# cation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkætˌaɪ.ən/ · frequency rank #37,370

## Definitions
1. A positively charged ion: one that would be attracted to the cathode in electrolysis.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κᾰτῐόν (kătĭón), neuter present participle of κᾰ́τειμῐ (kắteimĭ, “to go down, come down”), from κᾰτᾰ- (kătă-, “downwards, down, cata-”) + εἶμῐ (eîmĭ, “to go, come”). Coined by English polymath William Whewell in 1834 for Michael Faraday, who introduced it later that year. By surface analysis, cat(a)- + ion.

## Easily confused with
- **Cato** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-cato)
- **cotton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-cotton)
- **caution** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-caution)
- **clarion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-clarion)
- **creation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-creation)
- **citation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-citation)
- **curation** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cation-vs-curation)
- **Cain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cain-vs-cation)
- **cabin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cabin-vs-cation)
- **canon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canon-vs-cation)
- **cairn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cairn-vs-cation)
- **caron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caron-vs-cation)
- **carbon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carbon-vs-cation)
- **cannon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cannon-vs-cation)
- **canyon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canyon-vs-cation)
- **Carson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carson-vs-cation)
- **canton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/canton-vs-cation)
- **carton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carton-vs-cation)
- **cartoon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cartoon-vs-cation)
- **caption** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/caption-vs-cation)

## Common misspellings (7)
`caiton`, `catino`, `cationn`, `catoin`, `cattion`, `ccation`, `ctaion`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cation