conversation

/ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/

//ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩// noun

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

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

The verdict

“conversation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,816 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,816
frequency rank, English
12
letters
19
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

conversation vs conversion
83% similar
conversation vs conversational
86% similar
conversation vs conservation
83% similar

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

Key facts for conversation
PropertyValue
Headwordconversation
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/
Letters12
Frequency rank#1,816
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “conversation” 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). conversation 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 conversation is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,816 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for conversation, with forms such as "cconversation", "cnoversation", and "conevrsation". 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, "conversion", "conversational", "conservation", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English conversacioun, from Old French conversacion and its etymon, Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“conversation”), from conversor (“abide, keep company with”). Doublet of conversazione. Morphologically converse + -ation. The correct English form is conversation, spelled C-O-N-V-E-R-S-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking.
  2. 2
    The back-and-forth play of the blades in a bout.
  3. 3
    The protocol-based interaction between systems processing a transaction.
  4. 4
    Interaction; commerce or intercourse with other people; dealing with others.
  5. 5
    Behaviour, the way one conducts oneself; a person's way of life.
  6. 6
    Sexual intercourse.
  7. 7
    Engagement with a specific subject, idea, field of study etc.

Etymology

From Middle English conversacioun, from Old French conversacion and its etymon, Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“conversation”), from conversor (“abide, keep company with”). Doublet of conversazione. Morphologically converse + -ation.

This word in other languages

conversación(Español)conversation(Français)Gespräch(Deutsch)conversa(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconversation,cnoversation,conevrsation,connversation,converastion,converrsation,conversaiton,conversasion,conversatino,conversationn,conversatoin,conversattion,converssation,converstaion,convesration,convresation,convversation,covnersation,ocnversation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconversation1cnoversation2conevrsation2connversation1converastion2converrsation1conversaiton2conversasion1
Edit distance from "conversation"

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 "conversation"?
"conversation" is spelled C-O-N-V-E-R-S-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/.
What does "conversation" mean?
As a noun, "conversation" means: Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking.
What words are commonly confused with "conversation"?
"conversation" is commonly confused with "conversion", "conversational", "conservation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "conversation"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "conversation" is /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/. 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 "conversation"?
From Middle English conversacioun, from Old French conversacion and its etymon, Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“conversation”), from conversor (“abide, keep company with”). Doublet of conversazione. Morphologically conve... 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 “conversation”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-V-E-R-S-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃn̩/ (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. conversation 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