consultation

/ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən/

//ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“consultation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,885 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,885
frequency rank, English
12
letters
19
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

consultation vs consultative
83% similar
consultation vs consolation
83% similar

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

Key facts for consultation
PropertyValue
Headwordconsultation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#6,885
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “consultation” 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). consultation 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 consultation is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,885 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for consultation, with forms such as "cconsultation", "cnosultation", and "connsultation". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "consultative", "consolation", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French consultation, from Latin consultatio. Morphologically consult + -ation. The correct English form is consultation, spelled C-O-N-S-U-L-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of consulting.
  2. 2
    A conference for the exchange of information and advice.
  3. 3
    An appointment or meeting with a professional person, such as a doctor.

Etymology

From Middle French consultation, from Latin consultatio. Morphologically consult + -ation.

This word in other languages

consulta(Español)consultation(Français)Beratung(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconsultation,cnosultation,connsultation,conslutation,conssultation,consulattion,consulltation,consultaiton,consultasion,consultatino,consultationn,consultatoin,consultattion,consulttaion,consulttation,consutlation,conusltation,cosnultation,ocnsultation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconsultation1cnosultation2connsultation1conslutation2conssultation1consulattion2consulltation1consultaiton2
Edit distance from "consultation"

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 "consultation"?
"consultation" is spelled C-O-N-S-U-L-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən/.
What does "consultation" mean?
As a noun, "consultation" means: The act of consulting.
What words are commonly confused with "consultation"?
"consultation" is commonly confused with "consultative", "consolation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "consultation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "consultation" is /ˌkɒnsəlˈteɪʃən/. 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 "consultation"?
From Middle French consultation, from Latin consultatio. Morphologically consult + -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.

Using “consultation”

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

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