combination

/ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/

//ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən// noun

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

"combination" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“combination” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,432. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,432
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of combining, the state of being combined or the result of combining.

Corpus desk

Index EN-combination · combination · English

combination · rank #2,432 · 17 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,432
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH chosen

Nearest frequency peer: chosen (-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 “combination”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “combination” 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).

combination vs compilation
82% similar
combination vs combinations
92% similar

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

Key facts for combination
PropertyValue
Headwordcombination
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#2,432
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “combination”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).combinationlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “chosen” (#2,431), “conservative” (#2,433), “carrying” (#2,430). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “combination” is #2,432. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around combination (IPA /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,432 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 10 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

  1. 1
    The act of combining, the state of being combined or the result of combining.
  2. 2
    An object formed by combining.
  3. 3
    A sequence of numbers or letters used to open a combination lock.
  4. 4
    One or more elements selected from a set without regard to the order of selection.
  5. 5
    An association or alliance of people for some common purpose.
  6. 6
    A shot where the cue ball hits a ball that strikes another ball on the table.
  7. 7
    A motorcycle and sidecar.
  8. 8
    A rapid sequence of punches or strikes in boxing or other combat sports.
  9. 9
    An advantageous sequence of forcing or nearly forcing moves, often initiated with a sacrifice.
  10. 10
    Synonym of combinations (A one-piece suit of underwear).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. combinations of colors
  2. These guidelines should be followed in combination with those given last week.

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English combinacioun, combynacyoun, from Old French combination, from Late Latin combīnātiō. Morphologically combine + -ation.

Synonyms

fusionmerger

Antonyms

divisionseparationpermutation

This word in other languages

combinación(Español)combinaison(Français)Kombinieren(Deutsch)combinação(Português)

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.

ccombination1cmobination2cobmination2combbination1combiantion2combinaiton2combinasion1combinatino2
Edit distance from "combination"

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"?
"combination" is spelled C-O-M-B-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/.
What does "combination" mean?
As a noun, "combination" means: The act of combining, the state of being combined or the result of combining.
What words are commonly confused with "combination"?
"combination" is commonly confused with "compilation", "combinations". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "combination"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "combination" is /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən/. 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 "combination"?
PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English combinacioun, combynacyoun, from Old French combination, from Late Latin combīnātiō. Morphologically combine + -ation. 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 "combination", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

educational#2,481experienced#2,343corporation#2,524authorities#2,326

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

opportunities17 variantsconsidering17 variantsspecifically17 variantsperspective17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list