circumference
/sɜːˈkʌmfɹəns/
"circumference" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“circumference” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,926 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #22,926
- frequency rank, English
- 13
- letters
- 21
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The line that bounds a circle or other two-dimensional figure.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | circumference |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /sɜːˈkʌmfɹəns/ |
| Letters | 13 |
| Frequency rank | #22,926 |
| Misspellings tracked | 21 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “circumference” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for circumference is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /sɜːˈkʌmfɹəns/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,926 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 21 likely wrong-spelling variants for circumference, with forms such as "ccircumference", "cicrumference", and "circcumference". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin circumferentia, from circum (“around”) + ferō (“I carry”). Displaced native Old English ymbgang. The correct English form is circumference, spelled C-I-R-C-U-M-F-E-R-E-N-C-E.
Definition
- 1The line that bounds a circle or other two-dimensional figure.
- 2The length of such a line.
- 3The surface of a round or spherical object.
- 4The length of the longest cycle of a graph.
Etymology
From Latin circumferentia, from circum (“around”) + ferō (“I carry”). Displaced native Old English ymbgang.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ccircumference,cicrumference,circcumference,circmuference,circufmerence,circumefrence,circumfeernce,circumferance,circumferecne,circumferencce,circumferenec,circumferennce,circumfernece,circumferrence,circumfference,circumfreence,circummference,cirrcumference,cirucmference,cricumference,icrcumference
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of circumference - 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.
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 "circumference"?
What does "circumference" mean?
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Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “circumference”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-I-R-C-U-M-F-E-R-E-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /sɜːˈkʌmfɹəns/ (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.