conceit

/kənˈsiːt/

//kənˈsiːt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“conceit” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #36,084 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#36,084
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Something conceived in the mind; an idea, a thought.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

conceit vs content
71% similar
conceit vs concept
86% similar
conceit vs concern
71% similar

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

Key facts for conceit
PropertyValue
Headwordconceit
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kənˈsiːt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#36,084
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “conceit” 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). conceit 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 conceit is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈsiːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #36,084 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for conceit, with forms such as "cconceit", "cnoceit", and "cocneit". 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. It also participates in 16 confusable-pair relationships, "content", "concept", "concern", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English conceyte, formed from conceyven by analogy with pairs such as (Modern English) deceive~deceit, receive~receipt etc. Doublet of concept and concetto. Akin to Portuguese conceito. The correct English form is conceit, spelled C-O-N-C-E-I-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something conceived in the mind; an idea, a thought.
  2. 2
    The faculty of conceiving ideas; mental faculty; apprehension.
  3. 3
    Quickness of apprehension; active imagination; lively fancy.
  4. 4
    Opinion, (neutral) judgment.
  5. 5
    Esteem, favourable opinion.
  6. 6
    A novel or fanciful idea; a whim.
  7. 7
    An ingenious expression or metaphorical idea, especially in extended form or used as a literary or rhetorical device.
  8. 8
    Overly high self-esteem; vain pride; hubris.
  9. 9
    Design; pattern.

Etymology

From Middle English conceyte, formed from conceyven by analogy with pairs such as (Modern English) deceive~deceit, receive~receipt etc. Doublet of concept and concetto. Akin to Portuguese conceito.

This word in other languages

concepto(Español)vanité(Français)Eingebung(Deutsch)vaidade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconceit,cnoceit,cocneit,concceit,conceitt,conceti,conciet,conecit,connceit,ocnceit

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconceit1cnoceit2cocneit2concceit1conceitt1conceti2conciet2conecit2
Edit distance from "conceit"

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 "conceit"?
"conceit" is spelled C-O-N-C-E-I-T. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈsiːt/.
What does "conceit" mean?
As a noun, "conceit" means: Something conceived in the mind; an idea, a thought.
What words are commonly confused with "conceit"?
"conceit" is commonly confused with "content", "concept", "concern". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "conceit"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "conceit" is /kənˈsiːt/. 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 "conceit"?
From Middle English conceyte, formed from conceyven by analogy with pairs such as (Modern English) deceive~deceit, receive~receipt etc. Doublet of concept and concetto. Akin to Portuguese conceito. 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 “conceit”

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

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