clitoris
/ˈklɪtəɹɪs/
"clitoris" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“clitoris” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,735 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #30,735
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
- 12
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A sensitive elongated erectile sex organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other mammals.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | clitoris |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #30,735 |
| Misspellings tracked | 12 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “clitoris” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for clitoris is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,735 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 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for clitoris, with forms such as "cclitoris", "ciltoris", and "cliotris". 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. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From post-classical Latin clītoris (16th century), or its source, Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís), probably from Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō, “I sheathe, shut”), in reference to it being covered by the labia minora. The related noun form κλείς (kleís) has … The correct English form is clitoris, spelled C-L-I-T-O-R-I-S.
Definition
- 1A sensitive elongated erectile sex organ at the anterior part of the vulva in female humans and other mammals.
- 2A similar erectile sexual organ present in the cloacas of female amniotes.
Etymology
From post-classical Latin clītoris (16th century), or its source, Koine Greek κλειτορίς (kleitorís), probably from Ancient Greek κλείω (kleíō, “I sheathe, shut”), in reference to it being covered by the labia minora. The related noun form κλείς (kleís) has a second meaning of "a key, a latch or hook (to close a door)." Wooden pegs were the original keys; a connection also revealed in Latin clavis (“nail”) and claudere (“to shut”) (see close). Some medical sources give a supposed Greek verb κλειτοριάζω (kleitoriázō, “touch or titillate lasciviously, tickle”) literally "to be inclined (toward pleasure)" (compare German Kitzler (“clitoris”, literally “tickler”), related to Greek κλειτύς (kleitús, “shut, closed”), a variant of κλιτύς (klitús, “hillside”), related to κλίνω (klínō, “I slope”), from the same root as κλῖμαξ (klîmax, “ladder”). But many sources take κλειτορίς (kleitorís) literally as Ancient Greek "little hill".
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: cclitoris,ciltoris,cliotris,clitoirs,clitoriss,clitorris,clitorsi,clitrois,clittoris,cllitoris,cltioris,lcitoris
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of clitoris - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "clitoris"?
What does "clitoris" mean?
What are common misspellings of "clitoris"?
How do you pronounce "clitoris"?
What is the origin of the word "clitoris"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “clitoris”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-L-I-T-O-R-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈklɪtəɹɪs/ (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.