connection

/kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n/

//kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n// noun

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

"connection" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“connection” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,788 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,788
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of connecting.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

connection vs connector
80% similar
connection vs convention
80% similar
connection vs conviction
80% similar

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

Key facts for connection
PropertyValue
Headwordconnection
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n/
Letters10
Frequency rank#1,788
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “connection” 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). connection 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 connection is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,788 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for connection, with forms such as "cconnection", "cnonection", and "conection". 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 14 confusable-pair relationships, "connector", "convention", "conviction", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English conneccioun, connexioun, conneccyon, conneccion, from Latin connexionem (nominative connexio (“a conclusion, binding together”)), from connectō, an alternative spelling of cōnectō (“to bind together”), from compound of co- (“together”) a… The correct English form is connection, spelled C-O-N-N-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of connecting.
  2. 2
    The point at which two or more things are connected.
  3. 3
    A feeling of understanding and ease of communication between two or more people.
  4. 4
    An established communications or transportation link.
  5. 5
    A transfer from one transportation vehicle to another in scheduled transportation service.
  6. 6
    A kinship relationship between people.
  7. 7
    A person related to oneself, through either family or business.
  8. 8
    A set of sets that contains the empty set, all one-element sets for any element that is included in any of the sets, and the union of any group of sets that are elements where the intersections of those sets is non-empty.
  9. 9
    Coherence; lack of disjointedness.
  10. 10
    A Methodist denomination as a whole, as opposed to its constituent churches, circuits, districts and conferences.
  11. 11
    Sexual intercourse.
  12. 12
    A drug dealer.

Etymology

From Middle English conneccioun, connexioun, conneccyon, conneccion, from Latin connexionem (nominative connexio (“a conclusion, binding together”)), from connectō, an alternative spelling of cōnectō (“to bind together”), from compound of co- (“together”) and nectō (“to bind”). In American English mid-18c., spelling shifted from connexion to connection (equivalent to connect + -ion), thus making connexion British dated and connection in international use.

Synonyms

bondconnectionconnectiveconnexivelinkvinculum

This word in other languages

vinculación(Español)connexion(Français)Verbindung(Deutsch)ligação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconnection,cnonection,conection,conenction,conncetion,connecction,conneciton,connecsion,connectino,connectionn,connectoin,connecttion,connetcion,ocnnection

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconnection1cnonection2conection1conenction2conncetion2connecction1conneciton2connecsion1
Edit distance from "connection"

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 "connection"?
"connection" is spelled C-O-N-N-E-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n/.
What does "connection" mean?
As a noun, "connection" means: The act of connecting.
What words are commonly confused with "connection"?
"connection" is commonly confused with "connector", "convention", "conviction". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "connection"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "connection" is /kəˈnɛkʃ(ə)n/. 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 "connection"?
From Middle English conneccioun, connexioun, conneccyon, conneccion, from Latin connexionem (nominative connexio (“a conclusion, binding together”)), from connectō, an alternative spelling of cōnectō (“to bind together”), from compound of co- (“to... 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 “connection”

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

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