constipation

/ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃən/

//ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃən// noun

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

"constipation" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“constipation” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,710. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,710
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
19
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A state of the bowels in which the evacuations are infrequent and difficult, or the intestines become filled with hardened faeces.

Corpus desk

Index EN-constipation · constipation · English

constipation · rank #24,710 · 19 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #24,710
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH consented

Nearest frequency peer: consented (-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 “constipation”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “constipation” 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).

constipation vs constitution
83% similar

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

Key facts for constipation
PropertyValue
Headwordconstipation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#24,710
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “constipation”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).constipationlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “consented” (#24,709), “consultative” (#24,711), “confluence” (#24,708). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “constipation” is #24,710. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around constipation (IPA /ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #24,710 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for constipation, with forms such as "cconstipation", "cnostipation", and "connstipation". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "constitution", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English constipacioun, borrowed from Medieval Latin constīpātiō or its Old French equivalent, from cōnstīpō + -tiō. By surface analysis, constipate + -ion. The correct English form is constipation, spelled C-O-N-S-T-I-P-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A state of the bowels in which the evacuations are infrequent and difficult, or the intestines become filled with hardened faeces.
  2. 2
    The act of crowding anything into a lesser space, or the state of being crowded or pressed together; condensation.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. If you also knew how to combine foods—that is, what foods eaten together “set well,” you need never have indigestion, constipation or any of the headachy, stomachachy ills they lead to.
  2. Review of systems was positive for unintentional weight gain of 13.5 kilograms in the last eight months, excessive fatigue, fever, difficulty focusing, one episode of painful oral ulcer on the roof of her mouth, change in the hair texture with nonscarring alopecia, shortness of breath with exertion, and constipation.

Etymology

First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English constipacioun, borrowed from Medieval Latin constīpātiō or its Old French equivalent, from cōnstīpō + -tiō. By surface analysis, constipate + -ion.

This word in other languages

constipación(Español)constipation(Français)Obstipation(Deutsch)constipação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cconstipation
  • cnostipation
  • connstipation
  • consitpation
  • consstipation
  • constiaption
  • constipaiton
  • constipasion
  • constipatino
  • constipationn
  • constipatoin
  • constipattion
  • constippation
  • constiptaion
  • constpiation
  • consttipation
  • contsipation
  • cosntipation
  • ocnstipation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconstipation1cnostipation2connstipation1consitpation2consstipation1constiaption2constipaiton2constipasion1
Edit distance from "constipation"

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 "constipation"?
"constipation" is spelled C-O-N-S-T-I-P-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃən/.
What does "constipation" mean?
As a noun, "constipation" means: A state of the bowels in which the evacuations are infrequent and difficult, or the intestines become filled with hardened faeces.
What words are commonly confused with "constipation"?
"constipation" is commonly confused with "constitution". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "constipation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "constipation" is /ˌkɒnstɪˈpeɪʃən/. 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 "constipation"?
First attested in the beginning of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English constipacioun, borrowed from Medieval Latin constīpātiō or its Old French equivalent, from cōnstīpō + -tiō. By surface analysis, constipate + -ion. 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 "constipation", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

consultative#24,711condensation#24,705cheeseburger#24,699degeneration#24,723

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (19 here; floor ≥5).

archaeologist19 variantspostdoctoral19 variantsinexplicable19 variantsunintentional19 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list