contributor

/kənˈtɹɪb.jə.tɚ/

//kənˈtɹɪb.jə.tɚ// noun

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

"contributor" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“contributor” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,834 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#10,834
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A benefactor; someone who donates to charity or some cause.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

contributor vs contributory
92% similar
contributor vs contribute
82% similar
contributor vs contributed
82% similar

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

Key facts for contributor
PropertyValue
Headwordcontributor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kənˈtɹɪb.jə.tɚ/
Letters11
Frequency rank#10,834
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “contributor” 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). contributor 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 contributor is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈtɹɪb.jə.tɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,834 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for contributor, with forms such as "ccontributor", "cnotributor", and "conntributor". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "contributory", "contribute", "contributed", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Anglo-Norman contributour (from Latin contribuō); equivalent to contribute + -or. The correct English form is contributor, spelled C-O-N-T-R-I-B-U-T-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    A benefactor; someone who donates to charity or some cause.
  2. 2
    A person who backs, supports or champions a cause, activity or institution.
  3. 3
    A person (or thing) instrumental in the creation or growth of something.
  4. 4
    A person who produces articles published in a newspaper, magazine, online publication, etc.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman contributour (from Latin contribuō); equivalent to contribute + -or.

This word in other languages

donante(Español)contributeur(Français)Spender(Deutsch)benemérito(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontributor,cnotributor,conntributor,conrtibutor,contirbutor,contrbiutor,contribbutor,contribtuor,contribuotr,contributorr,contributro,contributtor,contriubtor,contrributor,conttributor,cotnributor,ocntributor

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of contributor - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ccontributor1cnotributor2conntributor1conrtibutor2contirbutor2contrbiutor2contribbutor1contribtuor2
Edit distance from "contributor"

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 "contributor"?
"contributor" is spelled C-O-N-T-R-I-B-U-T-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈtɹɪb.jə.tɚ/.
What does "contributor" mean?
As a noun, "contributor" means: A benefactor; someone who donates to charity or some cause.
What words are commonly confused with "contributor"?
"contributor" is commonly confused with "contributory", "contribute", "contributed". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contributor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contributor" is /kənˈtɹɪb.jə.tɚ/. 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 "contributor"?
From Anglo-Norman contributour (from Latin contribuō); equivalent to contribute + -or. 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 “contributor”

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

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