definition

/ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/

//ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“definition” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,574. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,574
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign, or symbol; especially, a dictionary definition.

Corpus desk

Index EN-definition · definition · English

definition · rank #2,574 · 15 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,574
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dedicated

Nearest frequency peer: dedicated (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “definition”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “definition” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

definition vs definitive
80% similar
definition vs definitions
91% similar

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

Key facts for definition
PropertyValue
Headworddefinition
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#2,574
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “definition”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).definitionlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “dedicated” (#2,573), “drawing” (#2,575), “decades” (#2,572). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “definition” is #2,574. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around definition (IPA /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,574 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 14 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for definition, with forms such as "ddefinition", "deffinition", and "defiintion". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "definitive", "definitions", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English diffinicioun, from Middle French definition, from Latin dēfīnītiō, from dēfīniō. Equivalent to define + -ition. The correct English form is definition, spelled D-E-F-I-N-I-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign, or symbol; especially, a dictionary definition.
  2. 2
    A clear instance conforming to the dictionary or textbook definition.
  3. 3
    A statement expressing the essential nature of something; formulation
  4. 4
    The action or process of defining.
  5. 5
    The act of defining; determination of the limits.
  6. 6
    A product of defining.
  7. 7
    The action or power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear.
  8. 8
    Clarity of visual presentation, distinctness of outline or detail.
  9. 9
    Clarity, especially of musical sound in reproduction.
  10. 10
    Sharp demarcation of outlines or limits.
  11. 11
    The degree to which individual muscles are distinct on the body.
  12. 12
    A statement which provides a previous declaration with a value or body of a subroutine (in the case of function).
  13. 13
    A statement that establishes the referent of a term or notation.
  14. 14
    The part of a cryptic clue which defines but does not indicate the solution.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how definition appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Your definition of "elephant" needs to be more precise than "a big animal with large ears".
  2. DEFINITIONS mean nothing unless the concept in the mind of the men who makes the definition is the same as that in the mind of the man who hears it.

Etymology

From Middle English diffinicioun, from Middle French definition, from Latin dēfīnītiō, from dēfīniō. Equivalent to define + -ition.

Synonyms

definitionmeaning

This word in other languages

definición(Español)définition(Français)Definition(Deutsch)definição(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddefinition
  • deffinition
  • defiintion
  • definiiton
  • definision
  • definitino
  • definitionn
  • definitoin
  • definittion
  • definnition
  • defintiion
  • defniition
  • deifnition
  • dfeinition
  • edfinition

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of definition - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ddefinition1deffinition1defiintion2definiiton2definision1definitino2definitionn1definitoin2
Edit distance from "definition"

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 "definition"?
"definition" is spelled D-E-F-I-N-I-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/.
What does "definition" mean?
As a noun, "definition" means: A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign, or symbol; especially, a dictionary definition.
What words are commonly confused with "definition"?
"definition" is commonly confused with "definitive", "definitions". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "definition"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "definition" is /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/. 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 "definition"?
From Middle English diffinicioun, from Middle French definition, from Latin dēfīnītiō, from dēfīniō. Equivalent to define + -ition. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "definition", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

resolution#2,554reasonable#2,551understood#2,603controlled#2,523

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

possibility15 variantsultimately15 variantseducational15 variantsperfectly15 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list