combination
/ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/
"combination" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“combination” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,432 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #2,432
- frequency rank, English
- 11
- letters
- 17
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of combining, the state of being combined or the result of combining.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | combination |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Frequency rank | #2,432 |
| Misspellings tracked | 17 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “combination” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for combination is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,432 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for combination, with forms such as "ccombination", "cmobination", and "cobmination". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "compilation", "combinations", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English combinacioun, combynacyoun, from Old French combination, from Late Latin combīnātiō. Morphologically combine + -ation. The correct English form is combination, spelled C-O-M-B-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1The act of combining, the state of being combined or the result of combining.
- 2An object formed by combining.
- 3A sequence of numbers or letters used to open a combination lock.
- 4One or more elements selected from a set without regard to the order of selection.
- 5An association or alliance of people for some common purpose.
- 6A shot where the cue ball hits a ball that strikes another ball on the table.
- 7A motorcycle and sidecar.
- 8A rapid sequence of punches or strikes in boxing or other combat sports.
- 9An advantageous sequence of forcing or nearly forcing moves, often initiated with a sacrifice.
- 10Synonym of combinations (A one-piece suit of underwear).
Etymology
PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English combinacioun, combynacyoun, from Old French combination, from Late Latin combīnātiō. Morphologically combine + -ation.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ccombination,cmobination,cobmination,combbination,combiantion,combinaiton,combinasion,combinatino,combinationn,combinatoin,combinattion,combinnation,combintaion,combniation,comibnation,commbination,ocmbination
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of combination - 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.
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 "combination"?
What does "combination" mean?
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Using “combination”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-O-M-B-I-N-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “compilation” - see the side-by-side comparison. combination vs compilation
- 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.