conniption

/kəˈnɪp.ʃən/

//kəˈnɪp.ʃən// noun

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

The verdict

“conniption” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A fit of anger or panic; conniption fit.

Key facts for conniption
PropertyValue
Headwordconniption
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kəˈnɪp.ʃən/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “conniption” sits in English frequency

conniption falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for conniption is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kəˈnɪp.ʃən/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for conniption, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Since 1833, from American English. Unknown origin, probably a fanciful alteration of corruption etc., or maybe related to captious. The correct English form is conniption, spelled C-O-N-N-I-P-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A fit of anger or panic; conniption fit.
  2. 2
    A fit of laughing; convulsion.

Etymology

Since 1833, from American English. Unknown origin, probably a fanciful alteration of corruption etc., or maybe related to captious.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "conniption"?
"conniption" is spelled C-O-N-N-I-P-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kəˈnɪp.ʃən/.
What does "conniption" mean?
As a noun, "conniption" means: A fit of anger or panic; conniption fit.
How do you pronounce "conniption"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "conniption" is /kəˈnɪp.ʃən/. 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 "conniption"?
Since 1833, from American English. Unknown origin, probably a fanciful alteration of corruption etc., or maybe related to captious. 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 “conniption”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-N-I-P-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kəˈnɪp.ʃən/ (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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list