contact

/ˈkɑntækt/

//ˈkɑntækt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“contact” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,102 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,102
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of touching physically; being in close association.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

contact vs content
71% similar
contact vs context
71% similar
contact vs contest
71% similar

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

Key facts for contact
PropertyValue
Headwordcontact
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɑntækt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#1,102
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “contact” 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). contact 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 contact is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɑntækt/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,102 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for contact, with forms such as "ccontact", "cnotact", and "conatct". 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, "content", "context", "contest", 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 Latin contactus, from contingō (“I touch on all sides”), from tangō (“I touch”). Used in English since the 17th century. The correct English form is contact, spelled C-O-N-T-A-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of touching physically; being in close association.
  2. 2
    The establishment of communication (with).
  3. 3
    The situation of being within sight of something; visual contact.
  4. 4
    A nodule designed to connect a device with something else.
  5. 5
    Someone who can be contacted, or with whom one is in communication.
  6. 6
    Someone who can be contacted, or with whom one is in communication.
  7. 7
    A contact lens.
  8. 8
    A device designed for repetitive connections.
  9. 9
    Contact juggling.
  10. 10
    The plane between two adjacent bodies of dissimilar rock.

Etymology

From Latin contactus, from contingō (“I touch on all sides”), from tangō (“I touch”). Used in English since the 17th century.

This word in other languages

contacto(Español)contact(Français)Kontakt(Deutsch)contato(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontact,cnotact,conatct,conntact,contacct,contactt,contatc,contcat,conttact,cotnact,ocntact

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccontact1cnotact2conatct2conntact1contacct1contactt1contatc2contcat2
Edit distance from "contact"

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 "contact"?
"contact" is spelled C-O-N-T-A-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɑntækt/.
What does "contact" mean?
As a noun, "contact" means: The act of touching physically; being in close association.
What words are commonly confused with "contact"?
"contact" is commonly confused with "content", "context", "contest". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contact"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contact" is /ˈkɑntækt/. 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 "contact"?
From Latin contactus, from contingō (“I touch on all sides”), from tangō (“I touch”). Used in English since the 17th century. 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 “contact”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-T-A-C-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɑntækt/ (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. contact 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