derivative
/dɪˈɹɪvətɪv/
"derivative" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“derivative” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,034 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.
- #12,034
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 14
- tracked misspellings
- 1
- confusable pair
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Obtained by derivation; not radical, original, or fundamental.
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 | derivative |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /dɪˈɹɪvətɪv/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #12,034 |
| Misspellings tracked | 14 |
| Confusable pairs | 1 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “derivative” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for derivative is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈɹɪvətɪv/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,034 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for derivative, with forms such as "dderivative", "deirvative", and "deriavtive". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "derivation", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French dérivatif, from Latin dērīvātus, perfect passive participle of dērīvō (“to derive”). Related to derive; by surface analysis, derive + -ative. The correct English form is derivative, spelled D-E-R-I-V-A-T-I-V-E.
Definition
- 1Obtained by derivation; not radical, original, or fundamental.
- 2Imitative of the work of someone else.
- 3Referring to a work, such as a translation or adaptation, based on another work that may be subject to copyright restrictions.
- 4Having a value that depends on an underlying asset of variable value.
Etymology
From Middle French dérivatif, from Latin dērīvātus, perfect passive participle of dērīvō (“to derive”). Related to derive; by surface analysis, derive + -ative.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: dderivative,deirvative,deriavtive,derivaitve,derivatiev,derivativve,derivattive,derivatvie,derivtaive,derivvative,derrivative,derviative,dreivative,edrivative
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of derivative - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.
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 "derivative"?
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Using “derivative”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-E-R-I-V-A-T-I-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /dɪˈɹɪvətɪv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “derivation” - see the side-by-side comparison. derivative vs derivation
- 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.