definitely
/ˈdɛf.ɪ.nɪt.li/
"definitely" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“definitely” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,164 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.
- #1,164
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 15
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Without question and beyond doubt.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | definitely |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adverb |
| IPA | /ˈdɛf.ɪ.nɪt.li/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #1,164 |
| Misspellings tracked | 15 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “definitely” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for definitely is 10 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɛf.ɪ.nɪt.li/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,164 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for definitely, with forms such as "ddefinitely", "deffinitely", and "defiintely". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "definitively", "definite", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From definite + -ly. The correct English form is definitely, spelled D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y.
Definition
- 1Without question and beyond doubt.
- 2In a definite manner; decisively.
Etymology
From definite + -ly.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ddefinitely,deffinitely,defiintely,definietly,definitelly,definitelyy,definiteyl,definitley,definittely,definnitely,defintiely,defniitely,deifnitely,dfeinitely,edfinitely
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of definitely - 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.
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 "definitely"?
What does "definitely" mean?
What words are commonly confused with "definitely"?
How do you pronounce "definitely"?
What is the origin of the word "definitely"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “definitely”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-E-F-I-N-I-T-E-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈdɛf.ɪ.nɪt.li/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “definitively” - see the side-by-side comparison. definitely vs definitively
- 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.