blitz

/blɪts/

//blɪts// noun

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

"blitz" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“blitz” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #13,468 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,468
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A sudden attack, especially an air raid; usually with reference to the Blitz.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

blitz vs Brit
40% similar
blitz vs blot
60% similar
blitz vs Brits
40% similar

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

Key facts for blitz
PropertyValue
Headwordblitz
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/blɪts/
Letters5
Frequency rank#13,468
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “blitz” 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). blitz lands here:

#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 blitz is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /blɪts/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,468 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for blitz, with forms such as "bblitz", "biltz", and "blittz". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "Brit", "blot", "Brits", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Clipping of blitzkrieg, from German Blitzkrieg (literally “lightning war”). The correct English form is blitz, spelled B-L-I-T-Z.

Definition

  1. 1
    A sudden attack, especially an air raid; usually with reference to the Blitz.
  2. 2
    A swift and overwhelming attack or effort.
  3. 3
    A play in which additional defenders beyond the defensive linemen rush the passer.
  4. 4
    Ellipsis of blitz chess.
  5. 5
    The act of blending or puréeing food using a blender or processor.
  6. 6
    An occurrence in which large numbers of fish, typically striped bass or bluefish, feed on a school of baitfish, typically one in which the occurrence can be seen from the surface.

Etymology

Clipping of blitzkrieg, from German Blitzkrieg (literally “lightning war”).

This word in other languages

relámpago(Español)Blitzkrieg(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bblitz,biltz,blittz,blitzz,blizt,bllitz,bltiz,lbitz

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of blitz - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

bblitz1biltz2blittz1blitzz1blizt2bllitz1bltiz2lbitz2
Edit distance from "blitz"

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 "blitz"?
"blitz" is spelled B-L-I-T-Z. The IPA pronunciation is /blɪts/.
What does "blitz" mean?
As a noun, "blitz" means: A sudden attack, especially an air raid; usually with reference to the Blitz.
What words are commonly confused with "blitz"?
"blitz" is commonly confused with "Brit", "blot", "Brits". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "blitz"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "blitz" is /blɪts/. 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 "blitz"?
Clipping of blitzkrieg, from German Blitzkrieg (literally “lightning war”). 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 “blitz”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-L-I-T-Z - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /blɪts/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Brit” - see the side-by-side comparison. blitz vs Brit
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list