count

/kaʊnt/

//kaʊnt// verb

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

"count" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“count” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,557 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,557
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To recite numbers in sequence.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

count vs cut
60% similar
count vs cult
60% similar
count vs coup
60% similar

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

Key facts for count
PropertyValue
Headwordcount
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kaʊnt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,557
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “count” 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). count 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 count is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kaʊnt/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,557 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for count, with forms such as "ccount", "conut", and "counnt". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cut", "cult", "coup", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English counten, borrowed from Anglo-Norman conter, from Old French conter (“add up; tell a story”), from Latin computō (“I compute”). In this sense, displaced native Old English tellan, whence Modern English tell. Doublet of compute. Compare ty… The correct English form is count, spelled C-O-U-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To recite numbers in sequence.
  2. 2
    To determine the number of (objects in a group).
  3. 3
    To amount to, to number in total.
  4. 4
    To be of significance; to matter; to be considered (as something); to be included (of something).
  5. 5
    To be an example of something: often followed by as and an indefinite noun.
  6. 6
    To consider something as an example of something or as having some quality; to account, to regard as.
  7. 7
    To reckon in, to include in consideration.
  8. 8
    To take account or note (of), to care (for).
  9. 9
    To recount, to tell.
  10. 10
    To plead orally; to argue a matter in court; to recite a count.

Etymology

From Middle English counten, borrowed from Anglo-Norman conter, from Old French conter (“add up; tell a story”), from Latin computō (“I compute”). In this sense, displaced native Old English tellan, whence Modern English tell. Doublet of compute. Compare typologically reckon, Russian счита́ть (sčitátʹ), счита́ться (sčitátʹsja); the semantic evolution to Mongolian санах (sanax).

Synonyms

enumeratenumbercountnumeratetallytelltell off

Antonyms

miscount

This word in other languages

contar(Español)compter(Français)zählen(Deutsch)contar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccount,conut,counnt,countt,coutn,cuont,ocunt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccount1conut2counnt1countt1coutn2cuont2ocunt2
Edit distance from "count"

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 "count"?
"count" is spelled C-O-U-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /kaʊnt/.
What does "count" mean?
As a verb, "count" means: To recite numbers in sequence.
What words are commonly confused with "count"?
"count" is commonly confused with "cut", "cult", "coup". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "count"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "count" is /kaʊnt/. 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 "count"?
From Middle English counten, borrowed from Anglo-Norman conter, from Old French conter (“add up; tell a story”), from Latin computō (“I compute”). In this sense, displaced native Old English tellan, whence Modern English tell. Doublet of compute. ... 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 “count”

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

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