contributory

/ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi/

//ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi// adj

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

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

The verdict

“contributory” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,070. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,070
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
19
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of, pertaining to, or involving a contribution.

Corpus desk

Index EN-contributory · contributory · English

contributory · rank #42,070 · 19 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #42,070
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH congruent

Nearest frequency peer: congruent (-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 “contributory”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “contributory” 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).

contributory vs contributor
92% similar

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

Key facts for contributory
PropertyValue
Headwordcontributory
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi/
Letters12
Frequency rank#42,070
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “contributory”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).contributorylands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “congruent” (#42,069), “convective” (#42,071), “colloquially” (#42,068). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “contributory” is #42,070. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around contributory (IPA /ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #42,070 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for contributory, with forms such as "ccontributory", "cnotributory", and "conntributory". 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, "contributor", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From earlier contributary, from Middle English contributarie, from con- + tributarie after Middle French contributaire. The correct English form is contributory, spelled C-O-N-T-R-I-B-U-T-O-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of, pertaining to, or involving a contribution.
  2. 2
    Tending to contribute to a result.
  3. 3
    Paying tribute, tributary.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. My Lord the great Commander of the worlde, Besides fifteene contributory kings, Hath now in armes ten thouſand Ianiſaries, Mounted on luſty Mauritanian Steeds, […]

Etymology

From earlier contributary, from Middle English contributarie, from con- + tributarie after Middle French contributaire.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccontributory
  • cnotributory
  • conntributory
  • conrtibutory
  • contirbutory
  • contrbiutory
  • contribbutory
  • contribtuory
  • contribuotry
  • contributorry
  • contributoryy
  • contributoyr
  • contributroy
  • contributtory
  • contriubtory
  • contrributory
  • conttributory
  • cotnributory
  • ocntributory

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccontributory1cnotributory2conntributory1conrtibutory2contirbutory2contrbiutory2contribbutory1contribtuory2
Edit distance from "contributory"

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 "contributory"?
"contributory" is spelled C-O-N-T-R-I-B-U-T-O-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi/.
What does "contributory" mean?
As an adjective, "contributory" means: Of, pertaining to, or involving a contribution.
What words are commonly confused with "contributory"?
"contributory" is commonly confused with "contributor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contributory"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contributory" is /ˈkɒntɹɪˌbjuːt(ə)ɹi/. 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 "contributory"?
From earlier contributary, from Middle English contributarie, from con- + tributarie after Middle French contributaire. 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 "contributory", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

colloquially#42,068equalization#42,119anatomically#41,996hydrothermal#42,189

Similar misspelling depth

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

embellishment19 variantsflabbergasted19 variantsacetaminophen19 variantsreproducible19 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list