Clinton

/ˈklɪn.tn̩/

//ˈklɪn.tn̩// name

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

The verdict

“Clinton” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,619 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#2,619
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A surname.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Clinton vs Clintons
88% similar
Clinton vs Clint
71% similar
Clinton vs canton
57% similar

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

Key facts for Clinton
PropertyValue
HeadwordClinton
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/ˈklɪn.tn̩/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,619
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Clinton” 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). Clinton 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 Clinton is 7 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈklɪn.tn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,619 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 55 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 Clinton, with forms such as "cclinton", "cilnton", and "clinnton". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "Clintons", "Clint", "canton", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: * (English habitational surname): A habitational surname, derived from places named Glinton ("town on a hill") or Glympton ("settlement on the River Glyme"), from Old English [Term?] + tun (“enclosure, homestead, town”), equivalent to the modern -ton. * (gi… The correct English form is Clinton, spelled C-L-I-N-T-O-N.

Definition

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    A surname.
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    A surname.
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    A male given name transferred from the surname, of 19th century and later usage.
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Etymology

* (English habitational surname): A habitational surname, derived from places named Glinton ("town on a hill") or Glympton ("settlement on the River Glyme"), from Old English [Term?] + tun (“enclosure, homestead, town”), equivalent to the modern -ton. * (given name): Derived from the surnames. * (DeWitt County): Named after DeWitt Clinton.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cclinton,cilnton,clinnton,clinotn,clintno,clintonn,clintton,clitnon,cllinton,clniton,lcinton

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cclinton1cilnton2clinnton1clinotn2clintno2clintonn1clintton1clitnon2
Edit distance from "Clinton"

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 "Clinton"?
"Clinton" is spelled C-L-I-N-T-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈklɪn.tn̩/.
What does "Clinton" mean?
As a proper noun, "Clinton" means: A surname.
What words are commonly confused with "Clinton"?
"Clinton" is commonly confused with "Clintons", "Clint", "canton". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Clinton"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Clinton" is /ˈklɪn.tn̩/. 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 "Clinton"?
* (English habitational surname): A habitational surname, derived from places named Glinton ("town on a hill") or Glympton ("settlement on the River Glyme"), from Old English [Term?] + tun (“enclosure, homestead, town”), equivalent to the modern -... 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 “Clinton”

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

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