determination

/dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/

//dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən// noun

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

"determination" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“determination” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,493 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,493
frequency rank, English
13
letters
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of determining, or the state of being determined.

Key facts for determination
PropertyValue
Headworddetermination
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/
Letters13
Frequency rank#5,493
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “determination” 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). determination 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 determination is 13 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,493 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 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for determination, with forms such as "ddetermination", "deetrmination", and "detemrination". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English determinacion, determynacioun, from Old French determinacion, from Latin dēterminātiō. Morphologically determine + -ation. The correct English form is determination, spelled D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of determining, or the state of being determined.
  2. 2
    The act of determining, or the state of being determined.
  3. 3
    The act of determining, or the state of being determined.
  4. 4
    The act of determining, or the state of being determined.
  5. 5
    Direction or tendency to a certain end; impulsion.
  6. 6
    The quality of mind which reaches definite conclusions; decisive character; resoluteness; fortitude.
  7. 7
    The state of decision; a judicial decision, or ending of controversy.
  8. 8
    That which is determined upon; result of deliberation; purpose; conclusion formed; fixed resolution.
  9. 9
    A flow, rush, or tendency to a particular part
  10. 10
    Bringing to an end; termination; limit.

Etymology

From Middle English determinacion, determynacioun, from Old French determinacion, from Latin dēterminātiō. Morphologically determine + -ation.

This word in other languages

determinación(Español)détermination(Français)Bestimmung(Deutsch)determinação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddetermination,deetrmination,detemrination,deterimnation,determiantion,determinaiton,determinasion,determinatino,determinationn,determinatoin,determinattion,determinnation,determintaion,determmination,determniation,deterrmination,detremination,dettermination,dteermination,edtermination

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddetermination1deetrmination2detemrination2deterimnation2determiantion2determinaiton2determinasion1determinatino2
Edit distance from "determination"

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 "determination"?
"determination" is spelled D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/.
What does "determination" mean?
As a noun, "determination" means: The act of determining, or the state of being determined.
What are common misspellings of "determination"?
Common misspellings include "ddetermination", "deetrmination", "detemrination", "deterimnation", "determiantion". The correct spelling is "determination".
How do you pronounce "determination"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "determination" is /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/. 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 "determination"?
From Middle English determinacion, determynacioun, from Old French determinacion, from Latin dēterminātiō. Morphologically determine + -ation. 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 “determination”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-T-E-R-M-I-N-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˌtɜːmɪˈneɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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