellings tracked	11
Confusable pairs	3
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “behavior” 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). behavior lands here:

#2,062

#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 behavior is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,062 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for behavior, with forms such as "bbehavior", "beahvior", and "behaivor". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "behaviour", "behavioral", "behaving", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną P… The correct English form is behavior, spelled B-E-H-A-V-I-O-R.

Definition

1
Human conduct relative to social norms.
2
The way or manner a living creature behaves or acts generally.
3
A state of probation about one's conduct.
4
An observable response produced by an organism.
5
The way a device or system operates.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Proto-Indo-European *kap-der. Proto-Germanic *habjaną Proto-West Germanic *habbjan Proto-West Germanic *bihabbjan Old English behabban Middle English behaven Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- Proto-Italic *haβēō Latin habeō Old French avoirbor. Middle English havour Middle English behavoure English behavior From Middle English behavoure, behaver, from behaven (modern behave), with the ending apparently in imitation of havour (see 'havior), a corruption of Old French aveir and/or avoir (“a having”), ultimately from Latin habēre. Compare Scots havings (“behavior”), from have (“to behave”). Replaced Old English ġebǣru.

Synonyms

comportment conduct demeanor deportment

This word in other languages

proceder(Español)comportement(Français)Verhalten(Deutsch)comportamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbehavior,beahvior,behaivor,behaviorr,behaviro,behavoir,behavvior,behhavior,behvaior,bheavior,ebhavior

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of behavior - 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.

Edit distance from "behavior"

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 "behavior"?

"behavior" is spelled B-E-H-A-V-I-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/.

What does "behavior" mean?

As a noun, "behavior" means: Human conduct relative to social norms.

What words are commonly confused with "behavior"?

"behavior" is commonly confused with "behaviour", "behavioral", "behaving". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "behavior"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "behavior" is /bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/. 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 "behavior"?

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 “behavior”

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

The one correct English spelling is B-E-H-A-V-I-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /bɪˈheɪ.vjə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “behaviour” - see the side-by-side comparison. behavior vs behaviour
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.