# CRISPR

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkrɪspər/ · frequency rank #44,144

## Definitions
1. Segments of bacteria and archaea DNA containing short repetitions of base sequences.
2. The CRISPR/Cas9 system, which functions to provide immunity to bacteria and archaea by finding a section of DNA and replacing it with an alternative.
3. Any technique or process or system for editing genomes by laboratory use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

## Etymology
Acronym of clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.

## Easily confused with
- **Crist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crispr-vs-crist)
- **crispy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crispr-vs-crispy)
- **crisps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crispr-vs-crisps)
- **Cristo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crispr-vs-cristo)
- **cruiser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crispr-vs-cruiser)
- **Cris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cris-vs-crispr)
- **crisp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crisp-vs-crispr)
- **crimp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crimp-vs-crispr)
- **crisis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crisis-vs-crispr)
- **crises** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crises-vs-crispr)
- **Crispin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/crispin-vs-crispr)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ccrispr`, `cirspr`, `cripsr`, `crisppr`, `crisprr`, `crisrp`, `crisspr`, `crrispr`, `crsipr`, `rcispr`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/crispr