chapter

/ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/

//ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)// noun

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

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

The verdict

“chapter” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,245 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,245
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

chapter vs crater
71% similar
chapter vs chaser
71% similar
chapter vs chaste
71% similar

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

Key facts for chapter
PropertyValue
Headwordchapter
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,245
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chapter” 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). chapter 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 chapter is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,245 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for chapter, with forms such as "cahpter", "cchapter", and "chapetr". 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, "crater", "chaser", "chaste", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English chapitre, from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum (“a chapter of a book, in Medieval Latin also a synod or council”), diminutive of caput (“a head”); see capital, capitulum, and chapiter, which are doublets of chapter. The correct English form is chapter, spelled C-H-A-P-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.
  2. 2
    One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.
  3. 3
    Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law)
  4. 4
    Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law)
  5. 5
    Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law)
  6. 6
    A section of a social body.
  7. 7
    A section of a social body.
  8. 8
    A meeting of a chapter of certain organized societies or orders.
  9. 9
    A chapter house
  10. 10
    A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.
  11. 11
    A location or compartment.
  12. 12
    A prescribed reading at one of the canonical hours.

Etymology

From Middle English chapitre, from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum (“a chapter of a book, in Medieval Latin also a synod or council”), diminutive of caput (“a head”); see capital, capitulum, and chapiter, which are doublets of chapter.

Synonyms

ch.chap.chpt.

This word in other languages

capítulo(Español)chapitre(Français)Kapitel(Deutsch)capítulo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cahpter,cchapter,chapetr,chappter,chapterr,chaptre,chaptter,chatper,chhapter,chpater,hcapter

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chapter - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cahpter2cchapter1chapetr2chappter1chapterr1chaptre2chaptter1chatper2
Edit distance from "chapter"

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 "chapter"?
"chapter" is spelled C-H-A-P-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/.
What does "chapter" mean?
As a noun, "chapter" means: One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.
What words are commonly confused with "chapter"?
"chapter" is commonly confused with "crater", "chaser", "chaste". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chapter"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chapter" is /ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/. 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 "chapter"?
From Middle English chapitre, from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum (“a chapter of a book, in Medieval Latin also a synod or council”), diminutive of caput (“a head”); see capital, capitulum, and chapiter, which are doublets of chapter. 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 “chapter”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-A-P-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “crater” - see the side-by-side comparison. chapter vs crater
  • 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