classification

/ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/

//ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən// noun

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

"classification" is a 14-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“classification” has 20 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #5,305. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#5,305
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
20
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of forming into a class or classes; a distribution into groups, as classes, orders, families, etc., according to some common relations or attributes.

Corpus desk

Index EN-classification · classification · English

classification · rank #5,305 · 20 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-COMMON #5,305
  • LEN-MEGA 14 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 20 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH chill

Nearest frequency peer: chill (-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 “classification”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “classification” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

classification vs clarification
86% similar

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

Key facts for classification
PropertyValue
Headwordclassification
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
Letters14
Frequency rank#5,305
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “classification”

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).classificationlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “chill” (#5,304), “clue” (#5,306), “cherry” (#5,303). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “classification” is #5,305. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around classification (IPA /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #5,305 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "The act of forming into a class or classes; a distribution into groups, as classes, orders, families, etc., according to some common relations or attributes.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for classification, with forms such as "calssification", "cclassification", and "clasification". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "clarification", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French classification. The correct English form is classification, spelled C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of forming into a class or classes; a distribution into groups, as classes, orders, families, etc., according to some common relations or attributes.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Near-synonyms: categorization, typing
  2. On those remote pages it is written that animals are divided into (a) those that belong to the Emperor, (b) embalmed ones, (c) those that are trained, (d) suckling pigs, (e) mermaids, (f) fabulous ones, (g) stray dogs, (h) those that are included in this classification, (i) those that tremble as if they were mad, (j) innumerable ones, (k) those drawn with…

Etymology

Borrowed from French classification.

This word in other languages

clasificación(Español)classification(Français)Klassifikation(Deutsch)classificação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • calssification
  • cclassification
  • clasification
  • clasisfication
  • classfiication
  • classifciation
  • classiffication
  • classifiaction
  • classificaiton
  • classificasion
  • classificatino
  • classificationn
  • classificatoin
  • classificattion
  • classificcation
  • classifictaion
  • classiifcation
  • cllassification
  • clsasification
  • lcassification

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

calssification2cclassification1clasification1clasisfication2classfiication2classifciation2classiffication1classifiaction2
Edit distance from "classification"

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 "classification"?
"classification" is spelled C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/.
What does "classification" mean?
As a noun, "classification" means: The act of forming into a class or classes; a distribution into groups, as classes, orders, families, etc., according to some common relations or attributes.
What words are commonly confused with "classification"?
"classification" is commonly confused with "clarification". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "classification"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "classification" is /ˌklæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/. 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 "classification"?
Borrowed from French classification. 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 "classification", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 14 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

identification#5,333simultaneously#5,454transformation#5,093interpretation#4,957

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (20 here; floor ≥5).

parliamentary20 variantsdistinguished20 variantsdetermination20 variantscontroversial20 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list