ceremony

/ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/

//ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni// noun

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

"ceremony" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ceremony” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #3,474. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#3,474
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A ritual, with religious or cultural significance.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ceremony · ceremony · English

ceremony · rank #3,474 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #3,474
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH centers

Nearest frequency peer: centers (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “ceremony”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “ceremony” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for ceremony
PropertyValue
Headwordceremony
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/
Letters8
Frequency rank#3,474
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “ceremony”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).ceremonylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “centers” (#3,473), “comic” (#3,475), “capture” (#3,472). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “ceremony” is #3,474. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around ceremony (IPA /ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #3,474 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for ceremony, with forms such as "cceremony", "ceermony", and "ceremmony". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”). The correct English form is ceremony, spelled C-E-R-E-M-O-N-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A ritual, with religious or cultural significance.
  2. 2
    An official gathering to celebrate, commemorate, or otherwise mark some event.
  3. 3
    A formal socially established behaviour, often in relation to people of different ranks; formality.
  4. 4
    Show of magnificence, display, ostentation.
  5. 5
    An accessory or object associated with a ritual.
  6. 6
    An omen or portent.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ceremony appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. To whom the Priest with naked armes full net Approching nigh, and murdrous knife well whet, Gan mutter close a certaine secret charme, With other diuelish ceremonies met:
  2. In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep [the passover] in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

Etymology

From Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”).

This word in other languages

ceremonia(Español)cérémonie(Français)Zeremonie(Deutsch)cerimônia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cceremony
  • ceermony
  • ceremmony
  • ceremnoy
  • ceremonny
  • ceremonyy
  • ceremoyn
  • cereomny
  • cermeony
  • cerremony
  • creemony
  • ecremony

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cceremony1ceermony2ceremmony1ceremnoy2ceremonny1ceremonyy1ceremoyn2cereomny2
Edit distance from "ceremony"

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 "ceremony"?
"ceremony" is spelled C-E-R-E-M-O-N-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/.
What does "ceremony" mean?
As a noun, "ceremony" means: A ritual, with religious or cultural significance.
What are common misspellings of "ceremony"?
Common misspellings include "cceremony", "ceermony", "ceremmony", "ceremnoy", "ceremonny". The correct spelling is "ceremony".
How do you pronounce "ceremony"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ceremony" is /ˈsɛɹ.ɪ.mə.ni/. 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 "ceremony"?
From Middle English cerymonye, from Latin caerimonia or caeremonia, later often cerimonia (“sacredness, reverence, a sacred rite”). 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ceremony", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

designer#3,479employed#3,486enjoying#3,487entering#3,488

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

attempted12 variantsromantic12 variantsordinary12 variantsvisiting12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list