chronology

/kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/

//kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi// noun

"chronology" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chronology” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,749 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#21,749
frequency rank, English
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The science of determining the order in which events occurred.

Key facts for chronology
PropertyValue
Headwordchronology
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/
Letters10
Frequency rank#21,749
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chronology” 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). chronology 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 chronology is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,749 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for chronology, with forms such as "cchronology", "chhronology", and "chornology". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From chrono- (“relating to time”) + -logy (“study of, account of”), after New Latin chronologia from Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”) + λόγος (lógos, “reason, explanation”). Literally "time reason" in Modern Greek. The correct English form is chronology, spelled C-H-R-O-N-O-L-O-G-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The science of determining the order in which events occurred.
  2. 2
    An arrangement of events into chronological order; called a timeline when involving graphical elements.

Etymology

From chrono- (“relating to time”) + -logy (“study of, account of”), after New Latin chronologia from Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”) + λόγος (lógos, “reason, explanation”). Literally "time reason" in Modern Greek.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cchronology,chhronology,chornology,chrnoology,chronloogy,chronnology,chronolgoy,chronollogy,chronologgy,chronologyy,chronoloyg,chronoolgy,chroonlogy,chrronology,crhonology,hcronology

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cchronology1chhronology1chornology2chrnoology2chronloogy2chronnology1chronolgoy2chronollogy1
Edit distance from "chronology"

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 "chronology"?
"chronology" is spelled C-H-R-O-N-O-L-O-G-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/.
What does "chronology" mean?
As a noun, "chronology" means: The science of determining the order in which events occurred.
What are common misspellings of "chronology"?
Common misspellings include "cchronology", "chhronology", "chornology", "chrnoology", "chronloogy". The correct spelling is "chronology".
How do you pronounce "chronology"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chronology" is /kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/. 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 "chronology"?
From chrono- (“relating to time”) + -logy (“study of, account of”), after New Latin chronologia from Ancient Greek χρόνος (khrónos, “time”) + λόγος (lógos, “reason, explanation”). Literally "time reason" in Modern Greek. 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 “chronology”

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-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kɹəˈnɒl.ə.d͡ʒi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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