chronological

/ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/

//ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl// adj

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

"chronological" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chronological” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,102 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#17,102
frequency rank, English
13
letters
20
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Relating to time, or units of time.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

chronological vs chronologically
87% similar

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

Key facts for chronological
PropertyValue
Headwordchronological
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/
Letters13
Frequency rank#17,102
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chronological” 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). chronological 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 chronological is 13 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,102 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for chronological, with forms such as "cchronological", "chhronological", and "chornological". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "chronologically", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From chrono- + -logical or chronology + -ical. The correct English form is chronological, spelled C-H-R-O-N-O-L-O-G-I-C-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Relating to time, or units of time.
  2. 2
    In order of time from the earliest to the latest.
  3. 3
    In order of time from the earliest to the latest.

Etymology

From chrono- + -logical or chronology + -ical.

This word in other languages

cronológico(Español)chronologique(Français)chronologisch(Deutsch)cronológico(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cchronological,chhronological,chornological,chrnoological,chronloogical,chronnological,chronolgoical,chronollogical,chronologcial,chronologgical,chronologiacl,chronologicall,chronologiccal,chronologicla,chronoloigcal,chronoolgical,chroonlogical,chrronological,crhonological,hcronological

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cchronological1chhronological1chornological2chrnoological2chronloogical2chronnological1chronolgoical2chronollogical1
Edit distance from "chronological"

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 "chronological"?
"chronological" is spelled C-H-R-O-N-O-L-O-G-I-C-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/.
What does "chronological" mean?
As an adjective, "chronological" means: Relating to time, or units of time.
What words are commonly confused with "chronological"?
"chronological" is commonly confused with "chronologically". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "chronological"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chronological" is /ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/. 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 "chronological"?
From chrono- + -logical or chronology + -ical. 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 “chronological”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-R-O-N-O-L-O-G-I-C-A-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌkɹɒnəˈlɒd͡ʒɪkəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “chronologically” - see the side-by-side comparison. chronological vs chronologically
  • 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