built-in

/ˈbɪltɪn/

//ˈbɪltɪn// adj

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

"built-in" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“built-in” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Constructed as a nondetachable part of a larger structure.

Key facts for built-in
PropertyValue
Headwordbuilt-in
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈbɪltɪn/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “built-in” sits in English frequency

built-in falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

built-in is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈbɪltɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for built-in, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is built-in, spelled B-U-I-L-T---I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Constructed as a nondetachable part of a larger structure.
  2. 2
    Being an essential and permanent part of something.
  3. 3
    Being an included feature that normally comes as an extra.

Synonyms

inbuiltinstilledinfusedintegratedincorporatedintegrated

This word in other languages

integrado(Español)encastré(Français)eingebaut(Deutsch)acoplado(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "built-in"?
"built-in" is spelled B-U-I-L-T---I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɪltɪn/.
What does "built-in" mean?
As an adjective, "built-in" means: Constructed as a nondetachable part of a larger structure.
How do you pronounce "built-in"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "built-in" is /ˈbɪltɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "built-in" come from?
"built-in" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “built-in”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is B-U-I-L-T---I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈbɪltɪn/ (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.

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

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