context

/ˈkɒn.tɛkst/

//ˈkɒn.tɛkst// noun

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

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

The verdict

“context” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,336 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,336
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

context vs cortex
71% similar
context vs convex
71% similar
context vs convert
71% similar

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

Key facts for context
PropertyValue
Headwordcontext
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒn.tɛkst/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,336
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “context” 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). context 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 context is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒn.tɛkst/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,336 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 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 context, with forms such as "ccontext", "cnotext", and "conetxt". 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 16 confusable-pair relationships, "cortex", "convex", "convert", 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 context(us). The correct English form is context, spelled C-O-N-T-E-X-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.
  2. 2
    The text in which a word or passage appears and which helps ascertain its meaning.
  3. 3
    The surroundings and environment in which an artifact is found and which may provide important clues about the artifact's function and/or cultural meaning.
  4. 4
    The trama or flesh of a mushroom.
  5. 5
    For a formula: a finite set of variables, which set contains all the free variables in the given formula.
  6. 6
    The data (register contents, program counter value, etc.) needed to switch to another thread of execution.

Etymology

From Latin context(us).

Antonyms

isolation

This word in other languages

contexto(Español)contexte(Français)Kontext(Deutsch)contexto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontext,cnotext,conetxt,conntext,contetx,contextt,contexxt,conttext,contxet,cotnext,ocntext

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of context - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccontext1cnotext2conetxt2conntext1contetx2contextt1contexxt1conttext1
Edit distance from "context"

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 "context"?
"context" is spelled C-O-N-T-E-X-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒn.tɛkst/.
What does "context" mean?
As a noun, "context" means: The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.
What words are commonly confused with "context"?
"context" is commonly confused with "cortex", "convex", "convert". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "context"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "context" is /ˈkɒn.tɛkst/. 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 "context"?
From Latin context(us). 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 “context”

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

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