convention

/kənˈvɛn.ʃən/

//kənˈvɛn.ʃən// noun

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

"convention" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“convention” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,985 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,985
frequency rank, English
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings
9
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A meeting or gathering.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

convention vs conversion
80% similar
convention vs conviction
80% similar
convention vs conventions
91% similar

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

Key facts for convention
PropertyValue
Headwordconvention
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kənˈvɛn.ʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#2,985
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs9
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “convention” 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). convention 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 convention is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈvɛn.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,985 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 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for convention, with forms such as "cconvention", "cnovention", and "conevntion". 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 9 confusable-pair relationships, "conversion", "conviction", "conventions", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Recorded since about 1440, borrowed from Middle French convention, from Latin conventiō (“meeting, assembling; agreement, convention”), from conveniō (“come, gather or meet together, assemble”), from con- (“with, together”) + veniō (“come”). Equivalent to c… The correct English form is convention, spelled C-O-N-V-E-N-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A meeting or gathering.
  2. 2
    A formal deliberative assembly of mandated delegates.
  3. 3
    The convening of a formal meeting.
  4. 4
    A formal agreement, contract, rule, or pact.
  5. 5
    A treaty or supplement to such.
  6. 6
    A practice or procedure widely observed in a group, especially to facilitate social interaction; a custom.

Etymology

Recorded since about 1440, borrowed from Middle French convention, from Latin conventiō (“meeting, assembling; agreement, convention”), from conveniō (“come, gather or meet together, assemble”), from con- (“with, together”) + veniō (“come”). Equivalent to convene + -tion.

This word in other languages

convención(Español)convention(Français)Kongress(Deutsch)convenção(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconvention,cnovention,conevntion,connvention,conveniton,convenntion,convension,conventino,conventionn,conventoin,conventtion,convetnion,convnetion,convvention,covnention,ocnvention

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconvention1cnovention2conevntion2connvention1conveniton2convenntion1convension1conventino2
Edit distance from "convention"

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 "convention"?
"convention" is spelled C-O-N-V-E-N-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈvɛn.ʃən/.
What does "convention" mean?
As a noun, "convention" means: A meeting or gathering.
What words are commonly confused with "convention"?
"convention" is commonly confused with "conversion", "conviction", "conventions". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "convention"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "convention" is /kənˈvɛn.ʃən/. 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 "convention"?
Recorded since about 1440, borrowed from Middle French convention, from Latin conventiō (“meeting, assembling; agreement, convention”), from conveniō (“come, gather or meet together, assemble”), from con- (“with, together”) + veniō (“come”). Equiv... 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 “convention”

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

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