capacity

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

/kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti/

//kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti// noun

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

The verdict

“capacity” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,988 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,988
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 12
tracked misspellings: 2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The ability to hold, receive, or absorb.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

capacity vs calamity

75% similar

capacity vs capacitor

78% similar

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

Key facts for capacity
Property	Value
Headword	capacity
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#1,988
Misspellings tracked	12
Confusable pairs	2
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “capacity” 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). capacity lands here:

#1,988

#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 capacity is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,988 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 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 capacity, with forms such as "acpacity", "caapcity", and "capaccity". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "calamity", "capacitor", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English capacite, from Old French capacite, from Latin capācitās, from capāx (“able to hold much”), from capiō (“to hold, to contain, to take, to understand”). The correct English form is capacity, spelled C-A-P-A-C-I-T-Y.

Definition

1
The ability to hold, receive, or absorb.
2
A measure of such ability; volume.
3
A measure of such ability; volume.
4
Capability; the ability to perform some task.
5
The maximum that can be produced.
6
The maximum that can be produced.
7
The potential for growth and development.
8
The potential for growth and development.
9
A role; the position in which one functions.
10
A role; the position in which one functions.
11
Electrical capacitance.

Etymology

From Middle English capacite, from Old French capacite, from Latin capācitās, from capāx (“able to hold much”), from capiō (“to hold, to contain, to take, to understand”).

This word in other languages

capacidad(Español)capacité(Français)Fähigkeit(Deutsch)capacidade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acpacity,caapcity,capaccity,capacitty,capacityy,capaciyt,capactiy,capaicty,capcaity,cappacity,ccapacity,cpaacity

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

Edit distance from "capacity"

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 "capacity"?

"capacity" is spelled C-A-P-A-C-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti/.

What does "capacity" mean?

As a noun, "capacity" means: The ability to hold, receive, or absorb.

What words are commonly confused with "capacity"?

"capacity" is commonly confused with "calamity", "capacitor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "capacity"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "capacity" is /kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti/. 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 "capacity"?

From Middle English capacite, from Old French capacite, from Latin capācitās, from capāx (“able to hold much”), from capiō (“to hold, to contain, to take, to understand”). 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 “capacity”

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

The one correct English spelling is C-A-P-A-C-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /kəˈpæ.sɪ.ti/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “calamity” - see the side-by-side comparison. capacity vs calamity
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.